24K Pure Gold - Carmen McRae

Advantages: Unique, Brilliant Songs, Great Performaces
Disadvantages: None

...Hands up those of you who've never even heard of the band Shriekback. All of the friends I have asked haven't. This is a shame because they are one of the most interesting bands I've had the pleasure of coming across. I discovered them myself when I looked at the soundtrack for the Michael Mann film Manhunter, a classic film in my humble opinion. I really liked the soundtrack, very 80's sounding. Shriekback wrote three of the songs in the film so I decided to look them up. Shriekback are a band that is not easy to categorise. They have undergone a few line up changes in their time. Oil and Gold is their most popular album, it was originally released in 1985. It contains two of the three tracks used in the film Manhunter. In my opinion it is a lost classic. The line-up for this album is : Barry Andrews - Vocals... Read review

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Advantages: Originality, a beautiful voice and that gorgeous guitar
Disadvantages: One or two less impressive songs

...My first thought upon hearing the dying strains of Tom McRae's 'The Boy With The Bubblegun' in the car one afternoon as I drove home was - 'He sounds like James Taylor'. My second thought was - 'I need his album'. I hadn't even heard the whole song - and, although it is certainly a great piece of melodic and lyric inspiration, Bubblegun is not the best song on the album. But nevertheless, I was captured immediately by McRae's gorgeous, clear, folky voice, the sheer originality and finesse of his lyrics, and the warmth of his acoustic guitar. After further consideration, it occurs to me that a better comparison might be drawn with Damien Rice, the only difference being that McRae, frankly, is better. His guitar riffs are similar, his folky sound is similar, but his voice is a thousand times purer and more accomplished. McRae... Read review

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Advantages: It's hards to believe Tom McRae is only 24 years old.
Disadvantages: There are a couple of tracks which aren't as good as the rest

...You may have come across Tom McCrae on the last series of Jools Hollands’ Later…. It was just Tom playing a guitar and singing, with a girl playing a violin next to him. He did just one song "End Of The World News (dose me up)" And Jool’s said he was a new artist, and hopefully we’d be seeing a lot more of him in the future. He got me. I went off to Camden Music Exchange and picked up 2 promo singles for £1 each to hear more. Two days later I went to see "It’s Jo and Danny" at the Borderline, to my surprise and joy Tom was the support. Having thoroughly enjoyed the gig, when I came across a cheap copy of the album two weeks later I snapped it up. I’ve since managed to see McRae at a free gig at Borders on Oxford Street. Ben and Jason were in the crowd, checking out the new acoustic player on the block. Tom McRae hasn’t exactly... Read review

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