CD Reviews for 04/25/11 – Charles Bradley, La Sera
Compact Capsules
by Dan Ferguson
Charles Bradley
No Time for Dreaming
Dunham Records
The House of Daptone, aka Daptone Records, has given us throwback soul queen Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and now via their Dunham Records imprint comes the deep, deep, Stax-styled soul maneuvers of Charles Bradley. Possessing a Redding-like rasp with spot-on support from Dunham house band The Menahan Street Band, Bradley’s full-length debut called No Time for Dreaming is as sanctifying a set of old school soul here in the contemporary to come down the pike in a long time. Highly recommended. Visit www.dunhamrecords.com.Â
La Sera
self/titled
Hardly Art Records
So gauzy and lilting they float is one way to describe the dozen, barely two-minute pop nuggets comprising the self-titled debut album by single-girl group La Sera. Fronted by Katy Goodman, aka Kickball Katy of Vivian Girls fame, single note runs on guitar with splashes of echo and helium-high female harmonies give this platter a dreamy ‘60s retro glaze. It all combines to make the music pass by quickly creating high Repeat button appeal. Visit www.hardlyart.com.
(Dan Ferguson is a free-lance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3. He lives in Peace Dale and can be reached at [email protected].)
<...