The lift to Roxanne is a strangely unmarked ride and when the doors open one floor below the to reveal a sight that should only be seen at the tail end of a bender – the den of Charlton’s karaoke bar – it’s hard not to feel a little worried. But thankfully the glowing red neon of the Roxanne sign is a far more welcoming sight just one floor above. And with Cordrazine and Paris Wells on the bill it’s a very welcoming venue indeed.
The punters clung to the corners and the couches up back though Cordrazine did their best to capture their attention by opening with one of their best, and best known, tunes – Crazy. Hearing Hamish Cowan’s immaculate voice is an immediate reminder that they were one of those groups who seemed as though they were poised for huge things, with Cowan earning his fair share of Jeff Buckley comparisons. However despite the success of their From Here To Wherever album, it seemed Cowan wasn’t comfortable with the attention and Cordrazine disappeared, reportedly taking up a job at a muffin outlet in central Melbourne. Time has done nothing to weaken Cowan’s voice, though his banter between songs is embarrassingly awkward as he admits that the beer’s making him far more amorous and talkative than usual. The set suffers from these stilted breaks and a lack of variety in the bands melancholic material, but it’s a treat to hear Cowan’s superb singing voice again.
This was the second night of her Thursday night residency at Roxanne and though the crowd was a little sparse, Paris Wells still delivered a full power show. Backed by a tight, punchy band featuring members of True Live and Fizzard, Paris hit the stage and immediately staked her claim as a force to be reckoned with. With her bold vocals and slyly sexy lyrics there’s nothing coy about Paris; she’s the sort of performer who simply demands attention. It’s wasn’t long before she kicked off her shoes and was busily seducing the audience with her brashly confident stage presence and powerful voice.
Though she has toured in support of Justin Timberlake she’s closer aligned to another of JTs former Mouseketeer friends – Christina Aguilera. Her craking single _ Dat Du Dat_ is an absolute killer and the match of DJ Premier’s recent work with Aguilera. Plus the fact that Wells is a blonde bombshell with brassy confidence and suggestive lyrics, certainly doesn’t hurt the comparison.
Though it’s not all sassy soul as Wells eased back with more reflective soul numbers such as the gorgeous Grace Baby. Though the set closed on a hotter note with an extended version of Fire Truck Man, tweaked to include a dash of JTs Sexy Back and a slightly awkward Aussie adjustment of Estelle’s American Boy.
From the lusty calls of approval from many of the blokes in attendance it’s clear she won a few fans – she’ll win plenty more in the coming weeks at Roxanne. She certainly deserves them.
