Best Music of August, 2008: "Como te Llama" by Albert Hammond, Jr.

Why It's Significant: Seeing as how the Strokes were hyped to a nauseating degree 'round the turn of the century, it's difficult to imagine a single Stroke setting out solo to little acclaim. Somehow, however, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. has managed to release two truly excellent albums under his own name to far less praise than he deserves. Como te Llama is the latest.

Though this album isn't completely alien from his work with the Strokes, he doesn't exhibit the slavishness to precision and straightforwardness found in his old crew's music. Here, he feels comfortable enough to spike his songs with untamed solos or to include the dreamy seven-minute instrumental, "Spooky Couch," which sounds like a lullaby for pill poppers. He's relaxed here and it's a good look for him.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, he's clearly enamored by '70s rock 'n' roll. The cod reggae intro of "Borrowed Time" is not all that far removed from that of Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives," while threads of the Kinks and Neil Young weave throughout the album.

He's not completely removed from the present, though, as many of Como te Llama's cuts fit in nicely with the contemporary indie rock landscape. "Victory at Monterey" comes off as laid back and cool despite its pounding foundation, which makes it sound like a more subdued version of a lost track from Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.

Though Hammond certainly embraces familiar sounds, this record is more than just the sum of his influences. Como te Llama is full of ultra-accessible melodies and textures that feel almost  familiar on first listen.

To get a taste of the album, watch the video for its lead single, "GfC" below:

-- Jeff Reguilon