Maybe I was hooked by Charles Bradley’s lead single, Strictly Reserved for You, but I find this classic soul sound infectious.
Here’s what I posted earlier this year about the sophomore album from the former James Brown impersonator:
Strictly Reserved for You, the first song off Charles Bradley’s new album, Victim of Love, has a classic Al Green feel to it. It’s a strong opening to an album with an old-time feel throughout.
Bradley, a former James Brown impersonator now in his 60s, is a true soul man with a painful past who has only made two albums. I suppose these records could be dismissed as revivalist gimmicks but there’s an honesty to Bradley’s songs. I can’t embrace every track on Victim but when he’s on, Bradley is taking me back to another era — the ’60s and ’70s soul heyday — and it’s a very cool experience.
Aside from Strictly Reserved for You, the other highlights include Let Love Stand a Chance and Confusion. I also like the ultra-groovy Where Do We Go from Here? The release follows his impressive 2011 debut, No Time for Dreaming.
All the Young Punks 