the story thus far:

upon my return to australia in 2002

my brother john played me a band called all india radio

it was instrumental music

and i absolutely loved it

i could detect something vaguely connected with me

i could also detect brian eno

well it turned out martin kennedy did like what i do after all

because he sends john a track and we do the “your songs in the mail” routine

our first album was called

steve kilbey and martin kennedy present :

unseen music unheard words

martin kennedys music is simple music poignant music subtle music

ambient sometimes

our first album contains some real breakthroughs for me

his music forces to me to respond to it thus

his music is the prime mover in this relationship

there could be no collaboration without martins music

if you like smooth subtle spiritual simple songs

but songs laden with tiny implications

that will keep you busy forever

then this album will delight you

its late night music

its sexy music

its music for people who want more from their songs than just blah!

its music made with love for people who love music

you can hear johns excellent backing vocals all over this record

you can hear minna singing on the lovely song maybe soon

i’m listening to it right now

these songs are so gentle so full of tranquility

nothing is harsh

nothing is in your face

i seem to effortlessly come up with my semi spiritual lyrics

thats how martins music affects me

there is a bit of my old cynical negativity

but i know you all like that sometimes

and i like it too

but i like it when i hit the pure uncynical spiritual stuff

i dont always know it my self

i dont realise what i have just sung

it comes from somewhere i just write it down

listening to it today

there is some lovely words here

surely given to rough old me by the muses themselves

sad and happy reaffirmations of spirit

in all is one

i rope christ n buddha in together

in my song i cast them as the same guy

the message is

duality does not exist

strangely enough martin and i have returned to this idea

our new album  is to be called

you are everything

it is worth considering all the implications of this statement

as i believe martin is shortly about to announce details of some crowd funding

he has assessed that he needs about x $ to get this album finished

in the style that it deserves

anyway thats his trip not mine

he is the prime mover in this duo

im just the voice and lyrics

but i tell you if you all want to help as you all said

(which made me very grateful to read i can tell you!)

then this will be your chance….

knowing that martin k will use the money wisely

of that i have no doubt

he is above all suspicion so by financing this project

you will be directly helping me so i urge you to get involved

hes got lots of little deals worked out to for different levels too

different rewards for the more generous subscriber…i like it…!

anyway martin n i did 3 songs at my gig in melbourne

my gig talking about myths n gods n stuff

we did

all is one +broken sea +transformation

the latter being a song our own davey percevale commished

and yes davey i sang your slight changes and i thought of you

you would have approved

the people there lapped up the mk songs

and we filmed our rehearsal for possible bonus bits

our second album was called  white magic

the songs were a little darker

there was more twangy guitar lines

the lyrics were reflecting the troubled times on my horizon

listen and you may understand

there is a lot weirdness brewing

there are some really good melodies too

the ambience and optimism has receded a little though

and a menace prowls behind almost all these songs

save for mountain 

which is more like the first record

the second album is a worthy follow up to the first

it is excellently executed

although martin n i would both concede it gained no new ground on the first one

i think we got away with that though

because number one had much area left to explore

and because  most of these songs have an intrinsic excellence

lots of word-play

lots of nice little musical touches

lots of lovely wide open spaces too like in most of martins stuff

in music as in painting there are wild intuitive people n careful thinking people

martin has carefully

using his thinking

figured out a way to knock out these little universes of music

that seem deceptively simple

but try n do one yourself!

our third album however is a different thing

something has changed

these new songs are suddenly so different to all that has gone before

i am baffled to explain this

everything i have heard so far is just amazing

we have made a quantum leap out into unexpected territory

its not ambient pop anymore although still containing bits of that

a new urgency a new honesty

the bright bits are brighter

the dark bits are darker

there is lots of elation

i dont know

he needs the dough to get it mixed mastered n stuff

meanwhile i have here

a very ltd amount of first n second kil/ken cds

i will do you  both of em for thirty bucks n throw in an original postcard size painting

both signed by me n him

or buy em separately for 20 bucks each unsigned

either way i really recommend em

if you dont already have em…theyre good! ( in spades!)

sk