Master Celebrations

Album Review

When Burning Heart Records released NFAA's debut Vision in 1993 (catalog number: BHR003), no one knew the influence that both band and label would have on the European independent music scene. No Fun at All went on to a ten-year career spanning five LPs, two EPs, numerous lineup changes, and too many tours to count. The Örebro, Sweden-based Burning Heart label is almost single-handedly responsible for promoting and supporting the careers of Refused, the Hives, and the (International) Noise Conspiracy, among others. For No Fun at All's farewell, Burning Heart united with Epitaph for Master Celebrations, a 24-track retrospective that spanned the group's entire career. "Master Celebrator," "Suicide Machine," and "Celestial Q&A" were classic bursts of melodic hardcore; indebted to the California sound of Bad Religion or 7 Seconds, but incorporating a distinctly European ear for melody in the vocals of Jimmie Olsson and later Ingemar Jansson that suggested XTC or the Jam. Master Celebrations' track listing was voted on by NFAA's fans over Burning Heart's website; it included the best moments from each album and EP, three unreleased songs, and a blazing cover of Gang Green's "Alcohol," which was a favorite set closer of No Fun at All over the years. The track featured guest vocals by Millencolin's Nikola and Magnus from 59 Times the Pain.