The Test Drive: Manon Meurt – Manon Meurt

This is shoegaze with the sensibility and ability to overcome the common pitfalls that shoegaze artists can sometimes inadvertently stumble into and that is sounding like other shoegaze artists. Manon Meurt has no trouble staying away from that bottomless pit of conformity.

With and originally style equal to none that piece together a concept of the mind in this eponymous album of eclectic an poignant masterpiece of musical collections that has the distinct recognition of being an album that can entice you from start to finish. Well done!

About Manon Meurt

Upstart Canadian imprint Label Obscura is proud to announce the vinyl reissue of the debut EP by Czech Republic shoegaze/ noise pop quartet Manon Meurt, making it available in North America for the first time.

These quickly rising shoegaze stars have played alongside The Raveonettes, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, LSD and the Search for God, and My Bloody Valentine. During the soundcheck for the latter, while Kevin Shields was still in the locker room, MBV’s sound engineer actually complained that Manon Meurt were playing too loud.

Manon Meurt is Vojtech Pejša (guitar, vocals), Káta Elznicová (vocals, guitar), Jirí Bendl (drums) and Jana Karlíková (bass guitar, giggler). They hail from the small Czech town of Rakovnik, located just outside of the capital, Prague. Inspired by the British shoegaze movement of the early 90s, bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride and Slowdive have clearly helped shape the band’s sound.

Originally self-released on vinyl in their native country in autumn 2014, this self-titled 6-track 12-inch record sold out shortly after its initial release and now fetches upwards of $50 USD via Discogs.

This debut album shows the band in a number of different musical moods, from the rollicking opener “To Forget” to the dreamy atmospherics of both “‘94” and “Until You Can” and the show-stopping B-side closer “Blue Bird”, nicely bringing the album to a close and foreshadowing what lies ahead for this exciting new band.

Label Obscura, as a website and record label, was created with the goal of shining a light on some of their favorite labels, bands, and albums from the past and present, with a focus on indie rock that never got a vinyl release or is currently out of print.

This reissue will be limited to 200 copies on white vinyl in North America, and will be available through the label’s website and via select independent record retailers. All copies come packaged with a high-quality plastic inner sleeve and a digital download card. It is also available digitally via the label’s Bandcamp.

TRACK LIST

1. To Forget 05:22
2. Glowing Cityscape 03:50
3. ’94 05:01
4. Until You Can 03:50
5. In These Eyes 04:31
6. Blue Bird 06:56

“These six tracks are a beguiling introduction to a band who let their music breathe. While many gazers heap track upon track, Manon Meurt’s songs are spacious and special” – Primal Music Blog

“Bit of a slow burner… a steady ascent to its dizzying height. I’m reminded of Cranes. Not any song in particular, but just very Cranes-y in a general kind of way” – This is That Song

“You can hear a well-oiled 100-tonne locomotive coasting regally over a criss-cross of points… a perfectly paced trajectory. Manon Meurt know when to apply the brakes, and when to go full throttle. And the album takes only seconds to work up a head of steam” – Czech Harmonies

“There are a number of excellent shoegaze bands in The Czech Republic, and MANON MEURT are arguably the Rolls Royce of them all” – Infinite Radar

“Sparse dream pop combined with more abrasive shoegaze… manage to craft effortless-sounding melodies with guy/girl vocals… stunning effort” – Sounds Better With Reverb

“A stunner, an epic quiet/loud shoegaze beauty. This EP, simply, is the sort of release shoegaze has needed for a couple of years now” – Just Music I Like

BOHEMIAN TOUR DATES:

• April 30 – Cheb, CZ – Jazz Rock Café
• May 3 – Kladno, CZ – Auto da Fé
• May 4 – Prague, CZ – Most Legií – Ponton (open air)
• May 5 – Brno, CZ – TBA
• May 6 – Beroun, CZ – Metro Club
• May 7 – Rakovník, CZ – Adolf Engel café/bistro (open air)

BRITISH TOUR DATES (with Garrett Klahn):

• May 18 – Kingston – The Fighting Cocks
• May 19 – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
• May 20 – Glasgow – The Broadcast
• May 21 – Wrexham – Rewind
• May 22 – Plymouth – The Underground
• May 23 – Milton Keynes – The Craufurd Arms
• May 24 – Birmingham – The Rainbow
• May 25 – London – The Islington

LINKS:
http://www.facebook.com/manonmeurt
http://manonmeurt.bandcamp.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/vojtech1987/videos
http://bandzone.cz/manonmeurt