Paul Kelly

Possibly the most criminally neglected of world-class singer/songwriters, Paul Kelly is also the most deserving of acclaim for his consistent outpouring of original and outstanding material. ...Nothing But A Dream continues this untouchable track record with jaw-dropping tracks like "Midnight Rain" and "Just About To Break." Comparisons to Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Ray Davies have dogged Kelly from day one, yet his is a highly distinctive voice and his musical range is mind-numbing by comparison. The 46-year-old, Adelaide-born troubadour/perfectionist has assaulted North America in many forms with a range of sophisticated material, which falls between folk and rock, and is subtly delivered and predominantly flash free. Yet the quality of his writing sticks like super glue and his huge backlog of compositions withstands the test of time - from the Dots and the Messengers to his more recent solo efforts. ...Nothing But A Dream sits proudly beside them and is an interesting place to start your own investigation into this most perplexing of musical puzzles: why Paul Kelly is not a household word, if not a full-time religion. In his own words on "I Wasted Time," Kelly laments to a fiddle accompaniment, "I tell you there's no failure like success... and no success like failure, too, I guess."