Burning Love

Rotten Thing To Say

There was a time in my life, probably in or around 2005, when I could have kissed Chris Colohan right on the mouth. A period of financial instability, relationship strife and employment insecurity meant that the first two Cursed albums quickly became the soundtrack to my life; percussive hostility and enough bile to rupture a gallbladder validated my youthful misanthropy.

As one of the pre-eminent latter day hardcore bands, critics would proclaim that Cursed were the best thing to come out of Canada since Neil Young rallied a hearse towards California. Well, I did at least, and I was truly gutted when they called it a day following a miserable European tour and the theft of their money and equipment.

Burning Love were thrust into the post-Cursed spotlight with the release of their debut, 'Songs for Burning Lovers’, which in spite of sharing similar production values to Cursed, clearly favoured order over chaos. Returning with ‘Rotten Thing To Say’, Colohan and cohorts continue to hone their song writing craft along with greater exposure through Southern Lord, and slicker production from Kurt Ballou.

Thoroughly ashamed of their ill-judged foray into hipsterdom, I imagine members of Ceremony would be more of a little envious of ‘No Love’. Whilst Burning Love are treating us all to a vociferous exhibition of prime hardcore punk energy; members of Ceremony are shuffling awkwardly, shoulders tensed and hands thrust deep into the pockets of their American Apparel chinos.

‘Tremors’ is 39 seconds of straight ahead punk rock intensity that barely pauses for breath; it is also 96 minutes of big worms chasing Kevin Bacon. My life is infinitely enriched with the inclusion of both. ‘Hateful Comforts’ is a nasty slab of rock n’ roll nihilism and in spite of my reluctance to use the term 'death n’ roll' due to distinct stylistic differences, ‘Rotten Thing To Say’ does appear to give more than a passing nod to Entombed’s opus, ‘DCLXVI: To Ride Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth’, an assertion again highlighted with the ringing feedback and distorted, ferocious clatter of ‘Damage Case’.

Seven years have passed and much has changed in my life; but on the strength of ‘Rotten Thing To Say’, I’d still kiss Chris Colohan right on the mouth.  

#Albums #Burning Love #Hardcore #Punk #Rock and Roll #Southern Lord #Robin Wallace