Album Review: Albert Hammond Jr - Momentary Masters

Albert Hammond Jr's third solo album is a more studied affair for the songwriter, but as a result finds The Strokes' guitarist lacking in the relaxed and lackadaisical charm he often brings to their recordings.

Save for a serviceable cover of Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice It's Alright, his chirpy rhythm guitar lines are largely missing on Momentary Masters. The record is instead founded on his recent sobriety, and was named after a pretentious Carl Sagan quote. While Hammond Jr sees the egoism of this statement, and holds strong to the truism that every triumph is fleeting, it's unfortunate that this album's impression on the listener is similarly ephemeral.