Centered around his upbringing in Fort Worth, Texas, he primarily recorded the album in Mexico City and worked with producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.

[9] Writing for Uncut, Stephen Deusner called Bridges an "ambitious, yet idiosyncratic artist" and praised the lyricism and storytelling on the album, specifically on "Panther City".

[18] Mojo's Tom Doyle said that "Bridges' vocal talents continue to shine", also highlighting "Panther City" for its lyrics and "'70s Isley Brothers-styled" sound.

[14] In a review for Pitchfork, Stephen Thomas Erlewine complimented the "loving care that Bridges, [Ian] Fitchuk, and [Daniel] Tashian bring to Leon", but criticized the production and mixing for causing the album to "feel curiously frictionless".

[16] Rolling Stone's Julyssa Lopez praised the "emotional weight and personal intimacy" of the music, though she found "[s]ome of the album's more general love songs ... less intriguing".