|  Wednesday, July 30, 2008
albert hammond jr.
cmo te llama?
  
|
The second time around for Strokes guitarist and all-around rocker Albert Hammond Jr. has bigger sights, and bigger ambitions. The general public had the same ambitions, and we're only meeting Al halfway: the good and the bad mesh on the album to create something enjoyable and very non-esoteric, if not slightly disappointing.
This means accessibility, and even for the snobbiest of critics out there, this is an album of enjoyable ear candy. Easy to digest, if wholly un-inventive and generally stagnant (relatively speaking). Of course, as with all rock, and especially The Strokes and its derivatives, the "on" songs are really great toe-tapping joys, especially debut single "GFC," which is the kind of Hammond vocals and simplistic riff driven rock that we turn to Albert for in the absence of the Strokes power-pop.
However, this is not a perfect escape; Hammond tends to stray into the elongated and sometimes sluggish bore-fest, particularly an instrumental number that feels like I'm editing a house in the Sims more than listening to a rock record. This is the albums main problem: sometimes the candy is boring. If the album moved more like "G Up" and "GFC," and less like "In My Room" (at least at times), with the elements of Reggae and Alternative just a little more well shaken, I'd be singing its praises. Instead I'm taking a few bites and moving on. -joe puglisiShare To:       |
|
Reviews:
By Band:
A B C D E F G H I J
K L M N O P Q R S T
U V W X Y Z
By Date:
March, 2010
February, 2010
January, 2010
December, 2009
November, 2009
October, 2009
September, 2009
August, 2009
July, 2009
June, 2009
May, 2009
April, 2009
March, 2009
February, 2009
January, 2009
December, 2008
November, 2008
October, 2008
September, 2008
August, 2008
July, 2008
June, 2008
May, 2008
April, 2008
March, 2008
February, 2008
January, 2008
December, 2007
November, 2007
October, 2007
September, 2007
August, 2007
July, 2007
June, 2007
May, 2007
April, 2007
March, 2007
February, 2007
January, 2007
Wolf Parade
At Mount Zoomer
aa bondy
when the devil's loose
volcano choir
unmap
|
