Upon releasing his 2011 debut, “No Time for Dreaming,” Bradley unleashed a spot-on take of revivalist soul for the modern era. On “Victim of Love,” the 64-year-old shows no sign of wear, nailing the crinkly retro aesthetic without bowing to the pressures of contemporary recording. The album is simultaneously loose and intense, driven by reverb-soaked arrangements shaped by producer/co-writer Thomas Brenneck. Throughout, the “Screaming Eagle of Soul” packs a wallop with his frayed, powerful vocals, capable of expressing agony on the guitar-ballad title track and toughening an allegiance of romance on “You Put the Flame on It.” There are shades of Al Green and James Brown here, but it’s Bradley’s continuum of stamina and offbeat phrasing that distinguishes him from his peers. Some might find the exercise in musical nostalgia to be dated, but Bradley shows that soul still has blood pumping in its veins.
