Tom McRae - King of Cards

Since his inauguration as an affiliate of the 'acoustic movement' in the early part of the decade, Tom McRae's return has been two albums packed with clever, likeable, but never massively fashionable music. On his third release, McRae is in philosophical and reflective form. From the advisory bars of Got a Suitcase, Got Regrets ("See the hope in small things / disappointment can wear you thin"), to the witty, folkish number that is Houdini and the Girl, King of Cards will do his reputation as one of the most gifted of that bunch no harm. One Mississippi should be marked as one of the finest songs he's recorded - equally On and On is one of the most disappointing. As an album, it's full of the satisfyingly infectious melodies you'd expect, bar a couple of exceptions, with an escalating tendency to sound like Crowded House - which is no bad thing. Accordingly, despite the charm of a few songs, there are no monumental breakthroughs here, but a healthy addition to an impressive back catalogue. [Finbarr Bermingham]