Paul Kelly - The Merri Soul Sessions

Paul Kelly Presents: The Merri Soul Sessions is the twentieth studio album by Australian musician and singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, released in December 2014 via Gawd Aggie Records.

The album was recorded live in a Northcote studio, next to the Merri Creek, which provides the name of the album.

The album’s concept was to invite various guest singers to lay down some soul and gospel tracks, backed by Kelly’s touring band. Kelly sings lead vocals on two of the tracks on the album. The guest vocalists were Vika and Linda Bull, Clairy Browne, Dan Sultan and Kira Puru.

During 2014 the various recordings were released as individual recordings on 7” Singles, and then consolidated into one album, released in December 2014.

Paul Kelly is quoted in a press release about the album:  “I started to imagine a soul revue type record performed live in the studio with a variety of singers and the one band,” recalls Paul of the initial concept. “I’d fallen in love with Clairy Browne and The Bangin’ Rackettes’ ‘Love Letter’, the sound of it as well as the song, so invited Clairy and the producer of that record, Steve Schram, to get involved. I’d seen Kira Puru perform One Eye Openlive on YouTube and thought she might be the one to nail I Don’t Know What I’d Do, a song left off ‘Spring and Fall’ because I couldn’t sing it myself yet. It needed a torch singer who could balance light and dark. Plus, I loved the way she sang with a big glass of red wine never out of her hand. She, Clairy and Steve, thankfully, all said yes. Meanwhile Vika and Linda had started singing live the two songs Dan (Sultan) and I had written. The stew was simmering on the stove. The band comprises Peter Luscombe, drums and percussion; Bill McDonald, bass; Ash Naylor guitar, electric mainly; Cam Bruce, piano and organ; Vika and Linda, harmonies when they aren’t singing lead; and me on rhythm guitar. Dan Kelly guests on one song Keep On Coming Back For More.”

The album received critical acclaim upon release and debuted at #17 on the Australian ARIA Albums chart.

Check out the tracks:  “Keep On Coming Back For More”; “What You Want”; “Down On The Jetty”; and “Don’t Let A Good Thing Go”.

This album is a 2019 reissue on 180 gram black vinyl, pressed in Australia via Gawd Aggie.