Live Review: Marlon Williams

"Our collective hearts are torn from chests and we're pretty sure Williams is not sorry that he made us cry at all."

While everyone's spellbound by the brilliance of Marlon Williams and the wonderful harmonies supplied by members of his excellent backing band, he somehow manages to knock the mic out if its stand while playing guitar. Williams chuckles and handles it as well as one could during this opener: a new song Come To Me from his upcoming Make Way For Love set. "It's been a while between drinks," says Williams before acknowledging, "It wasn't the smoothest start to a show." Another new track, I Know A Jeweller, follows. Double bass, drums and fiddle beautifully underscore Williams' exquisite timbre; his god-given gift could silence the rowdiest of rooms.

"This next song's older than me and maybe older than you," is how Williams introduces I'm Lost Without You from his debut, self-titled album. Those wailing guitars in the middle of this song's arrangement are truly heartbreaking and sound like a wounded animal drifting away helplessly on an iceberg. After confessing he hasn't been in Melbourne for about a year (he's been too busy taking over the world), a punter yells out, "YES!" to which Williams responds, "The fact that you voted the right way is at least something," in reference to the marriage equality referendum result.

As soon as Dark Child commences, a crowd member whistles the riff, which makes Williams smile. The duelling guitars during this one - Williams versus long-time musical collaborator/accompanist Ben Woolley - are ferocious, adding distorted interest to the song. Before yet another new song, Beautiful Dress, Williams teases, "I have no idea what it's about," before taking a seat at the piano. However, once we hear the lyrics, "Let me wear you like a beautiful dress," we're pretty sure we know what Williams is on about. Next up is another piano-driven number I Didn't Make A Plan ("to break your heart"). Williams only recently started playing piano and has definitely improved, but sometimes his playing is a little level dynamically (in saying that, we're actually comparing him to Nick Cave performing Into My Arms right now).

Then in comes a cover of John Lennon's Jealous Guy - what an inspired choice! Our collective hearts are torn from chests and we're pretty sure Williams is not sorry that he made us cry at all. It's better than the original. Party Boy follows and Williams shares that during one of his recent shows in New Zealand a punter yelled out after this song, "Could it be less Fall Out Boy?" Williams congratulates fellow gifted Kiwi Aldous Harding, who recently collected NZ Music Awards for Breakthrough Artist Of The Year and Best Alternative Artist, admitting that the pair recorded Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore remotely, before performing the duet/his latest single. It's Williams' delivery and the way he interprets a song (even those he didn't write) that freezes us in our tracks, spellbound. Williams closes his main set with the title track from his forthcoming album, leaving the stage as his band plays the song out.

Then Williams returns to his piano stool to deliver a song he introduces as a Delaney Davidson co-write, with string flourishes thanks to Dave Khan. When the full band returns to the stage for Williams' take on Portrait Of A Man by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, his enunciation is flawless and soaring notes are effortlessly sustained. Williams bares his soul when he sings, generously tapping into stores of hurt and pain to convincingly paint the picture of a desolate, broken man on the brink of death. Music chose Williams and we're ever so chuffed he's following this path. "Thank you," Williams says simply and the band leave the stage, seemingly unaware of the profound effect they've had on us. Truly unforgettable, Williams boasts a voice that is simultaneously traditional and contemporary. Williams is the real deal.