Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry

Time now for me to bang on about how brilliant Meursault's second album "All Creatures Will Make Merry" is. Their first offering "Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing with Tongues" was one of a number of reasons that inspired me to start this blog - more people had to know about them!

In the run up to the release, I'd not heard that much from the new album to be honest. "New Ruin", "Song For Martin Kippenberger" and "Crank Resolutions" had become live favourites over the last year. Other than that, there wasn't much to whet the appetite, other than a few acoustic radio sessions and sheer anticipation. At their Captain's Rest album launch gig a month ago though, the band played the new album in its entirety (give or take a song or two).... and it was staggering. No more so than the captivating, stripped back set-closer "One Day This'll All Be Fields".

Having now heard the album, it is every bit as good! It's worth noting that since their debut they've added two new members with Phil Quirie on guitar and Pete Harvey on cello. The end result is the album sounds a bit different from the debut. As Song, By Toad's Mr. Toad says:

"It’s denser in many ways, dirty and noisy, and yet as sad and
heartbreaking as you’d expect from the band."

The strings that have been added are nothing short of brilliant, especially on "Sleet" and the album's epic highlight "New Ruin".

Without a doubt, Meursault are one of the most enthralling band in Scotland at the moment. If all creatures will make merry, then this album certainly will too! Expect to see it in a lot of end of year Top 10s come December!

Here's two crackers from the album courtesy of the amazing Mr. Toad.

mp3: Crank Resolutions
mp3: Sleet

Upcoming Gigs
19th May - Mono, Glasgow
21st May - Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh
29th May - Knockengarroch Festival, Carsphaim
6th June - Old Queens Head, London (Album launch 'all-dayer')
24th Aug - Medina, Edinburgh (Neil solo)

For those of you out there wanting to hear more from Meursault, there's a few options for you.

1. Pop over to Peenko for a couple of recent radio sessions here and here featuring four tasters from the album.
2. Viennese videobloggers They Shoot Music Don't They recorded Neil playing a few songs at Inverleith Park in Edinburgh while they were over in Scotland.
   
3. Take a wee trip over to Off The Beaten Tracks for Episode #26 where Meursault performed a few tracks at Craigentinny and Portobello Beach in Edinburgh.

That should tide you over until you get your hands on a copy of the album. Before its general release on 24th May you might still be able to get a copy from Song, By Toad, or you can get a digital download from eMusic.