The energetic melodies that blast through Masshysteri’s new album, are simply mind blowing. This Swedish punk band from Umea has recently released their self-titled second album, and it may just be one of the best things that has ever been produced in the history of melodic punk rock. The harmonizing vocals of Sara and Robert are the perfect balance of aggression and sincerity while the predominant choppy guitar chords and drumbeats keep the motivating energy that drives their music.
In an age where it is hard to find anything but sappy indie rock and irritating rap lyrics, this innovative band is doing something authentic in the realm of not only punk music but rock and roll in general. The ten short and catchy songs that make up this album are powerful and simple, and the start of each new track jolts the listener back into the music. While at first the inability to understand the lyrics may seem jarring to the foreign listener; after listening a few times to the entire album, I forgot they were even signing in Swedish! The surf-rocky guitars and snappy punk drumming create the energy, while the passionate tone of the harmonizing male-female vocals are at times angry, and at times melancholy; creating the perfect blend of hooks that grab you and drag you into a place created by this musical phenomenon.
After enjoying their first album Var Del Av Stan, I was at first a little disappointed with this second album because of it’s popier quality and more produced sound, but after a few listens I have full-heartedly changed my opinion and now declare that “Lat Dom Hata Oss” is one of the best songs that has ever been created. The moving harmonic progressions are fun and unexpected; there is a lighthearted tone but at the same time it is passionate and honest. It is music that gets under your skin and makes you feel like doing back flips and running outside to conquer the world. They are technical but at the same time there is something free-spirited and raw about their sound. Since I discovered them last year, Masshysteri has not left my record player and I guess really the cover of their new album, a boy holding a guitar that is going up in flames, really just says it all: this band is on fire.
Zebrahead-MFZB
Who in the world would decide to name their band Zebrahead? This late 90s skater punk band is one of the most pathetic things that has ever been on MTV. Their album MFZB, an acronym for Mother Fuckin Zebrahead, is composed of cheesy power chords with whining vocals. This five-piece band from La Habra, California toured with Green Day and made it big with the song “Playmate of the Year”. The album MFZB opens with a cheesy song about love lost called “Dear You” which starts with the lyrics: “Dear you what’s your name? When did we start this crazy game?” The irritating guitar leads complement the childish yells and predictable chord progressions. The entire album is filled with sappy teenage angst and mundane, soulless whines. Throughout the album there is no instrumental variation or captivating movement. The fact that this band was signed by Columbia Records signals the sad downfall of mainstream music and the dregs of sound that the general audience chooses to expose themselves to. This band may have had a lot of hits on their myspace page but when they scream, “shut up I’m not like you” in the song “Type A” I definitely have to agree. Cliché lines such as “we never missed the things that we never had” adorn the bland sound of two guitars, a drummer and a bass player. Completely lacking in aesthetic value, this music cannot be considered art; it is a group of monkeys playing with toys and trying to eternalize their youth. This is music that will be forgotten, lost in the ocean of dead songs that no one will ever remember except maybe kids that were 12 to 14 years old in 2003. This is music our generation heard and grew out of, and it is something I would never wish upon the auditory senses of anybody.
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