Since I wrote about one survivor of the hair and apparel disaster that was the Kelly Family, I thought it only fair to devote some space to one who is still performing. Angelo Kelly is the youngest of the bunch and is in the middle of a fairly punishing tour schedule of small venues across Europe. Last Saturday (28 March) I went with a fellow conspirator to his first solo concert in Dublin. (Cue foreshadowing music.)
Searching through Last.fm a couple of weeks ago, I found an artist with what I thought were quite interesting songs. I ordered his album via eBay as stocks seemed to have disappeared from elsewhere, and I’ve been listening to it these past few days.
Some may remember the brief success in Ireland of the German-based, Irish-American group The Kelly Family, which one might say was not exactly critically acclaimed. However, Paddy Kelly, their most popular and, it is often said, most talented member (and the only Irish-born one, naturally 
), later released an album which gained appreciative reviews from German critics. (That is, if the Amazon editorial review, the laut.de review and the pooltrax.com review are representative.)
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting anything special, but the album won me over very quickly, although my sister didn’t find it to her taste. Some tracks are, it must be noted, religious-themed and so unlikely to suit some people. However, it also deals with the struggle of a young person who has experienced the emptiness of fame and a life lived under media scrutiny, and is seeking to strike out a new path in life. This struggle is encapsulated in Thanking Blessed Mary, a powerful song which, for me, is the best track on the album.
The majority of the songs are good, with the exception of two songs that deal rather superficially with social and political issues. At the same time, there is some dodgy grammar, even by pop standards: “choosed” is not a word. The only throwback to the sentimentality of the Kelly Family is When You Sleep, which is, nevertheless, a decent song and reminds me of Jimmy McCarthy’s Wonder Child. The opening bars also provide a melodic echo of that song. Rain of Roses is a touching song dedicated to St Therese of Lisieux. However, I saw no acknowledgement in the sleeve notes that some of the lyrics were taken from an existing prayer to St Therese.
Speaking for myself, as a young person who has gone through my own religious struggles (and who has not), I found In Exile identifiable, uplifting and thought-provoking. As of this edit (2009), I still listen to it regularly on my iPod. I would have very much liked to hear some new music from Mr Kelly, but ochone ochone, it would seem that he has retired from the music business.
You can listen to In Exile in its entirety via Last.fm if you sign up for an account.
If anyone has listened to the album, do you have any views about it?
Update: see this post.
Thanking Blessed Mary, as sung by the former singer in August 2008 (see the Update post) is below.
One of my sister’s favourite artists is Declan O’Rourke, and while I listen to his albums frequently, I’m most interested in a forthcoming album about the Famine. (No word yet on when it’s due out.) I’d like to link to Johnny Hold the Lantern if it were to be found on the internet, but in the meantime, here’s Poor Boy’s Shoes.
