Soulful Sundays
Love me some Charles Bradley.
Bradley grew up in Brooklyn, NY in the 1960’s and was first introduced to soul music as a child when he saw James Brown play at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theatre. After years of enduring grinding poverty, homelessness and far more life trials than anyone deserves, he was finally discovered by Daptone Records while singing with a James Brown tribute band. His first album No Time for Dreaming fit in perfectly with the current NYC soul revival being spearheaded by Daptone. As of late he’s been labeled “The Screaming Eagle of Soul” and having seen him play a few years ago at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, I can testify to the accuracy of this nickname. His evocative delivery seems to explode with pent up sorrow and emotion. Although I love dancing to soul music almost more than anything, at his show I found my feet glued to the floor… I was just too captivated to peel my eyes away from him. Backed up by the Menahan Street Band and this man is truly a force to be reckoned with.
Towards the end of March he released his sophomore album, Victim of Love. Like his prior work, it is intimately raw and rocks you to your core. This track embodies his sound and revivalist style.
life : sanguine 