- Release date:
- July 8, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- Albert Hammond, Jr.
- Record label:
- Black Seal
- Official Web Site:
- http://www.alberthammondjr.com/
Backstory: Whether you loved or hated the Strokes when they broke in the late '90s, there was no denying the cool of leather-clad guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr., who wore his axe up high and was the de facto finder of the band's groovy pocket. Still, it was a surprise when his first solo record, 2006's “Yours To Keep,” debuted to mostly good reviews; “¿Como Te Llama?” is its follow-up.
Why you should care: The songs on “Yours To Keep” were more melodic than the Strokes’ sometimes drony offerings, and the fact that Hammond's released a second solo record means that this side project is more than just a lark.
Verdict: If he wanted to, Hammond could take the easy way out, making a record of tracks like “In My Room” that follow the garagey reverb-vocal-with-a-hook structure that he follows on his day job. But he doesn't, and the risks he takes all pay off. The seven-minute-plus “Spooky Couch” builds from space strings to strident electronic beats, and “Miss Myrtle” has the charmingly lazy up-beats that could only come from a stoner who spent his formative years listening to the Clash, rather than the usual Hammond stereotype of a rich kid from Brooklyn who grew up only on Iggy Pop.
X-Factor: In the two-year interim between Albert Hammond, Jr.'s solo records, the Strokes haven't released a new album. If this one hits, does that mean Julian Casablancas is out a job?
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