Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man In The Universe (CD, Vinyl LP)

Now that Gil Scott Heron has died,  XL have had to go scratting around for another legend to resurrect. And who better than one of the Womack’s  - Bobby. Remember, Bobby was not part of Womack and Womack whose ‘Teardops’ is probably still one of my top ten weepers of all time. Instead he is a completely different Womack with a glittering solo career going way back to the 1960’s. His voice is a squelshy soulful squark which whilst sounding completely preposterous on guest spots with Gorillaz, sounds perfectly at home here amongst the electronic bloops and bleeps supplied by Damon Albarn and XL head Richard Russell (the ‘new’  Rick Rubin). They inject a fair heft of melody into the faintly hip hop influenced beats which when married with Womacks powerful croon works perfectly in tandem.  It doesn’t sound like they’ve taken too long honing the music  - Albarn probably blasted most of it down before lunch, but it doesn’t matter too much as the vocals keep you interested past the occasional pedestrian beat. If ‘Deep River’ is over emoting over under emoting acoustic guitar slashes then ‘Dayglo Reflection’ is the real standout. Womack produces a great performance straight from the soul over gorgeous piano and rugged beatbox. Lana Del Ray pops up for a cameo without destroying the atmospheric flow.  Gil Scott Heron himself turns up on ‘Stupid (introlude)’ but seeing as he is already dead the track lasts a mere 21 seconds (still impressive post death). Joshing aside this does sound like a successful collaboration, good songwriting, contemporary production and a soul legend hollerin’ all over.