Review
Your Enemies Friends
You are Being Videotaped

Buddyhead (2004) Michael

Your Enemies Friends – You are Being Videotaped cover artwork
Your Enemies Friends – You are Being Videotaped — Buddyhead, 2004

Buddyhead Records is a label fueled by hype. Your Enemies Friends released their debut effort The Wiretap EP on their label. So naturally I was drawn to check it out, but I wasn't expecting much because nine times out a ten with Buddyhead the hype isn't worth. This was that one exception; they actually signed a promising band. In support of the EP, Your Enemies Friends took to the road alongside Pretty Girls Makes Graves and The Dillinger Escape Plan, creating quite a buzz for themselves and catapulting You Are Being Videotaped onto every hipster's want list.

The majority of reviews that I have read about Your Enemies Friends have repeatedly compared them to Pretty Girls Make Graves. Oddly enough, I think I am the only one who doesn't hear the similarities. "The One Condition" quickly sets the precedent for what is in store for us on You Are Being Videotaped. The music is fueled by fast-paced post-punk rock and underlying keyboards to give it that new-wave flavor that is rather in right now. A more precise description would go something like this: take the music of Relationship of Command era At the Drive-In, add a little more distortion and some keyboards / electronic effects and wham, you've got a hit like "Back of a Taxi." While Ronnie Washburn contributes the majority of the vocals throughout the album, bassist Dana James occasionally chimes in to lend her vocal talents, such as on "Business French Kiss." I presume this is where the PGMG comparisons stem from. Some of the bands obvious influences are showcased on this album, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Unusable Signal" pays homage to Nirvana, I'm sure that Luis-Carlos Contreas emulated Dave Grohl's playing for hours on end. The album does provide for some good sing-alongs, the chorus of "Pollution of Nonsense" allows the listener to scream out "This is impossible to complicate," thought I'm not sure what that refers to - it's probably just nonsense. As the album closes to an end, Your Enemies Friends mellow out, which is kind of disappointing for I rather enjoyed it when they rocked out. In fact, "The Comfort System" and "Easy Assault" sound like an entirely different band as compared to the beginning of You Are Being Videotaped.

So the review is completed and now that means there is only one thing left to do: brace for cover as "Captain Buddyhead" reads my review and decides to pick apart my entire life for his own enjoyment.

7.0 / 10Michael • June 22, 2004

Your Enemies Friends – You are Being Videotaped cover artwork
Your Enemies Friends – You are Being Videotaped — Buddyhead, 2004

Related news

New Your Enemies Friends Song

Posted in MP3s on April 4, 2006

Your Enemies Friends Westcoast Dates

Posted in Tours on December 5, 2005

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Detention

Dead Rock ‘N’ Rollers
Left For Dead Records (2024)

Life ain’t so easy in the detention home- Dead Boys. Emerging from the underbelly of Jersey, made up primarily of three brethren. Raised on rock and roll and sipping from the chalice of early punk rock stalwarts like Da Bruddahs from Queens, Hey Ho! and the Pistoleros of Sexual Nature screaming banshees from across from the large pond. Thus forging … Read more

Nightfreak

Nightfreak
Big Neck Records (2024)

Semi-feral punk outfit NightFreak are back with a self-titled LP filled with breakneck riffs and 70s metal bombast. The Chicago group haven’t slowed down since 2022’s Speed Trials but they have filled out. NightFreak the album is lousy with warm back beats and melodic guitars; although, hardcore vocals and tight drums still reign supreme. Album opener “Blackout” is dead serious … Read more

Death By Unga Bunga

Raw Muscle Power
Jansen Records (2025)

I’m pretty sure I became aware of Mike Krol when The Whiffs posted about playing some shows with him. Krol is a bit of an anomaly. Not only is he on Merge and collaborates with Mac Superchunk- a dream scenario imo- but he’s also been elusive of my fan boy attempts at cold dm’ing him about stuff even tho we … Read more