Paul Kelly Albums (16)
What The Critics Say
Until Kasey Chambers became a critical favorite with a growing fan following in the United States, most Americans probably weren't even aware that there was a country music scene in Australia, let alone that the sound of classic bluegrass and C&W was a key influence on one of the nation's best respected singer/songwriters. But while Paul Kelly is best known in the States for his splendid pop/rock albums of the 1980s and '90s, in 1999 he cut a fine country-flavored acoustic album under the name Uncle Bill, and in 2005 he's teamed up with a great band of Aussie bluegrass pickers for Foggy Highway, a solid collection of high-lonesome songs that blend Kelly's tough but literate wordplay with spare and resonant arrangements. The troubling childhood memories of "They Thought I Was Asleep," the ladies' man's rueful recollections of "Song of the Old Rake," the gospel-flavored "Meet Me in the Middle of the Air," and the drifter's lament of the title cut demonstrate that Kelly takes to the sound and feel of classic bluegrass like a duck to water, and if the occasional presence of electric guitar might put off a few purists, Kelly's duet with Kasey Chambers on the Louvin Brothers' chestnut "You're Learning" should be enough to make a believer out of anyone. And while most American fans lost track of Kelly in the mid-'90s, the 11 originals on this set prove his songwriting chops are still in superb shape, and the simplicity of these settings gives his lyrics all the more room to shine. Foggy Highway is a welcome stylistic detour from a man of many talents who deserves a much higher profile in the Western Hemisphere. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Don't be mislead by the Ennio Morricone spaghetti Western soundtrack-styled instrumental that starts Aussie singer/songwriter Paul Kelly's 13th disc. His first release since 2001's Nothing but a Dream is a 21-track double set that is otherwise similar to his previous albums and finds Kelly working to his compositional strengths. That's not to slight his canny ability to portray distinctive characters within the context of a four-minute pop song, or how he mines his seemingly bottomless well of melodies. But those who are already fans will find this a familiar yet enjoyable collection of quality songs, sung with Kelly's slightly nasal everyman voice and played with clean, precise, and rugged professionalism by his sturdy band. Disc one boasts the more direct, upbeat tunes, while the second is moody and more sedate. As usual with double albums, these could have been combined into a phenomenal single, but the differing sounds make a strong case for the expanded package. In fact, disc two's laconic approach is best digested whole, with the melodies intertwining to produce an affecting portrait of Kelly's mellower side. The first platter's rockers such as the Tom Petty-ish "Won't You Come Around" sport some of his most memorable choruses. "Cryin' Shame" is an unusually dirty, swampy riff-based blues rocker that sounds like it was recorded in Mississippi with the Fat Possum crew. But "These Are the Days" is classic Kelly, a ringing mid-tempo ballad with touching, detailed lyrics about approaching middle age and looking for commitment, sung with a perfect balance of pathos and detachment. Other than a few twists, he's not radically expanding his net. But with songs as well-written, superbly played, and inviting as these, Kelly shows no signs of slowing down either. Fans will be thrilled with this expansive album, but even newcomers could start here and work backward through Kelly's extensive and consistently impressive catalog. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This longtime Australian singer/songwriter has often been hailed as his continent's equivalent to Bruce Springsteen in his relevance and consistency. And while some of the songs reek of too much polish and production effects, such as "Midnight Rain," the subsequent "I Close My Eyes and Think of You" more than adequately compensates for such mistakes. On this album, the songs speak of a certain longing and asking for redemption, but are dominantly roots pop arrangements. "Change Your Mind" resembles Mark Knopfler's subtlety over a sparse, ambient background. When the backbeats take over, though, and strangle a song such as "Just About to Break," it leaves a lot, if anything, to be desired. "Love Is the Law" goes into David Bowie synth-heavy pop territory, but it also doesn't bode well. Thankfully, "If I Could Start Today Again" and "The Pretty Place" steer the album back into a welcomed and comfortable setting. It sounds as if Kelly has more than perfected his craft listening to "Smoke Under the Bridge" and "Would You Be My Friend," both of which could pass for last-minute cuts from The Ghost of Tom Joad. An added bonus is the four additional tracks from a previously released EP, with the funky duet of "Roll on Summer" being the high point of the lot. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On Comedy, a more personal side to Paul Kelly creeps in under the anecdotal door, as themes of romance, regret, and adulthood stem from the 18 tracks laid out here. Kelly's ability to express his emotions in a mature fashion, with superb accompaniment from backup band the Messengers, gives each musical yarn a genuine feel. Each song is either about a certain situation or a past event, usually involving Kelly as the protagonist. Whether they're fiction or not doesn't seem to matter, since his lyrical storytelling whisks the listener away and drops them dead center into the middle of his spiels. Examples of Kelly's best work on this album include "I Can't Believe We Were Married," a tune about a marriage that fell apart where both parties were relieved, and "Sydney from a 747," centered around the theme of spontaneity and how nice it would be to just pick up and leave. The jewel in the crown has to be "From Little Things Big Things Grow," a true story about aborigines refusing to give up their land to a rich businessman, proving that taking a stand can eventually pay off. Musically, there's a folk-filled tinge to each song, but the occasional quickened pace balances out these tunes rather nicely. The songs easily hold interest, and Kelly's simple yet attractive voice carries fairly well. A good sampling of his style can be investigated throughout Comedy's entirety. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Aussie wordsmith par excellence Paul Kelly delivers his strongest batch of soul-stirring pop nuggets and heart-rendingly romantic ballads to date with Words & Music. For his 15th album, cult maestro Kelly draws on a rich tapestry of characters and true to life situations, and has his finger firmly planted on the universal heartbeat with loose, catchy yarns of aging rather ungracefully ("Nothing on My Mind"), musical inspiration (the title track), and Christmas in jail ("How to Make Gravy"). His five-piece backing band, a crack outfit, steers the troubadour from Down Under's powerful voice expertly through crackling electric guitar outbursts, soothing reggae rhythms, and soulful soliloquies alike. Two stunning duets ("She Answers the Sun" with Rebecca Barnard and "Melting" with Monique Brumby) add a unique and welcome feminine perspective to Kelly's sometimes boyish (but always charming) pleas for affection. A mature, satisfying collection of gut-grabbing rockers and goosebump-inducing story songs from a 40-something guy with more youthful energy and wide-eyed adoration for the true spirit of rock & roll than any five Top Ten teen acts on any chart in the world combined. Kelly himself says it best in "Nothing on My Mind": "The young people?/I never did one damn good thing until I was over 30!" ~ Tom Hallett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Recorded during two shows in his homeland of Australia (Perth and Melbourne), Live, May 1992 is simply Paul Kelly center stage for nearly an hour and a half with just his voice, guitar, harmonica, and songs. In the studio, his band, the Messengers/Coloured Girls, were able to fill in the missing pieces and accentuate every little hook in Kelly's music, fleshing out his simple guitar and vocal. But because of the depth of the writing, his vignettes of life, love, and the underbelly of both have plenty of power on their own. And quite often he's actually able to use the limitations of a solo performance to his advantage, peeling away the veneer to the point where the words and melody are all that really matter. Tracks such as the stark and longing "Wintercoat," the Raymond Carver-inspired "Everything's Turning to White," and "From Little Things Big Things Grow"'s story of quiet rebellion actually gain from the stripped-down setting. It's a testament to the strength of the material that, while Kelly rarely varies from a slow to midtempo strum on the guitar and doesn't really lighten things up with between-song banter, he's able to hold your attention for the better part of the 22 songs and 80-plus minutes. Live, May 1992 should interest fans, but those with only a passing fancy may find themselves drifting a bit after the first disc, and would be better suited to check out one of his studio recordings first -- Gossip and Under the Sun are especially recommended. ~ Brett Hartenbach, All Music Guide
'Live at Continental & Esplanade'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 14
Label WM Australia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Paul Kelly's seventh U.S. release is his first domestic live album, and it provides a good sampler of his work, accompanied by a full band rather than the acoustic sets he was playing in America recently. The basic approach, like many singer-songwriters, is melodic folk-rock with electric guitar for bite and often caustic lyrics. Thus, "God's Hotel" is a twangy reflection on bigotry, and "To Her Door" is a catchy tune about marital discord. Kelly turns to country music, complete with pedal steel, on "Somebody's Forgetting Somebody, Somebody's Letting Somebody Down," but with a punk edge. "Dumb Things," one of his best songs from the Messengers days, retains the feel of a Dire Straits shuffle. One might have wished that, in the live context, Kelly might have displayed more of his personality and not just performed one song after another. But his show is a true representation of his work, and as such, though not his best album, this is one that will give the listener an idea of what to expect on his other ones. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Without reconvening the Messengers, Paul Kelly nevertheless worked with a steady backup band on Deeper Water, resulting in a more consistent musical style than he had employed on Wanted Man. He did try South African mbaqanga on "Madeleine's Song" and a kind of Eno-like ambience on "Gathering Storm," but most of the songs had folk-rock arrangements, and most concerned romantic subjects, within which Kelly's primary concerns were lust and betrayal. On the best songs, he took a different tack or found a twist: The title tune was a rite of passage metaphor about generational commitment and "I'll Forgive But I Won't Forget" found new ways to talk about infidelity by focusing on the friend rather than the straying lover and delaying the news of the crime until the last verse. Such songs marked Kelly as a craftsman with a sense of surprise, and raised Deeper Water a cut above the more diffuse Wanted Man. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
