HE brought punk slap-bang into the 21st Century with the excellent Freakin' Out - from 2004's Happiness in Magazines.

Not surprising, then, that former Blur band member Graham Coxon is back doing what he does best, creating catchy guitar pop that stands up well against his old group's work.

Opening with a stuttering, machine-gun blast of a guitar riff, Standing On My Own Again - due for release on Monday, February 27 - is a powerhouse of a tune on the trials and tribulations of love and bodes well for the forthcoming album, Love Travels at Illegal Speeds, out on Monday, March 13.