Daxx & Roxane – “Drop” EP Review

JEDWARD…MILLI VANILLI…Katie Price’s tits…THE ISLAND BOYS (Who, are, themselves, an even bigger set of tits) …what do these things have in common? Other than being fuel for a cheap joke, you’ll acknowledge them as being iconic, or at the very least ironic double acts, which is more than can be said for today’s band; DAXX & ROXANE. I’m nit-picking already; why? You’re a four-piece rock outfit, yet you sound like some butch, lesbian, good cop / bad cop partnership. Cut it out.  

I digress… originating in Switzerland, but having relocated to London, the quartet, not duo (Consisting of bassist/vocalist Cedric Pfister, lead guitarist Cal Wymann, drummer Luca Senaldi and guitarist Simon Golaz) have, to their credit, made a name for themselves in the world of rock ‘n’ roll over the past couple of years, with positive album reviews aplenty, and well-hyped energetic live shows. 2022 then, finds them loosening up a little, as they prepare to unleash a new 4-track covers EP, simply entitled “Drop”. The question is; will it drop like a sick beat, or drop like your guts after seven-too-many Stella’s and a cheap kebab? Let’s find out… 

We open up with “Heavy Metal”, and no, that’s not just a vague, simplified description of what we’re listening to (Though to be fair it could be); they’re covering former MONTROSE / VAN HALEN vocalist SAMMY HAGAR, with a choice cut from 1981’s “Standing Hampton”. It harbours all of the 80’s hard rocking, hair-sprayed stylistics you could shake Tommy Lee’s dick at, which is appropriate as they tweak the track just enough to give it a more, MOTLEY CRUE inspired aesthetic. It’s up-tempo, up-beat and energetic and to be fair it’s a solid cover with some really enjoyable guitar work during the solo, and it’s a fine opener.

Next up we travel even further back, to 1972, as we revisit STEVIE WONDER’s classic hit “Superstition” from the album “Talking Book” …which to be fair, none of us saw coming, let alone Stevie. How do they tackle the legendary, jazz-infused funk masterclass? They give it the safest, most generic, blues / hard-rock treatment you could possibly hope for. It works as a track, sure, but all of the charm and character from the original, is lost among a wall of guitar and wailing vocals, and that ending? That ended quicker than Stevie’s photography career. Jesus Christ that was abrupt.  

Where can we possibly go from here? It turns out, we get an absolute treat in the form of 2015 FLORENCE & THE MACHINE track “Delilah”. Florence and co have always beautifully bridged fantastically folky soundscapes, with an almost, gospel-inspired sense of light goth, indie sensibilities and anthemic vocals. This is a track that ebbs and flows perfectly with highs and lows and a sense of drama, so credit to Daxx & Roxane this is a brave choice. It’s another fine slab of energetic rock ‘n’ roll, absolutely it is, and it’s got all of the hooks in place to reel you in and this, as a cover has to be applauded. What it lacks in the originals sense of whimsy, it makes up for pure rock swagger, and this is delightful. 

Sadly then, we finish up on a somewhat disappointing note. At first glance, and this is on me, I thought track four was a cover of “Telephone” by LADY GAGA, which, let’s be real, is a tune. In actual fact, the track is called “Argent Trop Cher” BY TELEPHONE who, apparently, are some French band from the 1970’s. The track itself sounds fine, quite run of the mill, hard rock ‘n’ roll, more of the same essentially, and while it DOES show their depth of influence and inspiration musically, I was looking forward to a Lady Gaga cover that I ultimately didn’t get.

All jokes aside, this is the first time this reviewer has heard Daxx & Roxane, and while covers in their own right are naturally subject to personal tastes, and of course, at least some background knowledge of the artists being covered, hell, even a remote interest, it’s clear that this is a band with an abundance of energy and passion for rocking out old-school style, and they are keeping the spirit of no-nonsense rock music alive and kicking.  

The only trouble they have, is, while picking a genuinely interesting variety of artists to cover, they’ve managed to make everything sound the same to a degree, and this is detrimental especially where Stevie Wonder and Florence are concerned, despite the latter’s qualities, but, for straight-up rock, it’s a solid EP. It’s certainly enough to warrant some digging into their original material if you haven’t already, which is exactly what I’ll be doing.

EP Score: 6/10

Record Label: Self Released

Release Date: March 25th

Track Listing:

1. “Heavy Metal”
2. “Superstition”
3. “Delilah”
4. “Argent Trop Cher”  
   Label – Self Release
   Release – 25th March

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