Friendship Commanders – “The Enemy I Know”

Friendship Commanders released their Steve Albini produced full-length BILL back in October of 2018 and proceeded to hit the road for some impressive bouts of touring; spreading their emphatic, big riff, rock styles across the country (vaguely unrelated side note: they sold some pretty great neckties as merch items; a true rarity in that world). Now the band has announced a brand new EP entitled Hold On To Yourself set for release on April 3rd, 2020 that is “dedicated to anyone who is living with, or has lived with, abuse.”

The first single from the release, “The Enemy I Know,” tackles that subject matter head on. Musically, the song is what you’d expect (and hope for) from the band; very loud, very big and very cathartic in its delivery from every conceivable angle. Lyrically, it casts the protagonist into the unfortunate position that many in abusive relationships find themselves in; as the cause of all problems, regardless of the truth of the situation. It’s a heavy reminder of the awful position many get trapped into but, fortunately, the song provides a hopeful message:

where are we now?
do we give up and disavow?
or tunnel through the shit somehow?
I think I’m moving on and living this out loud

I’m still alive!
I lived to tell and have some pride
your suffering can not be mine
no, not this time

We won’t know the full contents of the EP until its release in early April but this preview track shows that the band isn’t planning on going gently into that good night. The album is dedicated to those living with abuse but may also provide a light towards escaping it.