It's his first material since 'Francis Trouble'

Albert Hammond Jr. has shared a new song called ‘Fast Times’ – listen below.

The Strokes guitarist, who has released four solo albums under his name since 2006, has unveiled what appears to be the first single from his forthcoming fifth album.

‘Fast Times’ follows Hammond Jr.’s ‘Francis Trouble’, which dropped last year with the singles ‘Muted Beatings’, ‘Far Away Truth’, and ‘Set to Attack’.

There are no further details about his new release, although he will embark on a North American tour in support of the record, starting this Sunday (February 24) in San Diego, California.

Meanwhile, the musician confirmed earlier this month that he’s working on new songs with Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia.

Both Hammond and Imbruglia confirmed the collaboration this week by sharing snaps from Rockinghorse studios in Byron Bay. The pair also thanked producer Gus Oberg – who produced The Strokes’ album ‘Angles’ – for working on the tracks with them.

In September last year, Hammond Jr. revealed that he laughed when he discovered that the Arctic Monkeys had namechecked his band in a song.

On ‘Star Treatment’, the opening track from the Monkeys’ 2018 album, ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’, frontman Alex Turner sings: “I just wanted to be one of The Strokes. Now look at the mess you made me make.”

When Hammond Jr. was asked by NME if he found the reference flattering, he replied: “It’s more fun for the people who do it! I don’t live my life in that, it’s something you laugh at more.

“Sure it’s nice, but I didn’t think of it – I thought of it as a way of describe the simplicity of being young.”

He continued: “It’s a thing you want for the simplicity of it, and then you realise it’s a lot more complicated. It’s what a picture looks like – and a perfect way to reference his youth. It’s a cool thing and he’s a great lyricist.”

In other news, The Strokes are rumoured to be planning a “global comeback” in 2019. The New York band have already been confirmed to headline a number of festivals this summer including London’s All Points East, New York’s Governors Ball, and Spain’s Doctor Music Festival.

Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas released a new album with his band The Voidz in March 2018 called ‘Virtue’.

In a four-star review, NME’s Rhian Daly wrote: “The Voidz and Julian might not be the most predictable band to pin down, but there are at least some things that we’ve come to expect from them: whatever they do will be interesting, unusual and thought-provoking.”