This third album from The Voluntary Butler Scheme is nothing short of soulful cheekiness and heartfelt joyousness.
One-man band, Rob Jones has done it again, and this time, A Million Way To Make Gold showcases his experimentation with a few new instruments that he taught himself to play with YouTube as his tutor – just like the rest of us!
Starting strong, Looking For Nearby Water opens the album with a lighthearted tune talking about the ‘fish out of water’ experiences of life and love. It’s playful, cheeky and gets you grooving – yes, grooving – from start to finish. Quinzhee, then follows with the same laid back feeling that the opening track gave us. The difference here is Quinzhee leaves you dazed and relaxed after the good jive that the album opened with.
Kicking up the tempo one more time, Honey In The Gravel Mixture pulls you up from your seat and shows you how to ‘do the twist again’. Although the tempo doesn’t drive you to exert all your energy, you’ll find it hard not to sway to this psychedelic beat!
In contrast,That’s How I Got To Memphis leaves you slow dancing under the moonlight. It’s not your modern-day,‘rest-my-head-on-your-shoulder’ slow dance, it’s the 1950’s structured routine slow dancing. There’s a pattern that moves you with the beat that you never knew you knew! There’s a classic touch to this song.
After the slow dancing is over, well I suppose it’s time to Believe again! This fifth track gets you jiving from right to left, from the back to the front. It’s lots of fun and get’s you pumped for the sixth track, The Regulatory Reform. The sixth track continues the invitation to the dance floor and gets you going and going.
The title track, A Million Ways To Make Gold, is mesmerizing from the get-go. It’s a track you listen to when you’re at the aquarium watching the fish swim to and fro. Alternatively it’s also a track that you’d listen to sifting through the stalls at a market place. It’s got a meandering feel that leaves you dazed and in awe.
No Easy Way Out stops you wandering and gets you dancing again. Get ready to grab the nearest person to you and lace-up your dancing shoes, because you’re about to boogie right into the next rack. So Tired (So Tired) follows through with a Supremesfeel that gets you tapping your foot and clicking your fingers. You’ll be singing along just as quickly as you press play.
The Q Wordchanges things up a bit with a little bit of an arcade feel to the sound. As the album comes to a close, Jones places a stamp on his playfulness right here. It’s one that you’ll want to listen to while you’re playing Flappy Bird or Tetris to get you geared for a winning streak.
Drawing to a powerful close, Brain Freeze closes the album with one last, “Hurrah”. Get on the dance floor one last time ladies and gents, because the records is coming to its end.
Overall, A Million Ways To Make Gold is an album that takes you back to the 50s. You’ll be jiving, jamming and clapping your way through the whole record and still have enough energy to do it all again. Be sure to keep an eye out for its release on 23RD MARCH.
For more from The Voluntary Butler Scheme: www.thevoluntarybutlerscheme.com
Star Rating: ★★★★