Black Velvet
Charles Bradley · 2018
56 min · 15 tracks · blues
A soulful blend of heartfelt ballads and vibrant grooves, embodying the essence of classic R&B while exploring personal themes.
Top tracks — play these first
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I Feel a Change — This track encapsulates Bradley's journey of transformation and self-acceptance, blending poignant lyrics with an uplifting melody that reflects hope.
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Black Velvet — The title track serves as a powerful anthem of resilience, where Bradley's soaring vocals convey both pain and strength in a beautifully crafted arrangement.
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(I Hope You Find) The Good Life — In this reflective piece, Bradley offers heartfelt wishes for happiness to a loved one, showcasing his ability to infuse deep emotion into simple yet profound sentiments.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Black Velvet showcases strong vocal performances and varied arrangements, though its pacing dips towards the end.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a high-energy track, then shifts to slower ballads, creating a dynamic contrast in the first half.
- Several tracks feature stripped-down arrangements that highlight Bradley's vocal delivery and emotional expression.
- The final three tracks include spoken interludes and a message from Bradley, which alters the pacing and adds a personal touch.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- heartfelt ballads for emotional release
- uplifting grooves for joyful moments
- soulful reflections on personal themes
- short tracks for easy listening
Maybe skip if you
- prefer heavy production styles
- seek constant high-energy tempos
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2018, Black Velvet was Charles Bradley's final studio album before his passing, marking a poignant end to his career. This album followed his critically acclaimed work, Changes, which had solidified his reputation as a powerful soul vocalist. At this stage, Bradley was celebrated for his raw emotional intensity and ability to connect with audiences through deeply personal storytelling.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings· Lee Fields· James Hunter
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 Can’t Fight the Feeling 2:48
- 2 Luv Jones 3:51
- 3 I Feel a Change 4:26
- 4 Slip Away 3:33
- 5 Black Velvet 3:29
- 6 Stay Away 3:14
- 7 Heart of Gold 3:04
- 8 (I Hope You Find) The Good Life 5:11
- 9 Fly Little Girl 3:20
- 10 Victim of Love (electric version) 4:40
Disc 2
- 1 Strictly Reserved for You (Stripped mix) 3:57
- 2 How Long (Stripped mix) 3:04
- 3 Loving You Baby (Stripped mix) 5:41
- 4 The World (Is Going Up in Flames) (Stripped mix) 4:33
- 5 A Message From Charles 1:24
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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