10/11/2017

Marlon Williams – Pt. Chevalier RSA November 9, 2017

After eight months overseas, Marlon Williams returns to New Zealand for a series of shows to generate excitement for the release of his second long player, Make Way For Love due out February 16^th.

And, indeed, there was plenty of excitement as fans crowded in to Auckland’s Pt. Chev RSA, the first of two shows at the unlikely venue. For many, it was their first time in the room, and everyone seemed impressed, especially when iut came time to pay for those $5 beers.

After a brief opening set from Merk (aka Mark Perkins) the much-anticipated return of Marlon Williams got underway.

It was clear right from the beginning that this would be a different Marlon Williams show than we had seen in the past.

First, there were new songs…lots of them. Marlon played 9 of the 11 tracks from the forthcoming album, plus the new stand-alone single. Only two songs featured from the first album, with the remainder being covers.

Second, Marlon’s sound has expanded. While he’s got the same band as always…Dave Khan, Ben Woolley and Gus Agars…they are making a much more diverse sound. I don’t think anyone would have called this a country, or even alt.country, show.

Third, Marlon’s performance abilities have only grown over the past year. He is using his voice in ways I haven’t heard it before, and his general stage demeanour is much more assured.

The only thing that could have let him down tonight would have been the quality of the songs, or the audience’s interest in hearing unfamiliar music.

Fortunately neither was the case.

The show began with a couple of new songs. Come To Me and I Know A Jeweller both featured Dave Khan on synths rather than guitars, letting the audience know immediately that things had changed.

Both songs were excellent…the first a stately ballad featuring Ben Woolley’s beautiful harmonies and the latter finding Marlon singing in a lower, gruffer voice than we’ve heard from him before.

Dave strapped on his guitar for I’m Lost Without You, letting go with a stinging solo.

“Are you all getting nice and pissed on the cheap booze?’ Marlon asked before launching into What’s Chasing You, another, more upbeat, new offering.

As the set progressed, Marlon sat down at the electric piano (he had been playing acoustic guitar) and introduced another new song.

I Didn’t Make A Plan (To Break Your Heart, But It Was The Sweetest Thing I’ve Ever Done) might sound like a country music parody, but I can assure you, it was a serious as a heart attack.

The following tune, The Fire Of Love, began with, of all things, an electronic looped beat. Interestingly, it fit right in as Marlon’s high lonesome voice swooped over the soundscape.

Party Boy is a straight-up rocker.

Then came the high point. Just-released track Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore, Marlon’s duet with his ex, Aldous Harding, with Ben Filling in for Aldous. It’s a wonderful song and Marlon and Ben sounded fantastic, but it was Dave’s stunning violin solo that took audience members’ breath away.

The set ended with the title track from the new album, sounding very much like something you might hear at the Twin Peaks’ Roadhouse. I hope David Lynch hears this song.

Oh, and I almost forgot, among everything else, Marlon sang a drop-dead gorgeous version of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy.

For the encore, Marlon was back at the piano with another new song, Love’s A Terrible Thing, singing, “I feel about as lucky as a snowball in spring”.

The show closed with a Marlon Williams favourite, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Portrait Of A Man. If you weren’t convince of Marlon’s astonishing vocal talents before, you sure were after hearing this.

I’ve been following Marlon Williams’ career since back in the day when he was duetting with Delaney Davidson and it is truly exciting to see how he has made his own mark and his own sound. Judging from what I heard last night, this new album is going to take Marlon Williams to a new audience and a whole other level.

Marty Duda

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