Leon Bridges strolled back onto the scene earlier this summer by announcing his upcoming new album Happiness Anytime with a clever three-EP rollout. We received the first installment last month, with four songs that gave us a clear understanding what the album — which is produced by Jungle’s J Lloyd and Lydia Kitto — would sound and feel like. Now he’s back with the next edition of the series, Happiness Anytime: Part 2. The set serves up four new tracks by the crooner to draw us in, and it also offers the project’s first official video with a visual for “Talk It Over.”
“Talk It Over” is another melding of J Lloyd and Kitto’s style with Leon’s own that works quite well. It pairs a bluesy guitar with frenetic drums and steady bass, giving things a wistful feel. The production complements Leon’s vocal, which is as smooth and dreamy as ever as he sings about wanting to move beyond just acquaintances into something much more romantic.
Leon takes a page out of the Jungle playbook for the song’s video as well. He fills every moment of the clip with tight choreography that’s a bit unexpected for the crooner. Even more unexpected is seeing Leon participate and dance alongside the troupe of dancers. We already knew that he had stage presence, but the man’s got moves to spare.
There’s more to Happiness Anytime: Part 2 than just “Talk It Over.” This edition of the EP series features the album’s title track, a groovy, jazzy number about finding happiness anytime he’s around his love. Then there’s the set's only feature, the Kitto-featuring “All Day, All Night.” The bossa nova-inspired cut is alluring and passionate, with Leon’s rich vocals painting a picture of love that’s as light and easy as a breeze while Kitto contributes exquisite backing vocals that bring the song’s many colors to life. Last up is “Fly Baby.” Like each song we’ve heard so far, it has an easygoing, relaxing kind of flow as Leon encourages a former lover to take a chance on love with him again.
Happiness Anytime is shaping up to be another beautiful artistic statement from Leon Bridges. We’ll get to hear the album in its full glory next month, when it officially arrives on Friday, September 25th. Check out the lyric videos for “Happiness Anytime,” “All Day, All Night” and “Fly Baby” below.
