Band of the Week: Liam Frost

Manchester has for so long been associated with a certain of musical image – be it the lolloping grooves of the Stones Roses, the glacial beats of New Order or the cocksure swagger of Oasis – that it's easy to forget the other, more sensitive and considered side of the British city. Just ask singer-songwriter Liam Frost. Described by no less an authority than Elbow's genial and endearing frontman Guy Garvey as "the UK's answer to Bright Eyes," Frost is a singer who infuses country, soul and rock with an indie attitude. He's already drawn flattering comparisons to the mighty Bruce Springsteen.

"I'm not so sure about it to be honest," says the modest Frost. "I'm a big, big fan of all the Springsteen stuff, and I was definitely thinking about him when I was writing some of this album. But I think the things that I was focusing on are common traits of a lot of songwriters -- the ability to speak to people about the stuff that affects us in a way that relates to them personally."

Frost has found himself in an unusually fortunate position for a musician so early in his career. Having recorded his second album, 'We Ain't Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain', Frost was released from his previous record contract but given the master recordings. He then released the album on his own Emperor Records label. Does he find being his own boss scary or liberating?

"I'd say both," replies Frost. "Liberating, in so much as I feel like I'm my own boss now, especially from a creative standpoint. But then I guess that sense of being your own boss brings a lot of responsibility, like if it goes wrong then the blame will only lie with me. That's quite scary."

Scary or not, Frost has managed to attract the attentions of established and well-respected artists. Having supported Magic Numbers, Badly Drawn Boy and the Decemberists, Frost has not only collaborated with fellow singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt on his new album but also duetted with Martha Wainwright on the single, 'Your Hand in Mine,' the song that's brought him to the attention of a wider audience. Not bad going for someone who has been perfectly content to remain a cult concern.

"I'm happy to just keep doing what I do and make some semblance of a living out of it," states Frost. "A lot of my favourite songwriters were considered 'cult' artists, and it'd be kinda nice to be seen as such. But like I said, so long as I'm writing songs and playing years from now, I'm happy."

Ever modest, Frost scarcely acknowledges that his career may be at the tipping point with new single 'Good Things Are Coming Our Way.'

"I still feel like I'm in the same place that I've always been ... just getting on with it," he continues. "If people feel that way, then it can only be positive."

Hitting the road, Frost is excited at the prospect of playing towns that he's not visited in some time and with his second album garnering the kind of praise that can only endear him to more hearts, the singer is already thinking about his third album. So what can we expect?

"Misery, abject misery!" he jokes. "You can only sound happy for so long before folk start getting suspicious. Ha!"

Maybe so but there's no escaping the fact that Frost is less about suspicion than he is about affection.

Liam Frost tours the UK this week. His new single 'Good things Are Coming Our Way' is released on May 2.