Albert Hammond Jr.
Being the offspring of a famous musician can get rough. Hank Williams Jr., son of the mega-Country legend, nearly killed himself before coming into his own. Julian Lennon got a lot of mileage sounding like his father but when it became evident he wasn't the reincarnated John (how could he be?) fans left in droves. Though Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, put out a handful of albums her personal life/tabloid appearances were really her claim to fame (including an ill-fated marriage to Michael Jackson - do you know how messed up a person has be to be to marry the one-time king of pop?).
So if you have to have a musician-father it's nice if he earns a good living but not be too famous.
Albert Hammond Jr's dad was the guy who penned and recorded the lame, not to mention inaccurate, '70s pop pap "It Never Rains In Southern California" (actually it does rain but not nearly enough). Refusing to leave well enough alone, Hammond Sr. co-wrote one of Leo Sayer's most annoying ballads (and Sayer specialized in annoying ballads), "When I Need You." The capper came when he composed the Willie Nelson/Julio Iglesias train wreck "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," which naturally became a enormous hit.
Considering the old man's track record, young Hammond correctly deduced that no one in L.A. was going to give his music the time of day, so he wisely split to New York and film school. But a film career was put on hold when Hammond joined The Strokes as their rhythm guitarist.
The Strokes made their debut in '01. Two years later, with the release of "Room On Fire," the group was huge. The usual mode of operation had vocalist Julian Casablancas writing the songs and Nick Valensi playing lead guitar. That left Hammond to help compose a handful of tracks and play the occasional lead.
When The Strokes took a (lengthy) break in '06, partially because Valensi had a new-born to attend to, Hammond took the opportunity to record "Yours To Keep."
The set featured "101" (distributed exclusively through iTunes) and the follow-up single "Everyone Gets A Star." Casablancas provided backing vocals and played bass on "Scared." The '07 release was supported by Hammond's tour with Bloc Party.
He issued his second solo album, "Como Te Llama?" in '08.
The '70s has a bad rep. It was a time when disco ruled. But even worse was the advent of the singer-songwriter. Boring, self-absorbed songs ruled the charts.
In fairness the '70s also was notable for groups that actually got started in the '60s and had honed their act to perfection (Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin). And Metal came into its own. On the other side of the decade Punk and New Wave blasted through the pop debris.
Though not as cloying, or popular as many singer-songwriters, Albert Hammond managed to craft a decent career - more as a songwriter than singer. It appears his son has taken a trip back on "Yours To Keep" which is closer to '70s pop than The Strokes.
"101" could have bounced "It Never Rains In Southern California" out of the Top 10. But many of the remaining songs are not as straight-forward. The album has a number of quirky touches and turns reminiscent of Lindsey Buckingham's (Fleetwood Mac) solo career.
Of course, the two bonus tracks suggest where "Yours To Keep" might have gone. The speaker shredding Punk of "Postal Blowfish" is radically offset by a pleasant and very faithful rendition of Buddy Holly's gem "Well All Right."
The first solo album by a member of a successful band is often designed to alter expectations. To show there is more to the artist than previously acknowledged. Hammond, having accomplished that on "Yours To Keep", is more focused on "Como Te Llama?"
Considering Hammond is a guitarist, it's surprising how many songs are bass driven ("Lisa," "Rocket" and "Victory At Monterey"). The sparse "Rocket" is the album's second best track. The top honor goes to the upbeat pop-Rock, pseudo-Strokes track "The Boss Americana."
Hammond's solid shot at retro-Rock shines on the slow-dance song "You Won't Be Fooled." "Lisa" also features a '60s guitar style. And the chords that propel "G Up" ring like a bell. "In My Room" is a good pop song but it doesn't soar. However, the hook filled "GFC" and the sassy, sharp "Borrowed" do. Hammond even takes a crack at Reggae on "Miss Myrtle" without embarrassing himself.
Also see The Strokes.