Welcome, Kurt Baker, to the Faster and Louder twenty-five timers club! This is my 25th review of Kurt Baker as a lead artist (the number goes way higher if I include the other bands he has played in). That tells you that he has released a lot of music since this blog launched, and it also tells you that I've been a huge fan of his work. When it comes to melody-driven pop and rock 'n' roll, in my book Kurt Baker is one of the greats of his era. He has shown an ability to work across various sub-genres and embrace a wide array of influences. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pumped about him going back to his roots on his new single "Delusional." Backed by Wyatt Funderburk, Rich Kelly III, and Geoff Palmer, Baker has turned out a perfect pop song. The first thing I thought when I heard this track was, "Wow, this is vintage Kurt Baker!" Through the process of writing this song, Baker was reflective of his time in his pop-punk band The Leftovers. Musically, this is the vibe that first made me a Baker fan: big hook power pop with roots in '90s pop-punk. Lyrically, this is a song that really hits me hard. I love that Baker has written so openly about self-doubt and what it's like to wonder, "Am I full of shit when I think everything is going great in my life?" I have similar moments of self-doubt sometimes. Actually, I have these moments frequently. It wouldn't be a normal week if I haven't reflected on whether my life has been a failure and I've squandered my potential. If one of the basic values of music or any form of art is that it makes people feel less alone in the world, "Delusional" is the perfect illustration of that. Of course the song is incredibly catchy and a total banger, but it does not dispense empty calories. A lot of us will be feeling these lyrics in a major way. This is a stone cold hit and the best Baker tune in a good while!
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