The Needle Drop

Bobby Womack- "The Bravest Man in the Universe"

New TracksDannySpitsComment

Back in March, we received the news that soul veteran Bobby Womack would be releasing a new LP on June 11 in the U.K. and June 12 in the U.S via XL Recordings. Titled The Bravest Man in the Universe, the album was produced by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame, with whom Womack has collaborated on 2010's Gorillaz record Plastic Beach, as well as its followup, The Fall. We've already heard "Please Forgive My Heart," and now we have our second taste of the album by way of the title track.

The song opens with Womack's characteristically impassioned vocals, which pair up with a lone string instrument to set the stage. The twist comes just after this, however, with the introduction of a modern, electronic production sound. With a groove that effectively complements Bobby's bold vocal delivery, the beat successfully combines Womack's traditionally soulful vocal approach with instrumentation that feels current and fresh, but all without coming across as over-produced.

Check out the track above via XL Recordings' YouTube channel.