Coming Home
by Leon Bridges
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Jun 23, 2015
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 49
  3. Negative: 1 out of 49
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  1. falconer24
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    I first heard Leon on NPR about 6 months ago. Instantly became a fan. Yes, the comparisons to Sam Cooke are accurate, and to be fair, he's embracing it. There's nothing not to like here....this album is short and sweet, and packed with melody and soul. I'm also a sucker for doo-wop background singers;) It's the perfect summer record.
    Leon Bridges has loads of talent, and I wish him    I first heard Leon on NPR about 6 months ago. Instantly became a fan. Yes, the comparisons to Sam Cooke are accurate, and to be fair, he's embracing it. There's nothing not to like here....this album is short and sweet, and packed with melody and soul. I'm also a sucker for doo-wop background singers;) It's the perfect summer record.
    Leon Bridges has loads of talent, and I wish him nothing but the best in his career.
    Buy this album. You won't regret it.    … Expand
  2. Textfeud
    Jul 4, 2015
    9
    Bought this record on vinyl in a whim when I heard the single Coming Home. I just loved the soul I heard and he reminds me of artists like Sam Cooke. I'm very glad I bought the record, he is a truly talented artist and quite refreshing although this style is of course well known.
  3. j1train
    Jun 25, 2015
    8
    While some of it comes off more imitation than genuine artistry (do 25-year-olds really sing like this?), Bridges is a new talent to watch. He'll get some Grammy nominations, no doubt. 'Coming Home' is an enjoyable, breezy throwback album.
  4. buzzlight
    Jun 24, 2015
    8
    While music critics love to drool over f-bomb, porn-shock-ghetto artists Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels and Jay-Z - all artists trying to one-up each other. It is so refreshing to hear something cool, clean and retro-new from a young black artist. Yes, it does sound like 60s soul, but that is a good thing. I can slide these songs into my daily playlist and have my kids in theWhile music critics love to drool over f-bomb, porn-shock-ghetto artists Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels and Jay-Z - all artists trying to one-up each other. It is so refreshing to hear something cool, clean and retro-new from a young black artist. Yes, it does sound like 60s soul, but that is a good thing. I can slide these songs into my daily playlist and have my kids in the same room or even play in the background while working. Well done Leon Bridges for putting out an album that is ironically new in the modern era of not-so-great, downer r&b music.… Expand
  5. jameskparry
    May 9, 2018
    6
    An interesting debut that seemed a little too reliant on cliched lyrics and replicating the late 1950s-early 1960s Soul sound it was going for to be truly great. Highlights are limited to the first four tracks.
  6. jtucker
    Aug 14, 2015
    6
    This isn't a bad album but there are some major flaws. Leon Bridges was clearly going for a old school soul album which he hit straight on the head. the flaw being that he didn't give it any personality. Its a cookie cutter album of what soul is if that makes any sense. The tracks are forgettable and a little boring at times
  7. jtucker7
    Aug 19, 2015
    6
    This isn't a bad album but there are some major flaws. Leon Bridges was clearly going for a old school soul album which he hit straight on the head. The flaw being that he didn't give it any personality. Its a cookie cutter album of what soul is if that makes any sense. The tracks are forgettable and a little boring at times.
  8. blistabusta
    Nov 3, 2015
    3
    I found this record so boring that I had to dig out the album cover to remember this man's name for this review. Leon Bridges is sort of like Sam Cooke....only without the magical personality and without the excellent backing sounds of the Wrecking Crew. With contemporary vocalists like Saun & Starr, Mayer Hawthorne, Michael Kiwanuka, Charles Bradley, Aloe Blacc, Sonny Knight, LeeI found this record so boring that I had to dig out the album cover to remember this man's name for this review. Leon Bridges is sort of like Sam Cooke....only without the magical personality and without the excellent backing sounds of the Wrecking Crew. With contemporary vocalists like Saun & Starr, Mayer Hawthorne, Michael Kiwanuka, Charles Bradley, Aloe Blacc, Sonny Knight, Lee Fields, Naomi Shelton, and Venice Dawn on the scene, a soul singer needs tons of personality to stand out in the crowd. Taking a few instrumental cues from the Daptones, Adrian Younge, The Electric Peanut Butter, Co., The Sorcerers, Lord Newborn, Anitbalas, or the Heliocentrics might be useful to this young performer. The history of Jump Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, and World music is there for the taking. Bridges only need reach out in any direction for a piece of this history to serve his purpose. A year of being homeless might also harden him for this role as well. Music junkies and serious crate diggers find this sort of half-assed, Uncle Tom fluff offensive. While any artist that is able to secure a record contract with a major label deserves a certain amount of respect from all of us, an artist as clueless about the depth of his cultural heritage as Bridges is should be treated with an amount of bewilderment and contempt. Anyone reading this review that enjoyed Bridges' snippets on TV ads should download this album rather than throw away good money on a copy of "Coming Home" on vinyl like I did.… Expand
  9. Vitorss
    Jul 11, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ioooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove it,I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT… Expand

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Most Shared Album of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Jul 9, 2015
    78
    10 songs over 35 minutes at first feeling slight--yet not a sax bleed, organ snap, or female choral echo combs out as less than true-blue.
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  2. PopMatters
    Jul 8, 2015
    80
    The majority of the 10 songs are in the three minute range and the album only lasts about half an hour. That’s actually a benefit.
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  3. The Telegraph (UK)
    Jun 30, 2015
    80
    Accessorised with Staxy horns and handclaps, the resulting album has a genuine groove and glow.
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