The Indie Anthology 77: essential songs

For the next chapter of our revamped Anthology we haven't moved very long. From Dunedin to Adelaide (I have the feeling I could made all music Blog sections with music from the Antipodes), to introduce you to one of the greatest pop songwriters of Australia (which, in my book, means being one of the world's best), never praised enough and, sadly not known enough outside his country. Let's go South!

Song: Before Too Long
Artist: Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls
Year: 1986

My beloved Neil Finn is, of course, the one who "blame". I got so obsessed with his music (solo, Crowded House, with his brother Tim, with Splitz Enz that makes me remember he might have another well-deserved spot in this section) that it was "mandatory" for me to seek for likewise artists/bands. It wouldn't take too long (sorry about that) for Paul's tunes to conquer me... I mean, how many songs as instantly addictive as 'Before Too Long' or 'Leaps and Bounds' (choruses, choruses, choruses!) can you resist before converting yourself into a devoted fan. The surprise (same as what happened with Crowded House, and sadly very similar with all the stunning music coming from the Antipodes) was discovering Kelly was pretty huge in Australia while he was mostly unknown here. So there was plenty to hunt back and got in love with. 'Careless', 'Dumb Things', 'To Her Door', 'Deeper Water'. Besides, Paul is also a great storyteller (please listen to 'Bradman'!)... for God's sake, he even wrote a tune, 'Everything's Turning Into White', and named an entire album, 'So Much Water Close to Home', based on Raymond Carver stories, beat that! I could go on for days as, like Neil, Paul Kelly is simply one of pop finest craftsmen. So when the two gathered in 2012-2013 for that 'Goin' Your Way' tour/album together it was a true feast... and a natural "match", made in music heavens (and I'll blame myself forever for not living there, what a magic bunch of concerts must had been). A maestro "found" thanks to another maestro.