AN INSIDE JOB
Time Travel with Leon Bridges
As R&B continues to change to reflect what’s hot and current, one artist continues to call back to the genre’s roots. Leon Bridges dresses in vintage clothes and has a nostalgic sound to match. With his silky smooth, Sam Cooke-inspired flows, he transports us to a time and place of simplicity and calm.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Bridges got his start singing at open-mics before signing with Columbia Records in 2014. In the summer of 2015, he released his debut studio album Coming Home. The record’s title track made appearances on three Billboard charts that year.
Bridges’ Texas-informed sound blended with soul and sprinkled with R&B put a spell on those with an affinity for retro vibes. Shortly after the release of his first album, he supported Pharrell Williams at the Apple Music Festival in September 2015. In 2018, he was Harry Styles’ opening act during the South American and Mexican legs of his first solo tour. That year also brought Bridges’ sophomore album Good Thing and a collaboration with fellow bluesey genre bender Gary Clark Jr.
Bridges has carved out a place for himself in the R&B scene by curating his sound to stand out among other modern adaptations of the past. But his careful crafting has done anything but prevent him from putting his versatile abilities on full display. “River,” one of Bridges’ most him during the chorus. On the other end of his personal musical spectrum is “Bad Bad News,” a snappier jazz tune with stunning instrumentation and groovy vocals.
So far, Bridges is off to a rocking start in 2020. He teamed up with the Texas-based trio Khruangbin to release a four-track EP in February titled Texas Sun. The title track is a standout addition to Bridges’ discography with its old-school country guitar riffs and sensual lyrics. In April, Bridges collaborated with John Mayer and his incomparable guitar playing to release “Inside Friend,” a very social distancing-appropriate ode of affection.
All of the tracks we mentioned (and most of Bridges’ other works, too) are perfect additions to your at-home playlist. These songs feel comforting during times of uncertainty and are lifting our mood through our days spent indoors. With luck, we’ll get some more new music from him soon.
