His new album is called About The Light, there’s a choir, a horn section and an uplifting, soulful atmosphere about the whole thing.

It's a new sound from former Beta Band frontman Steve Mason who showcases it when he comes to the Old Fire Station, Carlisle, next week.

He said: “Song writing since the Beta Band had become something I did entirely alone, from the original concept to the full demo and often in the studio it was just myself and a producer.

"Although I enjoyed this purist approach for a long time, it really does not reflect who I am anymore and is not something that really excited me.

So I decided with the latest album that I wanted to get my live band involved at every stage to break this cycle, and because I wanted to capture the energy that we produce when we play live shows.”

Mason, who lives in Brighton, called in super-producer Steve Street and is delighted with the result.

He said: “When I listen to this album it feels and sounds like the first ‘legitimate’ record that I have ever made.

“It’s hard to explain but it sounds like a ‘real’ album. I think that is partly the production, the playing and the work that I did with the band for all those months in our rehearsal room on the South Coast.

“It’s a beautiful, confident, positive, angry, loving and gentle album which once again moves what I do forward,” he adds

Steve Mason, The Old Fire Station, Carlisle, November 12. For tickets, go to www.oldfirestation.carlisle.city or call 01228 598596