His music runs the gamut from A-Z. If you are not acquainted with Kelly`s body of work, here is another chance, as this 2008 compilation is now available in America. Songs from the South is being released on with the eight-CD, 105-song live box set The A-Z Recordings. The resultant book, How to Make Gravy, chronicles a 2004 event where Kelley performed over 100 of his songsin alphabetical order, and in between songs told stories about how they came to be written.
Kelly is a natural born storyteller, and the tales between songs cover confessions, personal and family histories as good as what it`s similar to be a traveling musician. The writing is revealtory, funny, cynically honest, and thought-provoking. The lyrics and stories in the record covering the vast culture of Australia and may be eye-opening for an American audience.
The album, Songs From The South Vol. 1 & 2, is a transverse part of Kelly's career, from his years as Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls (changed to Paul Kelly and the Messengers, initially for international releases, to invalidate any possible racist interpretations). He disbanded the Messengers in 1991, and since then has formed other groups as projects demanded.
Disk one covers the age with The Messengers, and opens with the pub rock/folky flavored "From St. Kilda to Kings Cross." Other memorable tunes from this early period are the top forty hits "Before Too Long," "Darling It Hurts," and the highest charting Australian hit "To Her Door" as good as "Dumb Things." Released game in 1988, the latter song was featured on the soundtrack to the Australian box office hit comedy Young Einstein, reaching number 17 on the American rock charts.
