The Waterboys will revive an old band tradition this December when they embark on a Christmas tour of Ireland. This ran in 1988, 89 and 90 and many fans remember the wild celebratory shows of that time. Ever since Mike Scott first brought The Waterboys to public attention their career has been marked by storied departures. Staking out bold, new territory with fresh approaches and inspirational collaborators has been the defining factor of Scott’s creative flow. Now Out Of All This Blue, The Waterboys’ 12th and first double album is maybe the most brilliantly daring and accomplished reinvention of The Waterboys to date.

Out Of All This Blue is a reminder that Scott’s own sense of pop, which generated How Long Will I Love You (a smash by Ellie Goulding) and the perennial favourite The Whole Of The Moon, is still strong. “Sometimes my music comes round to a place where it touches pop,” says Mike. “I love when that happens and this is one of those times.”