Albert Hammond Jr. announced his new album Francis Trouble, an LP inspired in part by the stillborn death of the Strokes guitarist’s twin.
According to Hammond Jr., the album is about “the lingering effects that event has had in his life and music. In November of 1979, Hammond Jr.’s mother, Claudia, miscarried. Although they rushed to the hospital, Claudia and Albert Hammond Sr. were told that the baby [Francis] was far too premature to live. Albert continued to grow inside of his mother undetected until she was nearly six months pregnant.”
While Hammond Jr. had known about Francis, it wasn’t until the guitarist turned 36 that he learned a piece of his twin – a fingernail – remained in the womb with him until birth. The number 36 is significant on the album as Francis Trouble is 36 minutes long.
“What the music says may be serious, but as a medium it should not be questioned, analyzed or taken too seriously,” Hammond Jr. said in a statement. “I think it should be tarted up, made into a character, a parody of itself. The music is the mask the message wears and I, the performer, am the message.”
The guitarist offered the first preview of Francis Trouble when he debuted the single “Muted Beatings” on Conan. The song is available as an instant download to fans preordering Francis Trouble, Hammond Jr.’s first solo LP since 2015’s Momentary Masters.
Francis Trouble Track List
1. “DvsL”
2. “Far Away Truths”
3. “Muted Beatings”
4. “Set to Attack”
5. “Tea for Two”
6. “Stop and Go”
7. “ScreaMER”
8. “Rockys Late Night”
9. “Strangers”
10. “Harder, Harder, Harder”
