GOOD THING
| Leon Bridges
GOOD THING
Good Thing is the second studio album by American singer Leon Bridges. It was released on May 4, 2018, by Columbia Records. The album was supported by three singles: "Bet Ain't Worth the Hand", "Bad Bad News" and "Beyond". -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
2018 - 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.
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Rolling Stone
2018 - But Bridges is reaching on this album, looking for a future sound that connects his own past and the sweeping history of African-American music with the present moment.
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NME
2018 - And while he remains the kind of salt-of-the-earth bloke you’d bring home to your parents, he also finds an edge that might stem from the added couple of extra years under his belt.
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Spill Magazine
2018 - There is enough of what made his debut such a standout here, and there is no doubting his vocal prowess, but for me, this is a bit of a step backward for Leon Bridges.
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The Guardian
2018 - it leaves you with a greater sense of who he is: loved-up, and striving for a level of ambition that feels within reach.
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Variety
2018 - some of the finer moments on “Good Thing” occur when it becomes completely unmoored in time, and you get to hear a young singer whose real first loves in music were Usher and Ginuwine working with players and producers who clearly dig old funk, 21st-century pop and even hints of free jazz
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Slant Magazine
2018 - For at least the first four of Good Thing’s 10 tracks, the experiment pays off.
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Digital Journal
2018 - While they are only 10 tracks on this project, they are all high-quality tunes. The future of R&B music is in good hands, Leon Bridges' hands. Good Thing garners
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Paste Magazine
2018 - And while Bridges is certainly far from falling on his face, there’s nothing that really raises him above the droves of artists currently mining the sounds of ‘80s and ‘90s R&B either.
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DJ Booth
2018 - In 2015, Leon Bridges innovated soul in a giddy whisper, but on 'Good Thing,' he’s moving the genre forward with a bellied shout.
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Newsday
2018 - Bridges hasn’t reached his full potential at 28, but “Good Thing” shows he is certainly well on his way.
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Thank Folk for That
2018 - While Bridges’ Good Thing may be a slightly rogue recommendation for many TFFT readers, it is certainly worth a listen. Gentle and inspiring, this is an album for music lovers in general. It’s 70s blues meets 90s RnB fusion is both fun and charming.
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Under the Radar Magazine
2018 - on the whole this is a disappointing follow-up, a faint echo of the majesty of what preceded it
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Odyssey
2018 - Leon's 2018 release of "Good Thing" shows he won't be pigeonholed into one era or one style.
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Treble Magazine
Leon Bridges’ latest set of songs is both adventurous and a hell of a lot of fun, but it’s still the same person at the center of it, turning that timeless pop warmth into something a little different.
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Exclaim!
2018 - tempers its pop-radio ambitions with unique bends on the age-old love song in this super-tight, 35-minute ride
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From the Parapet
2018 - Good Thing’s best tracks – of which there are a decent few, hold the album strong.
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College Media Network
2018 - He incorporated his blues roots from Coming Home, added a more R&B feel to the album, and tried out some disco
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The Star
2018 - s the title suggests is indeed a good compilation and you can bet on it at your own peril
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Good Music All Day
Leon Bridges is back, delivering a 10-track album that demands to be listened to from start to finish.
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The Revue
2018 - a stand out album of the year and is a nice step change for the talented musician
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DIY Magazine
Overall, ‘Good Thing’ should fill fans of Leon’s work with excitement. Just three years after his debut, it feels like he’s only just getting started.
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Music Connection
displays his growth as an artist. It also clears the path for even more of his songful experimentation in the future.
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Too Many Blogs
2018 - a more ambitious and daring work that shows Bridges casting away limitations and writing the music he wants to. He sounds confident and adventurous throughout, there are no real weak spots and, for the most part, he strikes the right notes and compels further listens.
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All Music
Most suggestive of the singer's bright future is album closer "Georgia to Texas," a stunning and ultimately affecting tribute to his mother delivered in front of an acoustic jazz quartet.
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Half-Past
2018 - From the first harp strum on “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” to the last piano note on “Georgia to Texas,” Leon Bridges further proves how he can masterfully blend the best elements of funk, jazz, and R&B into one carefully-crafted album.
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Geeks of Color
2018 - I commend Leon for telling us his experience and conveying his feelings so beautifully
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AP News
2018 - Bridges displays his strongest passion and fire on the album’s closing tracks, not to be missed.
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Albumism
2018 - The songs are a symphony of raw soul, distilled with a hint of pop and gospel.
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Riff Magazine
2018 - Bridges has intentionally broken away from his past associations. Good Thing communicates a nuanced experience of loving and losing in a life of temptation and personal growth.
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Lemon Wire
2018 - “Georgia to Texas,” the final song, is another one that numbs the pains on what feels, at best, an imbalanced album. Even with some weak efforts, I appreciate the fact that Bridges didn’t play it safe.
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Giglist
As a lesson in reinvention, Good Thing is a master class.
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The Musical Hype
2018 - Short and sweet, this effort benefits from its ten-track, 34-minute duration. While the vocals are consistently strong, and the soulfulness on autopilot, Good Thingisn’t particularly flashy. It doesn’t need to be
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WERS 88.9fm
2018 - With Good Thing focusing more on the pop side of Leon Bridges' repertoire it shows that he is not only trying to captivate a new audience but also working on expanding his sound, as well as keeping true to the original 60’s soul that fans fell in love with.
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No Rip Cord
2018 - the potential crossover appeal of Good Thing puts him on the right track
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GoldenPlec
2018 - From a niche market to the heights of mainstream success, Bridges is one of the few remaining musicians who is bringing a true artistic vision to the masses. One beautiful song at a time.
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Good Thing
2018 - Though it will feel a little scatterbrained at times, this is a fun and comforting record that will warm listeners’ hearts.
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Beat
After three years of waiting, the new Leon Bridges album takes the singer away from golden age soul to something a little more tangible.
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Off the Tracks
He doesn’t, however, have anything to say, nor anything worth saying. ... But for those sold on him as some nu-soul saviour this will be reported as a new, fresh take.
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UPROXX
2018 - Good Thing wears its pristine, glossy surfaces proudly, knowing that there’s nothing bland about its polished sheen
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The Chattanoogan
2018 - It is not just sonically rich, but lyrically complex as well, touching on the more intimate details of Leon’s life, from experiencing love and heartache to grappling with newfound fame.
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Neuse News
Curious ears in search of quality will be rewarded here.
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Sound Vapors
2019 - Leon Bridges does an amazing job of taking a huge leap forward onto his second album and lands safely on solid ground. The production is second to none
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The Student Playlist
2018 - a tasteful listen, full of style and oomph
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Addicted to Noise
2018 - That said, there is still gold coming from Fort Worth, it’s not all ‘Bad Bad News’ (which is a standout) and although a remark of his debut would never have cut it, some bigger risks and abandon on Good Thing could have yielded more rewards.
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13th Floor
2018 - In the end, his move into dance soul and contemporary R&B has not worked that well and unfortunately, I feel he has regressed a bit on Good Thing following what was a stunning debut.
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Timotheories
2018 - As a collector of good music, it’s incredibly satisfying when a bid continues to pay off. Despite all of the odds telling me that the music well can only dig so deep before coming up dry. Luckily for me, Leon Bridges planted more derricks and is establishing his reputation. It’s a Good Thing.
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Press Play OK
2018 - Bridges has said of the album that it has allowed him to showcase his influences and artistry. And ultimately, it does exactly that. Good Thing sounds like a man enjoying himself musically, a fun showcase of Leon Bridges’ varied musical influences.
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Spectrum Culture
2018 - showcases Bridges’ musical dexterity, sounding simultaneously vintage and modern
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Star Tribune
2018 - Leon Bridges explores new musical dimensions on "Good Thing," updating the retro soul of his acclaimed debut with a fresher approach and more personal lyrics, all without eroding the smoothness of his sounds.
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Stack
Good Thing is two lanes meeting at the narrow point of the highway. In one lane, you have Bridges reflecting on the music in which his art was founded, and in the other lane, his unbounded ambition.
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Outlet
2018 - fans who favor nothing else than deep-rooted soul and R&B music may have a reason to be both anxious and excited in the explorative nature of Bridge’s artistic development
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mxdwn.com
2018 - Good Thing may not always deliver, but there’s enough there that the listener can hear that his sound is in no way finished developing, so they should probably stick around to see what’s next.
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Entertainment Voice
it’s a work that demonstrates artistic growth; Bridges has transcended the throwback niche. His new record showcases him boldly dabbling in various subgenres, and while some of these are more suitable than others, “Good Thing” lives up to its name
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Roots n Blues BBQ
Good Thing does what every great album should do; it takes us through a whirlwind of emotions.
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