It happens to the best of us. So why point a finger at the heavens if Daler Mehndi is overtaken by a dash of narcissism? The King of Bhangra started this experimenattion with Nabi Buba Nabi but fundamentalists were not to happy with this track. Nubi Buba Nabi , the name which had to be withdrawn and anew one took birth called Lehria. So we bascically have an old wine in a new bottle, the name of the albumb changed to Lehria form Nabi Buba Nabi. We hope that this change also changes the fortunes of this albumb

Sample this - Mehndi says enjoy, which he croons in a gravelly, R D Burmanesque trill, or Mehndi ke paas aaja, which forms part of the quintessential pacy love track Tera mera pyaar. Agreed, Mehndi was but a blurb in the horizon before his Bolo ta ra ra ra became the last word, tenet and dictum in bhangra. But his latest experiment rankles in parts, and makes you wish he did not sacrifice the inherent simplicity in his earlier compositions for spectacular effects.

Mehndi proclaimed with aplomb that he dreamt of the lyrics of the title track. Well, at first hearing, it does have a robust onomaetopic effect, but all it does is take you round and round in circles. Surprise, surprise, just as you plan to settle into the soothing cadence of folk lyrics, the singer displays his affinity for grammar school, by belting out the major portion of the song in English. With due respect to Mehndi, this trespassing is a little jarring. In any case, Lehria does have the tempo to make for some value.

The surprise packet, which falls short, is the romantic ballad, Na jaane. Seems like this track was hastily inserted to complete the dressing. Now, Daler's voice is piquant rather than soothing, and this goes against the very premise of a love-soaked rendition. Sorry, this time, the glove just does not fit.

Meandering without a sense of direction - that is what Lehria is. What it lacks is Daler's soul. There is a sense of evident holding back, and trading quality music at the altar of commercialism.