I'd like to think that Whammo stops for no one, but the arrival of Paul Kelly's new album has proven me wrong. I instantly - and respectfully - dropped whatever I was doing to review Ways & Means, a 2CD set that treats long-standing fans to 21 superbly crafted tunes by the man generally considered the be Australia's greatest songwriter. For a man who has mastered most genres and definitely dabbled in every possible subject matter, challenges may be dwindling, yet Kelly sinks his teeth into the hardest trick in the book; to write optimistic love songs 'without being banal, sentimental or smug' (his own words). Ways & Means is exactly what you'd expect: exceptionally written, lovingly produced and precisely played. Paul's nephew Dan is credited with many collaborations and as usual, our favourite storyteller has gathered a high profile backing band: Dan & Peter Luscombe, Bill McDonald, Dan Kelly, Graham Lee and Bruce Haymes. Most tracks have a country/folky feel but songs like Heavy Thing and Crying Shame manage to dredge up a growling, electric style of blues that shows Kelly can create a solid and dirty groove. If Kelly's destination was beauty and optimism, Beautiful Feeling and My Way Is To You travel different paths to reach the goal; that's a key to Kelly's genius; a mixture of approaches, all stylised by that distinctive voice, always telling his fans a new story with the intimacy of a close friend. The world seems to have a very low opinion of itself at the moment and there's never been a better time for a gentle reminder of that L.O.V.E thing that we supposedly live for. In Paul Kelly we have writer/performer that manages to catch our most precious commodity and package it. Having said that, Ways & Means is one hell of a package.

Browse the ENCYCLOPEDIA of Australian Rock & Pop

Tracklisting
1 Nothing But A Dream
2 Little Bit O' Sugar
3 Forty-Eight Angels
4 Your Lovin' Is On My Mind
5 You Broke A Beautiful Thing
6 My Way Is To You
7 Curly Red
8 King Of Fools
9 Young Lovers
10 Big Fine Girl
11 Lets Fall Again
12 Gunnamatta
13 The Oldest Story In The Book
14 Heavy Thing
15 Won't You Come Around?
16 These Are The Days
17 Beautiful Feeling
18 Crying Shame
19 Sure Got Me
20 To Be Good Takes A Long Time
21 Can't Help You Now

Full listing of PAUL KELLY releases