Ever wanted to hear the soundtrack to your funeral? Paul Kelly and Charlie Owen may have made that possible with their new record Death’s Dateless Nights.
With Kelly contributing vocals and acoustic and Owen on pretty much everything else, the album is just the two of them, stripped right back, sharing their versions of songs they’d played and heard at funerals over the years. Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Cole Porter, The Beatles – it’s an eclectic mix which, delivered with Kelly’s distinctive voice, paints a nostalgic, often philosophical, sometimes mournful picture.
All in all, the result is enjoyable while lacking any real standouts, although tracks Hard Times and Meet Me In The Middle Of The Airare the most enjoyable. One could imagine that Kelly and Owen’s covers would best be heard as part of the upcoming Heavenly Sounds tour, where the duo will perform intimate shows in churches and cathedrals around Australia. That sort of atmosphere combined with Kelly and Owen’s virtuosity would make for an excellent night.
By Josh Fergeus
