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Bobby Womack is a badass. There is no other way to say it, but he also keeps a lid on the danger. If Wilson Pickett would pull a knife on you to steal your girlfriend, Womack would rather do it with finesse. Either way you lose, but at least with Bobby Womack your life wouldn’t be in danger. His music has a sophistication far beyond the gritty style of Southern singers like Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. The Ohio-born soul man started in his family’s gospel group, which soon morphed into the Valentinos. Their song, “It’ All Over Now” was the Rolling Stones first hit single in America. Once Womack went solo, he made sure not to blend into the woodwork. His voice has a powerful push, and coupled with his early ‘70s songwriting, carried a certain pride that always made him instantly recognizable. Womack’s long string of hits was a bridge into the new decade, growing from 1968’s “I’m a Midnight Mover” intto ‘71’s “That’s the Way I Feel About Cha” and beyond, signaling the change that was coming. This wasn’t just rhythm & blues. It carried an undercurrent of pop music, while at the same time it never looked like the music was trying to be mainstream. That’s a real tightrope to walk, but Womack did it with style and never fell off. This 22-song collection covers his biggest years, and even with iffy late ‘60s covers like “Fly Me to the Moon” and “California Dreamin’,” shows how he helped create the new world of black music. While Sly & the Family Stone might have been burning down barricades, Bobby Womack was building a stirring sensibility he could call his own. Listening now to “Communication,” “Harry Hippie” and “Daylight,” it’s easy to hear how much a man of the future Bobby Womack has always been.
