Marlon Williams – My Boy

By Mark Dohmann

Artist:	Marlon Williams
Album:	My Boy
Label:	Virgin Music Australia (2) – MW005LP, Universal Music New Zealand – MW005LP
Format:	Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo, Teal
Country:	Australia & New Zealand
Year:	2022
Genre:	Folk, World, & Country
Style:	Folk

Boy oh boy!

Palais Theatre, Saturday 18 February 2023, 23 degrees Celsius, four tickets to see Marlon Williams and The Yarra Benders band live in Melbourne. Meet up with the Diavola at www.icarusiii.com.au, St Kilda, at 7pm in the upstairs bar for a real taste of Italy with the boys who’ve been granted freedom to go see Marlon on a night off.

Boy oh boy!

Is Melbourne back to being Melbourne? The Palais is the domain of our black-on-black rock royalty crowd. Was hip well before Hipster became a brand. No plonkers, just serious music heads. We often bump into people we have shared concerts with over 40 years (Shout out to Mick Hurry!). It has been a bit of dry spell but it looks like good times are coming back – musically.

Boy oh boy!

Marlon Williams is someone I’ve recommended here before for the insanely good ‘Live at Auckland Town Hall’ double album. He’s now based in Melbourne turning his craft between gigs as a movie star and hometown boy in New Zealand. A cross between a young Elvis/Orbison/Buckingham with influences of Bowie in the mix. Lyrically very talented, musically gifted and able to move between genres with ease and never drop into pastiche. So what’s the draw? The “Voice” is what stays with you well after the concert.

Boy oh boy!

Was the 80s better than the 70s and 60s? As each generation gets to that 40 year point, I’m sure each era is just as musically valid. Buffalo Springfield still cuts the mustard any day of the week. Kossoff’s band ‘Free’ still rock out with an unmatched power and simplicity. However, the 80’s have a very soft spot in my musical heart. Somehow this new album from Marlon Williams has roots in a Roxy/Bowie/Buckinghamesque nostalgic sense. Some nice layering in the mix for great systems to retrieve and also a dash of humour for the lyrically inclined.

Boy oh boy!

Opening track ‘My Boy’ is a catchy guitar pop piece which is nice sunny intro into the album. The tracks blend nicely into each other, so you anticipate the next track eagerly once you’ve played it through a few times. ‘River Rival’ generates soaring choirs and synth arpeggios and makes you get up and replay the track just for the fun of it (it’s a vinyl thing – if the track is good enough to make you get up out of your seat and re-cue then the album is a keeper (sorry to all our streaming folk who miss out on this fun).

Apparently ‘Thinking of Nina’ is a song inspired by the TV show ‘The Americans’. That series is worth a watch. As 80s go, it was so long ago now that any of the rough edges have well and truly been forgotten leaving a yearn (yarn – that’s a Gucci joke) for the simpler times when 16K of Ram was something to brag about and carbureted engines were still in production and turbo’s were scary and not “meh”. ‘Don’t Go Back’ (to the party) is an infectious funk pop hit which is quite sly in its intent. ‘Promises’ which caps of the album is a beautiful ballad making the most of William’s signature vocals and ends the album all too soon.

My Boy!

Set your time traveller devices back 40 years and get this album for a great soundtrack to good times. Dig deeper into the lyrics and you’ll have a few chuckles when the penny drops. Marlon’s voice is worth the price of entry alone (as was the ticket price for Stalls at the Palais). The Diavolo at i Carusi ii was a touch more expensive but hey, that’s inflation (which was also the rage back in 1980’s… some things change but some things stay the same).

The four lads who came out of the Palais after the concert were all smiles and happy vibes. The St Kilda Festival was alive and kicking and showed us “Melbourne is back”! Thank you Marlon for a great night and playing ‘My Boy’.

Playlist

A1 My Boy
A2 Easy Does It
A3 River Rival
A4 My Heart the Wormhole
A5 Princes Walk
A6 Don’t Go Back
B1 Soft Boys Make the Grade
B2 Thinking of Nina
B3 Morning Crystals
B4 Trips
B5 Promises