A lesson in music was given at The Captain’s Rest tonight, the venue acclaimed by city music lovers for really bringing grass roots bands to the stage.
The night was opened with a more than capable effort from Glasgow’s very own Lyons, or at least half of them, a result brought about by the absence of drummer Fearghas. The solo effort was commendable, a driving fusion of catchy vocal melodies and powerful guitar riffs .
Les Cox (Sportifs) were up next, the Geordie trio meekly offering a set of rock/indie that would have sounded more at home forty years ago. There was a fun and lively air to the music, but without any real cutting edge to stick in the minds of the onlooking audience.
As the crowd departed for their tobacco and alcohol fix, on sneaked the headline act of the evening accompanied by all manner of weird and wonderful instruments. The Edinburgh trio, en route to the Wickerman festival, didn’t bother to wait for the stragglers, the music alone would see to their return. “Don’t send me home”, wailed Neil Pennycook, the sorrow as tangible as the tears rolling down the cheeks of any person present with a soul.
The opener was faultless, as was ‘The Dirt, The Roots’. A beautifully constructed acoustic gem screaming “You burned down the orphanage and poisoned your mother” before breaking into the chorus line “ So you buried your heart ‘neath the dirt and the roots”. Sometimes superlatives escape you, and as a result, you have to move on. The set continued with the soulfully emotive ‘Nothing Broke’ sinking already heavy hearts. Owen Ashworth is a name that springs to mind with Meursault, in more ways than one. The similarities go beyond the often electronic nature of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, they delve deep into matching realms of heartache and melancholy. ‘Crank Resolution’ was one of the weaker tracks of the set, while ‘Salt Part Two’ was another incredible effort, beautifully poignant with that addictive quality that has you yearning for one last chorus.
The evening was rounded off by ‘A Small Stretch Of Land’ that saw front man Neil see out the show on his own. It is also notable that such is the quality and diversity of the music, the band were able to leave out ‘William Henry Miller pt 2’, perhaps their most recognised track thus far.
With the line “You were lost on such a small stretch of land” the night came to an end, sadly. An incredibly powerful set all round, not clouded by costumes and theatrics like is so often seen these days. Just a brilliantly honest live performance to conclude a very decent showcase of new music, by a band that has a truly bright future in store.