If you’re exhausted from the vitriol and division in today’s world, Leon Bridges offers a respite, a place of gentleness and beauty. “Leon” is a nostalgic exploration of Bridges’ childhood and early adult life in Fort Worth, Texas. He takes you down the streets, onto the porches, and into the homes of the people who populated his life. You’ll meet the friends and family who influenced his musical personality, helped form his values, and you’ll meet the young ladies who introduced him to love, passion, and heartbreak.
Bridges writes of these times with a longing that infuses the recording with an aching reverence and vulnerability. From the opening track, “When a Man Cries,” to the closing “God Loves Everyone,” Bridges holds nothing back.
Raised on folk, blues, and soul, Bridges’ music is rooted in retro influences. “Leon” is suffused with the sound of late 1960’s Motown, specifically Marvin Gaye, as well as Al Green inspired R&B, with touches of Sam Cooke’s church-rooted soul. Despite its theme of hometown connection, “Leon” was recorded mostly in Mexico with producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian. The pair’s most recent collaborations with Kacey Musgraves helped her reach a broader audience and Grammy gold.
With Bridges’ album, they unearth his musical DNA with arrangements and instrumentation that includes breezy strings, jazzy flute, fuzz guitar, and a piano that sounds like it was recorded in the church auditorium. Through it all floats Bridges’ mellifluous vocals, yearning for a simpler time. As a musician who spends months on the road, Bridges proves that home is a state of mind, a place we carry within.
