Clairy Browne and The Bangin’ Rackettes

Review by Lisa Dib

I have been lucky enough to have seen Clairy and Co. in action a few times and, lemme tell you, friends, they are something else. I wouldn’t blow smoke up you- what would that do for me? 

I just want everyone who happens to come across this little review in the big bad Interwebs to Google Browne and her band and hear for yourself what makes them a hugely original act in the Aussie landscape. Fan of Sharon Jones’ soul fare? 

Look no further.

Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes’ self-titled EP opens with Lean Lanky Daddy, a Tina Turner-esque shimmy shake extravaganza. It’s all soul and Motown keys and vibrant horns; super tasty. 

Browne has the amazing, gut-wrenching vocals of a Frankenstein’s monster, made of parts of Turner, Ella Fitzgerald, Gladys Knight and Amy Winehouse, but all in a much better-looking package. 

Her voice is so full and rich; there’s been a spate of nu-soul come out, even on the local scene, to little avail or consequence. A lot of it is just musical onanism perpetuated by trends and marketability. 

Alas; not so for this Melbourne gaggle.

Next up is Shook Up, a more jazzy type, with Thirties-style keys, sounding more like The Andrews Sisters than Diana Ross- which is a compliment, because I freaking love the Andrews Sisters. 

The tinkering keys and the subsequent horn breakdown send this one straight to the flapper set.

Bats is another deviation; a more sultry, slow-burning number, but with no less ferocity.  Shuddering horns wail amidst the Rackettes’ background “ooohs”; Browne’s voice is set to “Aaron Neville” (“You driving me bats, bay-bey…”) and, I gotta say, that voice in question is just gangbusters. 

Why aren’t these guys super famous right now? Where does this small lass keep this epic, all-encompassing vocal prowess? 

Champagne follows; “Love hurts, but in a good way…”. An upbeat tale of heartbreak is always a good move at this point. Browne and the Rackettes bounce off each other in an old-fashioned call-and-response style and jingly keys lead to a breakdown about two minutes in where Browne and Co. would bust out their synchronized dance moves on stage- that you’ve gotta see- before Browne sends the track off with her trademark outstanding lung power.

Don’t Say Don’t is the oddly ska record ender; it’s a little Pipettes, with more horns. Swaggering, quick-paced beats are flourished by the aforementioned horns, scattered lightly, before the whole thing rattles into a huge jazz finish. Fin.

Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes are currently working on their debut album, so look out for that, and a slew of shows, in February 2011. Seacrest out!

RATING: 4 out of 5