CHARLIE Simpson who rose to fame in the ranks of BRIT Award winners Busted is heading for Southampton to perform an intimate gig at the city centre HMV store next week.

The gig – on Wednesday, August 6, comes as he releases his second solo album Long Road Home.

It is the anticipated follow-up album to his debut solo offering Young Pilgrim which went straight into the top ten in 2011.

Long Road Home – a collection of self-penned, refreshing, confessionals, features Charlie’s distinctive vocals combined with a raw acoustic delivery.

Charlie took some time out in 2012 but says after a night out he suddenly felt revitalised.

“I came back home pretty drunk one night and I started recording this song. I don’t really remember it,” he admits.

“But I woke up in the morning and was like, wow, that’s really good.”

The song was Emily, an acoustic, high-harmony, soulful love-letter.

“And that slowly eased me back into it.”

He wrote eight songs, then went into Reel World Studios near Bath with his producer Steve Osborne. The songs Winter Hymns (Nick Drake-like simplicity, intimacy and strings-led beauty) and Blood (anthemic, pounding, impassioned) are eartingling examples of the feeling that Charlie pursued with relish after suffering a spell of writers’ block following Young Pilgrim.

Of the new album he admits: “This was the hardest record I’ve ever had to make, no question.

"And that makes it feel all the sweeter now that I’ve come out with something I’m proud of.

"I love the album more because of all that.”