Album Mini-review: Paul Kelly — Seven Sonnets & a Song
File next to: Graham Parker, Richard Thompson, Davey Graham
Australian treasure Paul Kelly has long been recognized as a consummate songwriter; more than most others who’ve tried, he bridges the chasm between singer/songwriter, country/roots artist and rocker. In recent years, he’s moved in some rather ambitious directions, including 2014’s The Merri Soul Sessions in which he largely ceded vocal duties to other singers. Kelly’s outside-the-box aesthetic shines with his latest, an EP-length project that sets the poetry of one William Shakespeare to music. With a decidedly Americana-esque musical sensibility – as opposed to the more obvious UK folk/Elizabethan angle – Kelly sings familiar lines like “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (“Sonnet 18”) in a manner that suggests the bard wrote those lines to be sung, not spoken. The Merri Soul Sessions guest Vika Bull returns to sing an adaptation of “My True Love Hath My Heart.”
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.