Paul Kelly: Seventy Review – Reflections on Ageing from a Timeless Musician
After five decades, Paul Kelly's songs remain memorable, warm, and occasionally cheeky. It’s classic Kelly, and Joe is back too.
A Remarkable Career at 70
Paul Kelly is 70 and has never been more prominent. He recently headlined his first arena tour, which sold out completely. In an ageist Australian music industry, his steady rise is exceptional. Rather than a sudden comeback, Kelly’s popularity has grown gradually over his 50-year career, making him a ubiquitous figure.
Mixed Reactions and Legacy
However, not everyone appreciates Kelly’s success; some who have never listened to his music resent it loudly. Much of the criticism centers around the annual celebration of How to Make Gravy, a Christmas classic sung by Joe, a character who also appears in Kelly’s well-known song To Her Door.
New Album: Seventy
Seventy is Kelly’s 30th studio album, exploring themes of ageing, regrets, and the world’s continuation beyond us. The album includes The Magpies, a song based on a Denis Glover poem that Kelly first recorded on his album Thirteen Ways to Look at Birds. This song, with its unique melody, promises to "keep on quardle-oodle-ardling."
“There are people who have never listened to Kelly who appear to loudly resent his success.”
“Joe’s ghost is still taunting Rita from beyond the grave.”
Despite the passage of time, Kelly’s narratives and characters endure with the same vibrancy.
Author’s Summary
Paul Kelly’s new album Seventy reflects on life and ageing with the same warmth and storytelling power that have defined his enduring, celebrated career.