Leon Bridges – Leon (CD)
Review
Texas native Leon Bridges began his career by paying homage to a beloved classic sound: His 2015 debut Coming Home felt like a companion album to a Sam Cooke classic. But the honey-voiced singer-songwriter didn't stay put within that nostalgic vibe. Rather, with each album, it seems like he's zeroing in on his own iconic style. Maybe that's why he named his fourth record Leon; this 13-track collection is refreshingly personal and astonishingly beautiful. Bridges traveled to Mexico to lay down these warm, airy R&B tunes, which are lit up with fluttering live instrumentation. Simply put, Bridges is among the best at what he does. You won't find soul music that feels as unique, authentic and damn good as this anywhere else in 2024. Bridges' 2020 collaboration with groove-masters Khruangbin leaves its imprint here as well— second single "Laredo" paints an impressionistic evening in the Texas town, the singer vibing with a new lover over a heartbeat-bassline and twirling flute. "[She] grew up in a border town, took me to an empty dive/ Such a pretty silhouette, show me how to two-step," he coos. "What if I stayed in Laredo just one more night?" It's sexy, it's catchy, it's magic. On Leon's first track, "When a Man Cries," Bridges opens his chest and lets his heart spill out over echoing piano and a steady beat: "Turn my pain into power/ My fear into desire." This opening salvo carries through the album—a once in-a-generation talent facing self-doubt and showing his true colors. It's a spectacular beginning to an album that weaves between uplifting soul ballads ("Never Satisfied") and undulating grooves ("Peaceful Place").
— Justin Jacobs, Relix
Product Details
After breaking through with the vintage soul sound of *Coming Home* in 2015, Bridges spent nearly a decade stretching toward funk, R&B, and country-tinged territory before turning the lens fully inward. *Leon* finds him rooted back in Fort Worth, trading crossover ambition for something quieter and more personal, the kind of record that only makes sense after an artist has already proven he doesn't need to impress anyone.
‘Leon’ is the highly anticipated fourth album from Grammy Award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and performer Leon Bridges. With 13 tracks featuring Leon’s signature storytelling and a unique blend of organic genre alchemy, ‘Leon’ is his most poignant, powerful, and personal work to date. He takes fans on a trip through the heart of Ft. Worth he knows best, the things he holds dear, and the people and places that shaped him. Featuring production by Ian Fitchuk (Beyonce, Noah Kahan), Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves), and Tyler Johnson (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), Leon describes the album as “somewhat of a self-portrait… I'm excited to share these stories about my home, about nostalgia, about my upbringing, about where I'm from, with all of you. I hope this music brings you back to your roots and your journey.”
Tracklist
UPC: 198028438728
Label: Columbia Records
Release Date: 10.4.24
Format: CD