Kurt Baker “Play It Cool”

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. However, the cover to Kurt Baker’s “Play It Cool” just has power pop written all over it. Although, it has to be said, it also has a hint of Chesney Hawkes about it!

There is certainly no doubt that this is a rocking, power pop album, as shown by the brilliant opener “Send Me To Mars”. It’s got a great riff, neat boogie piano chops and is as catchy as hell! “Enough’s Enough” not only has us thinking about the brilliant rock/power pop act Enuff Z’Nuff but also Elvis Costello. Actually, songs like “Play It Cool”, sound like the excellent solo material by their guitarist Johnny Monaco.

Kurt clearly likes to rock out, as shown by songs like “I Got You” and “Doin’ It Right”. They add an almost glam rocking sound that has a Cheap Trick feel. They’re the sort of songs that seem destined to soundtrack some sunny, LA, teen flick… and that IS a compliment!

The songs on this album are just unbelievably catchy. If you can resist turning up the dial and singing along to tracks like the brilliant glam pop of “Monday Night” and “Talk Is Talk”, then you really need to check your pulse. Whilst “Prime Target” starts by giving us “Since You’ve Been Gone” as an ear worm, but soon develops into another Costello esque song. The album then ends with the simple but tasty rock n roll boogie of “I Can’t Wait”.

People seem to forget that blending pop tunes with rock n roll began with The Beatles and then progressed through numerous brilliant acts e.g. Elvis Costello, Cheap Trick, Enuff Z’Nuff etc. Sadly, we have also seen some genuinely amazing acts like Marvelous 3, Everybody Else and The Crash Moderns producing great albums, but never getting the attention or success they deserved. These songs are just so good and the album so fun to listen to, that we really hope it gets the recognition it deserves. It’s definitely one of our favourite albums of the year so far.