Deep in the Heart

Deep in the Heart

DEEP IN THE HEART, is another slice of stunning soul mixed with contemporary electric blues. Clark’s gospel-inflected vocals and inspired, lyrical guitar work dominate the album, which was recorded in Austin and produced by Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff. From wrenching, heartfelt ballads to celebratory, horn-fueled Texas stomps, DEEP IN THE HEART is a blistering ride through sinewy Memphis soul and foot-stomping Texas roadhouse blues. With the addition of friends Marcia Ball and newcomer Ruthie Foster duetting on three songs, DEEP IN THE HEART is the most fully realized and soulfully intense album of Clark’s long career.With this rollicking collection, Austin veteran W.C. Clark again proves that Memphis doesn't have a monopoly on gospel-drenched soul-blues. Meshing Al Green's gospel testifying and Albert King's quicksilver guitar, Clark--a Texas legend in part because of his association-mentorship with a young Stevie Ray Vaughan--skillfully navigates this gutsy R&B terrain with a tough yet tender hand. Fueled by Stax-styled horn arrangements, Clark cranks out jump-blues guitar acrobatics on tracks like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's signature instrumental "Okie Dokee Stomp." On stunning covers of John Hiatt's slow-boil "Tip of My Tongue," Dan Penn's classic "You Left the Water Running," Joe Tex's "I Want to Do Everything for You," and the Fabulous Thunderbirds' "Twist of the Knife," Clark excels with emotionally electrifying vocals and a dynamic delivery that makes these songs his own. --Hal Horowitz

List Price: $ 17.98 Price: $ 14.98