2025 has marked many new beginnings for multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Mark William Lewis ahead of the first of two shows at Zebulon on Friday, Nov. 21. Hailing from London, the genre-bender began his career drawing fans of lo-fi artists like Bar Italia and Dean Blunt. But with each passing single and EP, it became clear Lewis had more to offer, the evidence manifesting in his debut album, Living.
So when news broke that Lewis was the first non-soundtrack artist to sign with A24, best known for distributing movies like “Moonlight,” “Hereditary,” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” it cemented his status as someone to keep an ear out for. Any keen followers were rewarded with the release of his self-titled album, a record that refined Lewis’ sound for loyal fans and new listeners.
Singer-songwriter Samba Jean-Baptiste was first to take the stage, emerging like a fellow audience member and quickly tuning his guitar. While the sound of tall cans opening was heard throughout his set, Jean-Baptiste found ways to utilize the sole acoustic guitar to his advantage during emotional performances of songs like “rosewater in process” (a YouTube exclusive absent from DSPs), each passing track different in energy and sound from the previous one.
In contrast to the slower-paced, melancholic lyrics of Jean-Baptiste’s material, there was light-hearted banter with the crowd. Highlights include Jean-Baptiste talking about feeling proud to be American while touring despite tumultuous times and poking fun at an enthusiastic attendee’s “Woo!” after mentioning Massachusetts.
Another moment of levity came towards the end when a fan asked if he could play “Seven Less Functions.” After quipping that they were taking away time for him to perform his last song, “Cardinal,” he managed to pack both back-to-back. That loose, seemingly seamless approach to music is what distinguishes Jean-Baptiste and others, whose lo-fi sounds are as compelling as those of the flashiest artists working today.
It’s easy to see how Jean-Baptiste and Lewis’ audiences overlap, with the two consistently turning to gloomy atmospheres and minimalist production. So much so, their songs often sound as though they come from similar headspaces. Given the kinship they share in music making, Jean-Baptiste’s set, for a while, seemed to be a teaser of what was to come from Lewis and his band.
However, Lewis quickly disproved any assumptions over whether his on-stage performances would share the same understated quality of his song’s studio recordings. With his signature harmonica wrapped around his neck, Lewis breathed life into popular tracks like “Cold Paris Vogue,” proving the instrument is indeed stank-face-worthy given his apparent prowess with it, on top of playing the guitar.
Elements that did carry over from what listeners have come to expect from Lewis include his deadpan vocal delivery, accentuated by an ever-intense gaze as if Lewis was seeing past the audience and into the very moments he describes in his songs.
Unlike other songwriters, he writes fragments of particular moments through overly simplistic lyrics that leave the bigger picture vague. At the same time, he arrives at the same emotional conclusions, especially on songs from his self-titled album.
“Petals” was an expected highlight of the show, the single sunnier than previous releases and showing Lewis’ ability to get romantic, if still nonchalant about his feelings. His harmonica-playing also came off as lighter in tone, complementing the cutesy lyrics like “We had the best connection / We’re kind of similar, I guess.”
But it was “Still Above,” also from the same album, that was the set’s peak. Unlike its studio counterpart, the hell-raising attitude from Lewis and co., as well as the welcomed addition of a trumpet, made for a head-banger of a performance.
Towards the tail end of “Still Above,” Lewis turned away from the audience and into a football huddle with the rest of the band during the climax, resulting in a hive mind-like state unparalleled save for “Anyone” and the three-song encore. (Afterward, drummer Billy Howard Price of Puppy fame threw a towel over his head while catching his breath, appearing like a Halloween ghost who just did an Ironman Triathlon.)
Speaking of “Anyone,” a track defined by its ‘90s indie-rock feel, Lewis noticeably sang in a different register during the chorus, showing his range already evident by his talent across the instruments he plays.
Similar to “Still Above,” the best part of the performance came from a moment of clear camaraderie at the end, this time between Lewis and bandmate Harry Plomer. The two stood in front of each other like duelists with abysmal spatial awareness, their guitars just barely missing each other yet never breaking one another’s focus.
Despite the livelier instrumentation on stage, Lewis kept it cool throughout the show, often shouting out his bandmates and the audience for returning the energy. For a brief moment, he joked, “Fuck it, make some noise for me,” before his modesty set in and compelled him to add, “Actually, make some noise for yourselves.”
Rightfully so, the crowd made sure to bring the noise for Lewis, albeit after their daze wore off during each song. By the time Lewis brought Jean-Baptiste back on stage for the last two songs, with the opener singing and dancing alongside the band, it was obvious that jamming out and showing off his artistry came naturally.
ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
BEST NEW MUSIC
This post may contain affiliate links. Ads and affiliate links are how independent blogs like Grimy Goods can operate. Thank you for supporting our work and being a part of our music community.
