Gold-Diggers Sound

The album's title is derived from the "studio, hotel and bar/speakeasy" of the same name located in East Hollywood, where Bridges lived while writing and recording the songs on the album.{{cite magazine|last=Aswad|first=Jem|date=July 22, 2021|title=Leon Bridges Talks 'Gold-Diggers Sound,' Performing for Obama, and His Odd Circle of Collaborators|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/leon-bridges-talks-gold-diggers-sound-obama-1235025279/|magazine=Variety|access-date=July 22, 2021}}{{cite magazine|last=Kendall|first=Brian|date=July 8, 2021|title=Leon Bridges Talks New Record, 'Gold-Diggers Sound'|url=https://fwtx.com/culture/stay-gold/|magazine=Fort Worth Magazine|access-date=July 22, 2021}} Bridges held a Grammys party at Gold-Diggers in 2019 and later started a residency at the hotel, bringing in musicians to collaborate with. He started by writing melodies and lyrics over their improvisations. He did not have a planned concept for most of the album's songs, but a few of the tracks did. For example, "Magnolias" is inspired by the music of Sade. However, Bridges made the conscious decision to distance himself from the sound of his debut album, Coming Home (2015), and his second album, Good Thing (2018), instead opting for an "unpredictable" approach.{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Ragan|date=July 23, 2021|title=Leon Bridges shares his evolution to 'Gold-Digger Sounds'|url=https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-leon-bridges-394a160a20ed4defd27f7ead871fe5e3|work=Associated Press|access-date=July 24, 2021}}

On June 8, 2020, Bridges and Terrace Martin released a single titled "Sweeter" in response to the May 25 murder of George Floyd.{{cite magazine|last=Shaffer|first=Claire|date=June 8, 2020|title=Leon Bridges, Terrace Martin Offer a Meditation on Racism in 'Sweeter'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/leon-bridges-terrace-martin-sweeter-1011402/|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 22, 2021}} The narrator of the song is a dead man whose mother and siblings weep over him.{{cite news|last=Pareles|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=July 22, 2021|title=Leon Bridges Brings Southern Soul into the 21st Century|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/22/arts/music/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound-review.html|url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-url=https://archive.today/20221122064714/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/22/arts/music/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound-review.html|archive-date=November 22, 2022|access-date=July 23, 2021|url-access=limited}} Gold-Diggers Sound was announced May 14, 2021, alongside the album's lead single, "Motorbike".{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/leon-bridges-announces-album-shares-new-video-directed-by-anderson-paak-watch/|title=Leon Bridges announces album, shares new video directed by Anderson .Paak|last=Strauss|first=Matthew|date=May 14, 2021|website=Pitchfork|access-date=July 23, 2021}} A music video for "Motorbike", directed by Anderson .Paak, was released the same day.{{cite magazine|last=Martoccio|first=Angie|date=May 14, 2021|title=Leon Bridges Previews New LP With Anderson .Paak-Directed Video for 'Motorbike'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/leon-bridges-album-anderson-paak-motorbike-1169619/|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 22, 2021}} The album's second single, "Why Don't You Touch Me", was released on June 17, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/188042829|title=Why Don't You Touch Me / Leon Bridges|date=June 17, 2021|website=Tidal}} The first part of a music video for "Why Don't You Touch Me" premiered the following day on June 18, 2021; the second part was released on June 24, 2021.{{cite magazine|last=Zemler|first=Emily|date=June 18, 2021|title=Hear Leon Bridges's Wistful New Single 'Why Don't You Touch Me'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/leon-bridgess-why-dont-you-touch-me-1186224/|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 22, 2021}}

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 7.5/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/12938/Leon-Bridges-Gold-Diggers-Sound-.aspx|title=Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges reviews|website=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=July 30, 2021}}

| MC = 81/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/gold-diggers-sound/leon-bridges|title=Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges Reviews and Tracks|website=Metacritic|access-date=July 30, 2021}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gold-diggers-sound-mw0003526108|title=Gold-Diggers Sound – Leon Bridges|last=Kellman|first=Andy|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 30, 2021}}

| rev2 = Clash

| rev2score = 9/10{{cite magazine|last=Harrison|first=Emma|date=July 22, 2021|title=Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound|magazine=Clash|access-date=July 23, 2021}}

| rev3 = DIY

| rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Strickson|first=Will|date=July 22, 2021|title=Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound|url=https://diymag.com/2021/07/22/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound-album-review|magazine=DIY|access-date=July 30, 2021}}

| rev4 = Exclaim!

| rev4score = 7/10{{cite magazine|last=Fox|first=Luke|date=July 23, 2021|title=Leon Bridges' 'Gold-Diggers Sound' Is Informed by the Past but Styled for the Now|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/leon_bridges_gold-diggers_sound_album_review|magazine=Exclaim!|access-date=July 30, 2021}}

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Kevin E G|last2=Nugent|first2=Annabel|date=July 22, 2021|title=Album reviews: Jackson Browne – Downhill from Everywhere and Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/jackson-browne-review-leon-bridges-b1888455.html|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=July 22, 2021}}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound-review-2996018|title=Leon Bridges – 'Gold-Diggers Sound' review: R&B journeyman retools the blues|last=Lavin|first=Will|date=July 22, 2021|website=NME|access-date=July 22, 2021}}

| rev7 = The Observer

| rev7score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite news|last=Morris|first=Damien|date=July 25, 2021|title=Leon Bridges: Gold-Diggers Sound review – unashamedly grown-up songs for the soul|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jul/25/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound-review|newspaper=The Observer|access-date=July 25, 2021}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8score = 7.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound/|title=Leon Bridges: Gold-Diggers Sound Album Review|last=Bromwich|first=Jonah|date=July 23, 2021|website=Pitchfork|access-date=July 23, 2021}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Dolan|first=Jon|date=July–August 2021|title=Leon Bridges Goes Deeper|magazine=Rolling Stone|issue=1353/1354|page=132}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10score = 7/10{{cite magazine|last=O'Connell|first=Sharon|date=August 2021|title=Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound: Seductive update for Grammy-winning Texan's third|magazine=Uncut|issue=291|page=25}}

}}

Gold-Diggers Sound was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 12 reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

Writing for The Guardian, Max Bell hailed Gold-Diggers Sound as "a remarkable and progressive R&B album" and observed "the most eclectic compositions of Bridges' career, as well as his most emotionally transparent songwriting".{{cite news|last=Bell|first=Max|date=July 23, 2021|title=Leon Bridges: 'My transition was dishwasher one day, star the next'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jul/23/leon-bridges-my-transition-was-dishwasher-one-day-star-the-next|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=August 2, 2021}} Lucy Wynne from Gigwise applauded Bridges' transition from the "swinging sixties" style of his first album to this album's "progressive R&B", noting its "modern alternative R&B jams with a pop twist".{{cite web|url=https://www.gigwise.com/reviews/3401192/album-review--leon-bridges-gold-diggers-sound|title=Album review: Leon Bridges – Gold-Diggers Sound|last=Wynne|first=Lucy|date=July 19, 2021|website=Gigwise|access-date=August 2, 2021}} Will Lavin of NME wrote that the album "maintains the traditional elements of old-school soul heard on his previous work but introduces a new, vibrant, almost luminous aesthetic, comparable to the likes of Snoh Aalegra and Brent Faiyaz." Emma Harrison of Clash praised the album's production and the strength of Bridges's songwriting. Julyssa Lopez of The New Yorker wrote that the album's songs "show that Bridges is versatile enough to stretch his skills across multiple eras, even if they never approach the future."{{cite magazine|last=Lopez|first=Julyssa|title=Leon Bridges: "Gold-Digger Sound"|url=https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/night-life/leon-bridges-gold-digger-sound|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=July 30, 2021}} Similarly, Pitchfork journalist Jonah Bromwich deemed it "a smooth, risk-averse R&B album whose nostalgic trappings aim for timelessness". Will Strickson from DIY enjoyed the album, saying, "While more of a slow burn than his previous efforts, Gold-Diggers Sound sees Leon Bridges shine brighter as a songwriter, as an artist and as a man than ever".

Reviewing the album for The Independent, Annabel Nugent stated, "The record is a confident immersion into a genre he's only toyed with before. And just as Good Thing never fully sacrificed Bridges' style, neither does Gold-Digger forget his roots". AllMusic critic Andy Kellman said, "Only on a couple occasions does Bridges let loose a touch while in the moment. ... Even in those moments, there is never an indication that Bridges could possibly lose his composure. The unswerving self-control he has demonstrated across three albums both impresses and mystifies". In a lukewarm review, Exclaim!{{'}}s Luke Fox wrote, "Bridges loves a good love song, and nails a few here".

{{Track listing

| headline = Gold-Diggers Sound track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 36:41

| title1 = Born Again

| note1 = featuring Robert Glasper

| writer1 = {{hlist|Todd Bridges|Eric Frederic|Robert Glasper|Daniel Stanfill}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Ricky Reed|Nate Mercereau|Robert Glasper|Josh Block{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length1 = 3:43

| title2 = Motorbike

| writer2 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Paris Strother|Dan Wilson|Nate Mercereau}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau}}

| length2 = 3:08

| title3 = Steam

| writer3 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Mercereau|Justin Tranter|Trevor Lawrence|Antoine Katz|Jordan Blackmon|Atia Boggs}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|Steve Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length3 = 3:23

| title4 = Why Don't You Touch Me

| writer4 = {{hlist|Bridges|Kim "Kaydence" Krysiuk|Frederic|Jeff Baranowski|Luke Milano}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|9AM|King Garbage{{ref|b|[b]}}|Mike Blankenship{{ref|b|[b]}}|Josh Block{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length4 = 3:17

| title5 = Magnolias

| writer5 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Mercereau|Steven Cheung|Rome Castille|Michael Neil|Steve Wyreman|Boggs}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length5 = 3:22

| title6 = Gold-Diggers (Junior's Fanfare)

| writer6 = Lemar Guillary

| extra6 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|Lemar Guillary{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length6 = 0:41

| title7 = Details

| writer7 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Mercereau|Amber Strother}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|King Garbage|Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length7 = 3:16

| title8 = Sho Nuff

| writer8 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Mercereau|Wyreman|Boggs|Ian Fitchuk|Daniel Tashian|Austin Jenkins|Castille}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length8 = 3:07

| title9 = Sweeter

| note9 = featuring Terrace Martin

| writer9 = {{hlist|Bridges|Terrace Martin|Frederic|Wilson|Castille|Mercereau|Zach Cooper|Vic Dimotsis}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau}}

| length9 = 2:48

| title10 = Don't Worry

| note10 = featuring INK

| writer10 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Mercereau|Wyreman|Boggs|Josh Crumbly|Amber Strother}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length10 = 6:41

| title11 = Blue Mesas

| writer11 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Stanfill|Harold Lilly|Olivia Salas}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|DJ Stanfill}}

| length11 = 3:15

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe bonus track

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 39:30

| title12 = Summer Rain

| note12 = featuring Jazmine Sullivan

| writer12 = {{hlist|Bridges|Frederic|Wilson|Lilly|Jazmine Sullivan|Mercereau|T. Bridges|Cooper|Dimotsis}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Reed|Mercereau|King Garbage}}

| length12 = 2:44

}}

Notes

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a co-producer
• {{sup|{{note|b|[b]}}}} signifies an additional producer

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Gold-Diggers Sound.{{cite AV media notes|title=Gold-Diggers Sound|others=Leon Bridges|year=2021|type=liner notes|publisher=Columbia|id=19439886982}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Musicians

• Nate Mercereau – guitar (tracks 1–3, 5, 7–10), guitar synthesizer (track 1), French horn (track 1), drums (tracks 2, 7, 10), bass (tracks 2–4, 8–10), synthesizer (tracks 2, 3), piano (tracks 2, 5, 7), percussion (tracks 3, 10), keyboards (track 4), programming (track 7), sitar guitar (track 10)
• Ricky Reed – drum programming (tracks 2, 8, 9), programming (tracks 4, 5, 7), drums (tracks 5, 7, 8)
• Steve Wyreman – guitar (tracks 4, 5, 8, 10, 11), sitar guitar (track 7), organ (track 8), percussion (track 10), organ (track 10)
• Robert Glasper – keyboards (track 1), bass (track 1)
• Keyon Harrold – trumpet (tracks 1, 6, 10), flugelhorn (track 10)
• Terrace Martin – saxophone (tracks 1, 6, 9, 10), piano (track 9), alto saxophone (track 10)
• Paris Strother – synthesizer (tracks 2, 7), piano (track 2)
• INK – vocals (tracks 3, 5, 8, 10)
• Amber Strother – vocals (tracks 3, 8, 10)
• Lemar Guillary – trombone (tracks 5–7, 10), horn arrangement (track 1)
• Antoine Katz – bass (track 3)
• Jordan Blackmon – sound effects (track 3)
• 9AM – programming (track 4)
• Mike Blankenship – keyboards (track 4)
• Zach Cooper – bass (tracks 5, 7)
• Josh Johnson – alto saxophone (tracks 5, 7)
• Cameron Johnson – trumpet (tracks 5, 7), flugelhorn (tracks 5, 7)
• Carlos Niño – percussion (tracks 10, 11)
• Josh Crumbly – piano (track 10), synthesizer (track 10), upright bass (track 11)
• Olivia Salas – strings (track 11), cello (track 11)
• DJ Stanfill – percussion (track 11), drums (track 11), piano (track 11), electric piano (track 11), synthesizer (track 11), background vocals (track 11)

{{col-2}}

Technical

• Leon Bridges – executive production
• Ricky Reed – executive production, mixing (tracks 5–9, 11)
• Josh Block – engineering (tracks 1, 4)
• Jon Castelli – mixing (tracks 1–4, 10)
• John Deguzman – engineer for mix (tracks 1–4, 10)
• Brian DiMao – engineering (track 1)
• Andy Taub – engineering (track 1)
• Luke Milano – engineering (track 4)
• Bill Malina – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5–11)
• Ethan Shumaker – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5–11)
• James Kirk – assistant engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5–11)
• Jonathan Thompson – assistant engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5–11)
• Daddy Kev – mastering

Artwork

• Justin Hardiman – front cover photograph, back cover photograph
• Cedrick Jones – photography
• Dustin McLaughlin – photography
• Joe Greer – photography
• Cory Gehr – photography
• Tina Ibañez – art direction, design

{{col-end}}

{{reflist}}

{{Leon Bridges}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2021 albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Leon Bridges albums

Category:Progressive soul albums

Category:Albums produced by Ricky Reed