Burning Love - 'Black Widow' EP

BURNING LOVE
Black Widow EP

No Idea Records, 2012

• Favorite:

  "Karla"

• COMPLETE THE LOOK:

  Cigarette packs rolled into t-shirt sleeves, dirty jeans, expensive guitars, spiderweb tattoos, bragging about STDs

RATING:

TRACK LIST:

• Karla
• Love's My Only Crime (Laughing Hyenas cover)

This 7” is exactly right-on. I want to high five these guys but I bet they’d beat me up. The A-side “Karla” is based on the true story of Canadian serial killer Karla Homolka. It’s not about nothing. It’s not like these beefcake muscleheads are showing off, or singing about their dicks or something. There’s substance here and it doesn’t feel put on. Rock music doesn’t have to be stupid. This record sounds trashy, but it’s not trash. Burning Love is just too fucking proficient to be sloppy. I bet these guys have huge muscles. The B-side, a Laughing Hyenas cover of “Love’s My Only Crime,” tries to be funky and fails spectacularly. This band is funkless; they keep the beat too well. Nice try, guys. If they weren’t so fucking good at what they do, it’d be a sort of blues jam, but instead they tease us with a heartbreak rave-up. Give up the ghost and get into the pit. It’s dark and dirty and loud and great. Burning Love knows that manic energy and a hunky lead singer isn’t enough without actual songwriting or musicianship. There’s a lot to be said for Punk Rock Done Right.