Albert Hammond ; 99 Miles From L.A. (1975)

"The two albums that Hammond recorded after the success of 1973's "It Never Rains in Southern California" didn't chart, although the propulsive, Cat Stevens-like single "I'm A Train" did. Both are strong, ambitious affairs even when they're quite pop. Hammond displays a heavy Paul Simon influence in how he incorporates Caribbean rhythms and writes stark folk-rock: "Dime Queen of Nevada" is a dead-ringer for "Mother and Child Reunion," while "I Don't Wanna Die In An Air Disaster" recalls "Duncan" strongly. At times, it seems like Hammond is in conflict with himself since the sunny world pop doesn't mesh with the introspection or the symphonic pop. "99 Miles from L.A." doesn't have the problem of shifting tones: Hammond abandons the flirtation with Caribbean rhythms as well as the darker introspection and makes a lush, easy rolling Californian soft rock album. The best-known tune here is "To All the Girls I've Loved Before," which was popularized by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson." (S.T. Erlewine, Allmusic)

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