REVIEW: Khruangbin, Mattson 2 @ the Sinclair 04/12
“Wait, how do you pronounce it?”
“You know, I’m not really sure”
However you say it, Khruangbin’s show at The Sinclair last Thursday was a treat for anyone who enjoys jazz, funk, soul, psychedelia, or just a visually interesting concert experience. The show was opened by Mattson 2, identical twins from southern California, who seemed to have a larger following in the crowd than the Khruangbin did. Playing what can best be described as heavily psychedelic rock influenced jazz, Mattson 2 was the perfect band to set the tone for this show. I had never heard their music before, but was instantly a fan. One brother played a combo bass and guitar and the other absolutely killed it on the drums with a style reminiscent of jazz greats like Kenny Clarke. It’s always a pleasant surprise to show up as a fan of the headliner and leave as a fan of the opener too; this was my experience with Khruangbin as well.
Last fall while attending a Chicano Batman concert at the Paradise Rock Club I fell in love with the melodic guitar and the strong bass presence that Khruangbin has made their signature. When I saw that they were coming back on April 12 touring their new album, Con Todo El Mundo, I knew that I had to be in attendance. I bought my ticket as soon as they went on sale which apparently was necessary as their show at the Sinclair, like most of their other shows on this tour, sold out faster than expected. It seems more and more people are starting to hop on the quickly ascending airplane that is Khruangbin (Khruangbin means “airplane” in Thai, by the way.)
If you’re not familiar with Khruangbin (as many people in the crowd were not) I’ll give you a little background on this groovy little trio. Formed in a barn outside Houston, Khruangbin is a psychedelic funk band that draws inspiration from all over the world, but particularly from 1960s and 1970s Thai music.
The first thing you notice when they get on stage is the hair. Mark Speer (guitar) and Laura Lee (bass) have made sporting matching haircuts, featuring blunt bangs and a long shag, a signature of the band’s image. As much as the music itself, the personalities of the members were what made this concert so enjoyable, each bringing a totally different vibe. Lee was so effortlessly cool that she incited “I think I’m in love with the bassist,” comments from no less than 3 concertgoers around me. D.J. Johnson, the drummer, was stone cold and stoic the entire show; while little expression left his face, Johnson was not off putting in the slightest and made the band seem more grounded. While all of the members of the band were hard to read, perhaps the most enigmatic of them all was Speer. Equipped with that interesting choice of haircut (is it a wig?) and a penetrating gaze, it was nearly impossible to tell if this man was dead serious or deeply ironic. I like to go with the latter. Suffice it to say, stage presence is definitely not one of this band’s weak points.
They started strong with a track off their last album, The Universe Smiles upon You, called “Dern Kala.” It’s an upbeat song with a catchy guitar hook that got everyone dancing. The songs that followed off the new album included “August 10” and “Friday Morning.” Being an instrumentally focused band, especially when playing such mellow music, it can be hard to compete with the audience. Khruangbin suffered from this, at least from my position, by being nearly overwhelmed by some loud conversations going on in the crowd. This was not for long as the band quickly got my attention back by riffing off beats from classic hip hop (think Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode”) and transitioning into more songs off of their new album. Khruangbin found success in their ability to improvise and this was perfectly displayed in their performance of “Evan Finds the Third Room,” which is a super funky track heavily featuring Lee on bass and vocals. The band left the stage after a few more melancholy songs knowing that they’d be called back for an encore, which did not disappoint. “People Everywhere (Still Alive)” is their most popular and danceable song, not to mention my favorite, so coming on with an extended version was the perfect way to wrap up before leaving the audience with a “hit it and quit it” (a Khruangbin-via-James Brown tradition).
Were there lulls? Yes. Did the highs make up for them and more? Yes. Did I almost buy a T shirt with the band members’ bang framed faces on it? You bet. And if you think you’d also like to see the production that is a Khruangbin concert you’re in luck; they’ll be back in Boston at Agganis Arena with Leon Bridges on Oct. 4.
-Catherine Allemann