简约民谣和惨情絃乐的编制，加上性格鲜明的抑鬱脆弱吟唱，来自英国的Tom McRae甫出道便很明确地被定位为感伤乐派的信众之一，2000年推出的首张同名专辑裡细致而低调的氛围凝聚，让他从众多同辈中脱颖而出，横扫英美两地大小传媒评价，一举入围2001年水星音乐大奖，和Radiohead、Super Ferry Animals、PJ Harvey等重量级前辈同台较劲！一鸣惊人的处女作后，Tom McRae相继和Ben Hillier（Blur、Doves、Elbow）、Joe Chiccarelli（U2、Tori Amos、Beck）两位制作混音大将合作，推出《Just Like Blood》和《All Maps Welcome》两张好评作品，随著每张专辑增添的新元素，让Tom McRae的音乐版图不断拓展，甚至远赴美国创作，吸纳Bob Dylan、Neil Young一辈美国民谣宗师的神髓，混和英伦摇滚独特的煽情气息，让他成为同辈中少数和纽约民谣怪才Rufus Wainwright并驾齐驱的英伦代表！Tom McRae说他所推出的每一张专辑，都是针对前作的回应。相较于《All Maps Welcome》深层阴暗的探索领域，这回他为新专辑赴纽约创作，刻意远离之前所面对的一切，让歌曲穿过曲折的迷宫，自然而然地落在他心底，说是要让这张由Sean Genockey（Manic Street Preachers、Kula Shaker、Suede）操刀的新作《King of Card》，比以往更加愉悦、充满活力、而具折衷精神！专辑开场曲〈Set The Story Straight〉轻亮的鼓击和吉他，宛如划破黑暗的曙光，初阳乍现的清新感，点明了Tom McRae这次为《King Of Card》褪去些许自溺惨情而设定的明朗音乐走向；首支单曲〈Bright Lights〉用轻快钢琴和爽朗鼓点衬底，浮现些许U2激昂摇滚曲式的风采；简单吉他伴奏堆叠起的梦幻迷离的慢板抒情曲〈Got A Suitcase Got Regrets〉，以及轻盈的吉他小品〈Houdini And The Girl〉，成功凸显Tom McRae令人著迷的优异声线转折；厚重的Bassline加上Tom McRae压低的嗓音〈Keep Your Picture Clear〉和末段夹带post-rock精神的〈Lord How Long〉，带来令人砰然心动的深邃迷幻氛围；美式民谣摇滚风味的〈Sound Of The City〉，颇有Brue Springsteen的大将之风；〈On And On〉和〈Deliver Me〉回归简约民谣结构，Tom McRae脆弱的嗓音和吉他编织着伤感旋律，依旧令人无可自拔的深陷；而〈One Mississippi〉中展现的，David Gray式的欢愉轻快清新！Singer/songwriter Tom McRae credits his upbringing for leading him to a career in music. While growing up in Chelmsford, his parents were vicars in the Church of England and McRae sang in the choir. His mother played guitar and, as a teen, he'd borrow it. When his sisters were listening to Kate Bush and U2, McRae followed and began buying records. He also started to become serious about music. At age 18, he went off to Guild Hall University to study music politics, soon forming bands and writing songs. A chance meeting with sound engineer Roger Bechirian (Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Carlene Carter) led him to a working relationship. He and Bechirian shaped McRae's soft-spoken sound, which later yanked him a deal with Mercury's db Records. Tom McRae's confessional self-titled debut appeared in fall 2001 and earned him comparisons to Nick Drake and Bob Dylan. Critics raved and McRae also a gained Mercury Music Prize nomination the same year. In 2003 Just Like Blood hit shelves and the next year McRae moved to California, where he recorded his third full-length, All Maps Welcome an album that was released in 2005. Two years later King of Cards, recorded in England, came out.