Leon Bridges - Coming Home

Leon Bridges
Coming Home
2015
Leon Bridges - Coming Home

Everything about Leon Bridges is classic. His style, his recording even his clothes scream the golden age of doo-wop. The only thing missing from this record is a Motown stamp and the wrecking crew backing him up. This album is meant to sound like it's on a record player by intention, Bridges wants to take you to a bygone era and just groove with you there. Even the themes of this record: love, loss, shaking it and getting together scream classic. Hearing this you would think "this is bound to be derivative and another played out attempt at imitating a successful genre" and in the hands of many you would be totally right, but with Leon Bridges there is an authenticity, He fully commits. He is not making songs like this because He wants hits or because Alabama Shakes and Amy Winehouse laid some kind of groundwork, He makes this music because it speaks to his soul, just as it will yours. Songs like "Lisa Sawyer" dedicated to his mother drips with emotion and self exploration as it meanders through her whole history.

The one thing about this album however is the pacing. There are moments where Bridges likely should pick up the pace and let his band swing but for the most part He remains committed to the slower jams. This can becoming a bit annoying after awhile leaving you wanting for something else. However this is his first album so a young artist taking a swing can often hit it out of the park with some and miss on others. The potential for Bridges though is sky high, his silky voice and clear knowledge of what makes a good song/record will do him well. As a jumping off point Coming Home is a stellar record, Leon Bridges next move will be the one that either sets him apart or resigns him to the life of an imitator.

7 out of 10