Everything points to a release that’s worthy in its own right. Sure, the songs penned by Jermaine Clement and Brett Mackenize are indelibly linked to the Flight of the Conchords TV series.

But cop a load of that lovely thick cardboard, the finely crafted artwork and an album that’s peppered with contributions from some seriously credible guest artists ( Sia and Inara George from The Bird and the Bee for example).

With such a degree of love and attention given to the production of I Told You I Was Freaky, surely no one would accuse HBO of over-milking the Conchords’ cash cow. Perhaps not, if …Freaky managed to achieve the same level of independence as its predecessor (the eponymous titled debut).

To enjoy Flight of the Conchords (the CD), familiarity with its TV source wasn’t a prerequisite. The image of Jermaine skulking through a dingy New York apartment in full faux-funk mode was a great adjunct to Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room) however, the lyrics were sharp enough to tickle anyone who hadn’t seen it.

Unfortunately the songs here don’t fair so well when cut adrift from their TV counterparts. Season one made use of material the duo had been working on for some time. As such, the likes of Bowie and Ladies of the World were robust enough to carry both the humour and musical parodies.

Season two forced the duo to start from scratch. The result of which seems to be songs that are much more dependent on the sketches. Sugalumps is a sweet skewering of Black Eyed Peas’ My Humps. But without the gratuitous shots of Jermaine’s “highly refined, candy balls”, the joke outstays its welcome.
If the humour doesn’t always quite resonate, at least the boys have managed to uphold their reputation for musical mimicry.

Sufficient attention to detail ensures they’re well placed to lampoon numerous genres. We’re Both in Love with a Sexy Lady and I Told you I was Freaky satirise the smooth-tongued purveyors of American dance music and are packed to the brim with all the necessary bump – œn grind accoutrements. Elsewhere, the jaunty Friends and Carol Brown are well-worked pastiches of quirky – œ60s pop.

Although the album often fails to deliver on its comedic manifesto, there are a couple of songs that elicit more than a few laughs. Hurt Feelings sends up the rapper’s bravado with a woeful tale of rejection and under-appreciation, “the day after my birthday is not my birthday, Mum”. And if you’re after an electro send-up to rival anything the Mighty Boosh could offer, look no further than the razor sharp cheekbones of Fashion is Danger.

I Told You I Was Freaky is probably an early stocking filler for anyone who loved Flight of the Conchord’s second season and wants to relive the key moments via its musical prompts. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the TV show, the New Zealand boys’ debut album will deliver more laughs for your buck.

I Told You I Was Freaky is out now on Sub Pop/Stomp.