Paul Kelly has celebrated turning Seventy by recording his latest album Seventy, it's his 30th album and a summation of all he's achieved as a national treasure in Australia. Recorded with his long-term backing band featuring Peter Luscombe, Dan Kelly, Bill McDonald, Ash Naylor and Cameron Bruce.
The album opens with Tell Us A Story (Part A) that is a slow strummed plea for Mary to tell her story, Paul gives her a few options, none of which include Max Bygraves, this is full of ideas and hints at the tales life has provided Paul with, this is richly evocative.
Don't Give Up On Me is a plea for understanding and a willingness to help those in need, laid back guitars and percussion will help encourage you to give Paul one more chance to enchant and keep you in his life, this feels like a love letter to an very ex-partner, he still carries a flame for them.
Rita Wrote A Letter is the sequel to Paul Kelly's How To Make Gravy and the protagonist has just been let out of prison, Rita has a baby on the way and he's back working in the restaurant, this should catch the imagination of any fans of the original classic, having echoes of past misdeeds and finding a way to overcome life's problems, with maturity both lyrically and musically this is sophisticated mature music, even if he really should avoid the contents of that package.
The Body Keeps The Score feels like an accounting for all the scars he has amassed over 70 Years, can you escape life unblemished, well of course not, the gentle organ and guitars help to keep all the old wounds from re-opening, since he's chased his demons down.
I Keep On Coming Back For More has a loose folk blues song for love and lust for a partner he just can't give up on, he always wants another go round, a little bit of heartfelt pleading and thanks for all the good times spent together.
Take It Handy is memories of a friend whose no longer around, life was sweet for you along the way, no matter how much like Cicero you may have been at times, you will always remain a good friend with rising guitars accenting the tale.
Ada Mae is a love letter to his grand daughter and her second birthday, telling her what gramps is about, complete with his sadness that he will be gone before she's twenty most probably, but he will always love her and hope she always feels the love he has for her. This may well bring a tear to the eyes of more sentimental listeners.
The Magpies are singing for Paul, replete with reflections on lost friends over a sincere country folk backing this survives the predations of the Mortgage companies with elan. Made for Me is exactly what you were, slow dancing into each others arms on this sweet duet with Rebecca Barnard.
Sailing To Byzantium is a historic epic tale that Paul manages to tell in under three and half minutes, full of memories and hopes that his life will have echoes through history too. My Body Felt No Pain is slow thoughtful memories of all he's been through and how he can let go of all the bitterness that might cause him pain.
I'm Not Afraid Of The Dark feels like a real goodbye, like he knows that there is no point in being afraid of the impending end of life troubles, it's better to carry on enjoying and taking part in life until the darkness takes over, but until then Paul is carrying on and we should all be very thankful for that.
The album closes with Tell Us A Story (Part B) just one more story before you go, you must have one more tale to tell while I toss another log on the fire and pour another drink, you can even just tell us the classics, the stories you always tell, this could easily be the intro music for a podcast series of life stories.
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