Tuesday 17/01/06 Graham Coxon @ The Barfly, Cardiff

Damon Albarn once said he’d never record another Blur album without his unique guitarist and long-time friend Graham Coxon. Over time, Albarn resigned himself to the fact that his former best-mate is actually doing quite alright on his own. It’s staggering to think that Coxon has released five solo albums but he has only come into fruition, commercially and artistically, in the last twelve months with the slow burning ‘Happiness In Magazines’.

It’s always refreshing to see the whites of an indie legend’s eyes but manoeuvring around a cattle of fans proved difficult. Coxon was eager to rattle through a collection of old and new material as ‘Spectacular’ blasted out of the speakers with angst and frustration. The brashly melodic ‘Don’t Let Your Man Know’ had Coxon making full use of his effects pedals and his forthcoming single ‘Standing On My Own Again’ is a superb slice of affirmative punk-pop.

The loveably coy ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’  took Coxon’s fragile vocals to new levels and although his interaction with the crowd was limited to the first few rows, you could tell the catharsis of touring is a really healthy alternative to rehab. The freewheeling sound of ‘Just A State Of Mind’ was a clear indication of what direction Coxon is heading in with his sixth album as he is showing love from all angles. Not the sort of love in a syrupy Westlife song but the sort of love drawn on from past experiences.

Coxon wiped his thick-rimmed specs and even chanced a few grins towards certain members of the crowd but he was never in danger of getting too sentimental as The Jam cover of ‘All Mod Cons’ portrayed 80 seconds of hook-laden perfection. Another cover in the shape of ‘That’s When I Reach For My Revolver’ was faithful to it’s original context but clearly full of disaffection. Coxon’s biggest solo hit ‘Freakin’ Out’ was surprisingly the only moment the crowd switched the ‘bounce’ mode with it’s stupid-genius lyrics and brain-cementing melody. Coxon has firmly removed the shackles of Blur and in doing so his music is full of poise and vigour. Being isolated has never sounded so together.