If you thought it was safe to crack a smile, Beth Gibbons - the soul-searing songstress of Portishead fame - is back with a new single and tour.

In a long-promised collaboration with Talk Talk-er Paul Webb (aka Rustin Man), Beth released her solo effort 'Out Of Season' late last year, and after coaxing the praise from many a damp-eyed critic, she's now ready to let loose the album's first single 'Tom The Model'. Prepare then for a a Hammond-organ-grinding number that exudes Beth's typically soulful vocal presence. What were you expecting, a folk version of 'Oh What An Atmosphere'?

To coincide with the single, Gibbons and Webb are back on the road, taking their uniquely intimate sound to five venues across the UK in late February/early March.

Dates are as follows:

Bristol Academy - 23rd February
Liverpool Academy - 25th February
Dublin Ambassador - 26th February
Glasgow Barrowlands - 27th February
Shepherds Bush Empire, London - 1st March

You can check out the new single, extra tracks and a host of other Beth Gibbons related material, by clicking on the image below.