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Robert Bradley and Blackwater: Still Lovin
by C. Michael Bailey
Soul music is back. First Al Green resurfaces after thirty years to take us all back in time, then Detroit native and street singer/shaman Robert Bradley and his crack band Blackwater launch a throughly updated brand of soul for the 21st century. Despite the group’s D-Town roots, they owe much more to Memphis and Muscle Shoals than to Motown.
The 53-year-old Bradley is a curious combination of Otis Redding, Al Green, and Big Joe Turner. His voice is ...
read moreRobert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise: New Ground
by Glenn Astarita
Vocalist/bandleader, Robert Bradley struggled through the ranks of the music world while establishing his roots, singing in his native Alabama, and subsequently moving to Detroit. Born sightless at birth, Bradley’s unique vocal style, and storytelling type lyricism shines forth in gleaming colors on this exceptional release; framed around folksy tales and a hybrid Country Blues/Rock-Soul approach.
Bradley possesses an edgy drawl tinged with Gospel and Soul-like attributes, whereas, the lead instrumentalists supplement their staple of high-impact Rock/Pop motifs with well-placed ...
read moreRobert Bradley's Backwater Surprise: Time To Discover
by Ed Kopp
Robert Bradley is a 50-year-old blind blues singer from Detroit who's become an unlikely crossover success. Bradley's latest album Time To Discover has made a lot of pop critic's top 10 Best of" lists for 2000, and deservedly so. This is a funky release that's part blues, part '70s-style soul, part classic rock. The album is elevated by Bradley's smoky voice, which is a bit like Richie Havens', but with greater range.
Bradley's life story is more incredible than fiction. ...
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