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For several months my daughter Abby has been imploring me to listen to the music of Leon Bridges. I wasn’t intentionally dismissing her suggestion; it was more a case of my early onset Alzheimer’s that was keeping me from checking him out. But eventually I got with it and gave him a listen.
Have you heard him yet?
Bridges is a 26 year old, Texan soul singer in the mold of 70s era Al Green. He was pretty much unknown just a few months ago, but a popular performance at SXSW and May spot on Later… With Jools Holland helped push him into the spotlight.
His debut album, Coming Home, was recorded at home in Fort Worth, before he signed with Columbia – some of it recorded on an artificial putting green in a local bar – with the help of White Denim’s Austin Jenkins and a few other home town pals.
Today’s SotW is “Better Man.”
It is a smooth soul ballad about a man pleading for a second chance after doing his woman wrong (a well-worn theme in R&B). The record is captivating in its simplicity and openness, giving it a timeless gospel/soul feeling.
In a time when so much popular music is dependent on synthetic beats, it is refreshing to hear some real music.
Thanks, Abby, for hipping me to Leon Bridges. You know your daddy’s taste in music very well.
Enjoy… until next week.
Good one, the kind of song that just about everyone likes. It called to mind this eternal fave of mine. Not as big a hit as “Turn Back the Hands of Time” but it should have been:
Scroll down a bit to Lindsay’s last entry and you shall see more of Leon, scooped by almost a month. Bottom line is, this guy is very good. I like both songs a lot and will indeed check Leon out. I guess at least some of our kid’s generation knows their chops!
It’s really hard to dislike this. I can listen to it all day. But!!!!
I find it hard to get away from the idea that this is manufactured. Maybe if I knew more I would be mollified. Is he a songwriter? Seems so, and I like this song.
But like the whole Daptone scene and Paul Bonebreak, the amazing emulation seems to outstrip the real deal. It appears. But the song is dope, so for now? Four thumbs up.