Albert Hammond, Jr. — Como Te Llama?

Albert Hammond, Jr. continues to distance himself from The Strokes and moves closer to his dad on his sophomore release, which has a Spanish moniker and a peppy, poppy sound. There's still some grit beneath Hammond's fingernails with the fuzzed-out guitars on "In My Room" and "Rocket." But there seems to be a deference to Cheap Trick and The Cars with big, well-planned choruses and undeniable ear-pleasing patterns. The one curveball is "Spooky Couch," an experimental seven-plus-minute track that twinkles and meanders without much regard for convention. Otherwise, Como Te Llama? is packed to the gills with smart, likeable pop/rock that should appeal to both indie rock and classic rock fans, in the event it even reaches the ears of the latter.