K7s “Take 1”

Kurt Baker is obviously a man who likes to keep himself busy as we’ve reviewed several of his releases over the last year or so. This new release is again on the impeccable Rumbar Records label. It also promises a bit of extra kick to Kurt’s power pop style.
Certainly, tracks like opener “Running Back To You” and “Listen To My Heart” suggest a bit of extra punk spark in this release. They still have the trade mark strong melodies, but the guitars are just a tad more ferocious. That’s particularly true of “I Want You To Know”, which is quite aggressive and almost like a pop Wildhearts’ song. The sound on “All About Me” is more punk pop than power pop.

Don’t worry though, there’s still plenty of room for some good old power pop. Tracks like “Every Night” and “Go Away” seem built for care free, freeway driving. Indeed, “Your Lips Met Mine” sounds like it really should be a huge commercial hit, as it’s so damn catchy.

On the whole though, numbers like “She’s Leaving” and “Get Outta My House” sound like they have been written for playing fast and loud by a live band. There’s almost a hint of The Ramones to them. Although it’s like The Ramones playing Cheap Trick covers!
So, if you like punk rock but aren’t permanently angry then this is the album for you. It’s punchy and immediate but doesn’t sacrifice the melody. Punk pop got a bad name a few years ago, mainly due to the rubbish US bands that were around at the time and exploited the term. But this release is a proper mix of those two very different but equally great styles.