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Among his influences he lists Paul
Simon and it's pretty clear when Tom McRae sings that there's
more than a passing resemblance there, not only from the style,
but even from the sound of his voice.
This is one of the best debuts
I've heard in a long time -- best in fact since Brendan Lynch
way back in December of 1997. Something about the cover
lured me and I can't quite figure out why because there's not a
hell of a lot to it (as you can see if you look to the
right). Generally I don't even play the music I receive
for review, I just pack it up, put it in my database and wait
for one of the staff to pick it up. But this one, like I said
before, called to me.
London's McRae sings of love and
sex, brutality and bottled-up emotion. The songs are
simply presented, yet complex in their meaning and deep beyond
the subtle comprehension of the casual listener. His voice
is tight and crisp, sometimes strangely similar to Simon's
others even more strangely similar to the (obscure) debut artist
I mentioned above. The accompaniment is layered as well --
simple at the surface, but rewarding for the listener who cares
to peel the shells back.
He grew up in the country, the
product of a broken home. Dunno if maybe that has
something to do with his interesting view of life as
circumscribed by his lyrics. It doesn't matter though, I guess
as I generally try to steer away from steering an artist toward
the therapy couch and toward what's really important to you as
you're reading this -- what the hell is this album
about? I will say however that I'm enamored by one of the
quotes in his bio pack:
"You
can make music without a reason, but it’s just noise. But if
you’re trying to find out who you are it’s easier to find
out what you’re against than what you’re for."
This
is an interesting thought, as well as a 50-word-or- less way to
describe Tom Mcrae's debut.
The
opening track, "You Cut Her Hair," begins with the
pop-scratch of needle against vinyl as distorted guitar and
crystal-clear strings create the soundscape for a very strange
start. I'm not 100% sure what this one is even about, but
the chilling lyrics and distorted guitar slides drew me
deeper... if there was a point of no return on this one, it was
the first song (which is a GOOD thing for a debut!)
"End
of the World News" is the track that hammered home the
similarities to Brendan Lynch. Disillusionment, isolation,
drugs... it's all hear in brutal black and white (Dose me
up/once is not enough/I can still see the ground/and from this
high-rise view/looking down on you/I'm not the one wasting my
time).
"2nd
Law" is something like David Bowie's "Space
Oddity," only from the vantage point of somebody hitting
the skies to get away, rather than somebody trapped who can't
get back. This is a soft-spoken piano piece with an intro
and outro consisting of spoke-word snippets from NASA -- an
interesting soundscape to be sure.
"Bloodless"
has the most god-awfully addictive hook on the album -- I
literally can't get this song out of my head! I love the
chorus: (Tell me again/What am I feeling?/You know me so
well/so what am I feeling?/how can you tell?/I've got a
feeling/you don't know!). Acoustic guitar, soulfully
drawn cello and vocals of absolutely heart-rending emotion
make this a serious candidate for song of the year in my book
and hands down the best song on this disc!
"Draw
Down The Stars" sounds like it came directly off "Graceland"
or any other of a number of Paul Simon albums. Obviously
Simon is more than a simple influence -- McRae had to have spent
many long hours of careful emulation to pull off such flattering
emulation. and here is a another interesting lyric (like
a snake-eating snake you confuse me/who's killer, who's captive,
who's free?/in a city that kills by constriction/throw your
streets around me and squeeze). Brilliant!
"One
More Mile," unsettling, mostly quiet and foreboding,
includes a harmony in the bridge that not only sounds like
Simon, but a hell of a lot like Simon and his friend.. Mr.
Garfunkle. Production qualities on this track, as with the
others, are pristine.
Runner-up
for the best song on "Tom McRae" is "Boy With the
Bubble Gun" Another more or less acoustic track (and damned
if that doesn't sound like one of the between-song segments from
This Mortal Coil's "Blood" buried deep in the mix!!),
this is pure genius with some turns of phrase that blow me
away. There's a lot of anger pent up beneath the surface
of this one. This is kind of how I imagine a serial killer
might think before plunging over the edge of madness that first
time.
"A&B
Song" sounds kind of like Peter Gabriel after taking a
small hit of helium. Same raw vocals, just a little higher
register. This is a song I hadn't given a whole lot of
credence to before sitting down to do this review, but one I'm
going to go back to again. Like everything else on this
album, there's more to this one than initially meets the eye.,
And
that's what's so cool about Tom McCrae. Just when you
think you figure it out... something else slips from the mix and
drags you back in again!
So
I'll gloss a little bit over some of the rest of the baker's
dozen. "Language of fools" is pretty and
delicate -- probably the highest production track on the CD.
Damn...
"Untitled" is another one that I guess I just didn't
listen closely enough to before. It's gorgeous (again a
higher-pitched Peter Gabriel-ish vocal), and a showcase of
McCrae's capabilities as a singer. Emotions run high -- it'll
give you goose bumps.
"Sao
Paulo Rain" with its plodding, brushed snare beat
(reminding me of Sarah McLaughlin's "Better than Ice
Cream") is a good one, as is the last track, "I ain't
afraid of lightning which, once again, comes up sounding like a
Paul Simon standard.
I'm
a sucker for a string section -- as long as the strings don't
overpower the message or the messenger. This is the
perfect melding of soft rock and strings, along with one of the
most interesting, emotional voices I've heard come down the pike
in a long while. It certainly bears mentioning that
McRae's music, brand new to North America, is being taken very
serious in his home country of England. In fact, this
debut was nominated for the ultra-coveted Mercury Music Prize
this year -- a very impressive credential that I hope will carry
over here in the states.
Tom
McRae's sound won't fit "Alt Rock" (whatever the hell
that is anymore) and it's not going to neatly fit in any other
genre either. And as radio-friendly as many of the tracks
are, I don't really see this being played on Top 40
either. Tom McRae is not fast food. Tom McRae is
fine wine -- to be savored with close friends on special
occasions.
Absolutely
brilliant!
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