Leon Bridges has been slowly raising the curtain on what will be his fourth studio album.
The Fort Worth-based Grammy winner has doled out snippets of new songs via his social channels over the last few weeks — titles like “Panther City,” “Laredo,” “Ain’t Got Nothing on You” and “That’s What I Love” have appeared — with his first official single from Leon, “Peaceful Place” arriving this morning.
“Leon has been a long time coming,” said Bridges in a statement accompanying the release of “Peaceful Place.” “I started writing pieces of it as far back as Gold-Diggers Sound. They didn’t fit what I was trying to do with that album and I tried moving on. But I couldn’t shake them because they’re part of me. And, if I’m honest, also because I think this is some of my most excellent work yet.
“In many ways, Leon has been in the works since my childhood. This record is about simpler days. It’s about time spent in my beloved Fort Worth and the experiences that made me the man I am today. It’s soulful music in the truest sense — it’s imbued with my soul. I’m excited to share these stories about my home, about nostalgia, about my upbringing, about where I’m from, with all of you. I hope this music brings you back to your roots and your journey.”
The 13-track Leon is due out Oct. 4. The album art is below.
First impressions: “Peaceful Place” is gorgeous, powering by undulating percussion and serpentine guitar licks as the singer-songwriter’s crystalline falsetto sings of serenity: “I’m in a peaceful place/I find something no one can take away/I’m in a peaceful place now.”
Leon is Bridges’ first studio album in three years, following the underrated 2021 effort Gold-Diggers Sound. For Leon, Bridges teamed with Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian (co-architects of Kacey Musgraves’ sound, among many others), and decamped to Mexico City’s El Desierto to record the album late last year.
Bridges has also kept busy with non-album projects in the years between Gold-Diggers Sound and Leon. He recently contributed “Chrome Cowgirl” to the Twisters soundtrack and “Redemption Song” to the One Love soundtrack; reunited with Khruangbin to release Texas Moon; sang a duet with Miranda Lambert titled “If You Were Mine”; dropped a single (“It Was Always You”) with Mexican singer-songwriter Carin Leon, and appears on the expanded edition of Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well, singing alongside her on “Superbloom.”
In October, Bridges will headline both weekends of the 2024 edition of the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
