Paulo Nutini at Manchester Apollo 5th October

The Scottish singer-songwriter sets off on the road to celebrate his new album, Sunny Side Up.

Paulo Nutini has come a long way since his first single, These Streets, was offered as a free download. His winning combination of good looks, bashful charm, mellow voice and emotional lyrics has won his legions of fans the world over and saw him referenced as a stable mate to artists like James Morrison and Jack Penate. But while songs like New Shoes, Rewind and Jenny Don't Be Hasty were radio-friendly enough to turn him into a household name, it all seemed a little bit comfortable and commercial to really grab us.

But Paulo Nutini's second album, Sunny Side Up, has won us over completely. If the first album was an exercise in winning over fans, Sunny Side Up is clearly an example of a gifted young musician pleasing himself. The album pulls together Nutini's inspirations, from folk and blues through to Stax and ragtime, in a joyous and upbeat collection that is still making us smile today. And Nutini is clearly loving the ride too – gone is the shy boy hunched over his microphone who bashfully sang of break ups and leaving home. In his place stands a young man, chest out, clearly coming into his own.