Bradley effectively draws you in with his voice and leaves you deep in thought with Changes, all the while grooving back and forth.
Changes could make even the meanest person soft. America could learn plenty from Bradley.
Changes shows Bradley still has plenty of new ground to explore at the age of 68.
Like its predecessors No Time for Dreaming and Victim of Love, Changes is a strong entry into the canon of modern soul with a vintage heart. Even better is what the album represents for Bradley: after decades of struggle, the Screaming Eagle of Soul has come fully into his own.
Changes, his third album, feels like his straightforward best to date, the result of an improved dynamic between the singer and his band.
It’s this righteous conviction that gives Bradley’s music its gut-punch force but you don’t have to be religious to appreciate testifying this fervent.
Changes continues to find him doing what he does best — performing chicken-scratch rave-ups in a raw and unkempt emotional squall, and finding unexpected meaning in authoritative cover songs.
It seems that, as well as wanting to make people dance, Bradley wants to make them think.
Charles Bradley's most recognizable body of work due to the self titled track being featured in some shows, and the rest of the album follows in the same suit as that powerful deep soul reminiscent of 70's soul with some impressive vocals and some great cuts for a consistent and passionate listen, one filled with bitter sweet lyrics of romance.
Track Review
God Bless America 6.5/10
Good to Be Back Home 7.5/10.
Nobody but You 8/10
Ain't Gonna Give It Up7.5/10.
Changes 9.5/10
Ain't It a Sin ... read more
It doesn´t matter what he has to sound. It´s simply how he puts his perseverance on love and why he needs his roots to do that. "Changes" is as blissful as is strong. In fact, that´s the best way to sound yourself. And just for this (but the songs here have their other reasons to explain) we could call it contemporary. His masterpiece.
1 | God Bless America 1:31 | |
2 | Good to Be Back Home 3:04 | |
3 | Nobody But You 4:00 | |
4 | Ain't Gonna Give It Up 3:56 | |
5 | Changes 5:45 | 100 |
6 | Ain't It a Sin 3:52 | |
7 | Things We Do For Love 3:31 | |
8 | Crazy for Your Love 4:21 | |
9 | You Think I Don't Know (But I Know) 3:30 | |
10 | Change For the World 3:36 | |
11 | Slow Love 3:38 |
#5 | / | Rough Trade |
#14 | / | MOJO |
#20 | / | Fopp |
#22 | / | Esquire (US) |
#39 | / | Gigwise |
#39 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
#41 | / | PopMatters |
#43 | / | Paste |
#66 | / | Uncut |
#79 | / | Piccadilly Records |