Dug by both new breed and old (from Horse Stories compatriot Toby Burke to Dylan), Kelly has long been Australia’s foremost troubadour since emerging from Melbourne’s mid-’70s punk scene with a solo ambition that first flourished on 1985’s Post. Produced by Tchad (Tom Waits/American Music Club) Blake, this two-CD follow-up to 2001’s Nothing But A Dream is smartly conceived. Disc one rattles and blows like Highway 61 ghost-ridden by Hank Williams, a tumble of bordello piano, pedal-steel and blustery guitars. Disc two is more spare, sort of Time Out Of Mind left out in the rain by Warren Zevon.
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