Tom McRae

Tom McRae | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00005NHNM
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,534 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You Cut Her Hair

2. End of the World News (Dose Me Up)

3. 2nd Law

4. Bloodless

5. Draw Down the Stars

6. One More Mile

7. The Boy with the Bubblegun

8. Hidden Camera Show

9. A and B Song

10. Language of Fools

11. Sao Paulo Rain

12. I Ain't Scared of Lightning

Editorial Reviews

Tom McRae Self Titled CD

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have a feeling that this guy will be big..., October 12, 2001

By 

Richard P Fox (Midlands, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tom McRae (Audio CD)

Now, this is really something special. It has to be said that there are just too many cheap, pop-orientatied solo artists around these days. But one good thing about this is that it makes decent artists like Tom McRae shine like gold. I've had the album for about six months, but even up until today (when I decided to offer a review of the album to Amazon), I still find myself sitting down with my guitar and attempting to play along with the wonderful songs. There is something in the music here that is at the same time touching as it is harrowning. Some of the lyrics and the singing is so sad, that it can actully feel colder in the room you're sitting in. I've yet to hear Tom McRae live, but at the nearest opportunity, I will.

The spooky and simple first track, 'You Cut Her Hair', is a good indication of the mood for the rest of the album, even though no two songs are alike. If the album had started with the more up-beat second track (and single) 'End Of The World News', then the album may have had a deceptive beginning, and the other songs could even be less approachable than they are. 'End Of The World News' is a good song for a hit single, but it's the only one of it's kind on here. Songs like 'One More Mile' are emotional songs of epic proportions, harking back to stuff like Jeff Buckley (remember him?). Other songs such as 'Bloodless' and 'The Boy With The Bubblegum' are strong, hard songs held together by nothing more than McRae's piercing voice. Beautiful and fearful. My personal favourite on the labum is 'Untitled', which just fills me with imagery of loss and passion, even if the meaning may be lost on me. I don't know.

I must say that between me and friends who have heard the album, there have been mixed responses. Many folks I know didn't like the album because they thought it was not especially colourful, or not catchy enough. I can agree with them there - none of the songs are especially catchy and sing-alongy, especially on the first listening. But the depth and beauty behind the songs appears over time, as it does with all good music, in my eyes anyway. The songs do end up in your head as easily as some tune you may have heard on the radio. But the songs stick in your head and could stand next to whatever memories you have to match them. If you have a sad memory, you may find a song here that will sit with it perfectly for a long time. If you have a good memory, you may find a song here that will be the perfect mini-soundtrack for it. I think that it's plainly obvious that McRae wrote each of these songs around a memory, or an emotion, or an event, and even if that particular situation is not aparent to the listener, the listener's own is, and becomes exhumed by the songs themselves.

Buy this album if you want to find some music that will grab you and really make you feel like there are still brilliant musicians out there. Musicians writing from the heart. Musicians writing for the sake of music, not money.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I am impressed, Sir..., October 9, 2001

By 

Sandy (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tom McRae (Audio CD)

This is no background music; you will have to listen to what he says and check the lyrics in the booklet. The melodies (acoustic guitar enriched with other discreet instruments) are up to the words quality, proving that 'a boy with a guitar' is not necessary boring. This is a real singer songwriter in the line of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon or Springsteen. I did not mention yet his great expressive voice - here Jeff Buckley's comparisons sound right to me, even if I rather think both guys have their own talent and personality.

A solo artist had not impressed me for a while as Tom did. The live tracks of the bonus CD (that came with the French limited edition I own) are impressive, and testify he is as well an excellent performer, capable of captivating the public with his work. You know, the kind of artist you listen in silence, because screaming or even singing along would sound so out of context. I find it difficult to point out favorites; each song touches me in a way or another. Maybe the strange 'murder ballad' "You cut her hair", the evident "End of the world news", the jewels "Bloodless" and "Hidden camera show", the touching "Draw down the stars" or the 'soft'n'furious' "The boy with the bubblegun"... I cannot choose really.

Some of those songs are almost 'autistic': they describe one's uneasiness about living in an urban context, about living under strangers eyes who judge you without knowing you, and accept blindly their comfortable beliefs and habits. They also express the will to escape a written fate, or rather, the hesitation between believing in destiny and fighting against it. You're not getting out without scars, but those somber melodies bring out a curious joy. Maybe the joy people feel when they find their first gold nugget. If I were you, I would start digging now...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Took a couple tries, but now I love it!, April 3, 2002

By 

Howdy (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tom McRae (Audio CD)

I got this CD a couple months ago and initially I was not overwhelmed. None of the songs just jumped out at me and so I didn't get hooked. However, once I listened to it on my walkman and really heard each song, I gained a whole new appreciation for the CD. I think "A & B Song" is brilliant. "You Cut Her Hair" , "Draw Down the Stars", and "One More Mile" are all excellent. I don't know much about Tom McRae, but I believe he is pretty new and I really look forward to hearing more from him. His music is moody and his lyrics are excellent. So grab this CD and then give it a good listen and you'll be hooked too!