A Few Kind Words About Meursault
This record by Meursault is a latecomer to 2008, but well worth waiting for. After taking the time to absorb it, I've decided it's like a bottle of fine red wine. It looks gorgeous in the bottle and tastes good at first blush but its real beauty reveals itself after you've let it breathe for a bit.
There's an atmospheric mix of electronic touches, fuzzy electric guitar and lovely acoustic guitars that doesn't sound like anything else I've heard. I guess the best description would be to call it folktronica. Lead singer Neil Pennycook has a bit of a wail to his voice that gives the songs a warmth and intimacy, as though he's at home surrounded by his loved ones, picking and singing and letting loose his heart.
I played this all afternoon on Christmas Eve as I wrapped presents and it was the perfect companion for the way I felt, which was not happy and not sad but rather emotional, as though something was working itself out right beneath the surface. It's kind of hard to explain. Maybe you should just listen and see what you think.
Meursault--"A Few Kind Words" mp3 off Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing with Tongues (buy) This might be my favorite song on the album, especially the first few lines. It also pretty much epitomizes what I'm trying to get across about their sound.
Meursault--"The Furnace" mp3 off Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing with Tongues This is an equally wonderful song, though, so it's hard to pick a favorite.
Meursault is a Scottish band whose album has come out on my friend Matthew's label, Song by Toad Records. He's been advocating them for quite a while now, both in his Toad Sessions and on his blog, so getting this record out is a real accomplishment. Yep, that's right, he gets the credit for making sure all of us get to hear this marvelous band, although he'll probably pish-pish that idea.
hey, nice review. I've only heard three tracks ( these & a small stretch of
land ), but love the two you posted. Oddly, whoever upped the ones I have
labelled them "General Contemporary US Folk".... which seems a bit wide of
the mark.
yes, mine had that label too, and i asked matthew about it and apparently
it was some sort of error. anyway, i'm glad you like what you've heard and
i wholeheartedly recommend the entire thing, regardless of the wacky label!
It's truly unlike anything I've heard, and I don't know what kind of tags
I'd assign either. In cases like this, I fall back on a general "pop/rock"
label cuz I'm lazy like that.
nat--i like the "folktronica" label because it's weird music and that's one
of the weirder labels i iknow of. it really did take numerous listens for
this to penetrate, tho, so don't give up on it too soon. on the other hand,
it may never do it for you, and that's just the way it goes sometimes!
http://community.livejournal.com/folktronica/ is topical I spose? - not
often anything like Meursault, but sometimes good things get a mention.
i`m not sure to post or review Meursault in folktronica community ;)
miha--i think they would fit, but i'm no expert. what other bands are you
currently writing about?
i don`t have a plan or a list
only current wishlist :)
so just visit sometimes community and check out our choise
HNY
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