This is a real korma of an EP: 4 songs of mild semi-spiced Sarf Lahdahn folk-rock from ALBINO whose press release stresses how they are based in the Castle Tandoori in Elephant & Castle, where (in-between the Bhel-poori's and the Sag Aloo) these 4 Bingo Nomads have put down their chapatis and come up with songs about the slide into poverty and homelessness.
The EP opens with The Great Unwashed wherein the singer explains just how high on the Bang bang Lassis his lifestyle had been before he descended down into the pit of despair of the great unwashed; unable to even beg a plain unsalted lassi. Even if the lyrics put it more poetically than that without any nods to the curry house and with some nice harmonica and accordion accompaniment as they sing about drinking turpentine.
Away is more of a faraway pakora of a song played at a jaunty pace as they dream of a good long road trip taken in decent style and not forced upon them. It's a little bit Waterboys-ish.
For me Judgement Day is the jewel in the crown of this EP with its great trombone that keeps coming back into the tune as he sings about all the things he needs to be judged for and the consequences of the judgement of his soon to be ex-partner. It's doleful and involving and like a good thali leaves you satisfied.
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The EP closes with Homeless which is how the man who has been judged has found himself. It features some good lyrics about how he feels to have fallen so far to homeless status and there is some real anger in the vocals no matter, how mildly spiced the music might sound.
All in this EP is well worth a listen and I'd have to say it's more of a single scoop of mango kulfi than the full ras malai. Sorry for all the curry references, but I couldn't help myself.
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