Albert Hammond Jr

You can’t really say anything bad about Albert Hammond Jr - he is, of course, the guitar-wheeling fuzzy-haired drunk from, possibly, one of the best bands in the world. Possibly. And even after tonight’s performance, in the confines of a converted cinema in Glasgow, we can’t say anything bad against the man. Well, apart from the title of his first solo album: why would you ever call your album Yours To Keep? It sounds like another dross love album from Ireland’s famous crooner, Daniel O’Donnel. But luckily for us, the musical gems hidden within The Worst Album Name Of The Year® are, indeed, top banana. And tonight, live, they might just be a smidgen better.

Albert storms on stage with his band - members include The Strokes’ drum tech and one-time replacement drummer Matt Romano - and straight into 'In Transit' and its trademark, Hammond's trademark, guitar riff. “I am not gonnnnna change / 'til I waaaant to,” sings Albert in a sweet, harmonising tone, as if telling the crowd - who look as if they are mostly here in the hope of a cheeky Strokes number - that this is the sole Strokes song and the rest will be pure Albert Hammond Jr. Of course, ‘In Transit’ should have been a Strokes song - surely Julian and the boys must be kicking themselves?

It’s easy to say that Albert’s solo work is just rejected Strokes songs, but there is something different in his music, something that separates the material of the two from merging in one giant cauldron of retro rock. Is it not just what The Strokes would be like if Julian Casablancas opened his mouth when he was singing? Well, no, not really. Albert’s solo work has more of a country vibe. At points, it feels like what Ryan Adams would sound like if he combined the heartfelt lyrics of Heartbreaker with the rock melodies of Rock N Roll. As Albert strains his vocals on 'Everyone Get’s A Star', it’s hard not to feel empathy for the man, as he genuinely looks like he wants to be credited as a good song writer. However, one thing is clear from tonight’s performance: Albert is actually good live despite certain perceptions of his other band, who were hovering the oily depths of inaudible on their last tour. This is especially obvious on ‘101’, which tonight sounds ball-burstingly powerful.

There are some whispers around the venue suggesting Albert will play a Strokes song, and the obligatory drunken Glaswegian hecklers are once again in abundance. “Geee’s Someedaay, maan,” shouts one such attendee. Which he actually gets!

Hold on... What? Yes, he got 'Someday', but not the song - Albert bravely (?) nods in the heckler’s direction during 'Holiday' - which incidentally has the worst drum intro ever - and sings snippets of 'Someday' lyrics during the song, just that bit louder... clever, eh?

Albert Hammond Jr has continually emphasised that his solo project does not mean the end for The Strokes. "Mon The Stokes, maaan," shouts the drunk. "Yes, that is a band I enjoy playing in," replies a smiling Albert.

But for how long, Albert?