Forever Five: Dan Kelly

Waxx Lyrical
1 day ago
1 min read

Dan Kelly shrouded in red light looks away from the camera

Dan Kelly’s path has always swerved a little sideways. Born into songwriting royalty but determined to make his own strange mark, he carved out a place somewhere between lounge lizard prophet and DIY indie hero. Whether fronting the brilliantly unhinged Alpha Males (a band that included Gareth Liddiard and Christian Strybosch of The Drones) or drifting solo through sci-fi psych-folk or even playing sidekick to his Uncle Paul, Dan’s songs are restless, clever, and deeply Australian in all the best, weirdest ways. His Forever Five picks pull from that same shifting, shimmering universe—music full of groove and ghosts, atmosphere and agitation. There’s glittering glam from the art-school coast, dub soaked in dread and divinity, bruised dream pop, motorik lullabies, and a shot of raw punk paranoia to keep it grounded. It’s a list that moves like he does—through contradictions, with a wink and a warning. At once sun-dazed and sharp-tongued. Sweet and sinister. Righteous and ridiculous. These aren’t just favourite records, they’re the kind of albums that haunt your thinking and soundtrack your spiral. Dan’s five feel like postcards from different planets—but they all glow with the same electricity. Tune in, drift off, and don’t believe everything you think.