Tampa Calling

As do many CDs by artists I’m not familiar with, Albert Hammond, Jr.’s Como Te Llama? languished on my ever-growing pile for at least a couple weeks, before the gentle urging of a publicist caused me to grab it and shove it in the car player. I’m glad I did.

Hammond, as I now know, is the rhythm guitar player for The Strokes, which didn’t predispose me to liking his music, but didn’t necessarily put me off either. As it turns out, I like Hammond’s wide-ranging take on indie-rock better than the more confined stylistic approach of The Strokes.

Como Te Llama?, Hammond’s second solo outing, is a grab-bag that includes garage-R&B, power-pop, reggae and any number of other iterations of modern rock. His sound lacks the polish of his band, but it’s more daring, and ultimately more satisfying. The disc is due out July 8.

By the way, Hammond’s father Albert is a soft-rock songwriter and performer. He charted a few times in the early ’70s, mostly notably with the Top 5 hit “It Never Rains in Southern California.”

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