Although the fired-up spirit of James Brown hovers consistently over the work of Charles Bradley, what makes him such a modern soul original is the depth of tenderness, commitment and selfless dedication he brings to his music. To be sure, the Godfather wasn’t any less driven as a singer, but with Bradley, there’s a vulnerability—an unshakable veil of sadness—that lends gut-punching power to songs like “Nobody But You” and “You Think I Don’t Know (But I Know)” from Changes, his third album with producer Thomas Brenneck (best known for his guitar work with The Dap-Kings). At this point, the overall mood and sound—vintage rare-groove soul, replete with meticulously arranged horns and a wound up-tight rhythm section—has become a familiar, and winning, formula. What’s really changed, or rather expanded, is the scope: From the Funkadelicized “Ain’t Gonna Give It Up” (with deft backing vocals by Saundra Williams and Starr Duncan Lowe, collectively known as Saun & Starr) to the compact, infectious beat of “Good to Be Back Home” and the churchy confessional vibes of the title track, Bradley sheds light on some entirely new facets of his restless imagination. At 67, he’s still a youthful gamer with a voice that can set a house on fire.