#gengpakmaon

Selamat Tinggal Pujaan

Kugiran Masdo

Publishing Date: 23/6/18

“Geng Pak Maon merancak menuju  zaman indie terbaru! ”

Born from the ashes of a dwindling indie scene and the remnants of antiquated nostalgia,  the debut album ‘Selamat Tinggal Pujaan’ marks the triumphant finale and beginning of Malaysia’s newest music revolt. After years of touring, nurturing, and grooming, the already infamous band delivers a fully furnished course into the cheeky ‘irama’ of the 60s, and the earliest beginnings of musical rebellion in Malaysian music. To a generation mooned after the burning presence of indie music almost a decade ago, it’s a refreshing twist into the past, in what seems to be bringing hope of a brighter future. Catapulting the same sentiment into another wave of frenzy by reinventing indie music, in stitching elements of nostalgia and sentiments of indie solidarity through the sacred and enshrined genre of “Pop Yeh Yeh”, the band’s infectious debut album is a promising statement on how adaptive songwriting can rejuvenate the life that the music brings, and re-store it’s value into the new generation of the times. Even with the finely executed production behind the album, nestled with delightfully trivial idiosyncrasies nodding in homage to its inspiration, Masdo emanates in spectacular fashion when they continuously outperform themselves on live stages. With covers of old classics, exuberant interludes, and distinctly dated dance moves, the band carries a bag full of beaming energy that fuels an unsatiable hunger of youth - filling a unique niche both sonically and  as musicians.  Loud, brash, and unforgiving in its witty cheekiness,  the band and their shows alike do anything but shy away from the recklessness of it all, taking the pride and mocking humour of it all in good faith - even with all it’s seeming and questionable flaws. With every reason to cringe away from it, the music becomes inexorably more enticing in its bravado.  It’s a newly born culture that has remarkably found a home in the tireless rowdiness of the youth today. Perhaps, the mix of modern innocence and giddy naughtiness of old romantic fantasia love has amused young listeners in good humour. But in the process, it has also indefinitely snatched their hearts in star-gazing awe by the smirking truth of it all. 

With  tracks such as ‘Malam Pesta Rock & Roll’ , ‘Miss Flower’, and ‘Bercanda di Malam Indah’, the gleeful escapism that comes with the easily catchy and rhythmic beat of the songs makes the cheeky vices of youthhood almost palpable.  Even in between the crudely twisted, olden, raw tongue that sings upfront, it’s the exaggerated delusion of it all chanting towards listeners that catches the front seat of each track in the album. The joyous restlessness of the drums, brazen echoing of the guitars, and playful bounce of the bass only bring to the fore the true cohesive force of attraction in the album. It’s the infamous and timid ‘jiwang’ spirit that stream through even our own narratives, offering a  cathartic confession of the unspoken woes and wonders of our vices that we seldom admit, or submit to, until now.  Amidst all the infectious buzz  and sparking of their music, there’s also a deep affection and admirable introspection that balances the album from falling off on it’s wheels.  As felt by track such as ‘Bunga’ and the aptly conclusive ‘Kecundang ’, the music also effectively captures the soulful elements that often gets negated by the stereotyped bruteness and unpolished nature of music from the past.  They’ve successfuly convinced a whole generation into participating into the greatest stunt of a plot “twist”. But the bigger question continues to linger at the helm of the ship as the wave slowly rides into the shore. The tragic and repeated foretelling would be that like many iconic acts of their time, they’re legacy will be cemented as merely a bright ‘moment’ in Malaysian music history.  However,  as others would attest as well, it has been the resilience and evolution of the mightiest bands such as Hujan that has prevailed their relevance and influence. Masdo has indefinitely ignited a revolutionary shift in attitude, and the album only cements this into history. But should the hamartia of their novelty turn into stagnancy, their future could be as black and white as their beginnings.