Just Like Blood (2025 Remaster) Tom McRae

• 1 A Day Like Today (2025 Remaster) 03:47
• 2 You Only Disappear (2025 Remaster) 03:43
• 3 Ghost Of A Shark (2025 Remaster) 03:23
• 4 Stronger Than Dirt (2025 Remaster) 04:39
• 5 Overthrown (2025 Remaster) 03:53
• 6 Walking 2 Hawaii (2025 Remaster) 04:24
• 7 Mermaid Blues (2025 Remaster) 04:53
• 8 Karaoke Soul (2025 Remaster) 03:49
• 9 Line Of Fire (2025 Remaster) 04:39
• 10 Human Remains (2025 Remaster) 04:04
• Total Runtime 41:14

Info zu Just Like Blood (2025 Remaster)

Tom McRae has the unusual distinction of being the son of not one but two vicars - resulting in an upbringing which, he caustically notes, gave him a lifetime's worth of songwriting material. Now building up a promising solo career after a number of false starts, the Suffolk man has won plenty of critical praise for his ability to blend his dark, vitriolic visions with bright and beautiful melodies. This follow-up to his Mercury-nominated debut, however, leaves you in some doubt as to whether he really is, as the music press insists, the Next Big Thing. Named after a Simon Armitage poem, Just Like Blood rails against the world in songs that are clearly supposed to be insightful and moving but end up sounding just deeply unsettling and claustrophobic. 'Walking2Hawaii' is typical, an ostensibly sweet ditty about sitting on the perfect beach with the perfect girl, waiting for the outbreak of World War 3. Like the rest of the album, it's a highly original idea - but just a little too off the wall to be really satisfying. The overall impression left is that of a really angry David Gray, only this time with fewer memorable tunes. Interesting - but as yet, nothing to get really excited about.

"Tom McRae's second effort, Just Like Blood, doesn't venture into territory that far removed from his self-titled debut. It's rather unfortunate, because the album gets off to an invigorating start with its first two tracks. "A Day Like Today" feels like a mix of David Byrne's world music excursions and early Peter Murphy. Amid soaring strings and what sounds like a tribal xylophone, McRae sings passionately about loving someone to death. "You Only Disappear" benefits from slick phrasing, a minimalist piano, and deep bass notes. The song feels like one of the finer moments from I Am Kloot's self-titled sophomore album. After these two songs, McRae too often gets mired in overwrought lyrics, murky ambient effects, and uninteresting melodies. Too much of the album comes off like a David Gray or Travis throwaway. While "Ghost of a Shark" recalls Ry Cooder musically, and "Overthrown" bares a sonic resemblance to Slowdive, McRae's anguished lyrics and hushed, processed vocals prove to be the album's undoing. That's not to say that there isn't an audience for anguished songs, but songs like "Karaoke Soul" and "Mermaid Blues" offer up lyrics even more embarrassing than their titles. "Mermaid Blues" perhaps best displays McRae's weakness. Without a doubt inspired by Talk Talk's minimalist albums, the song peaks too soon while McRae dabbles in flat and awkward images of "burning arrows (that) fall backwards." With perhaps just a few patches of humor or even a hint of a smile, these ten songs would be easier to stomach. That being said, fans of earnest artists like the Devlins, Travis, or Damien Rice will most likely appreciate the syrupy thickness of McRae's delivery and emotional nakedness. The nearest comparison would probably be Ed Harcourt. But where Harcourt often loses the plot in commercial-style rock bombast, McRae suffers from overblown high school quality metaphors and safe songwriting. If there were more moments like the two opening tracks, it would be easier to recommend Just Like Blood." (Tim DiGravina, AMG)

"Just Like Blood is an altogether a better album than his first. It seems so much more focused and crystal clear. You can drown in its loveliness. Yet despite it all, don't expect McRae to be the next David Gray (God forbid and thank God), lighting up dollar signs in the eyes of his record company. It is apparent he always will be an inward looking mass of neuroses, prone to attracting critical respect and repelling those sick of the melancholic worldview. And compared to the likes of Cohen and Cave, he is a novice with many years of apprenticeship ahead. Nevertheless, ambition has reaped some great rewards." (Olav Bjortomt, stylusmagazines.com)

Tom McRae, vocals (tracks 1–10), guitars (tracks 1–10), keyboards (track 1), programming (track 1), organ (track 3), percussion (tracks 3, 4), ARP synthesizers (track 7), string arrangement (track 8)
Oli Kraus, cello (1–5, 7, 9, 10), piano (tracks 2, 5, 7), percussion (track 4), cello madness (track 6), ARP synthesizers (track 7), string arrangements (track 8), strings (track 8)
John Hogg, bass (tracks 1–4, 7, 9), banjo (track 4), percussion (track 4), guitar (track 7), ARP synthesizers (track 7), piano (track 9)
Ben Hillier, percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4, 10), drums (tracks 2, 4, 9), organ (tracks 2, 7), sitar (track 4), ARP synthesizers (track 7), Memory Man effects pedal (track 7), banjo (track 8)
Paul Noonan, drums (track 3)
Clive Jenner, drums (tracks 5, 10), percussion (10)
Tony Marrison, bass (tracks 5, 10), piano (8), Fender Rhodes (10)
Becky Doe, violin (track 5)
Clive Deamer, drums (tracks 6, 8)
Charlie Jones, bass (tracks 6, 8)
Hossam Ramzy, percussion (track 8), additional strings (track 8)
Lucy Wilkins, strings (track 8)
Howard Gott, strings (track 8)
Ruth Gotlieb, strings (track 8)
Natalia Bonner, strings (track 8)

Recorded at The Dairy, Tom's House and Fortress
Mixed At The Dairy
Mastered At The Town House

Digitally remastered

Tom McRae
is a singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. He grew up in Suffolk, the son of an Anglican vicar. McRae sang in the choir. His mother played guitar and as a teen, he'd borrow it. He began writing songs at 15.

At 18 he moved to London to study politics at London Guildhall University, soon forming bands and writing songs. A chance meeting with sound engineer Roger Bechirian led him to a working relationship that shaped McRae's soft-spoken sound and later landed him a deal with DB records.

Changing his name from Jeremy Thomas McRae Blackall to just Tom McRae - he released his first, self-titled album in 2001, during the height of the new acoustic movement, and gained Mercury Music Prize nomination.

His second album, Just Like Blood, was released in February of 2003, which was produced by Ben Hillier, responsible for Elbow’s Asleep In The Back, with which McRae’s album shares a similar melancholy but uplifting atmosphere.

In 2004, McRae moved to California where he wrote and recorded his next album, All Maps Welcome, which was released in May 2005. His fourth album, King of Cards was released on 14th May 2007. A talented live performer, he supported Tori Amos on the UK leg of her Original Sinsuality tour, Paul Weller, Dido, World Party, The Waterboys among others.

He is recognised as an intelligent and talented performer, influenced by, among others, Nick Drake, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Jeff Buckley.

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