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7/20/2024 Paul Kelly (from the mix-tape compilations People - Poetry - Time – Drinking - Rivers and RainPaul Kelly (from the mix-tape compilations People - Poetry - Time – Drinking - Rivers and Rain on Grand Aggie/Universal Australia) (by Lee Zimmerman)
One would be hard pressed to find another artist as prolific, and profound, as the man that ranks as Australia’s most accomplished singer and songwriter, Paul Kelly. His efforts are shared and summed up in the various career compilations that reflect his preternatural prowess. The massive box set The A to Z Recordings would, true to its title, have seemed to cover it all, making any sort of greatest hits that followed merely seem redundant. Not that there was any need for further volumes; anyone who acquired any of Kelly’s recordings beginning in the early ‘80s would likely have aimed to become a completist straight from the initial get-go. After Paul Kelly launched his career with his first backing band, The Dots, he released subsequent albums efforts at the helm of the The Coloured Girls and The Messengers. Eventually though, Kelly carved out a career under his own aegis, and since then, he’s been consistently prolific, as evidenced by an ongoing series of studio albums, collaborations with other artists, live releases, and various compendiums. Still, there’s much more left to be uncovered, as these five new themed mix-tapes make pointedly prescient. The titles -- People, Poetry, Time, Drinking, and Rivers and Rain — don’t necessarily define their reflective themes decisively, although one might reckon that Kelly clearly had a specific idea in mind when it came to categorizing each of these offerings. Yet with some 76 songs between them, most of the tracks defy any specific description and simply stand out on their individual merits. The exception is the disc titled Poetry, with its specific subtitle Other People’s Words. It’s mostly made up of songs Kelly adapted from literally sources, including Shakespeare’s sonnets. While on first glance, the five mix-tapes might appear to be just another attempt at compiling a (sort-of) greatest hits — especially since Kelly classics “When I First Met Your Ma”, “Before Too Long”, “Deeper Water”, “How to Make Gravy”, and “From Little Things Big Things Grow” are all included. Nevertheless, the familiar fare is mostly confined to the portion dubbed Time, leaving plenty of room for a handful of unreleased tracks, various deep cuts and several live recordings. Ultimately then, the completist is left with little to complain about, while those who are new to the fold are given an ample supply of choice material to initiate Kelly completion. Indeed, there’s no need to quibble with this particular choice of selections, because, in reality, practically everything Kelly has ever released makes for an exceptional effort, an adroit combination of passion, pathos and sheer compelling conviction. If all five albums demand immediate acquisition based on reputation alone, suffice it to say the need is genuinely justified. (by Lee Zimmerman) Paul Kelly will be supporting Keb' Mo' and Shawn Colvin on tour from September 14 through October 6, 2024 Listen and buy the music of Paul Kelly from AMAZON For more info, check out the Paul Kelly website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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