Album Review: Charles Bradley - Changes

Soul singer Charles Bradley has the sheer passion to will even mediocre songs out of their uninspired moors and turn them into deeply personal ballads.

This approach, involving the combination of a strong faith in the power of music and the belief that America could be a welcoming place, permeates The Screaming Eagle Of Soul's third album. It's a smouldering and reflective affair, as the multiple songs with the word 'change' in their titles attest, embracing a strikingly contemplative tone. This sense of maturity makes for a pleasantly surprising turn from a man known for his emotional excessiveness, ultimately serving to make him seem more dignified than ever.