Since the mid-'00s, Texas guitar slinger Gary Clark Jr. has been mesmerizing with his mix of gritty blues crunch, neo-soul groove, and hip-hop rhythms. He was nicknamed “The Chosen One” by Rolling Stone, and it's easy to see why. The blistering guitar work on “Don't Owe You a Thang” is Delta blues armed with a vicious bite, and “Grinder” is packed with sweltering swagger and dark, ‘70s rock edge. Songs like the sparse, passionate “Church,” though, show how well his songwriting chops stand up when you strip everything away.