It was mere coincidence that on the day I talked to Albert Hammond Jr., guitarist for The Strokes and a solo artist in his own right, the Internet was abuzz with talk (or rumor) that The Strokes are working on new music. Lead singer Julian Casablancas let it slip during their show at Landmark Music Festival in Washington, DC on September 27, saying, “We’ll be back soon. We’ll be back in the studio and sh*t.” Perhaps it could be created at Hammond Jr.’s recording studio/home in Eldred, NY?

Fans have been dying for another Strokes album since the last one, “Comedown Machine,” was released in 2013. All the members have dabbled in other musical projects, and Hammond Jr. is going at it full force, releasing a new album in July and embarking on a months-long international tour. His new album, “Momentary Masters,” is named after a Carl Sagan quote: “The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.”

This is Hammond Jr.’s third album, coming after 2006’s “Yours to Keep” and 2008’s “¿Cómo Te Llama?” and the 2013 release, “AHJ,” an EP (extended play), which generated the hit “St. Justice” (Rolling Stone named it one of the best 100 songs of 2013). According to a press release, the person who created those songs is in a very different place now. After struggling with addiction, Hammond Jr. entered rehab. Now he is sober and open to talking about his past.

You can sense this change of life in “Momentary Masters,” although the classic Hammond Jr. stylings are still there, like buoyant guitar riffs and poetic lyrics, the overall feel is a reflection on the past, choices made, right or wrong. He calls it “a love letter to my past self.”

The Catskills area has long been a haven for artists and musicians. There was Woodstock of course, and Bob Dylan and The Band recorded “The Basement Tapes” at a house in Saugerties (which, by the way, you can now rent). Aptly, Hammond Jr. covers Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” on the new album. His recording studio, a converted barn he calls One Way Studios is, for now, for personal use, although The Strokes recorded “Angles” there.

For “Momentary Masters” he assembled Hammarsing Kharhmar (front man of Mon Khmer) who’s been playing guitar with Hammond Jr. since 2008; guitarist Mikey Hart (Bleachers); bassist Jordan Brooks; and drummer Jeremy Gustin (Delicate Steve, Marc Ribot) to work on his new material. The recording process took place in chunks, a week here and a week there, over a period of a couple months. The album is being released by Vagrant Records and is produced by Grammy-winning producer Gus Oberg, who’s worked extensively with The Strokes and happens to be one of Hammond Jr.’s closest friends.

How did Hammond Jr. find himself in Eldred? When he was living in the city, comedian David Cross lived in his building. Cross has a home in the area (and even made a film, “Hits,” based on Liberty, NY), and he helped Hammond Jr. find a place to live. He and his wife, Justyna, moved there full-time in March, though he spends much of his time on the road. “It’s a fun vibe up there,” Hammond Jr. said. “So far we’ve been loving it; we didn’t think it was going to be like that, to be honest. My wife and I were both a little, not afraid, but just skeptical whether it was going to be a thing for us, and it turned out to be amazing.”

Hammond Jr. is currently on tour, with upcoming shows in Texas, Japan, the United Kingdom and more. The closest show to our small corner of the country is in Philadelphia, PA on November 7. For tour dates, visit www.alberthammondjr.com/tour-dates.