PAUL KELLY

How to buy his rugged love songs and stately blues

PAUL KELLY & THE COLOURED GIRLS Under The Sun

MUSHROOM/WHITE, 1987 Kelly’s band of the time were named in homage to Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side”, and Under The Sun consolidated his breakthrough of the year before with Gossip. Aside from his signature hit “To Her Door” it contained the raucous country blues “Dumb Things” and the doomed lovers’ waltz “Don’t Stand So Close To The Window”. 9/10

WHITE, 1989

PAUL KELLY & THE MESSENGERS So Much Water So Close To Home

MUSHROOM/

For his next work, Kelly teamed up with REM producer Scott Litt for this modest masterclass. The song from which the title came, “Everything’s Turning To White”, was a homage to Raymond Carver, and two songs – the furious “Sweet Guy” and rueful “South Of Germany” – demonstrated Kelly’s ability to write about men as seen by women. 9/10

PAUL KELLY Wanted Man

MUSHROOM/WHITE, 1994 An album containing two of Kelly’s finest characteristically rugged love songs – “Song From The Sixteenth Floor” and “Love Never Runs On Time”. “God’s Hotel”, a stately blues, is Kelly’s adaptation of a Nick Cave lyric, and “You’re Still Picking At The Same Sore” a splendid example of his knack for viewing a situation from subtle new angles – an address to a querulous couple too invested in their squabbling to realise how annoying they’ve become.