You’d think taking a break from one of the most iconic indie bands in the world and strutting your stuff on the solo circuit is no easy feat. Tell that to The Strokes’ very own Albert Hammond Jr; who takes it all in his stride at a sold-out Bodega.
Dwarfing the stage with his five-piece band, Hammond Jr welcomes the Nottingham crowd with an infectious grin. This may well be the smallest venue he’s ever played, but he’s certainly ready to blow the roof off. The frontman and his leather-clad cohorts waste no time tearing through a set showcasing a body of fine solo work – crested by his latest EP, the superb AHJ.
It comes as a no surprise that the bulk of Hammond Jr’s hits have a familiar Strokes vibe to them. As the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. 101 is a prime example of this – layering intricate riffs over raw vocals to orchestral effect. What does come as a pleasant shock, however, is the frontman’s commanding stage presence. Seemingly happy to shun the spotlight with his parent band, Hammond Jr is given a new lease of life when taking up the protagonist’s role.
GfC is an angst-ridden track, with Hammond Jr howling to a loved one over a searing guitar line. The band, never missing a beat, could be fittingly described as a hybrid of Thin Lizzy-esque guitar harmonies with immediate, thrashing garage rock.
Always the crowd-pleaser, Hammond Jr returns from a lengthy pit-stop to play an impromptu encore – featuring the night’s most tender moment in the form of Hard to Live in the City. Before saying a final goodbye to Nottingham, the band deliver an anarchic, feedback-heavy rendition of Rocket.
He may have had the world in the palm of his hand with The Strokes, but it seems like Albert Hammond Jr is content to go it alone.
Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Review-Albert-Hammond-Jr-Bodega/story-21088693-detail/story.html#ixzz33ft5evfw
No comments:
Post a Comment