And, it should be said, enjoying the ride. At home in the Chelsea, where Brendan Behan and Dylan Thomas used to hang out, and Leonard Cohen once got it on with Janis Joplin, he’s brimming with enthusiasm and confidence.

And why shouldn’t he? He’s just made a great record, after all.

“There was a certain point, ” he says, “when I stopped looking at the Frames website, stopped connecting on any real personal level with my feelings about what the audience expect and what they don’t expect. And that’s the opposite of where I was at for so many years. I’m 36 now, and I’m not looking for anyone’s approval any more. That guy’s gone.

We’ve all changed. The band who were always looking for approval have, I suppose, found it in themselves.”

Swell Season World Tour

January 2010

Thursday, 14/1/10
London, UK O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, 7:00pm
Friday, 15/1/10
London, UK St James Church Piccadilly, 7:00pm
Saturday, 16/1/10
Glasgow, Scotland, UK City Halls: Grand Hall, 7:30pm
Sunday, 17/1/10
Manchester, UK The Lowry, 7:00pm
Tuesday, 19/1/10
New York City, NY, US Radio City Music Hall, 7:00pm

February 2010

Monday, 01/02/10
Prague, CZ Lucerna, 7:00pm
Tuesday, 02/02/10
Brno, CZ Semilasso, 7:00pm
Thursday, 04/02/10
Zurich, CH Kaufleuten, 7:00pm
Friday, 05/02/10
Ferrara, IT Sala Estense, 7:00pm
Saturday, 06/02/10
Rome, IT Roma Auditorium, 7:00pm
Sunday, 07/02/10
Milan, IT Conservatorio, 7:00pm
Wednesday, 10/02/10
Vienna, AT Museumsquartier . Halle E, 7:00pm
Friday, 12/02/10
Dresden, DE Alter Schlacthof, 8:00pm
Saturday, 13/02/10
Berlin, DE Admiralspalast, 8:00pm
Sunday, 14/02/10
Hamburg, DE Kampnagel , 8:00pm
Tuesday, 16/02/10
Copenhagen, DK DR Concert House, 7:00pm
Wednesday, 17/02/10
Gothenberg, SE Trädgårn, 7:00pm
Thursday, 18/02/10
Stockholm, SE Filadelfiakyrkan, 7:00pm
Saturday, 20/02/10
Helsinki, FI Kulttuuritalo, 7:00pm
Sunday, 21/02/10
Düsseldorf, DE Savoy Theatre, 8:00pm
Tuesday, 23/02/10
Amsterdam, NL Paradiso, 8:00pm
Wednesday, 24/02/10
Brussels, BE Ancienne Belgique, 8:00pm
Thursday, 25/02/10
Paris, FR Bataclan, 8:00pm
Saturday, 27/02/10
Barcelona, ES Sala Apolo, 7:00pm
Sunday, 28/02/10
Madrid, ES Sala Heineken, 7:00pm

March 2010

Sunday, 21/03/10
Wellington, NZ Wellington Arts Festival, 12:00pm
Tuesday, 23/03/10
Auckland, NZ Civic Theatre, 7:00pm
Thursday, 25/03/10
Melbourne, AU Palais Theatre, 7:00pm
Sunday, 28/03/10
Fremantle, AU West Coast Blues N Roots Festival, 12:00pm
Wednesday, 31/03/10
Adelaide, AU Theberton Theatre, 7:00pm

April 2010

Friday, 02/04/10
Byron Bay, AU Bluesfest, 12:00pm
Monday, 05/04/10
Sydney, AU Sydney Opera House, 7:00pm