THE SOUND OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY
This is a pure trip back in time. Leon Bridges, only in his mid-twenties, put together his original tunes together but wrapped them in a classic R & B and soul sound of the 1960s.
STRONG WITH SOME, NOT QUITE WITH OTHERS
The song structures, with background singers and horns galore, give this a really warm and recognizable sound. While the album is somewhat uneven, there are several strong songs — Coming Home, Better Man, and Smooth Sailin’ are probably the best cuts on here. Although this is a great sounding album with some solid songwriting, there are places that feel a little underwhelming. Bridges just doesn’t seem to put everything into all of the songs. The emotion in his vocals seems to be missing in a few places.
A VERY GOOD FIRST ALBUM
Overall though, a very good first album, particularly if you crave that 1960s soul experience. If that’s where you’re most comfortable, then this certainly is home. Perhaps the second album nails it consistently, I will be checking it out soon. But he’s off to a very good start here.
|
No. |
Title |
Writer(s) |
Length |
|
1. |
Coming Home |
Todd Bridges, Austin Jenkins, Joshua Block, Chris Vivion |
3:26 |
|
2. |
Better Man |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
2:21 |
|
3. |
Brown Skin Girl |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
3:26 |
|
4. |
Smooth Sailin’ |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
3:07 |
|
5. |
Shine |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
3:38 |
|
6. |
Lisa Sawyer |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
4:05 |
|
7. |
Flowers |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
2:56 |
|
8. |
Pull Away |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
3:02 |
|
9. |
Twistin’ & Groovin’ |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
4:14 |
|
10. |
River |
Bridges, Jenkins, Block, Vivion |
3:56 |
|
Total length: |
|
|
34:11 |
Andrew Skates – piano (tracks 1, 4, 7, 14), organ (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 9, 11–14), bass (track 8)
Cliff Wright – bass (tracks 1–5, 7, 9, 11–14)
Josh Block – drums (tracks 1–9, 11–15)
Kenny Wayne Hollingsworth – electric guitar (tracks 1–9, 11–15)
Austin Jenkins – electric guitar (tracks 1–3, 5–9, 11, 12, 14), acoustic guitar (track 4), bass (tracks 6, 12, 15)
Jeff Dazey – saxophone (tracks 1, 3–7, 9, 15), piano (tracks 8, 11, 15), baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone (track 12)
Released June 23, 2015
Recorded 2014–2015
Studio Niles City Sound (Fort
Worth, TX)
Genre R&B · soul
Length 34:11
Label Columbia
Producer Niles City Sound