Tom McRae, The Standing Band

Tom McRae and the Standing Band, who have released their new album ‘Did I Sleep And Miss The Border?’, have announced a string of UK shows in September/October. The band will also perform a low-key, fan show at London’s Slaughtered Lamb on 20th May.

The son of Christian missionaries, McRae is the only member of his family not ordained into the church. Listen to the new record, however, and you’d be forgiven for picturing a ragged itinerant preacher, proclaiming armageddon. According to Tom and his band, the end is always nigh.

Speaking of the departure from his previous, more stripped back albums, Tom says: “as we recorded the album I had the image of the band gathered round a piano in a post-apocalyptic bar, singing our hearts out as the fires rage around us… also handily blocking the exits and stopping the crowd from leaving."