Meursault, The Lexington, London
- Written by Steve Warnham
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.