Proving There Could be Life After The Strokes
With the slightest hint of feedback serving as an introduction, Albert Hammond Jr.'s second single release, '101' breaks into a tantalising foray of jangling guitars, foot tapping drum beats and laid back vocals that radiate throughout, making for an temptingly enticing single that's harder to resist with each bristly melody and brutally catchy chorus.
Drawing you in deeper and deeper with every beat, '101' sees The Strokes guitarist taking a more MOR route than he would probably venture down with his New York band; one than harbours a melodic charm and hook laden riffs to insure you can't escape from its allure. Sure there is still the chugging guitar pull Hammond plys his trade with for The Strokes and even a raspy Casblanca-esque use of vocals but '101' does something a Strokes track would never do; it marries a pop craving with a Californian laid back mentality, swapping the urban cool chicness of his day job for a sun drenched slice of pure chilled out indulgence. With his debut album, 'Yours To Keep' triumphantly staking his claim as a solo artist, Hammond has proven that if the time came, there could be life outside The Strokes, a fact '101' only acts to reinforce, perhaps it's time for The Strokes to talk extra nicely to their guitarist.