Edinburgh’s Meursault have been teasing us with a gig in their home city since the summer. An intimate gig in a less intimate setting, Neil Pennycook and his most recent band incarnation took to the stage of Summerhall’s Dissection Room for a regale and reminder of their previous album, Crow Hill as well as other tracks, with the promise of new work after a recent recording trip to Skye.
Supported by wojtek the bear, this was set to be an indie gig of epic proportions, and expectations were met. Meursault performed a set list that not only whet the audience’s appetite for their new work, but also opened the doors to indulge in their more melancholic tracks. And with the band stretching to a six-piece including flautist Emma Capponi and violinist Robyn Dawson, this incarnation gave the music a sound as delicate and raw as has ever been heard by Pennycook.
With notable performances of ‘New Boy’ and ‘Nakhla Dog’, this stunning gig had a vulnerable taste to it, occasionally broken up by the frenetic synth in ‘Crank Resolutions’ or beautiful ballads like ‘Run, Harmony, Run’ or ‘The Mill’. Meursault’s postponement left no bitter taste, instead, the satisfaction of hearing a doozy of a band pulling at the strings of wanting souls. Heightened feeling and open wounds were felt in the venue, as the audience encored for more.
