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Review of Paul Kelly's "Words and Music"

© Nick Bendel

Paul Kelly has a reputation as one of Australia's best singer-songwriters. In the same year that he was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Hall of Fame, came Words and Music (1998), the 14th release of a long career.

It certainly is an interesting record. Among other things is an excellent cover of the old Hot Chocolate song "It Started With a Kiss." In many ways this is a typical Paul Kelly song with its emphasis on story telling. Also included is some collaboration with other Australian artists, as Kelly himself explains. "I'm glad that the record contains two duets. 'She Answers the Sun' was written with Rebecca Barnard's sex-in-the- morning voice in mind, and Monique Brumby and I wrote 'Melting' together."

Unfortunately these duets do not match the standard of most of the other songs. "She Answers the Sun" appears to be very forced (the title track is even more guilty in this respect), while it also contains a bizarre (though brief) guitar rendition of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood." "Melting" is not as bad, but it seems to amble along without much of a point.

A similar condemnation can be made about "Charlie Owen's Slide Guitar," ironically a song about the impact music can have on people. On a similar negative note Kelly, despite his reputation as a brilliant lyricist, often offers up cliched and weak lyrics. On one occasion, in the otherwise brilliant "I'll Be Your Lover" (the best song on the album) he even borrows words from Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin": "The arrow strikes, the die is cast/The high shall be low and the first shall be last."

Still there is enough on Words and Music to demonstrate just why Kelly is so acclaimed. "I'll Be Your Lover," as mentioned, is wonderful with its recurring slide guitar, while the wicked guitar on "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" captures the erotic nature of the song. Other highlights include "Tease Me," "I'd Rather Go Blind" and the surprisingly pulsating "Beat of Your Heart."

Words and Music has some more additions to the list of great Paul Kelly songs. Once again he demonstrates his ability to write interesting, enjoyable music. However mixed in with this are some less than flattering efforts. Additionally there is an annoyimg tendency to drag on some of the songs too long.

RATING: 7/10

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