I encountered the three-piece known as Masenko when they supported my band in Doncaster (such is the beauty of tour, seeing so many bands you’d never otherwise find) and they blew me away. Punchy harmonies and anthemic choruses that belied the band’s young ages, all topped off with a collective confidence in their music that was startling to behold. So I picked up their demo for the ridiculously low price of 50p and while the sonic quality is, to be brutally honest, a bit crap, the songs are more than strong enough to merit investigation.
‘Challenging The Host’ and ‘The Implosion of Modern Society’ really show off Martyn’s voice, and while he might have a few Matt Reynolds-ish tics there’s a palpable sense of identity that permeates all five tracks and sets Masenko aside from the crowd. Their variety of ska punk veers towards the progressive simply because there’s very little on show that could fit neatly into any recognisable template. And lets be honest – people this young shouldn’t be able to write songs as catchy as ‘Caught In The Headlights’. It makes the rest of us look bad.
This demo is far from the finished product, but it is definitely a positive sign of things to come. Even with the scratchy sound and questionable tightness there’s a zest and vitality to these songs that is nothing but positive, and I for one can’t wait to see them blossom.
Ben
www.myspace.com/masenko