The Merri Soul Sessions
Paul Kelly · 2014
41 min · 11 tracks · Australian rock
A vibrant blend of soul, rock, and pop, infused with heartfelt storytelling and rich vocal harmonies.
Top tracks — play these first
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Smells Like Rain — Opening with lush instrumentation, this track encapsulates the album's emotive core while showcasing Kelly’s storytelling prowess through vivid imagery.
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Righteous Woman — This song stands out for its infectious groove and empowering lyrics, celebrating resilience and strength in relationships.
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Keep on Coming Back for More — The track fuses catchy melodies with reflective lyrics about longing and desire, making it a memorable highlight of the collection.
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Don't Let a Good Thing Go — With its upbeat tempo and engaging call-and-response vocals, this track serves as an anthem for appreciating love when it is present.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends various styles effectively but lacks a strong cohesive narrative throughout its runtime.
What we noticed
- Several tracks incorporate rich vocal harmonies, particularly in the choruses, enhancing the soulful feel of the music.
- Collaborative performances are prominent, with multiple artists sharing lead vocals on different tracks, creating a varied sonic landscape.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- heartfelt storytelling through vocals
- vibrant energy for gatherings
- uplifting tracks for sing-alongs
- short bursts of emotional release
Maybe skip if you
- slow-paced reflective experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- The Merri Soul Sessions is Paul Kelly’s thirteenth studio album, released in 2014 after a prolific career spanning over three decades. This album showcases his collaboration with various artists, marking a return to the soulful roots that have influenced his work since the beginning. It followed his previous album, Spring and Fall (2012), and reflects a maturity in songwriting and production.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Crowded House· Midnight Oil· Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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What You Want
The verse shifts perspective from longing to acceptance, illustrating a journey toward clarity amidst confusion.
This change in focus deepens the emotional complexity of the song by revealing growth rather than mere desire.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Smells Like Rain 5:48
- 2 What You Want 3:34
- 3 Keep on Coming Back for More 3:13
- 4 Sweet Guy 4:30
- 5 Righteous Woman 3:21
- 6 Don't Let a Good Thing Go 3:47
- 7 Where Were You When I Needed You 4:29
- 8 Thank You 2:58
- 9 I Don't Know What I'd Do 2:36
- 10 Down on the Jetty 3:01
- 11 Hasn't It Rained 3:51
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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