Leon Bridges: Leon – Album Review

Leon is a 13-song revery for a time before the fame and riches Leon Bridges has gained. The entire track list seems to ask, “What if…?” 

Bridges’s indie soul sound treads the borders of genres. On Leon, he leans deeply country. Each song carrying heavyweight nostalgia and a twang. 

The first track, “When a Man Cries,” a country rock riff, engulfs the listener in the fog of mourning a life that could have been. He muses blissfully on “That’s What I Love,” a dreamy single that channels Motown as much as the classical crossover pop folk of the 1970s—think Al Green meets the Carpenters “Close to You.” 

Expecting that the first two songs leave listeners damp with dewy eyes, Bridges picks up the pace on track 3. He reflects on younger days in “Panther City,” a Mellencamp-ish southern soul story about running around his Southside neighborhood in the summer time. The nostalgic sentiment culminates on track 5 “Simplify,” an airy lament through which Bridges ponders the life he didn’t choose. 

Recognition of the finer things in life sets in. The song’s pensive quality is driven by the hesitant keys and Bridge’s breathy vocal. Leon takes you on a road trip across the endless highways of Bridge’s mind. A glimpse into the artist’s humble beginnings from familial to community relationships—and, of course, love interests. 

“Simplify” is the point at which the sun begins to brea
k the mist. From this point on the album continues its energetic rise. “Teddy’s Tune” a 53-second interlude feels like the morning sunrise. 

 “Peaceful Place” is where the album and the artist transcends. It’s at this pinnacle where Bridges seems to shed the weight of the nostalgia. The Afro-Caribbean drum cadence paired with mystically arranged guitar, lap steel, and shakers feels like a joyful release, leading to the acceptance of “You Can’t Have It All.” 

Recommended Songs: 

• “Laredo” - La Isla Bonita meets Maria, Maria in the desert 
• “Ain’t Got Nothing on You” - The one that will make all the girls swoon (If Billboard had a chart for Top Wedding Songs, this is sure to be on it soon.)