Liam Frost - 'Show Me How The Spectres Dance (Lavolta) Released 11/09/06

At only 22 years old Mancunian Liam Frost has already gained something of a cult fan base following the ‘She Paints Pictures’ ep released earlier this year. Described by many as the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes Liam cut his teeth at an early age learning and perfecting his trade in almost every bar and dive in Manchester. ‘Show Me How The Spectres Dance’ produced by Danton Supple of Coldplay fame, is his debut album and according to those in the know will be the album that firmly puts him on the music industry’s map. His mix of intelligent alt folk indie pop is something of a breath of fresh air in today’s current music scene, and although arguably nothing new, brings with it a whole host of possibilities.

There’s an under current of darkness and regret running throughout the album. Not malevolence but a deep sense of personal and inner tragedy and the only way of exorcising the many ghosts and demons of his past is by writing and singing about them. This is apparent in such songs as ‘If Tonight We Could Only Sleep’ with lovely finger picked acoustic guitar and scratchy violin, ‘This Is Love’ an even darker song with expert use of Rhodes Piano and ‘Road Signs And Red Lights’ a searching number that deals with isolation, escape and shows a softer side to Liam Frost.

There’s also an upbeat side to ‘SMHTSD’. ‘The City Is At A Standstill’ and ‘She Painted Pictures’ being perfect examples…they’re big, change the tempo of the album and save it from becoming too dark and brooding. Listening to the album you can imagine Liam propping up the bar in a ‘proper’ pub chatting away to anyone who wants to listen, but all on his own terms of course. ‘Is This Love’ see’s him laid wide open and doing just that. It’s a pained voice that tells his stories but one that speaks with a telling experience and conviction.

Liam Frost’s vocabulary is immense and his music lyrically infectious and imaginative. This man has a lot to say and it’s a wonder that he can cram so many words into each song. A singer, songwriter, poet and social commentator…he’s all of these and so much more. Unfortunately and despite all the positive aspects of the album including his voice, the vocals do become a little bit repetitive and the lack of variation causes some songs to merge into the next without anything to set them apart. But somehow this is easily forgiven and forgotten.

The high point and stroke of genius of the album comes with ‘The Mourners Of St Paul’s’. A tragically beautiful and uplifting mantra to survival that perfectly utilises a lamenting violin, understanding piano and chanting children’s voices to such a good effect all the while propelled by Liam’s strong and inescapable vocals. Lyrically it’s second to none and in the same style to the rest of the album…pained, aching and bittersweet; “I see trees of green, red roses too, scattered out for you, on a greystone nude, I’m 12 years older, I can’t stay sober, and there’s a bluebird in my heart that’s caged and it cant sing, so fill your bloodlines up with bourbon kid and this wont sting, it’s like the slowing of your senses just might solve something, let the mourners of St Paul’s lead the parade.” But musically…wow…it elevates the album to a level beyond anything else on ‘SMHTSD’. It’s a masterpiece on a grand scale that can incite goose bumps after the first few seconds, starting slowly and building to a powerful crescendo. Perfection.

A great debut album, a fantastic raw talent and one to watch out for as Liam Frost And The Slowdown Family have only just embarked on a long musical journey and fingers crossed there’s a lot more to come.