Leon Bridges - Leon

If Sunday morning was an album, Leon Bridges’ self-titled third offering would be it. Dripping in his now-characteristic warmth, it’s abundantly clear from the off that Leon’s richly soulful vocals are primed for that time. ‘When A Man Cries’ feels like being on the precipice of something huge, and it soon proves this to be true - the drums that come in halfway through are transportive. And it’s a sparkling, tender journey that the singer embarks on. On ‘Panther City’, he evokes dappled light and laughter in the car — the guitar tone is golden, and the nostalgia is a hit to the chest. Leon has always been a master at such wistful reminiscence, and here is no exception. Rock paper scissors, the smell of gumbo, whiskey and ginger - he deftly narrates specificities until they become something universal. The sun-soaked, mellowness of his lyricism is truly evocative — every anecdote brings you right into the thick of this world, sweltering under the Texas heat he so lovingly depicts. ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’ On You’ is a saccharine, heart-on-sleeve ode to a lover, while ‘Laredo’ is a groove inviting contemplation of connection that takes you by surprise. ‘Leon’ is a rich, romantic collection of songs, a love letter to love and to his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. That adoration is captured in every note and guitar line. Ultimately, on ‘Leon’, Bridges crafts an album that is at once deeply personal, and yet expansive and shared.