With his critically lauded debut Blak And Blu, Gary Clark Jr. hinted at a versatility that extends way beyond the oft-bestowed “blues guitar hero” mantle. To be sure, he’s very nearly in a class by himself as a rock guitarist—not a shredder by any means, but a committed artist with a deep, almost Hendrix-like feel for the blues—and yet like any young talent, he’s also the ever-changing sum of his influences, which include hip-hop, gospel, soul, post-mod R&B and a lot more. That’s the concept, if there is a unifying one, that fuels Clark’s long-awaited sophomore album. It opens with the churchy overtones of “The Healing” and the hard-edged “Grinder,” both apt table-setters for the blues revivalist crowd, before taking the pleasantly unexpected turn into “Star,” where Clark channels his penchant for simmering funk and a mean falsetto that would give D’Angelo pause. The ballad “Our Love” is a taste of Stax—clean-picked guitar solo, Hard Proof horn section and all—but the real highlights turn out to be soul-revue-style send-ups like “Hold On,” with its message rooted in the Marvin Gaye/Curtis Mayfield protest mold, and “Cold Blooded,” a Prince-like potboiler that again showcases Clark’s pliable voice and tasty guitar chops. As personal as it gets for Clark, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim is more about the journey than the destination, which is really the whole point. Given the choice between standing still and stretching out creatively, he’d rather keep moving.