Before finding fame as the lead singer of Ocean Colour Scene, Simon Fowler was a journalist, writing for papers like the Birmingham Post. Of this time he has said “I became a journalist because I wanted to be a sport commentator like John Motson. But by the time I was a journalist I decided I wanted to be John Lennon.”

Formed in Moseley, Ocean Colour Scene released their self-titled debut in 1992, and then the triple-platinum Moseley Shoals four years later. The Birmingham band have consistently produced great albums and a string of hits, including You’ve Got It Bad, Better Day, It’s A Beautiful Thing, Profit in Peace, and I Just Need Myself, while frequently taking time to collaborate with friends like Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher.

While Ocean Colour Scene take most of 2012 off to concentrate on their follow-up to 2010’s album Saturday, Fowler has taken the opportunity to put out hotly-anticipated debut solo album Merrymouth. Featuring award-winning folk musician (and previously Moseley folker) John McCusker, Merrymouth has been in the offing for some time: speaking to the Birmingham Post in 2009, Fowler said “Just as we were planning the album last year, John got a call from Mark Knopfler saying ‘Would you like to go on a 116 date world tour?”.

Merrymouth has been well worth the wait. Not resembling riff-tastic OCS classics like Hundred Mile High City and The Riverboat Song, Fowler’s folky solo recording sounds more similar to stripped-back OCS b-sides like Robin Hood and I Wanna Stay Alive With You. Alongside tender ballads such as The Sweetest Words, Merrymouth contains many nods to traditional folk and features a version of The Trees They Do Grow High.