In 2015, singer songwriter and power pop champion Kurt Baker capitalised on his escalating popularity in Europe by teaming up with a bunch of Spanish garage rock and bar band heroes…and Bullet Proof Lovers was born. Not so much out of necessity, but from fun, and the resulting mini-album (which had a belated US release in 2016) saw Baker tackling some of his punkiest tendencies since his days with The Leftovers.
Tag Archives: power pop
Stream new track from Bullet Proof Lovers before US release!
At the end of March, the second release from Bullet Proof Lovers hits US shores. We got to hear it early at Real Gone and can confidently say it’s an absolute belter of a long-player. Everything the previous mini-album promised comes through big style: punky workouts, big chorus hooks and even more of the new wave aspects usually associated with frontman Kurt Baker’s solo career. It’s got a little of everything needed for achieving that feel good factor.
Tom Baker & The Snakes set to “Make It Hurt”
Back in February 2016, Tom Baker & The Snakes dropped their debut EP, giving listeners a short burst of high-octane rock driven by three guitars. It’s hard not to at least half-love a band with three guitarists, right?!
They’re back – and this time they’re set to stun with a full length release. On the basis of a couple of sneak previews, the album promises more of the same, but as the old saying goes “you can’t fix what ain’t broke”. If you can’t wait until ‘Lookout Tower’ is released digitally via Rum Bar Records on March 31st, then check out lead track ‘Make It Hurt’ via the stream below. If you crave a trashy rock hit that takes its cues from Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop, you surely won’t be disappointed!
THE 1957 TAIL-FIN FIASCO – The 3 Song Drive EP
On their first two releases (2011’s ‘Private Jet Flashback‘ and 2013’s ‘Cruise Control EP‘) The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco proved themselves to be masters of retro cool. Armed with a quirky sense of humour and an unhealthy obsession with Steely Dan, the two men at the core of the Fiasco made audiences wonder how such authentically American sounding music could ever have been spawned from the UK. Not only that, but from the wilds of Essex, too – hardly a breeding ground for AM radio pop.
HELLO BEAR – I Don’t Know…It’s Fun Though, Isn’t It? EP
With several releases behind them, by the summer of 2016 Hello Bear had not only attracted a cult following, but also received positive press from the BBC. Throughout their career, the band’s pop/rock stylings have often been sent off with ridiculous, pointless song titles – the kind that could rival Fall Out Boy and make it almost impossible to remember which tracks are which. From the outside looking in, it would be so easy to accuse Hello Bear of just trying that bit too hard. However, the reality is somewhat different. Ignoring the fluff and the sub-teenage surrealism, their 2016 EP ‘I Don’t Know…It’s Fun Though, Isn’t It?’ presents some of the best guitar pop/power pop to emerge from the UK since Farrah issued their fourth (self-titled) album in 2010.