I Set My Friends on Fire

After their screamo remake of Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat" saw them become last year's Internet darlings, it should be considered a no-brainer that Matt Mihana (vocals) and Nabil Moo (instruments/programming/vocals) landed themselves a record deal. Now known as I Set My Friends On Fire, the Myspace generation's answer to the DIY movement have—in an act that either heralds the end of music as we know it or will pass harmlessly by in the night—released their debut, You Can't Spell Slaughter Without Laughter
It's more of a slapped-together parody of the whole electro-grind-screamo-emo movement than it is an actual album. This disc offers much more laughter than it does slaughter. These two fun-lovin' youngsters rip and tear through every scenester cliché imaginable. Along the way, the duo manage to produce a handful of entertaining moments, such as the comically-titled "WTFWJD," the schizophrenic "Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beerholder" and the surprisingly skilled "Interlude." Of course, we have the boys' fame-inducing cover of "Crank Dat" and the even more ludicrous rap-grinder, "HXC 2-Step." The rest of You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter is little more than a collection of riffs and vocals melodies we've all heard dozens of times in the last three years.

Sure, there's something to be said for the entertainment value of this album, but the lack of overall substance and actual songwriting is so great that I'd be very surprised to speak to anyone who remembers this one in five years.

—Ryan Ogle
10.26.08