Andrew London has made his name among numerous bands, swing trio Hot Club Sandwich, the supergroup of songwriters Too Many Chiefs, but this is his main vehicle. ‘Ladies A Plate’ follows up the trio’s 2012 debut ‘The Middle Class White Boy Blues’. It walks a line between jazz, swing, country and blues. Musical comedy would also do it justice.

Three Little Words describes the horror of being confronted with instructions – everyone knows that ‘some assembly required’ is not part of the male vocabulary. There are enough musical interludes for those who are not big on musical laughs. A couple of covers were slipped in. Jazz number No Moon At All sung by bassist and partner Kirsten London provides a nice interlude, and includes a sublime clarinet solo from Nils Olsen. A jazzy cover of The Beatles’ You Won’t See Me sits nicely in the latter half of the album. Recording was at Matrix Digital Studios in Wellington with Phil Adams, Troy Leamy and Blair MacDonald behind the desk. Drummer Lance Philips helped fill out the sound while the trio changed between instruments. Saxophone and keyboard from Olsen and banjo from Andrew London create some nice variety, especially the sax in the hilariously sarcastic Country’s Buggered. The album is filled with delightful instrumental breaks, hilarious lyrics that perfectly capture the New Zealander and many of our obsessions and tasteful covers that hint at an amazing live show. Well worth a listen.