Good to Be Back Home
Maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but in the case of Charles Bradley, an old dog can certainly teach us a whole lot of stuff. Like how to release an album at the age of 67 that will bring a gaggle of millennials to their knees, and re-instill the power of funk and soul into a generation that needs it. I’m talking, of course, about Bradley’s latest Changes, and the song that epitomizes the power of Charles Bradley and funk in general, “Good to Be Back Home.”
Upon first listen we couldn’t believe our ears. From the first shout we had to convince ourselves that James Brown, the artist that Bradley largely credits his motivation to, hadn’t miraculously returned. But then you keep listening and get the essence of Bradley himself very quickly– an artist with power, passion and a voice whose tone alone speaks wisdom. This song is an epic return track that’s placed perfectly in the beginning of the album and serves as a doorway to the soul/funk journey ahead; and even better, it doesn’t just take us back down memory lane. It brings the lens of soul into a piece of modern music, and it’s so great that we’re able to experience the vantage point from a legend himself.
