If you have a fondness for 60s era soul, then you may want to check out what Leon Bridges in bringing on his latest effort, Leon. The Columbia records signee from Fort Worth, Texas is giving audiences a heavy dosage of that, as well as some hints of country, gospel, and R&B. Across the 13-song project, you are getting a lot of mellow and soft instrumentation. Summer may be over, but this album's soundscape has us daydreaming about those perfect temperature evenings while you take a ride in a 60s convertible around the coast. Right from the opening track, "When a Man Cries", you can tell just how much love and emotion went into creating Leon.
Part of the reason for that is because Leon Bridges says this album has a lot of personal weight for him. In statement, he explains, "In many ways, Leon has been in the works since my childhood. This record is about simpler days. It’s about time spent in my beloved Fort Worth and the experiences that made me the man I am today. It’s soulful music in the truest sense; it’s imbued with my soul." Moreover, he says that the style you are hearing on the record is something that he felt needed to be expanded upon and seen further. Leon had been working on this self-titled endeavor since his last record, 2021's Gold-Diggers Sound. "They didn’t fit what I was trying to do with that album, and I tried moving on. But I couldn’t shake them because they’re part of me. And, if I’m honest, also because I think this is some of my most excellent work yet." We certainly agree and it's why you need to spin this immediately.
Leon - Leon Bridges
Leon Tracklist:
- When a Man Cries
- That's What I Love
- Laredo
- Panther City
- Ain't Got Nothing On You
- Simplify
- Teddy's Tune
- Never Satisfied
- Peaceful Place
- Can't Have It All
- Ivy
- Ghetto Honeybee
- God Loves Everyone
