I used the time that was sparingly available to listen to
some of the output of the man frequently described as the Australian version of
Bob Dylan, Paul Kelly. I’ve never really
understood the Dylan comparison as Kelly’s lyrics are far more rooted in the
lives of everyday (Australian) people and employ far more direct language in
their observations. Certainly I could
not have thought of anyone better to accompany me on my headphones during
Thursday’s and Friday’s morning excursions as I stared into the passing
backyards of suburban Melbourne or slyly observed the interactions of my fellow
train commuters.
It’s also a view shared at least by the educational authorities in my home State of Victoria which has, on occasion, placed the volume of
his collected on the list of books available for study during the final year
English curriculum for high school students.
Like Dylan, Kelly is a prolific writer but, unlike him, has also
recorded material under guises including Professor Ratbaggy, a dub act. I suspect the comparison is made for no other
reason than both are singer/songwriters who are equally adept in front of bands
or in solo acoustic mode with on a guitar and harmonica for company.
(# 646) Paul Kelly –
Post (1985)
This was Kelly’s third album and the first without his
initial backup band The Dots. Most of
the arrangements on this album give the songs a sparse sound that it is quite
easy to characterise it as an acoustic album.
In fact at least four of the songs were to be re-recorded with a much
fuller sound on his next album. This is about as autobiographical an album as
he was ever to record. From St. Kilda To
King’s Cross clearly relates to his relocation from Melbourne to Sydney for the
recording of the album and the catchy Adelaide is about his home town. But realistically the album is full of simply
recorded tunes on universal subjects as evidenced by songs such as Look So Fine
Feel So Low, Luck, Satisfy Your Woman, You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed and
Little Decisions.
(# 647) Paul Kelly
And The Coloured Girls – Gossip (1986)
(# 648) Paul Kelly
And The Coloured Girls – Under The Sun (1987)
Gossip was and is a rarity in Australian rock history, an
all studio double album with the original vinyl release containing a whopping 24
tracks of straight head, all down the line Aussie rock. Unfortunately, three tracks are omitted from the
standard Australian CD version and even more so for the version released
overseas. (Many of the tracks deleted
from the latter were those containing overt Australian references.) It’s notable for containing Kelly’s first
three major Australian hits, Before Too Long, the rocking Darling It Hurst and Leaps
And Bounds, complete with references to local Melbourne landmarks. Elsewhere, the atmospheric Last Train To
Heaven was a satisfying opening, White Train incorporated a nice rockabilly
rhythm, The Ballroom likewise with country and Down On My Speedway seriously
rocked. A trio of consecutive tracks,
The Execution, the bluesy Incident On South Darling and Maralinga (Rainy Land)
effortlessly added social comment to the mix.
(The latter is about the effects of fallout on the Australian aboriginal
population as a result of British nuclear testing in the outback.) A number of
fine ballads are also interspersed throughout.
It’s an album that is still
regarded as one of the finest ever produced by an Australian act with only the
keyboard sounds on So Blue betraying its 80s origins.
Under The Sun is very much like a single disc version of
Gossip. Dumb Things, To Her Door and Don’t So Close To The Window added to his
local hits. Crosstown, the title track
and Sam Old Walk added to his collection of rockers, the piano, sax and drums
only Know Your Friends added to list of classic ballads and Bicentennial was
his pointed comment about Australia’s 200 anniversary celebrations as seen from
the perspective of the native population.
(# 649) Paul Kelly
And The Messengers – So Much Water So Close To Home (1989)
Each of the preceding albums above was released overseas which
provided Kelly with fresh inspiration.
(There was also the name change of The Coloured Girls – inspired by Lou
Reed’s hit Walk On The Wild Side – to The Messengers to ensure the band wasn’t
seen as racist.) It enabled him to
locate songs in overseas locales such as South Of Germany and the wonderfully
evocative Cities Of Texas which closes the album. Even more intriguingly, the album
demonstrates that Kelly had also been listening to some of the Australian acts
that had relocated overseas and were able to evoke their country from afar; She’s A Melody (Stupid Song), Moon In the Bed
and No You in particular all seem to betray an debt to The Triffids. You
Can’t Take It With You, Most Wanted Man In The World and the sublime Careless
added to his roll of local classics.
(# 650) Paul Kelly –
Stolen Apples (2007)
The success of the previous three albums in Australia appears
to have left Kelly free to pursue whatever muse moved him and it is in the succeeding
near quarter century that he has most resembled Dylan through constant touring,
some soundtrack work and acting and the production of a number of seemingly effortless
tossed off albums. Stolen Apples is the
pick of the bunch, an incredibly strong collection of tracks highlighted by his
version of the peerless adult ballad You’re 39 You’re Beautiful And You’re
Mine, a track originally produced for Tex [Perkins] Don [Walker] and Charlie
[Owen]. Religious themes dominate on God
Told Me To, Stolen Apples Taste The Sweetest, Lion And The Lamb and Sweetest
Thing. The Ballad Of Queenie And Rover maintains
his interest in aboriginal themes and Please leave Your Light On is another superior
ballad.
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