CHARLES BRADLEY - Victim Of Love LP

Label: Daptone Records

A lot has happened in the life of soul singer Charles Bradley since his stellar debut, No Time for Dreaming, was issued in 2011. He has not only received attention, but the album sold well, and he's toured extensively.

Victim of Love is not so much a departure from that sound as a progression of it. These tunes, once more co-written by the pair, reflect the soul's evolution as it approached the end of the decade. The material is less dark in its vision -- perhaps reflecting the turn in Bradley's life circumstances -- but is no less poignant. His voice is no less gritty, his scream no less heart wrenching, his emotion no less forthcoming.

Victim of Love showcases growth -- and a sound not heard before on Daptone -- while not straying from the gritty soul that established the singer; it is every bit as strong as its predecessor and more diverse. You just can't get enough of the real thing.