Albert Hammond Jr - Everyone Gets A Star

Ahead of the forthcoming release of solo debut album ‘Yours To Keep’, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr puts out ‘Everyone Gets A Star’, while emphasising strongly that he is still with the band.

For a first solo release, ‘Everyone Gets A Star’ is surprisingly docile and not particularly grabbing.

Opening with a simple and measured beat sounding faintly like Pulp’s ‘Babies’ the track features some skilfully layered sounds building to an epic chorus. After years of standing in the sidelines, it is disappointing to find that Hammond’s vocals are in fact fairly listless and similar to those of Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody.

The laid-back riffs are a strong point, with the staccato effect in the background signifying Hammond’s natural talent as a guitarist. However, though this is a tame and relaxing track, the overall sound lacks memorability and is not a big enough departure from the Strokes to make an impact.