Solo albums are often greeted with derision and disappointment; however Stroke’s guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has used much of his day job’s downtime to carve out a rather rewarding and promising solo career. On his third studio album Momentary Masters, Hammond Jr. has produced his best solo work yet, arguably equalling some of his iconic bands finest material.
Hammond Jr’s band, like The Strokes, are an incredibly tight unit - exuding the same lightning fast fretwork and robotic precision. However, none of this would matter if the tunes weren’t up to scratch. Lead singles ‘Born Slippy' and ‘Losing Touch’ are downright infectious, the former a jangly, angular indie jam, the other based around a classic rock sounding riff and propelled by a driving bassline.
Catchy, memorable guitar flourishes and hooks are all over the album - such as the niggling, jerky guitar lines on ‘Power Hungry’ and the frenetic riffs of ‘Drunched In Crumbs’. Hammond Jr shows his tender side on a touching rework of Dylan’s classic ‘Don’t Think Twice’, exemplifying the emotional power often conjured up by his expressive, but technically imperfect voice.
On Momentary Masters, Hammond Jr sounds more confident in his abilities than ever before, coming into his own as both a singer and songwriter. Whether or not the notoriously inactive Strokes record together again, Hammond Jr can look forward to a bright future on his own terms with Momentary Masters representing a significant moment in a quietly flourishing solo career.
