With the fall comes a brand-new premiere single “Dirty Clouds” from LA crooner Ward White, from his upcoming album The Tender Age. The gentle chords give way to space-themed resignation assisted by a terrific guitar break. Kurt Baker is also back with a tight pop track that reminds me a bit of Rick Springfield, meanwhile, It’s Karma It’s Cool gives us a frantic vocal and crunchy punk guitar on “Coffee Cup Circles.” If you love that old-school ’70s rock then check out Death Party Playground, but if you crave a more singer-songwriter vibe, you can’t get much better than Bryan Estepa. Swedish band Mom gives us a nice freebie; a collection of covers and a highlight is Marshall Crenshaw’s “There She Goes Again.” Finally, Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers) donates his guitar crunchiness to California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund for this sweet track, a worthy song for a worthy cause.
Tag: Kurt Baker
The Blank Pages and Kurt Baker
The Blank Pages “Is This Real?”
In today’s political chaos New Jersey’s Blank Pages start their new album with “Authenticity,” clearly stating that the truth is under assault, as we struggle to make others trust what is “real.” “Hang Up” speaks to the isolation we feel, and the melodic “Your Generation” hopes our younger people can “save us all.” Bandmates Greg Potter (guitar, keys, lead vocals,) Jason Brown (bass,) and Ed McCaffrey (drums) craft songs with an intimate, friendly approach.
Standouts include “Nagging Feelings,” and “Uncomplicated.” The band resonates emotionally, but the social commentary songs (“Robots Will Not Win”) aren’t as memorable. The guitars come alive on “Laugh,” a terrific tune played with gusto. Some nods to ’80s pop are sprinkled throughout, so fans of The Police, Bourgeois Tagg, and Joe Jackson will enjoy this. Check it out.
Kurt Baker “After Party”
Kurt Baker’s back! After a few years on other projects, Kurt returns to power pop form with help from songwriter Wyatt Funderburk. The opener “New Direction” is a catchy start full of effortless hooks. Geoff Palmer (The Connection) on guitar, Kris Rogers on keys, and Craig Sala on drums make the group complete. Each track is quick and punchy, like an Elvis Costello/Donnie Iris hybrid as the hits pile up quickly; “I Like Her A Lot,” “Over You,” and “Used To Think” with its Beach Boys-inspired backing chorus.
The sweet ballad “Waiting For You” boasts some nice harmonies. The punk guitar fuzz shows up when needed and doesn’t take over the songs, plus the style varies to some degree with the new wave “Keep Dreaming” and lounge jazz of “A Song and a Drink.” But it’s the guitar gems here that standout; “She Don’t Really Love You, Dude” and “Should’ve Been The One.” A great album that deserves many repeat plays. Highly Recommended.
Singles: Kurt Baker, Danny McDonald, Suspect Parts, Willie Wisely, Richard Turgeon, Francis Lung, Nick Bertling
The Kurt Baker Combo has been putting out a few tracks over the last few months, including (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love. It’s good to hear the classic Kurt Baker sound after a few punkier projects. Look for a new LP soon I think.
A truly excellent power-pop single by Danny McDonald but it’s so short (1:10) — is it too much to ask for another chorus? Hear more for FREE on the Shake Yer Popboomerang Vol. 3 compilation.
Suspect Parts are a German band with influences coming from 60s pop and the 70s California beach sound, all the way through to 77-punk. Nice three-song EP here.
As previously noted, Willie Wisely does country music as well as power pop. The ballad “No Suprise” has four mixes here, all with steel pedal and soulful vocal performance.
Richard Turgeon just keeps putting out cool tunes, this single has plenty of guitar muscle. He also recently added “Jolene” which is a FREE download. I liked this song better, like a hybrid of The Who and Oasis.
The holidays are fast approaching. This sweet pop treat by Francis Lung is most welcome! Beautiful vocal harmonies join clarinet, tenor sax, flute, bass clarinet, and baritone sax to create this bittersweet seasonal gem. It’s a FREE download too.
Last week we featured Nick Bertling‘s Monkee covers, now he’s doing a faithful instrumental overture from The Who’s “Tommy.” A FREE download, and a fine job, Nick!Minky Starshine and Kurt Baker
Minky Starshine “Dirty Electric”
Rob Anastasi’s Minky Starshine has a new LP produced by Ken Stringfellow and has enlisted the support of Mike Musburger, Ducky Carlisle, Corin Ashley, Fernando Perdomo, and Phil Aiken. The album starts with the laid-back “Art School” as the lead lyric seems pessimistic; “I went to school for art but ended up pushing papers” however it comes around to the upbeat “everywhere is going to lead somewhere.” But the darkness creeps in on “Everybody Loves to Party” despite the catchy chords and “London Metropole” focuses on the pain of loneliness.
The notable “Good Company” is a bright spot, with its hopeful melody and layered guitars. The production is artfully done, as Anastasi’s songs are emotional and resonate, but the edge seems much softer now. Especially on the apprehensive “Go!” which mixes a fast paced verse with a big arena-friendly multi-tracked chorus. Unfortunately, many other songs just didn’t stick in my head, which seems a long way from the brilliant Womanity. This is still music that deserves to be heard, and Anastasi is a world-class talent. Check it out.
Kurt Baker Combo “Let’s Go Wild”
The irrepressible Kurt Baker continues to pump out party records since his move to El Puerto de Santa María, Spain. With his combo, they specialize in the raucous garage rock and roll with a melody.”So Lonely” is a dirty gem that sounds straight out of the cellars of the Cavern Club. The other songs follow a similar pattern, like the quick tempo booming drum kit on “No Fun At All” or the Gary Glitter-like chords of the title track.
But after a while, these tunes blend into each other and nothing stands out. The fuzz chords increase on “A Girl Like You” which sounds closer to Watts than Kurt Baker’s Combo. “Yesterday Today” adds some Motown elements, but the percussion is too loud in the mix. Fans will still enjoy this, but beginners should check out the earlier albums.
Kurt Baker and Tommy Sistak
Kurt Baker Combo “In Orbit”
Baker’s back with a new band; the Kurt Baker Combo (who Kurt formed during a tour in Spain) is Juancho Lopez on bass guitar, Jorge Colldan on guitar and backing vocals, and Sam Malakiam on drums. They signed up with Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records and we’ve got liftoff.
In many ways it the same Kurt we know and love, the combo of power pop and pub rock on “Upside Down” and “Baby’s Gone Bad” are gems on par with past work. The energy level is still high, on the ’50s rhythm of “Rusty Nail” and bar room blues rock of “Count On Me.” A Cheap Trick-like riff sets up ”All For You,” and the refreshing Rickenbacker chords on “Ugly Way To Be” make both tunes a highlight. A cover of Devo’s ”Jerkin Back ‘N’ Forth” is also a nice change of pace. As with most of Kurt’s music it is highly recommended.
Tommy Sistak “A Good Hat Indeed”
A Good Hat Indeed is the follow up to the first album from Tommy Sistak, Short Songs. The same tradition of early Beatlesque melodies continues with the opener “Not About You,” with a driving riff opening up the multi-tracked harmonies. While its faithful to the source, the chorus of “Its There For You” is a catchy gem that would’ve hit big on AM radio playlists back in the mid ’60s.
The fab “You Can Have Your Way With Me” and “A Better Time” will appeal to Beatle fans, but I’m glad Tommy does vary the style slightly through the album. “If I Only Knew” is a charmer in the skiffle-beat tradition with ukulele and the washboard as primary instruments. “Sure Like Your Love” is a mid tempo ballad that keeps the mood upbeat, and overall while not every melody here hooks you there are enough gems to keep you satisfied.