E.P. Review: Daxx & Roxane - Drop
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
This four track E.P. from London based outfit Daxx & Roxane initially didn’t fill me with optimism, especially when I read the blurb and saw the line "FFO: Guns & Roses, Motley Crue & Aerosmith’" Bands I have respect for but not the kind of music I’d go to as a rule. Add into the mix that the four tracks on the E.P. are cover versions and I’ll admit, I was gritting the teeth even before pressing play.
Finding out a bit more about Daxx & Roxane revealed that the quartet of Cedric Pfister - vocals / bass, guitarists Cal Wymann and Simon Golaz and drummer Luca Senaldi started out life as a thrash metal band before turning to a much more melodic classic rock style. With an E.P. and two full-length releases under their belt, appearances at several festivals and support slots to the likes of Bad Touch and HIM, it’s no wonder that Planet Rock were amongst those who took an interest in the band. Using ‘Drop’ as a stopgap between albums, there is nothing wrong with creating an E.P. which showcases some of the influences in the band.
This is no routine cover-by-numbers release. The four tracks are about as off the wall as you can get, ranging from the Red Rocker Sammy Hager to the underrated French outfit Téléphone. It’s evident from the opening strains of ‘Heavy Metal’ that Daxx & Roxane are confident musicians, as there is a sleazy swagger about them that works with the songs they have selected. Hagar’s ‘Heavy Metal’, written for the 1981 film of the same name, is an underrated tune that showcases what a great singer he was. Daxx & Roxane do a fine job, adding a couple of spoonfuls of arrogance and strutting cocksure pride to the track. You can’t knock this cover.
From what I know of the band, Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’ is a staple of their live set. Listening to this cover gave me the opportunity to search out some classic Stevie Wonder on YouTube and it’s another classic song that was originally so funkalicious that you could eat it. Daxx & Roxane’s version certainly adds welly, with that rich riff pumping right through it whilst Pfister adds his own style to the song without ever disrespecting the original. It’s a flashy, pounder of a cover and another one that works perfectly.
Onwards with the voyage of discovery and next up is ‘Delilah’, by the incredible Florence & The Machine. This was a track that I was also very familiar with but that didn’t stop me catching the spectacular version she performed at Glastonbury in 2015. It’s three out of three here with Daxx & Roxane adding some crunchy guitar to the track, showing it huge regard but adding a real hard rock flavour to a song that really is as emotional as they come. It’s a really feisty version and is brilliantly classy.
And to finish, a ballsy version of Téléphone’s ‘Agent Trop Cher’, with English lyrics rather than the French ones that bring a bit more mystery to the original, punky version. Daxx & Roxane have grasped this one by the cojones and twisted hard. It’s another foot tapper that is more infectious than head lice in a primary school.
The moral of the story kids? Always listen before you judge. This E.P. is short, sweet and a good 15 minutes listening. Who knows, I might even check out their other music. It would be rude not to.
