The son of Gibraltarian-British songwriter Albert Hammond, Albert Jr. was sent to the elite boarding school Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland at the age of 13. While there, he met Julian Casablancas, who would go on to be a fellow band member.
In 1998, Albert met up with Julian in New York City and together they formed a band with Julian's former schoolmates: Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti.
His trademark is wearing formal suits, usually a different one for each show. Albert is usually seen playing an olympian white Fender Stratocaster, or bandmate Nick Valensi's Les Paul Jr. He is usually associated with the "rhythm" guitar portion of the majority of Strokes songs, and most solos are played by Valensi. The solos in which Albert does play are Last Nite, Trying Your Luck, Take It Or Leave It, Under Control, The End Has No End, Ize Of The World, and Vision Of Division. His solos tend to focus largely on more emotional, "bluesy"-type melodical work, and the guitar tends to have a cleaner, softer tone in comparison to Valensi's (with a noteable exception found in Vision Of Division). He often holds the guitar in a high horizontal position, similar to Bob Dylan and Ian Curtis.
Although vocalist Julian Casablancas is the major contributor to the songwriting process for The Strokes' music, Albert has been known to write a few pieces of his own. He has been credited to writing three mostly instrumental songs (Swiss Beats, Holland, and By The Way) for the bands' 2001 tour video entitled "In Transit". He had also written a song called "Elephant Song", in which Albert used when he was was required to record a song for his Sound 101 class in freshman year, using the school's recording equipment. The song was played at a few shows before the release of their first album. The Strokes were to later rerecord the song as a special giveaway for fanclub members.
Hammond released his debut solo album on October 9th in the United Kingdom. Entitled "Yours to Keep," the album features musical guests such as Sean Lennon, Ben Kweller, and even The Strokes' manager Ryan Gentles and lead singer Julian Casablancas. Bassist Josh Lattanzi and drummer Matt Romano serve as the backing band, with Albert the main singer and guitarist. It was produced by former Thin Lizard Dawn vocalist Greg Lattimer at the Electric Ladyland Studios.
Hammond played his first solo dates at the end of October in a few cities including New York City and Philadelphia. He is set to tour the UK and Europe in November and December 2006, and provides support to Incubus on their forthcoming US tour of January/February 2007.
Albert has finished working on his second solo album with the title "Como Te Llama?", which was released on 8th of July in 2008. The new CD gets 8/10 in NME! This 8th of July is incidentally the first date of his world tour, which kicks off at the Virgin Store in his hometown of NYC. Dates in LA, as well as Japan and Australia have been already scheduled. Cont.
Postal Blowfish
Albert Hammond Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are taking time
Everybody knows
Everybody's fine
And we'll figure out
Purpose in the end
Unless we have to jump
Unless we have to swin
Chorus: hold your tongue
Brace yourself
Give me a kiss
Show me what i missed
Can i find a phone
Can i drop a dime
Can i get a loan
Running out of time
And i'll have a toast
To what it's all about
Unless they move us on
Unless they move us out
Seven doglegs hung to dry
It works that way
Postal blowfish make me cry
It works that way
Begging on the nail don't fail
To clue me in
??cluster frogs and crabs begin??
In this song, Albert Hammond Jr. seems to be contemplating the inevitability of change and the uncertainty that it brings. He acknowledges that everyone will experience change at some point, but he also suggests that it's important to take the time to figure out what our purpose is and what we want out of life. The chorus implies that he wants his lover to hold on tight and brace themselves for whatever may come, but also to show him what he may have missed during the changes.
The second verse seems to be more about the practical concerns that change can bring, such as financial difficulties or a need to move. Hammond Jr. is contemplating the possibility of needing to make a call or get a loan, but he's running out of time. He toasts to the purpose that he hopes to find, but acknowledges that he may be forced to move on or move out. The line about "postal blowfish" may be a metaphor for the unexpected challenges that can arise during times of change, and the other lines in this verse suggest a feeling of being overwhelmed and uncertain.
Overall, "Postal Blowfish" seems to be a thoughtful and introspective song about the inevitability of change, and the importance of staying grounded during uncertain times. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous and open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of vulnerability and honesty that is characteristic of Hammond Jr.'s music.
Line by Line Meaning
noticing the change
Acknowledging that things are different now
We are taking time
We're not rushing through things, we're being deliberate
Everybody knows
There's a general understanding of what's going on
Everybody's fine
Everyone is okay and coping with the situation
And we'll figure out
We'll find a solution
Purpose in the end
We'll find meaning or reason for what's happening
Unless we have to jump
Unless we're forced into action we're not ready for
Unless we have to swin
Unless we're forced to adapt to the situation
Chorus: hold your tongue
Brace yourself
Give me a kiss
Show me what i missed
Be patient and prepare yourself for what's to come, but don't forget about genuine human connection
Can i find a phone
I need to make a call
Can i drop a dime
Can I make a phone call? (slang for paying for a phone call)
Can i get a loan
I need to borrow money
Running out of time
Time is running out and there's a sense of urgency
And i'll have a toast
Let's raise a glass and celebrate
To what it's all about
To what really matters
Unless they move us on
Unless we're forced to leave this place
Unless they move us out
Unless we're forced to leave this place
Seven doglegs hung to dry
Things are hanging crooked or aren't right
It works that way
It's just how things are and we have to accept it
Postal blowfish make me cry
Something unexpected or difficult is hitting me hard
It works that way
It's just how things are and we have to accept it
Begging on the nail don't fail
To clue me in
??cluster frogs and crabs begin??
I'm begging for information to help me understand what's going on, even though the situation is confusing and chaotic
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MITCH MITCHELL, ROBERT E. JR. POLLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TrainEnthusiast69
I really think Albert's solo project is hugely underrated.
Robert Tinsey - VRS Satellite Racing
Agreed. Saw him in Detroit back in like 06 or 07. It was great.
thadMc
its what the strokes should have become. lol each Albert solo record is what I wish each new strokes record sounded like
Matías Bosques
@thadMc Have you listened to any of their albums? Jesus, man. You're missing out!
mallexjansen
@Matías Bosques - Strokes have been washed since 2010. We just have to be honest.
Retro Nartz
@mallexjansen their new album is really good though
NcYte
This is so criminally underrated
Beatriz Rojas
Que recuerdos ! Vi esta sesión hace muchos años en el I sat ❤️✨
Gonza Torres
Que loco que hayan pasado esto en el iSat. Lastima que yo era muy chico para haberlo visto
Oscar Garcia
Siiiii!! fue buena!! Esos dos discos de Albert!! una joya!!