The Bravest Man in the Universe

Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man in the Universe
Critic Score
Based on 34 reviews
2012 Ratings: #148 / 1118
User Score
Based on 33 ratings
Liked by 2 people
June 12, 2012 / Release Date
LP / Format
XL / Label
Soul / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

91
Beats Per Minute

The Last Soul Man has given us another soul classic, but in an unflinchingly modern package.

90
AllMusic
For as haunting as parts of the album are, there is no fetishization of death on the parts of Albarn and Russell; even with a tinge of melancholy coloring the fringes of the album, this is an album that affirms the power of life, in all of its mess and glory.
83
A.V. Club

While The Bravest Man In The Universe bears little surface relation to Womack’s best-known music, it is—like “Stylo”—in line spiritually with what Womack’s all about.

80
Clash
An album that's completely beguiling.
80
Mojo

The Bravest Man impresses on a steadily rising graph as Womack's soul-soaked voice humanises the machinery in ways rarely heard these days.

80
The Guardian
It's an album he could only have made in the autumn of his life, at the apex of his game.
80
musicOMH

The album posits Womack as a restless spirit, ever expository, invigorated and emboldened by age and experience. 

80
Consequence of Sound

The strongest moments of The Bravest Man in the Universe brought me to tears. 

70
PopMatters

Although not quite the greatest release that Womack’s name has been stamped on, The Bravest Man will, with some luck, serve as a pleasant and uplifting gateway to Womack’s imperative back catalogue.

70
NME
The only problem is that at times, it feels like all parties are a little intimidated by each other, stopping just short of going the whole way with the primal force that the best moments prove Womack is still capable of.
70
Under the Radar

Few voices have been able to reach the emotional heights of Bobby Womack's, and he infuses The Bravest Man in the Universe with every ounce of his lost time

70
The 405

Bobby Womack's time has come once again, and he's still got it.

70
Uncut
The results are startling, setting Womacks's distinctive voice against stark electro backings and thunderous beats.
70
Rolling Stone
He's at home testifying over coolly throbbing beats.
62
Pitchfork

While The Bravest Man is a skeletal affair with the spotlight keenly trained on Womack's cracked vocals, it doesn't attempt to sound like "classic" Bobby Womack, for better or worse.

60
The Needle Drop
Soul singer Bobby Womack returns with an adventurous new album.
60
No Ripcord
The contemporary beats and intermitted uses of techno make this album youthful. For instance, Stupid has a stoic loop that runs through Womack's raspy cries and a sophisticated piano melody. It's a really beautiful blend of new and old.
Paxster
64

Like Scott-Heron's 'I'm New Here', I'm not sure these minimalistic contemporary arrangements work 100% percent of the time, however, even in his late 60's, Womack has plenty of heart wrenching vocal emotion to make up for the empty spaces.

Track Picks: 'The Bravest Man In The Universe', 'Dayglo Reflection', 'If There Wasn't Something There'

SJCTurntable
68

Womack’s cameo appearance on ‘Gorillaz’s 2010 track album ‘Plastic Beach’ began what would be a fruitful collaboration with Damon Albarn which would result in this his final ever release. Supplying backing electronic beats to Womack’s delivery adds more relevance to modern audiences, but at times the great soul singer appears to be guest appearing in his own record. Perhaps, the greatest mistake was in trying to add dance elements to one of Womack’s ... read more

80

Bobby Womack always had one of the great soul voices even if at times some of his recordings were a bit MOR, the Bravest Man In The World is a swan song that returns to his best. Working with Damon Albarn and Richard Russell to merge his magnificent soul voice with clever edgy techno beats and sounds to create a fantastic album. Somehow it seems to reach out across the years to Across 110th Street to bookend the life and voice of one of the last soul men. The fact that it is his last album ... read more

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Added on: March 8, 2012