‘No Time For Dreaming’ is the culmination of 49 years of musical graft from a man has suffered more setbacks over his career than most would have been able to endure, and is a fine achievement for someone who has proved that hard work, with a healthy pinch of talent, will eventually pay off.
Charles Bradley’s lengthy performing career and myriad of influences are clear for any listener to hear, as he busts his way through James Brown styled funk jams and Otis Redding-esque soul numbers, but don’t take that to mean that this is funk / soul by numbers. With this album, Bradley has proved himself to be not only a exciting vocal talent, but also an accomplished songwriter, penning the troubles of his life, not least of which was the shooting of his brother, into some fantastic tracks. From the funky (The World (Is Going Up In Flames), No Time For Dreaming, Golden Rule) to the soulful (I Believe In Your Love, Lovin’ You Baby, Why Is It So Hard), there is no real filler here, and with every track, you can hear the heartache, desire and most importantly, strength, that have finally brought Bradley to where he has wanted to be for so long. One can only hope that we have plenty more to hear from a man that has brought the wonderful sound of vintage funk and soul music right up to date.
‘No Time For Dreaming’ was released on 21/01/2011 by Daptone Records.
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