[Cover photo credit to Bambi Guthrie Photography]

Power Pop artist Kurt Baker is kicking off 2026 with the release of his new 7-inch and digital single, “Undertow Afterglow” b/w “My Brave Face,” out this Friday, January 9, 2026 via Wicked Cool Records. The release marks the label’s first single of the new year and continues Baker’s long-running relationship with Little Steven Van Zandt’s imprint.

“Undertow Afterglow” was written in Brooklyn with collaborator Dan Miraldi, and it captures “the push and pull of relationships: being dragged under by circumstance while still reaching for something brighter on the other side.”

Baker shares:

2025 was a rollercoaster of a year for me. I moved to New York City, got divorced, and started to work more behind the scenes in the music industry. I didn’t end up doing hardly any gigs. I went through some challenging times creatively, but I was lucky to start working on some new music with a friend named Dan Miraldi. He came over to my apartment in Brooklyn, and we ended up writing ‘Undertow Afterglow’ in minutes… the chorus just came to me instantly.

This song really exemplifies the ups and downs of life, especially in relationships—getting pulled in by the undertow, yet holding out for the light at the end of the tunnel, the afterglow.

The B-side features a cover of Paul McCartney’s “My Brave Face,” originally co-written with Elvis Costello. For Baker, the choice was very personal.

He explains:

Lyrically it really hit home for me. It’s about putting on a cheerful front to hide heartbreak and inner turmoil after a breakup—pretending to be okay when you’re falling apart inside. A classic pop song with a sad, unresolved core. So yeah, it hits home.

Known for his touring across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, Baker most recently released 2023 full-length album Rock ’N’ Roll Club which delivered energetic modern Power Pop.