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| ARCHIVE : Capital News April 2007 Vol 32 No. 4 |
SIMPLY ME
Susan Jarvis
Kelly Llewellyn realised early on in her life that she saw the world differently from other people.
“I never seemed to fit in when I was growing up — fortunately I’m strong willed so it never got to me. But even now, I find it hard to explain my strange thoughts to others!” she said.
Maybe it was the potential songwriter in her, even then. But Kelly’s “strange thoughts” have now blossomed into a collection of perceptive, beautifully crafted songs that she’s brought together on her debut album, simply titled Me.
The title is very apt, because Me is at the same time intensely personal and universal in its themes — the mark of any good recording, and certainly an indication of Kelly’s bright future in the industry.
At 24, Kelly’s part of the new generation of country performers currently breaking through into the country music mainstream. Her music reflects a diverse array of influences, including country, folk, roots and pop, and it presents both a youthful perspective and a fresh, new contemporary sound.
With almost half of Me comprising her own original songs, Kelly has used the album as a vehicle to communicate her personality, her attitude to life and her feelings about the world.
The album begins with the delightful Easy Me, a song Kelly cowrote with producer Glen Hannah. She says it’s her favourite track on the album, simply because it expresses who she is.
“I’ve never taken myself too seriously — life is fun, and I figure there’s no point in indulging in too much angst. Sometimes you just need to shrug things off,” she said.
Kelly also admits that she loves a little excitement, an unexpected turn of events, which is why she chose to record the AL ANDERSON/CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON composition Change for the album.
“I know I’m a little weird, but when the power goes off in a blackout, I get excited – it’s a thrill that everything has suddenly changed. I loved Chang the minute I heard it because it takes heartbreak in a whole new direction. Instead of waiting for the other person to change, turn the cards and change the situation yourself!”
The other very personal song on Me is Letting Go, written for all those parents and grown-up children who need to loosen the ties and move on to a different kind of relationship.
Other original tracks on Me include the haunting Over You and the moving Through Your Tears, co-written with GLEN HANNAH and the legendary KEVIN BENNETT.
“Through Your Tears is about knowing it’s time to leave, but knowing how much heartache it will cause. I wrote it after a friend had to make a very big decision, and I’ve tried to capture the hurt and emotion involved,” Kelly said.
One of the real standouts on the album is Come A Day, also cowritten with Kevin Bennett.
“This song really captures my feeling of not fitting in. It was the first song I’d ever cowritten, and somehow I was able to explain to Kevin what I wanted to convey. The first lines — ‘There will come a day when you’ll be stronger, and they’ll look in wonder at the person you’ve become’ — really express it all, and I’m sure a lot of people will relate to them,” Kelly said.
The other highlight of Me is a song written by former Toyota Star Maker KYLIE SACKLEY, who is now making her mark as a songwriter in Nashville. Titled Done A Lotta Livin’ In These Shoes, it’s a funky, gritty and totally wonderful song that is a real joy to hear. As Kelly says “It’s the journey that matters most, not the destination.”
Kelly has also included an exquisite version of the Fleetwood Mac classic Rhiannon, which she’s really made her own.
And — inspired by the tragic Daniel Morcombe abduction on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast — she’s also recorded Nathalie, a song about a missing child.
“After I’d recorded it, a fan came up to me at a show in Tamworth, and told me the story behind the song — it was about a little girl in Sweden, and the details were quite horrific. It’s a very powerful song, and many people find it hard to listen to — especially parents,” Kelly said.
Under the guiding hand of Glen Hannah, Kelly has created a fresh, funky sound on me that reflects the new, contemporary face of Australian country music.
“There’s a lot of traditional basis to my music, but I wanted an album that would combine a whole range of influences in a relevant, modern way. I think it’s really important to attract and retain a new audience for country music if the industry is going to continue to grow and develop,” Kelly said.
“Glen has done a wonderful job, and I’m really thrilled with the way my songs have been interpreted on Me.”
Kelly launched Me at her local watering hole, the Gem Hotel at Albertson south of Brisbane, on 25 March. She’s now focused on performing the songs from the album as much as possible, including at the Songwriters’ Café at the Caboolture Urban Country Music Festival next month, and at the Toyota Fraser Island Fishing Expo on May 25. She’s also booked to perform at the Tara Camel Races in August.
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