Albert Hammond Jr. - Yours to Keep

Imagine Albert Hammond Jr. as the charming, nice guy of The Strokes. You know... he's the one you'd want your daughter to bring home to meet the folks. At least in a musical sense. While the band Hammond plays rhythm guitar for is known for their dirty garage, Hammond keeps his album nice and tidy with sunny accents throughout that seem out of place at first (simply for knowing he's a member of The Strokes), it's quickly evident that Hammond has a style and pace all his own.

Yours To Keep is the solo debut for Albert Hammond Jr. and it's an absolute beauty. If it's not enough that his bandmate Julian Casablancas decided to help, Hammond also receives vocal help from Ben Kweller and Sean Lennon. But despite the impressive guest list, this album completely belongs to the name on the cover art. Lead single "Everyone Gets A Star" jumps on a rolling bass line and holds on through starry guitars and Hammond's solid vocal. "In Transit" maintains the Strokes' grit while giving way to a dreamy, sunny soundscape that's dying to escape. "Scared" begins with a light scratch track behind and Hammond's rhythmic strum and ends with a fantastic vocal swirl.

The trend continues throughout with warm, 70s vocal harmonies and enjoyable pop-flavored indie rock. It's much more enjoyable than The Strokes have ever been and Hammond definitely surprises the masses, especially on songs like "Everyone Gets A Star" and "Back to the 101", which features Lennon on piano and backing vocals and utilizes the familiar straightforward riffs but, again, it simply leads to a brighter chorus that depends on a heavy backbeat and memorable melody.

Yours to Keep is definitely just that, an absolute keeper of an pop-driven, indie rock album from an unlikely source. Hammond succeeds to not only hold his own, but steal the stage amidst the talent surrounding him and the larger band he's a part of.