Having called time in 2014, Meursault are back, and The Lexington is a fitting venue for the launch of their first release in 5 years, I Will Kill Again. It feels intimate, despite being packed to the rafters, allowing a palpably thrilled Neil Pennycook the space he and his band need to deliver an animated performance of their new material.

They are supported by Faith Eliott, who regales twisting tales over beautiful folk strumming, before effortlessly switching gears to contribute backing vocals for Meursault.

Minor sound issues hamper the beginning of Meursault’s set, but there’s no stopping this comeback. They find their feet during a storming rendition of ‘By Gaslight’ from recent EP Simple Is Good, with Pennycook’s voice cutting powerfully through the wall of noise his band are capable of producing.

Understandably after a short hiatus, most of the attention is given to the band’s new material, as they air tracks such as ‘Belle Ami’, ‘The Mill’, and of course the title track, ‘I Will Kill Again’. As the latter picks up, Pennycook calls upon a guitar tech take his stead, freeing himself up to leave the stage to drive through the crowd microphone in hand, for a frenzied finale which leaves his amp thrown to the ground, and his glasses nowhere to be seen. Pun not intended.

In stark contrast, another highlight was I Will Kill Again’s ‘Ode To Gremlin’, which Pennycook delivers without any amplification whatsoever. He manages to hush the crowd momentarily, but they soon join in on vocals and percussion by way of stomping on the beer-soaked floor. The track focuses on heartbreak, acknowledging the well-trod ground of the subject matter, as he belts out the refrain of, “the last thing the world needs now, is another song about the fucking sea.”

They are called out for an encore, and true to form, they perform the brilliant ‘Flittin’’ from 2012’s Something For The Weakend. This gives the band a final opportunity to signal their return with another explosive performance. The song ends with Pennycook handing vocal duties to an overzealous fan in the crowd as he falls to the floor of the stage.

It’s these moments that not only make Meursault an impressive live act, but show how excited both Pennycook and their fans are about their return, leaving few doubting that they’re back stronger than ever.

This is the third time I have witnessed the Tall Ships live show, and it's undoubtedly the best. 

The first time was on what I can only assume was the Everything Touching release tour in October 2012, which featured the band's early material heavily; the second time in July 2014 was something of a transitional time with a lot of new material in the set, and I sadly can't remember which of those tracks made the cut for the new record; and this time seems like a celebration of the band's rebirth as a formidable alt-rock machine. 

Gone are the obvious quirks, and in their place are the sweeping soundscapes and powerful emotions which were only laced through the band's original material. Keep a look out from my upcoming review of new record Impressions (out March 31st), in which I plan to cover that evolution in depth, so I won't preempt myself here. 

The show itself was essentially transcendent. Swells in music and perfectly timed combinations of smoke and light helped to elevated the atmosphere to euphoric. The room wasn't quite at bursting, and I don't believe it was sold out, but everyone in attendance was treated to a heck of a show. 

There were three obvious gears throughout the night, with 'Ode to Ancestors' providing the slowest one, with a solo vocal and keys opening, building into an endearing yet undeniably geeky love song, and one of the band's most charming creations. The second was the progressive mode, characterised by new tracks 'Home' and 'Day By Day', in which the band command the evening with the dynamics of a post-rock performance, perfectly balancing the loud and quiet. Finally, there's the party mode, which inspired a powerful rendition of the classic 'T=0' as well as an aggressive performance of recent single 'Meditations On Loss', in which strong vocals descended into hair-raising and impassioned shouts. 

A hard decision between 'Vessels' and 'Plate Tectonics' for a closer was abruptly smashed when defiant shouts of "One more tune!" ensured the curfew was stretched far enough to accommodate both. In recent weeks I've been infatuated with <em>Impressions</em>, but following this performance my musical heart has been reminded of Tall Ships' greater beauty and talent. 

They are truly wonderful, and you should listen to them if you haven't before, and don't delay. 

There’s always a sense of excitement that comes with the start of a new year; music fans across the country eagerly await the line-ups for summer festivals.  Rumours abound for weeks on who might be making an appearance at the plethora of events which will be taking place up and down the UK (and abroad, if you’re adventurous) - and as the announcements are made, the excitement is heightened by the fact that you can almost reach and and grab the summer season in front of you.

Live at Leeds, held over the first May bank holiday, is always one such event for us.  Perhaps the giddiness is aided by the fact there are not one, but two days off in May; but it’s one festival that guarantees a great day out with a really good mix of music to keep you going.  

In a similar vein to Tramlines and Dot to Dot, Live at Leeds embraces the venues across its city; from tiny underground bars to larger venues like the University of Leeds - and everything in between.  There’s something for every taste and there’s a well-curated list of artists to entertain you through the day, be it an up and coming unsigned act or your favourite Top 40 band.  You can plan your day out to suit your own schedule - hey, you can even stop for a pub lunch and/or kebab on the way round.  

This year is no exception.  Highlights for us include the return of Get Inuit, who we discovered at LAL 2015.  Their infectious guitar pop comes in quick, rather noisy, bursts - in a good way, of course.  Alongside them, Let’s Eat Grandma; we reviewed their debut album last year and would love to see them recreate their mad, whimsical music in a live environment, particularly because so many instruments are involved in each track.  Bigger acts include Jagwar Ma, Gabrielle Aplin and Temples, whilst Slaves, White Lies, Wild Beasts, Nothing But Thieves, and the rather well booked ahead-of-time Rag’n’Bone Man complete the eclectic line-up.

With the last acts on the line-up being announced this week - Frightened Rabbit and  amongst them - you’re now in prime position to make the shortlist of bands you want to see.  Venues and times are still to come, the hardest part now will be working out how many bands you can squeeze into your day.

If the prospect of the main event leaves you wanting more, the festival is sandwiched with two gigs - the Live at Leeds Welcome with Future Islands on Friday 28th April, and Maximo Park close the weekend on Sunday 30th.  You’d be hard pushed to find something you don’t like.

Live at Leeds takes place on Saturday, April 29th. Tickets cost £32.50 and are available at various outlets - check www.liveatleeds.com for more information.

Before Modern Baseball even graced the stage of this Glaswegian warehouse, support from Thin Lips and The Superweaks (and likely The Pooches who I unfortunately missed) cemented the house party atmosphere, that feeling of friends congregated in a sweaty basement to enjoy live music and each other's company. The jovial crowd interaction and fuzz-laced music only served to highlight this ambience on the path to the performance.

Embarking on a tour without frontman Brendan Lukens (who stayed in Philadelphia to focus on self-care and recuperation) was a bold move on the part of this quartet, but a commendable one, as fans' enjoyment would not be delayed, and it strikes me as an admission that all members are and should be on an equal footing. In that other acts may replace a drummer with a replacement without question, but quickly abandon ship should that charismatic lead be absent.

Regardless, the performed an expansive and endearing set of the emotive pop rock anthems which have garnered them such an international following. Whilst their sound can be uninspiring at times on record, the passion with which the band delivered their performance, and how this was reflected and amplified by an energetic crowd, ensured that the show was a thoroughly enjoyable one.

The heart of Modern Baseball's craft is undoubtedly the impact of the honest lyrics, elevated by the music that the dance with. Missing Lukens' presence and delivery was somewhat of a loss to the quality, but again the gusto of the crowd dwarfed any shortcomings on the part of the band, as the back and forth was invigorating.

The final third of the set began with a cluster of solo acoustic tracks from primary replacement vocalist Jake Ewald, with crowd joining him in the rendition of both the lyrics and the melodies. This lull helped to increase the power of the final straight by contrast, as the band were joined onstage by various members of the support acts. The final duo of the raucous 'Your Graduation' and an unexpected cover of The Killers' 'When You Were Young' brought the night to a glowing end, although expanding the short snippet of 'Seven Nation Army' into a full blown cover would've been perfection.

Overall, despite the swearing and alcohol, the show held a "family friendly" vibe, perhaps that would be the musical kind rather than the nuclear kind. Showcasing their art from humble beginnings to Holy Ghost, Modern Baseball and friends (including all in attendance) had a pleasant Thursday night, and just maybe that claim that Glasgow is their second favourite city was actually sincere.