Band of Skulls at Mercury Lounge

Russell Marsden

During their college years, two childhood friends, guitarist/vocalist Russell Marsden and drummer Matt Hayward, both from Southampton, England, recruited bassist Emma Richardson and formed a musical trio called Fleeing New York. The band played night clubs in the Greater London area and recorded demos in Hayward's father's shed-studio. In 2008, the band renamed itself Band of Skulls. Hayward left the band in 2017, and since then, a series of professional collaborations in studios led Marsden and Richardson to move away from the band's earlier blues-garage sound to a more synth-pop direction. Band of Skulls released its fifth and most recent studio album, Love Is All You Love, on April 12, 2019.

Before launching a headlining tour of larger clubs, Band of Skulls performed a more intimate show tonight as part of Mercury Lounge's 25th anniversary series. Backed by a touring drummer, Julian Dorio of the Whigs, much of the band's live sound shifted between vintage-sounding blues rock and hook-laden pop melodies. Some songs were hard enough to become metal headbangers. Other songs were led by radio-friendly hooks, but still featured brief but gritty guitar licks. Interspersed throughout the set, the lighter songs allowed breathing space after the hammering of the heavier songs. The mix worked fine, allowing the music to sound alternately fierce and chill. One can only wonder where the band will lean with the next album.

Setlist:

1. That's My Trouble
2. You're Not Pretty But You Got It Going On
3. Himalayan
4. We’re Alive
5. Cool Your Battles
6. Fires
7. Sweet Sour
8. Cold Fame
9. Hoochie Coochie
10. Love Is All You Love
11. The Devil Takes Care of His Own
12. I Know What I Am
13. Asleep at the Wheel
14. Light of the Morning
15. Death by Diamonds and Pearls
16. Carnivorous (Marsden performed in the audience)