Ken O’Duffy has earned his title as stalwart of the Irish music scene by now. The former frontman of the Dublin indie/retro-pop act Saville, which he cofounded in Coolock in 1995, O’Duffy has been in and out of bands since the mid-1980s.

It took until 2019 for him to strike out on his own, with the well-received The Last Night at the Gentleman’s Club. If you are familiar with the Dubliner’s oeuvre, nothing on this lockdown-penned second solo album will surprise you: as always, many of the songs sound like unearthed B-sides or demos by a forgotten 1960s pop band.

The Beatles are a clear influence on The Fag End of the Day, as are The Kinks on Sing the Songs, a particularly pleasant Swinging Sixties bop that opens with tolling church bells and reflects on the demise of religion in Ireland. The Night Finds You Alone sees him adopt a crooner persona on a quietly glamorous Rat Pack-style cabaret number. The Willow Tree lurches into sombre balladry, enhanced by a shimmering Rickenbacker jangle.

There is no questioning O’Duffy’s capacity as a songwriter, but a strong opening salvo soon gives way to a predictable template as the track list progresses. Sing the Songs may sound like an enticing invitation, but you may find you’re already overly familiar with the tunes.