Performer Notes

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. ~ Mark Deming

Professional Reviews

Spin - "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."

Mojo (Publisher) - Ranked #14 in Mojo's 'The 50 Best Albums Of 2016' -- "[He] makes the Black Sabbath ballad title track his own..."

Paste (magazine) - "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."

Pitchfork (Website) - "Bradley now seems to command ownership of his songs like never before. It's an accomplished skill in the world of retro-soul, and Bradley sounds vital instead of nostalgic because of it."

Album: Changes
#	Song Title		Time
1)	God Bless America	More Info...
2)	Good to Be Back Home	More Info...
3)	Nobody But You	More Info...
4)	Ain't Gonna Give It Up	More Info...
5)	Changes	More Info...
6)	Ain't It a Sin	More Info...
7)	Things We Do for Love	More Info...
8)	Crazy for Your Love	More Info...
9)	You Think I Don't Know (But I Know)	More Info...
10)	Change for the World	More Info...
11)	Slow Love	More Info...

Album: Changes
#	Song Title		Time
1)	God Bless America	More Info...
2)	Good to Be Back Home	More Info...
3)	Nobody But You	More Info...
4)	Ain't Gonna Give It Up	More Info...
5)	Changes	More Info...
6)	Ain't It a Sin	More Info...
7)	Things We Do for Love	More Info...
8)	Crazy for Your Love	More Info...
9)	You Think I Don't Know (But I Know)	More Info...
10)	Change for the World	More Info...
11)	Slow Love	More Info...