Albert Hammond Jr channels his dark side

The Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr recently discovered his twin brother, who died in utero, left a part of himself behind in the womb - a fingernail.

This information unlocked something within the singer-songwriter, another version of himself, and inspired him to write his fourth studio album Francis Trouble.

"The alter-ego was a tool for writing that came to me, this idea of being another version of myself to understand myself more came into play. And when I found out that story and it was coming together, it seemed like what an amazing comic, Marvel, superhero style way of my super-ego coming to life," Hammond told AAP.

Hammond was also inspired by his therapy sessions where he started doing work based on Jungian theory, delving into his darker side.

"I did a lot of shadow work and I still think that's a big part of figuring yourself out," he said.

"I started to realise there's two versions of me, and the person who writes and creates is different to the person who hangs out and lives life."

He recently released the results of this process in the form of Francis Trouble, a tight 36-minute-long album which Hammond will be taking to the stage when he tours Australia next month.

"It gave me a lot of freedom even in the process of creating the person who I am on stage now," he said.

"I feel more me than I did before I just couldn't tap into it. I just saw it from another perspective. It's been a process to get here."

*Albert Hammond Jr tour dates:

July 20-22 - Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay

July 24 - The Factory Theatre, Sydney

July 25 - Corner Hotel, Melbourne