Gregory Robson
07/15/08, 07:23 AM
Albert Hammond Jr. - ¿Cómo Te Llama?
Record Label: RCA Records (USA) / Rough Trade Records (UK)
Release Date: July 7, 2008 (UK)
Ah, the sophomore slump.
After a decade as the creative genius behind The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr. went out on his own and released a critically-acclaimed debut album Yours To Keep in 2007. The achievement was further proof that Hammond is in fact a musician with serious talent.
Less than a year since the debut’s release, he is back with Como Te Llama?, a guitar-heavy album that seems to wade deeply into garage-blues territory but does so with muddled results. Opener “Bargain of the Century” opens up like a carbon copy of The Strokes but then swims forward into a weird space-rock vibe that’s a bit uneasy. And “In My Room,” goes for the same Strokes-like vibe before delving into Arcade Fire-like yelping. Most surprising though is Hammond’s vocals, which stood out on his debut, but sound distant and uninspired on this effort.
Songs “You Won’t Be Fooled By This” and African instrumental “Spooky Couch” repeat the Strokes like sentiment in their echoed vocal effects and the staccato guitars; gorgeous strings back the latter. There’s not really a strong song with the exception of “GFC,” which screams radio airplay and has already logged more than 30,000 Myspace plays. The slow churn of “Victory in Monterrey,” recalls to mind the sedate pace of Yours to Keep and its one of the few songs on the album that towers above the rest. “Borrowed Time” and “G Up” share heavy reggae influences and approach the summery vibe the album’s title suggests, with the former moving into Shins-like territory, but overall the two don’t do a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
All of the album’s faults try to get patched up with album closer “Feed Me Jack” a gorgeous song highlighted by cello player Jesse Reagen’s delicate playing. But an album closer cannot atone for twelve mediocre tracks. In the end, the disc is one big guitar-heavy, garage-blues groove that fails to present any true headturners.
Aside from “GFC” most of the album is utterly boring and bland. It’s almost as if Hammond and bandmates were rushed in putting this together. Conceived in just five days, the album certainly wreaks of a hurried pace and lack of preparation, that not even Sean Lennon’s guitar presence could save. Equal parts whimsical, unfocused, and eclectic, Como Te Llama? affirms the fact that Hammond Jr. is still feeling out the solo project and perhaps he doesn’t have it all figured out quite yet.
The Strokes, The Bravery, Vampire Weekend
myspace.com/alberthammondjr (http://www.myspace.com/alberthammondjr)
Record Label: RCA Records (USA) / Rough Trade Records (UK)
Release Date: July 7, 2008 (UK)
Ah, the sophomore slump.
After a decade as the creative genius behind The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr. went out on his own and released a critically-acclaimed debut album Yours To Keep in 2007. The achievement was further proof that Hammond is in fact a musician with serious talent.
Less than a year since the debut’s release, he is back with Como Te Llama?, a guitar-heavy album that seems to wade deeply into garage-blues territory but does so with muddled results. Opener “Bargain of the Century” opens up like a carbon copy of The Strokes but then swims forward into a weird space-rock vibe that’s a bit uneasy. And “In My Room,” goes for the same Strokes-like vibe before delving into Arcade Fire-like yelping. Most surprising though is Hammond’s vocals, which stood out on his debut, but sound distant and uninspired on this effort.
Songs “You Won’t Be Fooled By This” and African instrumental “Spooky Couch” repeat the Strokes like sentiment in their echoed vocal effects and the staccato guitars; gorgeous strings back the latter. There’s not really a strong song with the exception of “GFC,” which screams radio airplay and has already logged more than 30,000 Myspace plays. The slow churn of “Victory in Monterrey,” recalls to mind the sedate pace of Yours to Keep and its one of the few songs on the album that towers above the rest. “Borrowed Time” and “G Up” share heavy reggae influences and approach the summery vibe the album’s title suggests, with the former moving into Shins-like territory, but overall the two don’t do a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
All of the album’s faults try to get patched up with album closer “Feed Me Jack” a gorgeous song highlighted by cello player Jesse Reagen’s delicate playing. But an album closer cannot atone for twelve mediocre tracks. In the end, the disc is one big guitar-heavy, garage-blues groove that fails to present any true headturners.
Aside from “GFC” most of the album is utterly boring and bland. It’s almost as if Hammond and bandmates were rushed in putting this together. Conceived in just five days, the album certainly wreaks of a hurried pace and lack of preparation, that not even Sean Lennon’s guitar presence could save. Equal parts whimsical, unfocused, and eclectic, Como Te Llama? affirms the fact that Hammond Jr. is still feeling out the solo project and perhaps he doesn’t have it all figured out quite yet.
The Strokes, The Bravery, Vampire Weekend
myspace.com/alberthammondjr (http://www.myspace.com/alberthammondjr)