The formulation of this short romantic detour from
Leon Bridges
and
Khruangbin
began, appropriately enough, on the road. After the fellow native Texans toured together,
-- a trio of instrumentalists who mix deep soul, funk, and rock with grainy, psychedelic finesse -- recorded a track they thought would suit
Bridges
, an old soul with a fresh and personal perspective on traditional R&B. They met up in Houston and knocked out four songs with
always at the fore, a change for the band who have previously used vocals only for shading. They begin by unfurling a couple lazing grooves. The singer shifts from a getaway proposition on "Texas," twanged out more than anything on the two proper
LPs, to an idyllic reminiscence on "Midnight," where the band enhance the mood with a sensitive touch. On "C-Side,"
Laura Lee
switches it up with a bassline that bounces not unlike the one
Nathan East
played to propel
Dennis Edwards
' "Don't Look Any Further," with
set aloft by his "melanin lady." "Conversion," a redemptive ballad, slows it down as
sings of newfound clarity, but the effect of his well-matched partners' work is only a little less intoxicating than it is on the preceding numbers. ~ Andy Kellman