Cannondolls — Crumbs

If you want to win my heart, write a good murder ballad. I’m swooning over the Cannondolls’ “Bed on Fire.” In general, it’s a genre that I wish would be put to rest (so to speak), as it perpetuates a culture of toxic masculinity and justifies violence. But “Bed on Fire,” as you’ll see, has a whip-smart response to any would-be comers.

The Cannondolls play to their strengths — gorgeous three-part harmonies. As a result, the first couple of songs sound like the Andrews sisters at their most unhinged palling around at a honkey tonk somewhere (“Diamonds and Gold” seems to be a combination of a retelling of Bluebeard if he was a cartoon bank robber). But the album closer, “Way To Go,” shows the Cannondolls as earnest ballad writers as well. This EP, I’m sure, is a calling card for great things to come.

Cannondolls — Official, Facebook, Bandcamp

Edit: Corrected “Crumbs” to “Diamonds and Gold”