By now, Bradley’s remarkable, against-all-odds rise has been well-documented – how he transcended a bleak life on the streets and struggled through a series of ill-fitting jobs – most famously as a James Brown impersonator at Brooklyn clubs – before finally being discovered by Daptone’s Gabe Roth. The year following the release of No Time For Dreaming was one triumph after another: a stunning performance at South By Southwest that earned unanimous raves; similarly-gripping appearances at Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival and Outside Lands (to name just a few); and spots on Year-End Best Lists from Rolling Stone, SPIN, GQ, Pasteand more.
Victim of Love is a continuation of that story, moving past the ‘heartache and pain’ and closer to the promise of hope. Where the last record opened with the apocalyptic “The World (is Going Up in Flames), Victim begins with the “Strictly Reserved for You,” a track where Bradley grabs his girl, jumps in a car and hits the highway for a romantic getaway. “You Put The Flame on It” sees Bradley backed by a horn chart that sounds like it was lifted from a lost Four Tops single. And on “Victim of Love,” the track that lent the album its name, Bradley sings over a gentle acoustic guitar, “I woke up this morning, I felt your love beside me.”
This is the new message of Charles Bradley, the Bradley who has emerged from the heartache stronger and more confident, overflowing with love to share. This is Charles Bradley, victim of love — gratefully returning the joy that has been given to him.
“Every brass blast and chicken scratch could have come straight off a 1968 Stax Records release, but it’s Bradley’s ragged, resilient powerhouse singing that makes this soul…” – Rolling Stone about ‘No Time For Dreaming’
“Bradley’s success is a result of his music, which overflows with the ingredient most crucial to soul music – soul… he sounds battered and bruised but still standing. He aches but is never angry. There’s heartbreak but also hope. In a sea of acts tagged as ‘throwback soul’ or ‘retro soul,’ Bradley is neither – he’s the real thing.” – Washington Post
