When it comes to judging a band’s artistic merit, any self-respecting music aficionado who’s even the least bit discriminating has little difficulty separating the generic, retread chaff from the innovative and substantive wheat.
Unfortunately, the lion’s share of artists fall smack dab in the middle—somewhere between the distant boundaries of “I Wanna Sex You Up” and “Eleanor Rigby.” It’s within this wide playing field that enthusiasts have the toughest time making the distinction between shiny foil wrapping and the creamy middle.
So where does that leave Go Betty Go and its SideOneDummy debut, Worst Enemy? In a commercial age bent on showcasing novelty, it’s attempting to lump the Los Angeles-based quartet and its first offering into the eternal void of all-girl rock. But does that tell anyone anything about them?
To be certain, Go Betty Go cannot avoid comparisons to the early punk sounds of The Go-Go’s, and the group most definitely exudes The Donnas’ long-lost grit while shirking the latter’s tendency to regurgitate The Ramones. When you get right down to it, Worst Enemy had no choice but to be good, what with only five tracks to boast. And fortunately for Go Betty Go, it is good. Had it not been for the brevity of the release, it might have even been great.
Worst Enemy opens with the title track, offering an explosive gem that marries a touch of The Ventures’ surf-rock vibe with the rapid-fire force of Pennywise. The formula stays fairly consistent throughout the album, reaching its high point with “Son Mis Locuras”—a catchy, Spanish-language anthem that gives a nod to the band’s primarily Latin background.
The closest thing to a letdown is the closing “C’mon”, which is ironically the group’s most Go-Go’s-like tune. But for anyone who has been missing the honest and compelling angst of Tilt’s Cinder Block, Worst Enemy will surely put a dip in your hip.
