Khruangbin Release Cover Of “Christmas Time Is Here” By Vince Guaraldi Trio

The Texas trio, Khruangbin, has experienced somewhat of a meteoric rise throughout the course of 2018, just recently wrapping up a tour opening for Leon Bridges.  Their latest LP, Con Todo El Mundo may not be their first effort, but it’s definitely the breakout that has helped put them on the map.  As their press release explains, the group’s “2015 debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ was heavily influenced by 60’s and 70’s Thai cassettes the band listened to on their long car journeys to rehearsal in the Texan countryside.”  For this sophomore album, released back in January, the band took “inspiration not just from South East Asia but similarly underdiscovered funk and soul of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, particularly Iran.”  The Lonestar State might be one of the last places that you would assume when guessing their origin, but then again, it’s pretty difficult to reduce Khruangbin to any one singular influence, when listening to their music, other than a straight-ahead, universal groove.  What they continue to present is a sound unique unto themselves, something that merges the talents and varied influences of the three members that are involved.  Laura Lee was only just beginning to learn bass, about 8 years ago, when the group first formed alongside Mark Speer (guitar) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums, keys), who had originally met while performing at St John‘s church in Houston.  Gospel, hip hop, Afghani music, pre-revolutionary Iranian psych and anything else they can dig from the crates or encounter on their travels all melds into the sonic stew.

But while Khruangbin definitely gathers up plenty of inspiration on the road, they aren’t a group that writes or records while on tour.  That being said, they did find time during their incredibly hectic schedule to record their own rendition of a holiday classic: Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here.”  Of the decision to put their on spin on the timeless gem, Laura Lee offers the following details.

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“Growing up the three of us all had very different Christmases.”  “But we recently discovered we all had the exact same favorite Christmas song. When we realized it, we sat down to play it and it came together instantly. In 15 minutes we had this recorded. It was like the best Christmas present ever.”

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I am personally a huge fan of the Vince Guaraldi Trio‘s A Charlie Brown Christmas, album, so when I refer to it as “timeless,” I literally mean that I will listen to it ANY time of year.  It happens like clockwork that I start seeing Christmas decorations pop up and respond by talking sideways about the whole early holiday bullshit, blah, blah, blah.  Then, I’ll put that album on and, be a unapologetic hypocrite without an ounce of shame.  When it comes down to it, it’s just a terrific jazz piano record, but one that exudes an incredibly beautiful and unmistakable feeling.  Is the Khruangbin version as good as the original?  Of course not — what is? — but the fact/way that they douse it in their own juice, was an admirable to go.  You’ll never outdo the inspiration, but, if you dig a little, you can usually create something of your own and that’s, genuinely, the most reverent tribute that you could ever hope to produce.

Check it out below

A pre-order for a colored 7-inch is currently available through the Secretly Store, and the Khruangbin bandcamp, as well as Night Time Stories in the UK.

Khruangbin Tour Dates:

Wed. Oct. 24 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse — SOLD OUT
Thu. Oct. 25 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall — SOLD OUT
Fri. Oct. 26 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde — SOLD OUT
Sat. Oct. 27 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo — SOLD OUT
Sun. Oct. 28 – Brussels, BE @ Le Botanique — SOLD OUT
Tue. Oct. 30 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega — SOLD OUT
Wed. Oct. 31 – Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus — SOLD OUT
Tue. Nov. 6 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Wed. Nov. 7 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel Casino
Fri. Nov. 9 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater — SOLD OUT
Sat. Nov. 10 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park — SOLD OUT
Sun. Nov. 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Tue. Nov. 13 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
Wed. Nov. 14 – Chico, CA @ El Rey Theater
Fri. Nov. 16 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre
Sat. Nov. 17 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom — SOLD OUT
Sun. Nov. 18 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Tue. Nov. 27 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Wed. Nov. 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theater
Thu. Nov. 29 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall — SOLD OUT
Fri. Nov. 30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sat. Dec. 1 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Thu. Dec. 6 – Boston, MA @ Royale — SOLD OUT
Fri. Dec. 7 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club — SOLD OUT
Sat. Dec. 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel — SOLD OUT
Sun. Dec. 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel — SOLD OUT
Tue. Dec. 11 – Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
Wed. Dec. 12 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse — SOLD OUT
Fri. Dec. 14 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
Sun. Dec. 15 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre — SOLD OUT
Tue. Jan. 15 – Mon. Jan. 21 – Miami, FL @ Jame Cruise 17
Fri. Mar. 8 – Adelaide, SA @ Womad Festival
Sat. Mar. 9 – Launceston, TAS @ Panama Festival
Sun. Mar. 10 – Meredith, VIC @ Golden Plains Festival
Wed. Mar. 13 – Melbourne, VIC @ Croxton Bandroom
Fri. Mar 15 – Sydney, NSW @ Oxford Art Factory
Sat. Mar. 16 – Brisbane, QLD @ The Zoo
Thu. Mar. 21 – Shangri-La, Osaka @ Umeda
Fri. Mar. 22 – Quattro, Tokyo @ Shibuya Club