IF you were looking to compare The Beatles to a contemporary band, then Embrace wouldn't automatically spring to mind.

But this summer, the foursome, who hail from Huddersfield, spent time in Thailand and witnessed scenes mirroring those of The Beatles in their heyday.

"It was totally mad," says singer Danny McNamara. "We've been to Japan a couple of times and things can get really wild, but Thailand was totally surreal. We'd wake-up in the morning, get in to the lift and go down and as soon as the doors opened they'd be there waiting with cameras."

Embrace, who have had hits with All You Good Good People, My Weakness Is None Of Your Business and Come Back To What You Know, released their second album, Drawn From Memory, earlier this year and began their UK tour on Wednesday night, which comes to Southampton Guildhall on Monday.

Although Embrace are expecting the usual good reception from their Southampton fans, they were left open-mouthed by their popularity in Thailand. One acoustic showcase, which was meant to be industry only, was stopped after a crowd of over 1,000 built up outside the venue. The band eventually played for the crowd and were stunned by the response.

"We played You're Not Alone and we couldn't hear what we were playing, they were singing so loud."

Although Embrace have just released Drawn From Memory, the band are using the current UK tour to showcase some new material that will feature on their third album, which the band have started working on in Yorkshire.

"One song, Someday, was a song that I wrote in the same week we finished All You Good Good People," says Danny.

"Everyone thought it was a better song and should open the first LP but I wasn't happy that it was finished. We continued to work on it for the last LP but it wasn't until very recently that it became everything I hoped it would be, so we're glad we held it back now."

By all accounts the newer material has a very epic soundtrack-like feel.

"I think if the early sessions are anything to go by the next LP is going to be really filmic, almost widescreen. I want each song to take you somewhere really important.

"It's still got the positiveness of Drawn From Memory, especially from Richard, who's on a sunshine trip at the moment: loads of big, warm songs, in particular a really beautiful happy-sad song called Redemption Pours.

"But the one that excites me the most is one Richard wrote the riff for and I just came up with the melody on the spot. It doesn't have a title yet but it's really immediate. More often than not the best stuff we write just seems to come out of nowhere."

You can catch Embrace at Southampton Guildhall on October 30. Tickets are still available, price £11.50, by calling the credit card hotline on 0115 912 9000.