ELLESMERE Port band Amsterdam is about to embark on the next chapter of a hugely promising career with the release of its eagerly-anticipated new album.

Arm in Arm, which is the follow-up to the group’s popular first album, The Journey, hits the shops on Monday.

And lead singer Ian Prowse is delighted with the rave reviews it has already received from the national music Press.

This year could prove to be a huge one for the band, which will perform at this summer’s Glastonbury festival.

Speaking to the Pioneer, frontman Ian said: “It’s a really exciting time for us all and we can’t wait for the release now. It has been a long time coming after it was put back last year.

“The whole process has probably taken about 18 months since we started writing the album and then recording it in Somerset.

“To a certain degree the album has already been a success. We’ve had some fantastic reviews – the best of my career. Whether it’ll be a massive commercial success is out of our hands.

“But we’re just pleased that everyone who has heard it has said it’s our best stuff yet. A lot of artists produce their best music early in their career so it’s nice for us that we’re getting better and better.”

Ian reckons he owes part of that success to living in Liverpool, which has resulted in him becoming friends with key figures in the music industry, including rock legend Elvis Costello.

He said: “Prior to writing the album I decided to move from Little Sutton to Liverpool city centre and that has really influenced my work.

“I obviously go back to visit my mum and dad and my friends but I’m loving it over here now. It has really helped, not just artistically but for the fact you meet so many people in the music industry.

“I kind of know everyone now and if Elvis Costello calls me or Janice Long is back in the city I can go out and meet up with them.”

Amsterdam has made a big impression on Elvis Costello, who performed a melancholic version of the Searchers’ classic Don’t Throw Your Love Away with them for Liverpool’s Number One Project album.

The charity event, which celebrated the city’s world-beating 56 number one singles and marks its status as European Capital of Culture for 2008, proved to be a big success for the band.

Prowse explained: “When they were putting the project together Elvis got in touch and explained that he was on the road with Bob Dylan in America and didn’t have time to put something together.

“So he asked us if we’d like to do a duet and then left it in our hands. We called him while he was out there to ask him which direction he wanted the track to go in and when we finished he was thrilled with it.

“The project has been great for us. We’ve played in front of 10,500 people at the new ECHO Arena, which is sensational and helped us build up to the album release.”

On Saturday Amsterdam will be performing an album launch show at The Cavern in Liverpool. There are limited tickets available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

To mark Monday’s album release the Pioneer is offering two lucky readers the chance to win a copy by answering our simple question and returning the form to us by 10am on Wednesday, March 19.