XL

Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, Blur) and XL Recordings owner Richard Russell have resurrected soul legend Bobby Womack. In addition to just co-producing the 68 year old’s first album of new material in almost 20 years, Albarn and Russell serve as his backing band, building experimental electronic gospel and future soul backdrops for Womack to write and sing over – and even more important than the beats and bass lines is the confidence that the two restored in Womack. A songwriter, singer, guitarist and session player, Womack helped the Stones, Sly and Sam Cooke find greatness and scored several hits on his own including “Across 110th Street,” but drugs and personal strife crippled his career. Sober and steady, Womack has pulled off the rare trick of creating one of his best, and certainly most unique, albums at the tail end of his days – an effort that should go a long way in returning Womack to his former glory.