Catatonia were in the middle of a comeback when they split.

Cerys Matthews and Co had had 18 months off and were excited at the prospect of getting back into it.

In interviews Matthews, pictured, explained that she'd spent the year and half doing everything other than music - rock climbing et al, one presumes - because of the pressures being in that band brought. It seems she's still taking it easy.

"The thing is I don't see it as a merry-go-round this time," said the pregnant Matthews.

"I'm enjoying getting back into it and it's been really relaxed.

"I did Jonathan Ross the other day which was really fun."

Matthews is also quoted as saying she's a big mouth and full of energy and that people don't take note of you for staying home doing the knitting.

This begs the question, will her new music be enough, without en suite antics of a drunken nature, to sustain the public's interest?

Well, she's broadened her musical horizons, albeit in America, where she also found her husband.

"I went to America in March 2002 and I really started to get into Gram Parsons and Charlie Poole, and load of country and blues and stuff," explained Matthews. "I basically had a massive splurge and went to Alabama, listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd, and went on a bit of a road trip...the sun was shining.

"It was like a dream come true. It was then that I decided to record out there."

The familiar tale of humanoid grows older and listens to older music reaches it's conclusion, so far, in the debut Matthews' solo album, Cockahoop.

She's managed to match her new found love of American folk with her quirky sense of pop and some stirring Welsh traditionalism.

She had help from producer Bucky Baxter, who's also sometime steel guitarist for Bob Dylan.

"I wanted to make something traditional, so I called up Bucky and asked if he would be involved," Matthews explained. "It was all totally relaxed and it turned out better than I hoped.

"At one point Lloyd Green came along and said he's never heard such good sounding steel guitar - and he basically invented it!"

The next instalment in the return of Matthews is her gig in St David's Hall in Cardiff tomorrow night, which starts her UK tour.

She's been reluctant to perform again since the demise of Catatonia but the new album has given her a new lease of musical life.

"It has been difficult to make the move to come back, but I'm so glad I did," she said. "I love working in the studio and singing despite myself and I'm not expecting anything at all from the album."

If Matthews was not reason enough to be in Cardiff tomorrow night, she is joined by Baxter on steel guitar.

Roll up and enjoy the show.

* Hear the album live in St David's Hall, Cardiff, tomorrow, Saturday June 14. Dial 029 2087 8541 or surf to www.cerysmatthews.info for more information.