Rarely will a band allow its fans the opportunity to hear material from past recording sessions. But in this case, The Budos Band gives theirs a look into the period between their first and second albums via the Budos Band EP, a sexy six-pack of tracks that show of a diverse range of soul.
From the velvety riffs of opener “Hidden Hand” to the ethereal “Smoke Gets In”, the group shows off plenty of its signature, multi-faceted grooves, and establishes this EP as essential to their catalog. The context for the unreleased tracks is provided by Budos Band II track, “Mas O Menos” and previously-released single “The Proposition”, which are some of the band’s finest works. Along with them are “Ephra”, a clever, more light-hearted shuffle and the crime drama energy of “Nobody’s Bulletproof”, both of which come across as effortlessly gear-shifting.
While purposefully bridging the gap between the band’s first two full-lengths, this long-overdue EP is a brilliant addition to any music collection, as it stands alone strongly as a representative of the band.
