“This album is a natural extension of the love of music I’ve had all my life,” says Jeff Bridges. And, in fact, “natural” is as good a word as any to describe the feeling of Bridges’ self-titled major label debut. Featuring a roster of magnificent songwriters and musicians, and produced by Bridges’ friend of three decades, Grammy-award winner T Bone Burnett, the ten-song disc is soulful and heartfelt. It may mark a switch from the six-time Oscar nominee’s usual day job, but the performances on Jeff Bridges consistently feel both comfortable and true.

The album is a logical follow-up to Bridges’ Academy Award-winning portrayal of grizzled former country music legend Bad Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart. “I actually passed on the movie at first because it had no music in it,” says Bridges, “but when I found out that T Bone was interested, I was like, ‘Let’s do this thing.’