There are a ton of amazing artists taking advantage of today’s duality as both Juneteenth and New Music Friday, but in the spirit of both the Austin Music Experience and musical discovery, let’s check out young up-and-comer Clarence James. Raised in the bucolic Texas town of Columbus, James’ early exposure to classical music quickly led him to jazz and at age sixteen he picked up the guitar, re-cast the chord progressions he’d grown found of, and even developed his own unique fingerpicking method.
Cut to age twenty, where Clarence James bridges the gap between his formative jazz, lo-fi hip-hop, and airy indie rock in an impressively cohesive manner to speak about his own varied experiences across the two short decades of his life thus far. And on that, today Clarence James has released his debut full-length Fucked Me Up exclusively on Bandcamp with all proceeds to be donated to Black Lives Matter and Austin Justice Coalition for a full week before hitting all digital streaming platforms.
It’s a monumental day and there’s a TON of great new music out, but be sure to give Clarence James some love on one of the boldest live-band offerings on Fucked Me Up, “So Cold”!
–Jack Anderson
KUTX supports Austin music; your support makes KUTX possible. Donate today.
