Massmedia Sista Ackordet LP reissue
I feel like I’m ill-equipped to review (or even give proper context to) such a classic recording, but the sounds are in the speakers and there’s a keyboard at my fingers, so here we go. MASSMEDIA were teenagers from Sundsvall, Sweden in the late ’70s, and they self-released a couple of stellar 45s before Siste Ackordet in 1980—hard-hitting, high-energy, hopelessly catchy punk with layers of backing vocals that seem to work only because there was no one telling them that they couldn’t put backing vocals absolutely everywhere. “Mörkret” is a dark ballad worth its weight in gold, landing somewhere between MISSION OF BURMA and early LIPS, followed by “Dirt Problem” which lays the foundation for members’ future work in early Swedish hardcore bands HUVUDVÄTT and HEADCLEANERS. Again, these were teenagers, and the songs are straight classics. Sista Askordet should be in print at all times—this is what starter punk should be.