Victim of Love (feat. Menahan Street Band)

Where Charles Bradley’s 2011 debut LP sounded like it was recorded in 1971, his 2013 sophomore album plays like it was unearthed from a 1973 time capsule. Working again with Menahan Street Band leader Thomas Brenneck, who discovered Bradley busking around New York City, *Victim of Love* is a natural evolution. “Strictly Reserved for You” opens with a Memphis-flavored horn section and vintage fuzz-guitar leads buzzing under Bradley’s soulful croon. This time around, his melodies are noticeably more uplifting. Both “You Put the Flame on It” and the amorous ballad “Let Love Stand a Chance” resonate with the sunny soul of classic Stax vinyl. Those craving Bradley’s signature melancholy musings should turn to the lovelorn title track and the funky “Love Bug Blues.”