Khruangbin & Leon Bridges - Texas Sun
Texas Sun is a collaborative EP, fusing the distinct sounds of Khruangbin and Leon Bridges. Khruangbin is a psychedelic rock trio, best known for their virtuosic instrumentation and sparing use of lyrics. Leon Bridges is a golden voiced and radio friendly soul revivalist, best known for his striking vocal performances on such tracks as “River” and “Coming Home”. In this junction of two Texas musical groups, you will hear musicians working in tandem, complementing each other’s abilities to create a truly enjoyable piece of work.
The artists’ individual sounds are surprisingly cohesive, considering this is their first collaborative effort. Khruangbin is able to keep their crisp yet subtle drum tone, and their cinematic, reverb-washed production. Lead guitarist Mark Speer consistently delivers sharp licks, while leaving enough room for bass and vocals to shine. Those familiar with the quick, staccato rhythms of Ali Farka Toure or Tinariwen will find a thread of influence in his playing. Leon Bridges’ vocal performance brings you back home, to the familiar sound of soul hits that many know and love. His greatest exhibited ability is to effectively perform without innovation. He doesn’t use any fancy vocal effects to fit in with the psychedelia that Khruangbin is known for; he simply hits every note perfectly, with a subtle and sweet timbre that would make Etta James proud. With the trio offering Eastern-influenced backing, and Leon providing his home- grown iteration of soul, this EP has something for everyone.
Its one glaring shortcoming is its brevity. With just a 20-minute run time, it leaves the listener wishing for more. Thankfully, this EP provides the perfect introduction to two accomplished and well-produced bodies of work. Khruangbin boasts such previous hits as “August 10”, “White Gloves”, and “Maria Tambien,”while Bridges has delivered two studio-length albums, as well as more singles and guest features than you can shake a stick at. Anyone who enjoyed this EP will have quite a fun afternoon, looking through each catalog and picking out favorite after favorite new song.
Try this album if you like: Music from Saharan Cell Phones, Durand Jones & The Indications, Alabama Shakes, Hiatus Kaiyote
