Franz Ferdinand

Blood

[2/5]

As curious as it seems for Franz Ferdinand to release dub versions of songs from their third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (the logical connection being that the album’s producer, Dan Carey, has worked with dub icon Lee “Scratch” Perry), in execution, it’s more like a train wreck. Instead of accentuating the positive aspects of Tonight on “Die On The Floor” and “Katherine Hit Me,” Blood unintentionally highlights how sterile and lifeless the band’s last full-length sounded in comparison to their first two efforts. While there is something to be said for the hypnotic groove of “Feeling Kind Of Anxious,” the problem with that song–and Blood in general–is that, unlike authentic dub music, these songs never actually go anywhere. They instead seem content to plod along aimlessly, as if the band were sleepwalking through the disc’s production. Blood ultimately seems like the sound of a once-promising band running out of ideas–and that’s a soundtrack the general public should be spared from suffering through. (EPIC/DOMINO) Jonah Bayer

GO DOWNLOAD: “Be Afraid”