THE London Souls have announced their UK tour following the release of their new album Here Come The Girls.

Things were looking up for The London Souls. It was early 2012, and trimmed down to a lean, mean duo, guitarist/lead singer Tash Neal and drummer/singer Chris St Hilaire had just wrapped up recording Here Come The Girls, the follow-up to their critically lauded self-titled debut.

It was without a doubt their finest collection of songs, rich with explosive percussive energy, razor sharp guitar riffs, soulful vocals, and indelible hooks.

Plans were well underway for the album release and tour when a BMW drag racing down Broadway smashed into Neal's NYC taxi in a brutal hit and run.

He was unresponsive and near death by the time his ambulance arrived at the hospital, and doctors had to perform immediate brain surgery to treat a subdural hematoma.

"I ended up in a coma," Neal explains, "and the prognosis was that I wasn't supposed to walk or talk for six months to a year. Somehow I was out the following week and back home."

Though Neal's brush with death forced the duo to take nearly a year off, his miraculous recovery inspired—and was inspired by—the band.

"Getting back out and playing shows and touring seemed to speed up his recovery," says St Hilaire. "It was kind of crazy. I almost felt like if Tash hadn't been playing, the recovery would have been a lot slower. Music had a way of healing him."

"We always played live like it might be our last show," adds Neal, "but it's even more fiery now."

Fiery is an understatement when it comes to The London Souls. Their 2011 debut album, recorded with Ethan Johns at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, earned the young New Yorkers attention from a number of American media institutions.

Produced by Soulive's Eric Krasno, 'Here Come The Girls' is a declarative statement from the band, a true showcase for Neal and St Hilaire's remarkable songwriting chops, which meld the influences of classic rock, folk, and even hip hop rhythms into a gritty, bluesy blend. It's a sound that's both indebted to the heroes that came before them and utterly modern and forward-thinking at the same time, adventurously arranged and executed with a thrilling vivacity.

With an electrifying new album under their belts, a unified artistic vision to guide them, and a newfound sense of gratitude for each other and the power of their music, things are once again looking up for The London Souls. 'Here Come The Girls' was a long time coming, but it's certainly worth the wait.

The London Souls will perform at Cardiff’s Great Hall on October 29.

For more information or tickets please visit cardiffstudents.com/boxoffice.