Sometimes you gotta laugh… Seriously! In recent months a number of quirky pop albums have revealed themselves, rather like the bodies struggling out of their graves in Thriller. The bodies then dance jerkilly behind Michael Jackson, and while they may look pretty grotesque they actually also look quite funny and strangely endearing. One-man-band Rob Jones (The Voluntary Butler Scheme) is a bit like that…

The title of the album is a bit of a giveaway - although I’m pretty sure we’re not talking Duke of York, rather, some quaint tourist teahouse in Torquay. Oh but how we love those cream teas - admit it. Anyway, first-up we have ‘Breakfast’ with a retro, shrill instrumental intro before ‘Trading Things In’ hits a bass vibe, hand-claps, sweet young vocal and basso backing harmonies. The song fairly bounces along in a cheeful-chappie kinda way behind a catchy melody and silly lyrics. Okay, I sort of like it - it’s floats like a balloon and sort of takes you with it - if you get my drift. ‘Alarm Clock’ stangely comes after ‘Breakfast’ but this error in timing matters not. This is a pop ballad that flows along mid-pace with another strong melody and cute female backing vocals. It’s the sort of song you’d find in a cartoon character film. Sort of OK. The final breakfast course is ‘Multiplayer’ with this meaningful and deep lyric, “Love is a game, a game for two, love is a game I want to play with you” - not exactly Dylan is it…

Right, it’s now dinner time which I know because there’s a gap on the song titles with a  little squiggle between the ‘chapters.’ The first song here is ‘Until My Watch Runs Out Of Battery’ which is all about lovin’ someone until the end of time… There’s loads of she and he backing vocals, brass, piano, melody - in fact every device in the musical hymn book. And it’s kinda catchy too… ‘The Effel Tower & The BT Tower’ rocks out in a Rob Jones kinda way…

Look, this is throwaway music that is pretty and hooky. And if you like quirky, sweet pop tunes Mr Jones is your man and you’ll love every song here. Hell, I like dark and hard but every now even I was forced to smile and tap my feet. That’s something, isn’t it?

2.5/5