If
Wilson Pickett could cover
the Archies and
Al Green could interpret the
Bee Gees, why shouldn't
Charles Bradley put his spin on
Black Sabbath?
Bradley's deep, soulful reading of
Black Sabbath's "Changes" (from 1972's
Vol. 4) became something of a viral sensation when it first surfaced on a Record Store Day single in 2013. Now it's become the title track and cornerstone of
Bradley's third album, and in this context it doesn't sound like a novelty, but like the striking, deeply felt performance it truly is. As on his two previous albums,
Bradley is one of the most authentic-sounding artists in the 2010s retro-soul sweepstakes on
Changes. The production by
Thomas Brenneck is straightforward but naturalistically effective, and puts
Bradley's rough but passionate vocals in engaging relief with the accompanists. (Most of the album features
the Menahan Street Band backing
Bradley, though
the Budos Band does the honors on two cuts.) Most of the songs on
Changes are new, but they sound like they could have been prize Atlantic or Stax rarities from the mid-'60s, and the performances honor the sound and the emotional power of classic soul.
Bradley spent years imitating
James Brown, and the influence of
Mr. Dynamite is still audible on many of these tunes. But since he launched his belated recording career,
Bradley has developed a greater sense of self and more confidence in his own musical personality. On
Changes, the rough-hewn power of
Bradley's voice is at its most powerful, and there's a fierce sense of longing and need in this music that's almost tactile in its realism.
Charles Bradley doesn't sound like a '60 soul singer, he sounds like a great soul singer regardless of era. And
Changes shows
Bradley still has plenty of new ground to explore at the age of 68. That's a lot more than one can say for the other guy who sang "Changes,"
Ozzy Osbourne.