Horrible Girl and the Hot Mess – Do You Know Who Your Friends Are? (Review)

Horrible Girl and the Hot Mess’ new album Do You Know Who Your Friends Are? is an anthem for misguided youth. With ripping drums, powerpop synths, and vocals that range from sweet dreams to nightmares, it’s got enough angst and emotion to get you through any hormonal ups and downs. Sonically semblant of Bomb The Music Industry!’s early work mixed with a little folk-punk, the band ditches high production quality in favor of raw, raw, raw.

Hearing this album is like reminiscing on your overblown high school relationship. It’s a little ridiculous, and you and your friends are all aware of it. Yet, it’s the only time you’ve ever experienced the beauty of pure emotional exchanges with another human being in real time. Void of the maturity that dulls the life of you and your peers, “Do You Know Who Your Friends Are” touches a foundational part of your personhood. If you can forget about being cool for two seconds, you’re guaranteed to feel your blood pressure rise as you sympathize with Amelia Hall’s lyrical delivery.

With tongue-in-cheek song names like “Reefer Sadness,” “Crucial Hangs,” and “Now! That’s What I Call Emo, Vol. 666,” you can be sure that the emotional content of this album is going to peer through a light-hearted lense. “Reefer Sadness” has an arcade-style synth line that will make you feel like your beating your favorite video game, until the whole song slows down. Then the chorus lyrics “I’m not gonna be sad and dumb forever” are repeated in a slow anthem that will surely have you and your sweaty friends swaying and singing along. Even the line “Our friends all run in circles around their deaths” in the track “Pentagram Tattoo,” is followed by some WHOAAAAA OHHHHH OHHHH OHHHHHs and a huge guitar solo. See mom, it’s not *all* bad!

Based in Greenville, SC and formed in 2016, this group has been turning the right heads along the east coast. This year they will be playing Fest 18 in November (which is already sold out!) as well as this coming weekend at Rock Hill’s bangin Don’t Sweat It Fest. If festivals aren’t your style, their summer tour kicks off on June 13th at The Radio Room and takes them all over the Eastern United States.

Listen to Do You Know Who Your Friends Are? by Horrible Girl and the Hot Mess below.