I have noticed a lot a discussion about Paul Kelly here. Paul Kelly is Australias best known song writer (in Australia that is), but is he the best?

The only Australian songwriter that could challenge Kelly is Ed Kuepper (pronounced cooper). Kuepper was in several successful bands (Saints, Laughing Clowns), before going solo. He was amazingly prolific, releasing about 10 albums in 5 years towards the end of the 90s. Several of those albums are Australian classics, but are not known to the majority of Australians unfortunately.

His style incorporates his lazy punk like voice, punchy lyrical guitar playing, and melodic hook laden songs. Production is clean, and often sparse, but has a sort of grungy style as well- not noisy, but driven - even with his acoustic stuff. Hardly frightening, but enough to see him moved way off center popularity wise (and radio wise). He uses few instruments on any one song, but over the course of his solo career he has used many instruments to colour his songs.

They include Piano, Organ, Jews Harp, Electronic effects, Horns, Violin etc etc.

I have just bought a retropective (3cds 3.5 hours long, 52 songs, good liner notes) of his solo career for the price of a normal album. It is called "The Magic Mile", and I found it great. By mixing up the tracks (they are not in release date order) it avoids the sense of sameness that Kuepper's albums could sometimes suffer from.

Unlike Kelly obvious coutry and roots influences, Kueppers seem harder to pin down. Probably 50s rock and roll, and punk, with artists like Neil Young, Tom Waits, etc thrown in.

Anyway Ed Kuepper is well worth your time.

If I were to have to pick one Aussie songwriter, I'd go with Paul Kelly. But Kuepper is very close, as is David McComb (of the Blackeyed Susans and the Triffids).

I echo Benno's recommendation of theMagic Mile collection. It's cheap and it's loaded with gems.