The first song on the 10-track album is the most well- known song; 'Coming Home'. The introduction has the theme of Dreamboats and Peticoats, and that gives off a 1950's/1960's vibe to this song.
"Baby, baby, baby, I'm coming home. To your tender sweet loving, you're my one and only woman."
People say that monogamy is dead now; but in the 50's & 60's when you know that you have found your soul partner, you are completely and utterly devoted to them until death. I guess part of that is to do with no temptation from social media, as that did not exist back then.
My favourite track is Bridges' fourth track called 'Smooth Sailin'. The 1960's rhythm appears again, forcing you to dance. I also love the use of the saxophone within this track, and the use of backing vocals as it really adds to the 1960's theme.
"Sweet pretty baby, won't you be my lady."
His fifth track on the album has a lot more of a melancholic theme to it, rather than a romantic theme. His fifth track is called 'Shine', and this song is about asking the Lord for forgiveness on behalf of his foolish sins that he committed in his youth.
"And father please elude my transgression, let them blow in the wind like sand."
Bridges also mentions in the opening verse;
"Lord don't remember my sins, my sins from my youth."
I think that 'Shine' is a great song to have as the mid-point within the album, as it shows that he can write songs about other things that are important in his life; apart from females.
The seventh track on this uplifting soulful album is called 'Flowers' and this is a lot more upbeat and faster compared to the other tracks on the album.
"So you better run, move fast like the bullet from a gun."
However I have no idea what the relevance of flowers are to do with this song.
His eighth song on the album is called 'Pull Away' and it has the Dreamboats and Peticoats theme about it again, very similar to Bridges' first track - 'Coming Home'.
"I thought that our love was true, but all along I was wrong."
However this song contradicts 'Coming Home' as it appears as if his partner has cheated on him.
"Whoa girl, I poured out my heart to you, despite you put a knife in my back straight through."
It also seems to me as though the whole album is a story; as some of the songs connect to one another. Bridges' sixth track is called 'Lisa Sawyer' and this song describes in depth about a woman he is deeply in love with from New Orleans. Then later on in his second to last song called 'Twistin & Groovin' he mentions;
"I got a call from my baby, said she fed up with me. Said she found another lover in another city. Said she's doing fine in New Orleans."
Everything starts off perfectly at the beginning of the album; whereby he couldn't see himself with anybody else, then the tables quickly turn. Which links back to the opening of the song 'Coming Home', as perhaps monogamy was not as common as everybody makes out that it was in the 1950's and 1960's?
The last song to close off the album is called 'River'. This is about sins again, very much like 'Shine' as he mentions;
"But there is blood on my hands, and my lips are unclean."
This suggests to me that the blood on his hands could be from a potential murder that he may have committed? Also, when people mention lips or mouths being unclean, it is usually referring to when somebody has cursed. However, he mentions about his mother saying;
"Surrender to the good Lord and he'll wipe your slate clean."
This tells me that Bridges is obviously from a very religious background, as his Mother tells him to surrender to God and he will forgive his sins.
In conclusion; I love what Leon Bridges is trying to re-create, by bringing soul music back into fashion. However; I do think that perhaps an 8 track album would have done him more favours, as many of his songs are about women and love which makes the album seem bland and uninteresting. I liked how he added two songs about God into his album as that adds a personal touch, and I also admire how he added a gospel edge into this album. I would recommend his album, but it can get a bit bland at times. On the other hand; I do love his voice, but it's just a shame about his variety of songs.
7/10
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