Review: Albert Hammond Jr

***

Scala

BETTER known of late for dating model of the moment Aggy Deyn than his music-making skills, Albert Hammond JR should be a man mourning his former credibility.

However sporting a recently snipped froth of black curls and a Daz white suit the Strokes' resident string mauler is more animated on stage than he's remembered for being in his other day job.

In between constantly thanking the crowd, helicopter-whirling his strumming arm Pete Townsend-style and bouncing around as if the stage is made of hot coals for some of his stronger songs, check Back To The 101 and In Transit, when the tracks crescendo into choruses Hammond's vocal rasp could almost belong to his better known band's frontman, Julian Casablancas.

Yet overall, listening to Albert live is like eating warm porridge without the sugar, comforting but slightly bland, so it's clear he and his solo stuff won't be invading the charts anytime soon - in fact the past two  records haven't even dented the top ten over here.

But while he and his more famous outfit, the Strokes, continue their hiatus Hammond's critically acclaimed inoffensive indie popsicles will do fine, just not forever, mind. 

-Emma Edmondson