The first thing you hear on
Paul Kelly
's 2024 album
Fever Longing Still
is
Kelly
talking with his band, offering a few suggestions on the song they're about to record, just before they swing into "Houndstooth Dress," an eloquent and witty celebration of healthy lust. He has frequently shown off his experimental bent on his albums of the 21st century, embracing different musical approaches and indulging his love of setting classic poetry to music, but
is an album for fans who love
's gift for writing smart, witty pop songs that deal with grown-up emotions with a younger man's passion and imagination. This isn't a return to the sound of his 1980s classics
Gossip
and
Under the Sun
, but it's clearly the work of the same man, and it shares many of their virtues. At the age of 69,
's outlook on the world has gained a different perspective, and "Eight Hours Sleep" and "Going to the River with Dad" are songs and themes that probably wouldn't have occurred to him in his twenties or thirties, certainly not with the gravity he brings to them here. On the other hand, "Love Has Made a Fool of Me" and "Taught by Experts" tap into emotions that are essentially timeless, and he sings with an honesty and sly wit that brings his tart lyrics and sturdy melodies to life. Like the opening cut, "Let's Work It Out in Bed" is that remarkable song that finds a man pushing 70 celebrating sex without sounding like a dirty old man.
has been one of Australia's best and most enjoyable songwriters for four decades and counting; he's as dedicated to his craft today as he's ever been, and as gifted at interpreting his music in the studio.
leaves no doubt that he hasn't lost his touch, and it's a treat for anyone who has ever loved his work -- or even for folks who've never heard him before. ~ Mark Deming