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Feb 06, 2020 Web Exclusive By Mark Moody

The retro cover art of the Texas Sun EP bears more than a little resemblance to The Velvet Underground’s Loaded. And with Fort Worth’s Leon Bridges on board to cruise around with his south Texas instrumental compadres Khruangbin, it’s certainly a trippy little spin. If not the New York City transit system, the highways and byways of the Lone Star state provide plenty of room to roam over the EP’s four-song 20-minute course.

The proceedings open on the title track, which in its fluid high plains drift breezily belies the stifling reality of baking out on the open prairie. Houston-based Khruangbin consists of bassist Laura Lee, guitarist Mark Speer, and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson. The trio seem right at home adding a vocalist to their mix and everything here feels effortless, with “Texas Sun” being as lively as things get.

As daylight fades, “Midnight” finds Bridges back out on the highway seductively crooning along with Lee’s backing vocals and the group’s velvet gloved rhythms. “C-Side” brings a looser limbed funkiness, while the longest track, “Conversion,” has Bridges weaving a classic hymn into his story of redemption: “I was on my way to Hell riding on the train First Class”.

The languid pace of Texas Sun makes it clear that Bridges continues to stray further from his first album’s punchier R&B stylings. Texas Sun may not generate a lot of heat, but with Bridges showing a proclivity to take things slower, Khruangbin makes for the perfect pairing. As any Texan worth their salt knows, trying not to break a sweat is a lot harder than it appears. (www.khruangbin.bandcamp.com, www.leonbridges.com)

Author rating: 7/10