Leon Bridges, Why Don’t You Touch Me | Track Review 🎵

Contemporary soul standout Leon Bridges delivers a classy, relatable, and well-rounded ballad on “Why Don’t You Touch Me.”

“If you’re still in love, oh, like you’re sayin’ / Then why don’t you touch me? Yeah.” Good question, 🎙 Leon Bridges! The 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer returns in July 2021 with his third studio album, 💿 Gold-Diggers Sound.  That’s an interesting album title for sure.  The song at hand, 🎵 “Why Don’t You Touch Me”, marks the third advance single from Gold-Diggers Sound following 🎵 “Sweeter” (released in 2020) and 🎵 “Motorbike”.  All in all, the results are positive.

It goes without saying that Leon Bridges is a fantastic vocalist.  He’s always possessed a soulfulness beyond his years, something he continues to showcase on “Why Don’t You Touch Me.” That said, while the background still has its share of neo-/retro-soul sensibilities, it also sounds much more modern compared to say, his 2015 debut album, 💿 Coming Home.  On this record at least, Bridges seems to embrace adult contemporary R&B more than being a soul revivalist act.  Both are fair game but a relationship-oriented adult contemporary R&B ballad like “Why Don’t You Touch Me” is far more lucrative from a commercial standout, while still maintaining soulfulness.  Beyond the warm, well-rounded sounds constructed by 🎛 Nate Mercereau, 🎛 9AM, and 🎛 Ricky Reed, as well as marvelous vocals from Bridges, the songwriting is relatable.  With the relationship seemingly slipping, yet there’s still love between the two, Bridges is rightfully concerned.  The best moment, unsurprisingly is the chorus, excerpted above and continued as follows:

“...I’m dressin’ to the nines and your eyes strayin’
Oh, why don’t you touch me? Yeah
Why don’t, why don’t, why don’t? Yeah, yeah.”

Final Thoughts 💭 

All in all, “Why Don’t You Touch Me” marks another strong music showing for Leon Bridges.  It’s not game changing by any means, but this is an enjoyable, relatable, and solid ballad.  Boxes are checked off regarding the performance, production, and theme/lyrics.  

🎙 Leon Bridges • 💿 Gold-Diggers Sound • 🏷 LisaSawyer63 / Columbia • 🗓 7.23.21

[📷 : LisaSawyer63 / Columbia]