You can’t call Ali Downer a slow worker.

The Woodenbox singer’s new solo project the Royal Male delivered debut album Plastic Throne in just three days – and with songs recorded in just one take.

Ali’s collection of piano-led songs didn’t fit in with the Woodenbox sound, so he headed to Chem 19 Studios in Lanarkshire and worked with producer Paul Savage on the record, which he’s launching on Saturday at the Hug and Pint.

“Everything is usually so thought out when recording,” says Ali, who’s made three albums with Woodenbox.

“It feels really overdone a lot of the time and takes the fun out of it, and you can end up over-producing something that should be lo-fi. So this was a great experience, as Paul had said ‘let’s see if we can make this happen’ and we fitted in a couple of days.

“That was a budget thing and a time thing, but it ended up that we got loads done in the first day, and then we got some extra people down, like Lewis (Alexander) on drums, Cat (Calton) on violin and the boys on brass, but even when they came in it was still being done in one take, and mistakes would be left on the album.”

Over the years Woodenbox have earned a reputation as a lively, upbeat band, fuelled by blues, brass and pop music. When Ali started writing the songs that would make up Plastic Throne, he realised that they weren’t suited to Woodenbox’s style of music, as they’re quieter and more genteel.

“With Woodenbox, the more we’ve done it the more we’ve been tagged as a festival band or a party band,” explains Ali.

“It’s like we’re considered a late night drinking band, and that’s good, but I couldn’t imagine playing these tunes to people coming along to have a party, and I wouldn’t want to go ‘oh, our new record is slow and thoughtful, so everyone stop and listen now’. I’d rather have a quiet project we can do in intimate settings and then with Woodenbox we’ll make a big party album.”

Ali admits those live gigs are slightly strange. He debuted the project at Oran Mor earlier this year, at a showcase gig for the indie label Olive Grove Records, who are releasing the album. Given that Ali is used to fronting a band it might have seemed a straightforward transition, but he says that wasn’t the case.

“It was funny, because it’s quite nerve-wracking to be playing these songs on the piano when I’m used to being on guitar onstage,” he reflects.

“Playing the piano can be quite a personal thing, it’s weird. When everyone is playing in the band and having a beer then it’s easy to let the energy carry it, but when it’s all stripped back then you’ve got to be on your game. It makes you quite self-conscious.”

As for the punning name of the project, that’s because he was considering working as a postman for a spell, before deciding to drop the idea. It’s also a reminder that many bands have to juggle day jobs around their music, and that it can tough to get motivated to carry on making music with little reward.

Ali reckons that a supportive label like Olive Grove can help.

“Lloyd (Meredith, of Olive Grove) is really positive and supportive and that pushes you to get things done, whereas maybe some bands would just give up or get lazy without that encouragement,” says Ali.

“So it’s nice to have a label like that helping you and doing it for the right reasons. It takes a lot of drive to do creative stuff as you get older because while you know it’s never going to make loads of money, it’s harder just to cut even at the moment.

“You’ve got to love it to keep it going.”

The Royal Male, Hug and Pint, Saturday, free, 7.30pm