Bullet Proof Lovers - Shot Through The Heart

I think a lot of you know that I'm a big fan of Kurt Baker. Boy does he get around, it's only three months since I reviewed Kurt Baker Combo's excellent In Orbit here. Well Bullet Proof Lovers are back with their second album and it's a stormer.

Bullet Proof Lovers are a far more rockier affair, hence their superb live reputation. The album is benefited by being both on the excellent Rum Bar Records connection and the co-production by another of our faves, Wyatt Funderburk.





You can understand why the term Big In Spain is applied to them, but the band have far more in common with the great bands of the mid to late 70's. The blitz of The Ramones, the urgency of early Cheap Trick, heads down and rock.

Non need for that strong coffee to wake you up, this album will do the job and it'll be much better from your health. Despite all this driving guitar rock, Kurt Baker's involvement ensures there is at least one Power Pop gem and One Last Night is just that.




The combination of Baker with Luiyi Costa, Joseba Arza, Gonzalo Ibanez and Juan Irazu, all well known in Spanish bands provides a real rockathon. Shot Through The Heart is a no nonsense rock and roll album, the type that doesn't get made often enough.




You can listen to and buy the album here. You can also buy it on CD here or Vinyl here.

Kurt Baker Combo - In Orbit

Kurt Baker has always been a master of the hook. For someone who hasn't yet hit 30, he's got a great reputation and an even greater back catalogue. The Leftovers hit the streets with 2003's Milton Street Special EP and in the following six years. they carved out a splendid body of work.

The band were more known as Pop Punk, but I fell for them because they sounded so UK New Wave, strange because Kurt's from Portland, Maine. You always felt they should be on the Stiff Label, such was their admiration for Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello.

Since 2010, Baker has released consistently good solo albums. Maybe it's the move to Madrid, but as time has elapsed these have become more and more beat driven power pop albums. His second solo album, Rockin' For A Living, released in 2011, remains one of THE great Power Pop albums.

He's not all hooks, In Orbit provides a varied mix of Power Pop's history, without ever sounding derivative or like someone else. The New Wave Mod Pop stomp of Rusty Nail is joyous. Yet All For You is organ driven Glam Rock that builds into a real rock out.

The Combo has been touring like crazy in Spain and this has honed the band into quite a unit. The result is that the four piece have mastered a groove that has resulted in a really fine album. The only nod to his past is the cover of Devo's Jerkin' Back And Forth.

Released on Little Steven's Wicked Cool label, this is hopefully the album that makes the world realise the joy of Power Pop and how Kurt Baker is playing his part in bringing it to the masses.

Power Pop at it's rawest and most essential, the album is available at the likes of Amazon and Apple and most good record stores.