Album Review: Khruangbin, Con Todo El Mondo
The Texas trio has returned with a new batch of 1960s Thai funk-inspired melodies that will take your mind on a relaxing journey.
Patience is the name of the game on this album.
These dreamy grooves veer far away from the beat, giving the listener a taste of the peace that pervades every note.
Con Todo El Mundo also includes a few faster-paced funk tracks that help to raise the intensity level without detracting from the album's overall laid-back vibe.
Don't be fooled by the music's easiness, this ensemble demonstrates tight, meticulous musicianship at every step.
Donald "DJ" Johnson is a drummer who chooses his beats carefully, providing plenty of room for ambience while maintaining a high level of spice in his stride.
Laura Lee's bass lines are a strong anchor, as is customary in funk, and she is Khruangbin's source of flow.
She isn't the kind of player who fills the room with notes.
To give Khruangbin its richness, she requires precise harmony and flawless timing.
Finally, Mark Speer's light guitar work is a subtle deftness and lovely phrasing, rather than being overt.
These three locks into each other, making an unstoppable groove unit.
- "Cómo Me Quieres"
Laura Lee's granddad was the inspiration for this song. "Cómo me quieres?" or
"How much do you love me?" her grandfather would frequently ask her when she was a small child.
"With all the world," or "Con todo el Mundo," was the only response he would accept.
This song is a tribute to him because he had such a profound impact on her life. We believe it expresses the melancholy nostalgia of a profound longing for someone. We strive to express our emotions through music rather than words because we're mostly an instrumental band, but we also aim to give enough room for our songs to reflect the listener's sentiments rather than imposing our meaning on them.
- "Lady And Man"
We often wind up watching the same few movies on loop while making music because the rural Texas farm where they used to record and just had an ancient VHS player for amusement.
One of those recordings is the '90s film classic Clueless, and one day, while listening to the characters, Dionne and Murray argue. Mark then began playing a little call-and-response guitar over it.
We thought it sounded great, so we played around with it and added a few melodic tones and then
the song evolved into a tribute to quarrelling couples.
- "Maria También"
This was the first song that the band wrote together for this album. And, how like most tracks are born after a long dry spell of writer's block, it became one of the band's favourites.
So what you're hearing in this song, is what the band wanted to draw more from the obsessions from the Arab region. This album was hugely inspired by the reflection of Middle-Eastern music, particularly from pre-Revolution Iran.
- "August 10"
This song is played backwards from the song 'august 12', which was the first song they wrote together as a band, where they learned and refined it.
Both the records are recorded 6 years apart which shows the bonding and the synergy of the band and how well they can come out with excellent tight music.
- "Cómo Te Quiero"
"Neighbors" was the original title of this song. It was a tribute to Laura Lee's grandfather, who used to call everyone he met "neighbour." Hello, next-door neighbour! How are you doing? That was his uniqueness. He said that to everyone he encountered because he was a local postman. He was the type of person that took things gently and always made time for others.
- "Shades Of Man"
You're hearing a product of a Mark-cave hole on this track, which occurred when he became obsessed with recreating an Electone organ. He programmed it himself for a week, attempting to get it just perfect. Fortunately, the band was able to salvage the situation.
An interlude towards the end of the song has two Iranian ladies attempting to pronounce the band's name. They thought of having the name of the band said right on at least one of the LPs would be beneficial for the band.
- "Evan Finds The Third Room"
In terms of words, this song is just a collection of inside jokes. We were messing around with the three distinct parts when the band initially created them, jamming to them, and Laura Lee started freestyling lines she knew we'd enjoy. Well, the band intended to go back and create more sensual lyrics, but they became connected to the first version over time.
- "A Hymn"
While playing the guitar at St. John's Church in Houston, Mark created this song. It's where he and DJ met 13 years ago when they were both in the church band on Sundays. Because it was part of their job to provide music as the preacher blessed the morning service, they'd normally play a slow, contemplative vamp while the candles were lighted.
This is also the song that Laura Lee is almost certain to cry to. She believes it is a reflection of all the profound, emotional things Mark is unable to express; he simply thinks it is a pleasant tune.
- "Rules"
Laura Lee excels at following the rules, whereas Mark excels at disregarding them. It's at the centre of the band’s mutual musical development: she gives order and structure to his playing, while he fosters flexibility and experimentation in hers.
- "Friday Morning"
We wrote our first love song, "Friday Morning," when the band members were still in high school. It's about taking risks in relationships, about the feeling of vulnerability that comes with jumping in headfirst and trusting someone else. Laura Lee may be heard reading aloud from old love letters after the song, which she had to get through after roughly three glasses of tequila.
This is the favourite song of the group. It has a certain quality to it that makes it quite enjoyable to play. Maybe it's because it's a "feel good" song, one that requires emotion to play. You can't just zone out and hope for the best. To keep up with it, you have to be in it. It's a bit like love itself.