- Meursault (band)
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Meursault 
Edinburgh band, MeursaultBackground information Origin Edinburgh, Scotland Genres Indie Folk, Folktronica, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Lo-fi Years active 2007–present Labels Bear Scotland (2007)
Song, By Toad Records (2008—present)Website www.myspace.com/meursaulta701 Members Neil Pennycook
Fraser Calder
Chris Bryant
Calum MacLeod
Phillip Quirie
Pete Harvey
Gavin TarlingMeursault are an alternative indie band from Edinburgh, Scotland, led by singer-songwriter Neil Pennycook. Their musical style has been variously categorised as folktronica, alternative rock and indie folk. The band themselves have described their most recent work as "epic lo-fi".
The name of the band is a reference to the main character of L'Etranger, the famous novel of Albert Camus.
The band are noted for their use of traditional acoustic instruments such as guitar, banjo, harmonium and ukulele, accompanied by electronic sounds and beats generated by drum machines, samplers and synthesisers. Pennycook possesses a powerful singing voice, which, in combination with the unorthodox instrumentation, lends the band a distinctive sound.
Their releases to date have been generally well received by the music and entertainment media, both in Scotland and on a nationwide level.[1][2][3][4] In 2009 The Skinny placed the band's debut album, Pissing On Bonfires / Kissing With Tongues at #16 in their "Scottish Albums of the Decade" list;[5] while their second full-length release, All Creatures Will Make Merry, has been reviewed favourably by a number of notable media outlets, including The BBC,[6] Pitchfork,[7] Bearded[8] , Clash,[9] The List [10] and The Skinny[11] .
During 2009 and 2010, the band were included in regular rotation on local and national BBC radio stations, and playlisted by a number of BBC presenters including Gideon Coe, Marc Riley, Vic Galloway and Nemone.[12] They also announced that their schedule for the 2010 festival season would include appearances at RockNess,[13] T In The Park, Truck, End Of The Road and Glastonbury.[14]
Contents
History
Neil Pennycook of Meursault performing at Knockengorroch 2010
Meursault were formed when singer-songwriter Neil Pennycook began performing with friends from his hometown of Penicuik, on the outskirts of Edinburgh in Scotland.
The band self-released their debut album, Pissing On Bonfires / Kissing With Tongues, in 2008, before a second run was released on the Edinburgh-based independent label, Song, By Toad Records, in 2009.
In 2009, Phillip Quirie and Pete Harvey joined the band, with Pennycook stating that "the highlight [of the year] would have to be Phil and Pete joining the band. I’ve followed both of them, in their various projects, for what feels like years, and can’t believe how lucky I am to have the chance to work them both".[15]
The band's second album, All Creatures Will Make Merry was released on Song, By Toad Records as a limited edition handmade CD available to guests at launch events in Glasgow and Edinburgh in early April 2010, prior to a full national release on 24 May 2010.
The band have played numerous concerts in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and in 2009 embarked on their first nationwide tours. In early 2010, the band announced that their first European tour would take place during April and May of that year.
In late 2009, Neil Pennycook and Peter Harvey contributed to the Cold Seeds collaborative album along with Frances Donnelly (Animal Magic Tricks) and Kenny Anderson (King Creosote). Anderson, Donnelly and Pennycook all wrote songs for the project, which all four performers then recorded together.
Discography
Albums
- Pissing On Bonfires / Kissing With Tongues (2008)
- All Creatures Will Make Merry (2010)
EPs
- Nothing Broke (2009)
Singles
- William Henry Miller Pt.1/The Dirt & the Roots (2009)
- William Henry Miller Pt.2/A Few Kind Words (2009)
References
- ^ Brown, Alistair (3 June 2009). "Ones To Watch: Meursault". Clash. http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/meursault.
- ^ Drever, Ryan (7 January 2010). "10 for 2010: Meursault". The List. http://www.list.co.uk/article/23017-10-for-2010-meursault/.
- ^ Shepherd, Fiona (5 December 2008). "Album review: Meursault - Pissing on Bonfires, Kissing with Tongues". The Scotsman. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/albumreviews/Album-review-Mersault--Pissing.4764670.jp.
- ^ Hamilton, Billy (2 December 2008). "Meursault - Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues". The Skinny. http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/44127-meursault---pissing-on-bonfireskissing-with-tongues.
- ^ Bruce, Gordon (26 November 2008). "Scottish Albums Of The Decade #16: Meursault - Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues". The Skinny. http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/98124-scottish-albums-of-the-decade-16-meursault---pissing-on-bonfireskissing-with-tongues.
- ^ Ubaghs, Charles (25 May 2010). "Meursault All Creatures Will Make Merry Review". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9hwx.
- ^ Granzin, Amy (24 June 2010). "Album Review: Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry". Pitchfork. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14298-all-creatures-will-make-merry/.
- ^ Harper, Simon (1 June 2010). "Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry (Song By Toad)". Bearded. http://www.beardedmagazine.com/albums/article/meursault-all-creatures-will-make-merry-song-by-toad/.
- ^ Drever, Ryan (26 May 2010). "Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry". Clash. http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/meursault-all-creatures-will-make-merry.
- ^ Atkinson, Robin (6 May 2010). "Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry". The List. http://www.list.co.uk/article/25421-meursault-all-creatures-will-make-merry/.
- ^ Hamilton, Billy (4 May 2010). "Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry". The Skinny. http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/99185-meursault---all-creatures-will-make-merry.
- ^ BBC Music (December 2008). "Meursault". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/7e2d600e-edfc-4493-b6d7-285ff1ccd9f0.
- ^ Ashman, Neil (21 June 2010). "Rockness 2010: the DiS review". Drowned in Sound. http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4140306-rockness-2010--the-dis-review.
- ^ BBC (23 June 2010). "Glastonbury 2010: Meursault". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2010/artists/meursault/.
- ^ McMeeken, Euan (9 February 2010). "The Steinberg Principle Interview #12: Meursault". The Steinberg Principle. http://thesteinbergprinciple.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/interview-12-meursault/.
External links
Categories:- Scottish indie rock groups
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