Words And Music

Reviewd by Barry Divola (Who Weekly - May 11 1998)
Awarded Grade: B

Something's happening with Paul Kelly. And that's a good thing. Yes, he is one of Australia's most important songwriters, but there has been the lingering feeling that he's like bran - we know we're meant to ingest his stuff for our health, but look over there! It's Regurgitator in a range of fizzy, Day-Glo flavours! On Words and Music, Kelly changes his menu for the first time in a while.

The first order of the day was to toughen up the sound, get the rhythm and add a touch of spice. It's there most obviously in the keyboard squiggles and dance rhythm of Beat Of Your Heart and the insinuating Tease Me, which is like a sleazy bloke's ode to a stripper. And later Kelly lightens up enough to cover Hot Chocolate's It Started With A Kiss. More evidence of his broadening palette? He quotes the Go-Betweens, name-checks You Am I, and even cocks an ear to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on the boozy refrain of Glory Be To God.

The man's traditional streak is still here - Little Kings is almost a protest song; Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is half-baked pub rock - but the reigning King of Pop is willing to play the fool every now and then. That's worth encouraging.