Paul Kelly - Stolen Apples (Album)
» Paul Kelly announces his 'Stolen Apples' Tour - June 26, 2007
» Falls Festival 2007 - Lorne, Vic - December 31, 2007
» Legs 11 - Domain, The, NSW - October 26, 2007
It’s been a while since Paul Kelly released a solo album. 2004’s classic Ways and Means as it happens. Since then Kelly has been busy with a variety of collaborations in a variety of guises. One could quite easily just write this review as another classic album from an iconic Australian wordsmith and leave it at that! Stolen Apples is without doubt a classic, yet one can’t help take in the progression that will gain Kelly a whole new generation of fans. It’s almost as if we have waited since then for the follow up album that truly shows the Paul Kelly we met, fell in love with and declared a True Aussie Icon.
Paul Kelly is still the consummate observer of human psyche, dipping into biblical imagery ('The Lion And The Lamb') and Australian history ('The Ballad of Queenie and Rover') to give us 11 tracks of endeavor, raw emotion, angst and a rare glimpse of a dirtier, sexier Kelly with the love lamenting “right outta my head” penned with nephew and 'Boon Companion' Dan Kelly. 'Sweetest Thing' and 'Stolen Apples' show why the “Boon companions”, who once again ably accompany Kelly, are such a perfect match for the singer’s style and delivery. 'God Told Me To' explores religious fanaticism and is arguably the most powerful and best track on the album, full of strong guitar riffs and deep bass lines showing Kelly is still a great rock singer and is in no way mellowing.
I first heard 'You're 39 You're Beautiful and You're Mine' at a Big Day out sideshow where Tex, Don & Charlie were supporting the Violent Femmes at a mini blues n roots festival in Perth’s luscious Swan Valley on a Balmy night. Then I fell in love with the song and promptly hunted it down in cyberspace to find it was penned by none other than Paul Kelly himself. With no disrespect to T, D & C, to hear the writer’s version sent chivers (yes chilled shivers) through my inner soul. Simply amazing.
Stolen Apples is an album full of diversity, Opening with a strong and powerfully lamenting 'Feelings of Grief' building from start to crescendo, a track that wouldn’t be lost on many of the world’s greatest ROCK Bands recordings and closing with a Soulful 'Please Leave your Light On' with just Kelly and Piano. Both these tracks wrap a wonderful journey of exploration of the full Kelly repertoire.
Paul Kelly - Icon. Stolen Apples – Classic yet progressive. Buy It. Love It. I Do.
