ALBERT HAMMOND, JR.

It's all about expectations. Two years ago, when STROKES second guitarist ALBERT HAMMOND, JR. released his debut solo LP, few people could have predicted what a surprisingly winning little charmer it would be. The fact that it didn't try too hard to be "meaningful" or "important" or "new" only added to its appeal.

But the light touch that Hammond so ably demonstrated back in 2006 proves a bit more elusive on follow-up COMO TE LLAMA?. The easy hooks don't come quite so easy this time around. The songs don't seem to want to separate themselves -- to stand out -- and the rather inevitable result is an album that's a bit ho-hum homogeneous.

Not a bad album, you understand. Just one that can't live up to the standard set by its pleasant-surprise predecessor. That's the bad news. But also, in a way, the good.

ALBERT HAMMOND, JR. on MySPACE.

From the LP COMO TE LLAMA?, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "GfC" [left-click] [ADDED WITH PERMISSION]
[MP3] "In My Room" [REMOVED BY REQUEST]
[MP3] "You Won't Be Fooled By This" [REMOVED BY REQUEST]

From the LP YOURS TO KEEP, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "In Transit"
[MP3] "101"

BONUS TRACK >>>

[MP3] ALBERT HAMMOND, SR./"It Never Rains in Southern California" [1972]