Tom McRae's second effort, Just Like Blood, doesn't venture into territory that far removed from his self-titled debut. It's rather unfortunate, because the album gets off to an invigorating start with its first two tracks. A Day Like Today feels like a mix of David Byrne's world music excursions and early Peter Murphy. Amid soaring strings and what sounds like a tribal xylophone, McRae sings passionately about loving someone to death. You Only Disappear benefits from slick phrasing, a minimalist piano, and deep bass notes. The song feels like one of the finer moments from I Am Kloot's self-titled sophomore album. After these two songs, McRae too often gets mired in overwrought lyrics, murky ambient effects, and uninteresting melodies. Too much of the album comes off like a David Gray or Travis throwaway. While Ghost of a Shark recalls Ry Cooder musically, and Overthrown bares a sonic resemblance to Slowdive, McRae's anguished lyrics and hushed, processed vocals prove to be the album's undoing. That's