Tom McRae album

Tom McRae - an artist rightfully recognised for his intelligent song craft and remarkable vocals - returns with his eagerly awaited fourth studio LP 'King Of Cards' on V2 Records, May 14th.A download only EP 'Set The Story Straight' precedes the album on 16th April, and a single 'Bright Lights' follows on 11th June.

Written by Tom McRae and produced by Sean Genockey – whose previous credits include Manic Street Preachers, Kula Shaker, Suede -'King Of Cards' is an album centred round escape, identity and disappearance. His most accessible work to date, it's a stellar collection of instantaneous melodies and heartfelt lyrics, all driven by Tom's unique voice.

Influenced by contemporaries that include Nick Drake, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Jeff Buckley, album highlights include the thundering piano keys of 'Bright Lights' (the LP's first single, released June 11th), the Dylan-esque heartbreak of 'Deliver Me' and 'The Ballad Of Amelia Earhart' - a vibrant, lyrical masterstroke.

His eponymous first album was released in 2000 and – among glowing reviews - was nominated for both the 2001 Mercury Music Prize and the 2001 BRIT Award for Best Newcomer. 'Just Like Blood' followed in 2003 before the equally lauded 'All Maps Welcome', which was recorded and released in 2005.Tom McRae performed two triumphant fan-shows at London's Cargo earlier this year.

Forthcoming dates are listed below:

June
MON 4 PORTSMOUTH WEDGEWOOD ROOMS
TUE 5 BRIGHTON CONCORDE 2
WED 6 READING FEZ
THU 7 BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY 2
SAT 9 MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2
SUN 10 LEEDS COCKPIT
MON 11 GLASGOW ABC
WED 13 BRISTOL TRINITY
THU 14 NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS
FRI 15 LONDON SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE

Live, Tom McRae will play as a trio, featuring long-term band members Oli Kraus on cello and Olli Cunningham on keyboards."Recording is like trying unsuccessfully to pin a butterfly to cardboard. Playing live is like helping it soar into the rafters.

The album 'King Of Cards' is released on V2 Records, May 14th.The single 'Bright Lights' follows on June 11th.document.write(unescape("