Showing posts with label Wicked Cool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wicked Cool. Show all posts

Saturday, July 18, 2026

Banda AL9 - Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9


Banda AL9 are largely known as TikTok sensations, but I wouldn't hold that against them. The Brazilian duo made up of brothers Matheus and Thiago Khouri has just released its first album on Wicked Cool Records, and it's sure to please fans of power pop and the classic '60s pop that directly inspired it. The duo's excellent covers of The Rubinoos' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" and Kurt Baker's "She Can Do It All" have been Underground Garage staples this year, and they definitely piqued my interest in hearing more. And so now we get more. Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9 can most properly be called a compilation since most of the tracks are newly remixed and remastered versions of previously released songs. Little Steven has essentially given the United States and the world at large a proper introduction to Banda AL9 — compiling the best of the band's English language tracks along with a brand new song called "Indigo Skye" that was written by the head honcho himself. 

There's no doubt that when it comes to singing and harmonizing, the Khouri brothers are the real deal. But this album shows that they talented songwriters as well. If the cynical response to this year's radio hits was, "Great, but can they do more than covers?", the album answers that question in the affirmative. Of course the musical influences are obvious. But isn't that the whole point? I'm hearing The Beatles meet The Everly Brothers on "She Calls Me Love." "American Girl" brings to mind Big Star doing the Beach Boys (or is it the other way around?). "Love Bug" is early American rock 'n' roll by way of The Fab Four. The aforementioned "Indigo Skye" kind of sounds like Frankie Valli trying his hand psychedelic pop, and I am here for it! The ballad "The Best Night Of Our Lives" is back in Everlys territory, and I have no complaints. "The Only One" and the absolutely splendid "California" demonstrate that these lads can do the '70s power pop thing at a level that rivals many of their musical heroes. If "She Can Do It All" is still the best track, that's no knock. These guys took a great song and genuinely made it their own. 

Living as we do in a post Lemon Twigs world where classic guitar pop is cool again, I'm excited to find out how far a band like Banda AL9 can go. Hey! Hey! We're Banda AL9 is an album in the tradition of the 1960s heyday of pop and rock 'n' roll. It cherry-picks much of Banda AL9's best existing material to create an album that properly represents what this band is all about. This group is no overnight sensation. The brothers have been at it since 2017, steadily honing their craft and deepening their love for melody-driven pop-rock of many different eras. Certainly a lot of folks will enjoy this record because it reminds them of music from another time, but I can see younger audiences loving it as well. Banda AL9 infuses a timeless musical style with youthful excitement. Steven Van Zandt wasn't going to sign a band just because he thought they could sell records. The Khouri brothers are legit. They've got that family band chemistry that always appeals to me, and their unapologetic love for pure pop music is something I relate to deeply. And the joy that they exude is genuine and infectious. Trends in music come and go, but melody, harmonies, and catchy choruses are eternal. World, meet Banda AL9! 

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Sunday, April 05, 2026

Palmyra Delran & The Doppel Gang - "Hold Tight!"


Palmyra Delran, the queen of trash pop and America's most beloved radio personality, is back with a new single with her band The Doppel Gang. Out on Wicked Cool Records, "Hold Tight!" is a cover of a 1966 single by UK swingers Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. This track finds Delran (The Friggs, Pink Slip Daddy, The Coolies) in vintage form. She and her bandmates put their own twist on this oldie-but-goodie. Expect nothing more and nothing less than thumping and exuberant garage rock that will have you bouncing around like a maniac and singing that chorus all day long. What a fun, crackling cut! You may recall that Beebe Gallini did a killer version of this same song on its LP Begged, Borrowed and Stealed, and I am thrilled to live in a world where we can have dueling covers of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Isn't rock 'n' roll the best?

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Saturday, March 14, 2026

The Dollyrots - "Attention Span"


How do The Dollyrots do it? After more than a quarter-century as a band, countless releases to their name, and thousands of live shows played, Kelly and Luis still hold on to the enthusiasm and style that made The Dollyrots such a breath of fresh air in the punky pop rock 'n' roll scene in the early 2000s. "Attention Span," the band's new single on Wicked Cool Records, is instantly recognizable as a Dollyrots song. It's a high energy blast of punchy punk-pop that pairs a sugar rush of hooks with very relatable lyrics about how this age of constant connection ultimately makes us feel more disconnected from one another. The single arrives in conjunction with the band's Spring Break From Reality Tour, which launched a couple days ago and continues through the 22nd of this month. Straight-up, this song is an earworm. But that's not a surprise, is it? Most of us could use a little break from reality right now, and "Attention Span" sends me on a three minute vacation to my happy place. Hit up The Dollyrots' web site for more tour info!

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

Kurt Baker - "Undertow Afterglow"


The man is back! This is my 28th time reviewing Mr. Kurt Baker as a lead artist, and I always delight in hearing new music from him. Out on Wicked Cool Records, Baker's new 7" "Undertow Afterglow" veers a little from the pop-punk influence of his more recent singles. Here we hear Baker working in his familiar lane of power pop and classic guitar pop. "Undertow Afterglow," which Baker co-wrote with Dan Miraldi, reflects a challenging year in Baker's life both personally and creatively. In one respect, it's a love song. In another, as Baker says, it "exemplifies the ups and downs of life." Sometimes when you're pulled in by the undertow, you have to hold on for dear life and trust that there's light at the end of the tunnel. This a splendidly bittersweet number full of intoxicating melodies, and a lot of people will relate to this tale of relationship upheaval. On the B-side, "My Brave Face" is a splendid cover of a song co-written by two of Baker's musical heroes: Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney. If anyone was going to be up to the task of putting his own spin on this song, it was certainly Kurt Baker! And I love how the song complements the A-side both musically and thematically. This world is always a better place with Kurt Baker's music in it, and I can't wait to hear how this next phase of his creative journey turns out! Physical copies of "Undertow Afterglow" are available on mellow yellow vinyl while supplies last!

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Wednesday, July 02, 2025

The Len Price 3 - "Emily's Shop"


Back with its first new music in a couple years, The Len Price 3 has delivered a perfect 1-2 punch of garage rocking powerful pop. Out on Wicked Cool Records, new single "Emily's Shop" is giving early Who vibes, and I am here for it! The A-side is a tribute to the BBC children's series Bagpuss and a stone cold smash. On the flip, "I'm a Fake" is every bit as good. If you like loud, vibrant, and quintessentially British guitar pop that's inspired by the '60s heyday but current enough to fit in with the modern-day garage rock scene, this single will be a mandatory addition to your personal playlist.

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Sunday, May 25, 2025

WYLDLIFE - sorted.


WYLDLIFE is a band that needs no introduction in this particular corner of the internet. Since 2011, this New York–based foursome has been one of the very best bands in present-day rock 'n' roll. With its mix of punk rock attitude, infectious pop hooks, and pure rock 'n' roll energy, WYLDLIFE is one of those bands that represents just about everything I love in music. Its new album sorted. (out on Wicked Cool Records) is its fifth and first in five years. It continues the progression that was evident on 2020's Year of the Snake — further broadening and updating the band's musical style but never straying far from its longstanding mission to craft catchy, kick-ass tunes that would be all over the radio in a just world. Longtime fans will go wild for the likes of "Bystander," "Generate 2 Terminate," "Terminal Blue," and "MIA M.I.A." — which are vintage WYLDLIFE glam-punk rock 'n' roll scorchers with hooks for days. Elsewhere, "Little Headcase," "Dizzy," and "Goes Without Saying" find this very American band embracing '90s Brit-pop in an extremely satisfying way. "Fast Dreams" is the ultra-rocking power pop smash hit that the world ought to be begging for. "Shadows" blends old school NYC punk snarl with modern garage rock sensibilities and that distinctive WYLDLIFE flair. "Shotgun" delivers anthemic album-closer energy. 

While sorted. is the fruit of numerous studio sessions over several years, it doesn't feel disjointed or lack an identity. It manages to sound like a WYLDLIFE album without being a retread of previous WYLDLIFE albums. If anything, this band doesn't get nearly enough credit for turning out such consistently good records that celebrate rock 'n' roll's past while also leading the way for its present. Arriving just in time for summer, sorted. needs to be cranked loudly and thoroughly enjoyed while you live life to its fullest. This album scratches an itch that only real rock 'n' roll can reach.

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Friday, May 16, 2025

The Coolies - "Bad Bad Boy"

It's hard to put into words what an absolute delight the new Coolies single is. As dark, terrifying, and hopeless as the world sometimes seems, one listen to "Bad Bad Boy" puts me in a happy place that cannot be touched for two minutes and 42 seconds. When Palmyra Delran, Kim Shattuck, and Melanie Vammen joined forces to form The Coolies a number of years ago, I was over the moon that such a star-studded power pop group could exist. And the band's debut EP lived up to every expectation. And now The Coolies are back with a single that will be hard for anyone to top in 2025. It's the perfect tribute to Kim Shattuck, who co-wrote the A-side with Palmyra Delran. You really can hear Kim's style and personality in every note of the song — a testament to both her uniqueness as a songwriter and Delran's ability to channel some of her dear friend's vocal mannerisms. This, my friends, is the epitome of a perfect pop song. That melody is gorgeous, and that chorus will have you hooked from the first time you hear it. And with Kathy Valentine on bass and the late Clem Burke (who recorded his tracks while undergoing cancer treatment) on drums, this just might be the greatest garage pop super-group ever assembled. The B-side is a cover of another perfect pop song: Squire's "Over You." It's no surprise that a band made up of some of the coolest humans in the world would be hip to this song, and of course The Coolies do an amazing rendition. A vinyl release of "Bad Bad Boy" on Wicked Cool Records is coming soon. For now, it's streaming in all the usual places!

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Kurt Baker - "Warm in the Winter"


Kurt Baker has been on a major back-to-his-roots run with his recent singles, and I am loving it! I first came to be a fan of Baker's music back in the early 2010s, and what I found so appealing was the way he was reimagining the sounds of late '70s/early '80s power pop through the lens of '90s pop-punk. In particular, his collaborations with Wyatt Funderburk were as up-my-alley as music gets. There was something about those two guys combining their talent, influences, and creative vision that produced guitar pop magic. Well here we are in 2025, and they are still writing songs together — as they have been since 2009. Baker's new single "Warm in the Winter" is a vintage Baker/Funderburk creation: an infectious power pop rocker with more than a little Lookout! Records in its musical DNA. I'm always a sucker for a good love song, and this one concerns a love interest who runs hot and cold at the most inopportune times. Baker and his pals (Funderburk, Rich Kelly III, and Geoff Palmer, who kills it on guitar) do amazing work here imbuing this tale of doomed romance with a fun, energetic feel. Once that chorus gets its hooks into you, you'll be hearing it in your head all day. The lyrics are clever and relatable, and that melody is worth its weight in gold. The song was written during the same sessions that produced the superb Rock n Roll Club album. While "Warm in the Winter" didn't end getting recorded for the album, clearly Baker knew he still had a gem of a song in his back pocket. So here it is  — fortuitously arriving in the dead of winter. If the intersection of power pop and pop-punk is your sweet spot, you're going to enjoy this one!

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Saturday, September 21, 2024

Kurt Baker - "Delusional"


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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Tuesday, October 03, 2023

Kurt Baker - Rock 'N' Roll Club


I first wrote about Kurt Baker 11 years ago, and he has consistently remained one of my favorite artists in all of music. This is the 24th time I've reviewed him as a lead artist, and no doubt there are many more of these writeups to come. Baker has repeatedly indicated that Rock 'N' Roll Club (released this past Friday on Wicked Cool Records) would be his best album yet. He and his band mates (Wyatt Funderburk, Geoff Palmer, Kris Rodgers, and Craig Sala) have delivered in full on that promise.

Baker's 2012 album Brand New Beat was perhaps the definitive release for a whole new generation of power pop. But in refusing to ever allow himself to copy that record, Baker has soared to even greater heights in the 11 years since. Never limiting himself to just one genre of music, Baker is more broadly an ambassador for classic rock 'n' roll. He's all about big hooks and timeless melodies, but he's always open to incorporating new influences and trying different things. In comparison to his previous releases, Rock 'N' Roll Club most resembles 2015's Play It Cool. It still sounds like a Kurt Baker record, but it's full of pleasant surprises and successful new wrinkles. Yet in terms of songwriting, production, and musicianship, it surpasses Play It Cool by miles. Across 12 tracks, Baker and his songwriting collaborators embrace a host of his musical influences ranging from power pop to glam rock to disco pop to arena rock to the British Invasion to punk/new wave to modern alternative rock. Baker makes zero attempt to mask his Oasis worship on the thundering leadoff rocker "Hittin' Rock Bottom." "Love Express" is Baker's second foray into disco after last year's terrific single "Move Up," and it's an even more successful venture thanks to an irresistibly funky beat and Rodgers' keyboard heroics. "Good Feeling" sounds like a slick top 40 hit from the later '80s, and I am here for it! "Go Getter" finds Baker leaning into his well-established love for Cheap Trick. On closing track "It Was You," Baker goes for a big ballad and totally smashes it. With its grand strings and sentimental lyrics, it's the kind of song that could have been unbearably cheesy in the hands of lesser songwriters. But Baker and Funderburk crafted this one with care. Baker's vocal gives the track the tenderness and sincerity it deserves, and that melody cannot be denied. All in all, it's a genuine and beautifully-executed ballad. You could almost say this is Baker's "Wonderwall" or "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," and the influence of the former is especially palpable. 

A major strength of Rock 'N' Roll Club is that the surprising tracks aren't just different for difference's sake. They are truly some of the best songs on the album. Whenever Baker and the gang commit to trying something new, they also commit to doing it well. And they certainly have the musical chops to pull it all off. Meanwhile, the album has still got plenty to offer longtime fans. "Missed Connection," "In Love Alone," and "She Don't Wanna Be Alone" hearken back to Baker's classic power pop sound. "Anchors Up," which Baker wrote with Geoff Palmer, is a perfect pop song that's indicative of Baker's maturity as an artist. Even after having had the track on my radar for four months, every time I hear it, I'm wowed by how freaking good it is. The title track, penned by the late Kip Brown, is both a fitting tribute to a Maine rock 'n' roll icon and the beating heart of the album. If you long for the heyday of the big, hooky rock 'n' roll record, Kurt Baker is here to let you know we're still living in it.

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Sunday, August 27, 2023

Kurt Baker - "She Don't Wanna Be Alone"


We are now just another month away from the release of Kurt Baker's hotly-anticipated new album Rock 'N' Roll Club! One final teaser for the album was just released this past Friday. "She Don't Wanna Be Alone" will appeal to fans of Baker's early power pop stuff. The track, co-written with Wyatt Funderburk, is pure pop at its finest. It finds Baker and Funderburk channeling their inner Beatles (in particular John Lennon). We can certainly expect a whole lot of rock from the new album, but this tune is slower and built on a foundation of gorgeous, hummable melodies. What a splendidly-crafted pop song! I love that all three advance singles from Rock 'N' Roll Club have been very different. Baker is promising that this will be his best release yet, and he has never given me any reason to doubt him. The album will be out September 29th on Wicked Cool Records!

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Friday, July 28, 2023

Kurt Baker - "Rock 'N' Roll Club"


Woo hoo! We've got another smoking new single from Kurt Baker'! "Rock 'N' Roll Club" is the title track from Baker's new album, which will be out September 29th on Wicked Cool Records. The song was written by the late Kip Brown, an absolute legend of Portland, Maine rock 'n' roll. You may recall that the Brown-penned banger "Sends Me To Mars" was the leadoff track to Baker's third album Play It Cool. "Rock 'N' Roll Club" is the same caliber of song, and again Baker has the honor of sharing his beloved friend's songwriting talents with the world. If you like it when Baker and the boys rock out, this tune will be up your alley. Accompanying the release of the single is a music video directed Wyatt Funderburk. It was shot during the Kurt Baker Band's tour of Spain earlier this year. I really dig the way the video captures the vibe of the song. It includes footage from some actual clubs that totally lives up to how I imagine live rock 'n' roll being in Spain! What a tune, and what a great freaking band! This album is gonna be a monster. Click here to pre-order!

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Thursday, May 25, 2023

Kurt Baker - "Anchors Up"


Summer has not yet arrived, but I've already got a reason to look forward to the fall! Kurt Baker's new album Rock N Roll Club will be releasing September 29th on Wicked Cool Records. The album's first single, "Anchors Up," came out yesterday — and it's pretty terrific! The single is accompanied by an absolutely brilliant music video which Baker's guitarist Wyatt Funderburk conceptualized and directed. 

"Anchors Up" started out as an upbeat pop song written during lockdown days. Baker took some honest feedback from Steven Van Zandt about the song being too "happy" sounding and collaborated with Geoff Palmer to rewrite it. What results is something quite extraordinary. "Anchors Up" uses a variety of nautical references as metaphors for navigating a life full of pain and hardships. It's a very serious, reflective song, yet it's still rocking and hook-laden in that distinctive Kurt Baker way. This is really relatable stuff from Baker and Palmer. Sometimes life deals you drunk captains, and you have to figure out for yourself how to stay afloat. This track features the talents of one of the planet's finest power pop rock and roll bands: Baker on bass, Funderburk and Palmer on guitar, Kris Rodgers on keyboards, and Craig Sala on drums. All these guys do their part to make "Anchors Up" a bona fide hit. Having already had a successful go at a disco song last year, Baker now has his yacht rock anthem! 

Available now in digital form, "Anchors Up" will also be released on blue vinyl this summer. Non-album B-side "Sweet Alice" was co-written by Mark O'Flaherty (Baker's bandmate in The Gold). It's a glammy pub rocker featuring a wonderfully surprising bridge and some righteous guitar soloing. Backing Baker on this track are O'Flaherty and Ola Ersfjord on guitar and Jesus Alonso on drums. Pre-orders for "Anchors Up" are now open via Bandcamp. And be sure to check out the "Anchors Up" video. It will have you ready to set sail!

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Monday, April 17, 2023

Kurt Baker - "Secrets"


Remarkably, this is my 20th time reviewing Kurt Baker (not counting at least a dozen more write-ups on other releases he has played or sung on) over the last ten years plus. He certainly rates as one of this blog's most longstanding favorite artists, and I would argue that his brand-new single "Secrets" is one of the best tracks he has ever put his name on. What I dig about "Secrets" (out now on Wicked Cool Records) is that it sounds like a radio hit. It has the feel of a true single and not just a random track that has turned up online. It was originally conceived by Baker and co-author Kris Rodgers as a '90s-style pop song called "Two To Groove." But once Baker met up with his pal Jeff Beam to record the guitars for the track, the song was immediately transformed. Lyrics were re-written, the title was changed, and Baker found himself in the familiar territory of melodic guitar pop. You can still hear a little of the song's original vibe, but the warm, upbeat feel of "Secrets" strikes me as very '60s/'70s. Baker plays a nifty James Jamerson-inspired bass line, Rodgers works his usual magic on the organ, and Beam is as smooth as silk on guitar. I'm always a sucker for an optimistic love song, and I'm especially feeling this one. That hook is pure gold! And how about those harmony vocals? Summer is in the air, and "Secrets" seems tailor-made for the season. It's one of those songs that makes you feel good about being alive. With Rodgers and Beam, Baker has written a song that's unique in his catalog yet certain to please longtime fans. It's the epitome of perfect pop! 

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Sunday, October 09, 2022

Kurt Baker - "Move Up"


For his latest single, longtime F & L favorite Kurt Baker goes someplace entirely unexpected: Studio 54! New single "Move Up" (out now on Wicked Cool Records) is that rare disco rock song that actually rocks! Co-written by Baker and his pal Geoff Palmer, this track features a backing band comprised of Baker's longtime partners-in-crime Palmer, Kris Rodgers, Wyatt Funderburk, and Zack Sprague. Simply put, it's a rock and roll song you can dance to. Seriously: if hearing this song doesn't make you want to dance, you are surely dead inside. In many ways, it's a vintage Kurt Baker track with lyrics about escaping life's troubles and having a good time. The lines "It's been a hard day's life/It's always filled with strife/But when the music hits/You'll be feeling alright" are classic Baker. The disco twist in the music is a bit of a surprise, but I can't deny that Baker and friends pull it off 100%. The musicianship is supreme, and the energy is off the charts. Think more Rolling Stones "Miss You" and less KISS "I Was Made for Lovin' You." Or better yet, imagine Maroon 5 if they were actually good. That hook is pure gold. And I love the way the lyrics go so over the top that you could envision them as actual pickup lines from the disco era. The icing on the cake is a touch of outro guitar from Dave Minehan (who also recorded and engineered the track). Perhaps it's because I'm just young enough to have never been overexposed to disco, but I've got to say I'm majorly digging this tune. This brings back memories of being 8 years old and not knowing I was supposed to hate Blondie's "Heart of Glass." All I knew was that the song was a banger. To the floor!

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Sunday, August 21, 2022

Kurt Baker - "Electric Fire"


Back with his first original track with his full band since the highly tremendous After Party LP came out two years ago, Kurt Baker totally brings the rock on his brand-new Wicked Cool Records single "Electric Fire." Co-written with Geoff Palmer, "Electric Fire" tackles one of the most enduring themes in popular music: that rock and roll is the best cure for whatever ails you. Born out of the frustrations of the last few years, this song celebrates the healing and life-affirming powers of the greatest form of music ever invented. A rock and roll song about rock and roll is most definitely a hit-or-miss undertaking. Luckily, "Electric Fire" totally hits. The style and personality of both the song's authors come shining through on this upbeat and insanely catchy track. Baker and Palmer have managed to inject a punk/power pop/rock and roll stomper with an Elvis influence, and it works like a dream. If you like big hooks, ripping guitars, and the most righteous rock and roll piano this side of Little Richard, you need some "Electric Fire" in your life! I love that the lyrics embrace numerous ridiculous rock and roll clichés in the most awesome way imaginable. 

I've never seen Kurt Baker play live, but I have this perception of him as this super-energetic performer who realizes that people come to rock and roll shows to forget about their troubles and experience pure joy. "Electric Fire" is a reminder that he's a fan as well as a performer and that the energy he brings to the world is the same energy that feeds him. The song takes the best parts of the last 67 years of rock and roll and creates something new and exciting to lift your spirits. If you've been having a bad day or a bad year or a bad three years, Kurt Baker's got a sure-fire prescription for your soul!

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Sunday, July 17, 2022

Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat: Complete


Dear god, are we already celebrating the ten-year anniversary of Kurt Baker's Brand New Beat? It seems like only yesterday that that album was released! I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun! Brand New Beat was an album of great importance to me and this blog. On the date I reviewed it, I had only been doing F & L for a little over a year. Baker became one of my go-to artists to write about and remains so to this day (by my count, this is the 27th time I've reviewed a title by him or one of his bands). I named Brand New Beat my album of the year for 2012, and I now consider it a landmark of modern-day power pop. In commemoration of its ten-year anniversary, Wicked Cool Records has released Brand New Beat: Complete, a two-disc set which includes the original 2012 album remixed and remastered along with the subsequent collection Brand New B-Sides remastered with bonus tracks. While Brand New Beat was not Baker's first LP, it was the first in the trilogy of albums he co-wrote with Wyatt Funderburk. Certainly I'm a huge Kurt Baker fan in general, but I have a special place in my heart for his collaborations with Funderburk and the rest of The Party Animals (Kris "Fingers" Rodgers on keyboards, Geoff Palmer on guitar, and Adam Cargin & Craig Sala on drums). So I was eager to put on Brand New Beat: Complete and listen to all of these songs with fresh ears. I wondered about a couple things: (1) Would I still like this album as much a decade later? and (2) Would I be impressed enough by this reissue package to recommend you spend your money on it? The answers turned out to be yes and yes! 

As I started to listen to Brand New Beat: Complete, a couple things came to mind. One was that it was always the nostalgia talking when I'd rank Brand New Beat as a cut above its two successors Play It Cool and After Party. I honestly think that Baker and Funderburk got better at their craft as they advanced through the trilogy. That said, my reacquaintance with Brand New Beat confirms what I've always believed: it is one of the greatest power pop albums of the 21st Century and clearly deserving of modern classic status. For anyone who's new to the music of Kurt Baker, this album remains the best place to start. It's a rocking power pop record with roots in pop-punk that exudes the "Have a good time all the time" spirit that has always been central to the Kurt Baker experience. With its mix of should-have-been radio hits ("Don't Go Falling In Love," "Everybody Knows"), party rock anthems ("Hit the Ground," "Weekend Girls"), and tearjerker love songs ("I Don't Wanna Cry," "How Many Times"), it checks off every box for a perfect power pop album. Ever the perfectionists, Baker and Funderburk limited the album to just the best ten songs out of the nearly 20 they'd recorded. They essentially left on the cutting room floor a whole other album  -- which was released in 2014 as Brand New B-Sides. 

Listening to Disc 2 of Brand New Beat: Complete, I still feel the same way as I did eight years ago: Baker and Funderburk had the right instincts on which songs to leave off of Brand New Beat, but even the leftovers from those sessions made for a very good album. The new wave power pop gem "Lost In Translation" seems the most questionable exclusion from the original album. "Quit Dancing With My Girl" hits the sweet spot where power pop and pop-punk intersect -- always a Baker/Funderburk specialty. "On the Run" is essentially the best song Thin Lizzy never wrote. "Think It Over" carries the early Elvis Costello leanings of Brand New Beat into the Get Happy!! era. "Christmas in the Sand," in my book, has risen to the level of a new holiday standard. The bonus material includes some top-tier odds and ends such as Baker's brilliant 2012 7" track "I Want You Around," the splendid Dan Vapid co-write "Keep Away," and a cool new wave-ish take on Costello's "High Fidelity." All in all, the drop-off from disc one to disc two is remarkably slight. How crazy talented do you have to be to have the luxury of leaving a song like "Emma Stone" off an album?

The obvious question is this: If you already own Brand New Beat and Brand New B-sides, why should you fork over your hard-earned cash for Brand New Beat: Complete? My answer is that it's a decade later, and a lot of you reading this today might not own either album. With the original CDs out of print, being able to snag them both in a single package with bonus material for $19.99 is a swell deal indeed. If you've come to discover Kurt Baker more recently through his stellar releases on Wicked Cool, this collection is the ideal introduction to his earlier solo work. Brand New Beat: Complete places Baker's prime "power pop era" in a larger context along side his later work with The Kurt Baker Combo and bands such as The Bullet Proof Lovers, The New Trocaderos, and The Gold. I usually dismiss ten-year anniversary reissues as being premature (kind of like ten-year high school reunions!), but I have to make an exception for Brand New Beat, one of my favorite albums of all-time. I'll be stoked to review it again in another ten years!

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Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Kurt Baker - "Christmas In The Sand"


I always make an effort to not overdo the reviews of Christmas music. But man, I heard the new Kurt Baker Christmas track on Wicked Cool Records and simply could not resist! "Christmas In The Sand", co-written by Baker and longtime collaborator Wyatt Funderburk, is one of those Christmas songs that would be great even if it weren't about Christmas. And really, this song isn't about Christmas so much as it's about hating the weather at Christmas. Given the pervasiveness of holiday standards which glorify ice and snow, this track offers a refreshingly different point of view. I mean, come on: do people really dream of white Christmases? Baker's holiday on a tropical beach sounds way more fun! Musically, this track is right in line with the best of the Baker/Funderburk compositions. Geoff Palmer, Kris Rodgers, Craig Sala, and Zack Sprague are on hand as well to contribute their musical talents. If you're a fan of Christmas music, "Christmas In The Sand" qualifies as an instant classic to pair with your favorite version of "Mele Kalikimaka". If you're a non-fan of Christmas music, just think of this as a great power pop track which idealizes pretty girls and summer weather. Either way, it's a win!

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Sunday, August 29, 2021

Kurt Baker - "Keep It Tight"


Can you believe it has already been ten months since Kurt Baker released his most recent album After Party? Time flies when you're waiting for a pandemic to end! "Keep It Tight", Baker's new single on Wicked Cool Records, will be his first physical release since After Party. Due to a worldwide delay in the manufacturing of vinyl, the actual record won't be available until November. But the digital version and vinyl pre-order went live a couple of days ago. For this release, Baker has served up a real treat to power pop fans. "Keep It Tight" and "Get Away" feature the same lineup from After Party: Baker, Wyatt Funderburk, Geoff Palmer, Kris Rodgers, and Craig Sala. Both of these songs are covers of what you might call "forgotten classics" of 1980s power pop. The former was a minor hit for Virginia-based new wave band Single Bullet Theory - peaking at #78 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of 1983. The latter appeared on Julian Leal's 1985 self-titled debut album -- a self-released cult classic of Midwestern power pop. "Get Away"'s major claim to fame is that it was featured on American Bandstand's Rate-a-Record segment in January of 1988. Baker has done a great service in bringing attention to a couple of buried treasures from the world of power pop. Just as importantly, he and his bandmates have done fantastic versions of both songs that are both faithful to the originals and imbued with the spirit of Baker's original songs. Those backing vocals are massive, and Rodgers kills it on the keyboards! If you loved After Party, "Keep It Tight" will make an essential companion piece. 

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Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Kurt Baker - "Anytime At All"


I'm always stoked to get new music from Kurt Baker. Well here's some new old music from Kurt Baker! "Anytime At All" was recorded by Baker with his Spanish band The Kurt Baker Combo a few years back. For whatever reason, it went unreleased -- until now! This track is a cover of a song off of The Yum Yums' third album ...Whatever Rhymes With Baby. If you've never heard the original, do yourself a favor and check it out immediately! The Yum Yums are one of the greatest power pop punk bands to ever walk the Earth, and Baker's rendition of "Anytime At All" is a tremendous tribute. If you've been hearing "Anytime At All" on the Underground Garage lately and wondered where this song came from, well...it came from the god-like songwriting prowess of Morten Henriksen! Of course Baker and the boys give it their own distinctive twist. This is the first of several "from the vaults" digital singles that Baker will be releasing on Wicked Cool Records this year. I must say this track was a great choice for a first installment! Also stay tuned for a new Kurt Baker 7" on Wicked Cool, "Keep It Tight"/"Get Away", which is due to release August 27th!

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