Good Thing

AlbumMay 04 / 201810 songs, 34m 51s
Neo-Soul Smooth Soul
Popular

On his brilliant 2015 debut album, *Coming Home*, Texas singer/songwriter Leon Bridges invited comparisons to Sam Cooke and Otis Redding with his authentic take on soul. *Good Thing*, his 2018 follow-up, finds Bridges leaving the ’50 and ’60s, instead embracing ’70s icons like The Stylistics (“Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”) and Chic (“You Don’t Know”). More surprises come in “If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)” and “Bad Bad News,” contemporary jams that show he can swag it out with the likes of Usher and Pharrell too. Bridges\' warm tenor is sturdy and smoky as mesquite wood as he combines deep emotions and nimble wordplay on “Beyond,” “Forgive You,” and “Georgia to Texas”—a moving story of his family’s history.

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7.2 / 10

The second, more adventurous album from the Texas soul singer bends toward the present while keeping the warmth of classic R&B in his melodies and songwriting.

There’s greater depth on Leon Bridge's second album, 'Good Thing' – more layers to get tangled up in. Read the NME review

6.7 / 10

Paste Magazine is your source for the best music, movies, TV, comedy, videogames, books, comics, craft beer, politics and more. Discover your favorite albums and films.

On 'Good Thing,' Texas singer-guitarist Leon Bridges updates his vintage soul with help from Halsey's producer and others.

It feels like he’s only just getting started.

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In sound and look, the Grammy-nominated Coming Home replicated one style from a bygone era with such perfectionist accuracy that Leon Bridges risked being typecast as a malt-shop soul man.

8 / 10

Climbing out of the pigeonhole of a retro R&B act — albeit an excellent one, teleported from Sam Cooke's era to ours — Leon Bridges' sophomo...

5.0 / 10

When Leon Bridges released his debut album, Coming Home, in 2015, the Texan singer proved that time travel was possible.

(Columbia)

With Good Thing, Bridges brings his classicist R&B chops into the current century—with mixed results.

8.5 / 10

'Good Thing' by Leon Bridges: Leon Bridges finds something new without completely leaving his comfort zone in our review of 'Good Thing'

There’s a sense of exploration in Bridges’ new album: the old-soul sound is still there, but it’s ambitious and forward-looking

75 %

Good Thing represents a bold shift for Bridges.

8 / 10