Paul Simon (and Garfunkel)
- Thread starter IdleRich
- Start date
sus
Moderator
"Cecilia" does indeed teeter on that edge. Same with "El Condor Pasa"
I think "Song for the Asking" is really lovely though, always underrated that one.
The "Bookends" theme is lovely. When they write really short, humble touched songs like that they're lovely.
Maybe I listened to "Boxer"/"Sounds of Silence" too much as a kid but they feel like they're trying too hard to me now, straining toward epic drama or profundity in a way that their little simple songs about being old and sitting on park benches aren't
I think "Song for the Asking" is really lovely though, always underrated that one.
The "Bookends" theme is lovely. When they write really short, humble touched songs like that they're lovely.
Maybe I listened to "Boxer"/"Sounds of Silence" too much as a kid but they feel like they're trying too hard to me now, straining toward epic drama or profundity in a way that their little simple songs about being old and sitting on park benches aren't
sus
Moderator
I think the recent "Seven Psalms" release, the 30-minute long religious piece he put out in his old age, is the best thing he's done since the 90s I reckon:
There was a nice interview with Simon where he talks about how he was gonna quit music, and Chuck Close the painter told him, no, you've got to stick it out, the Old Period is very important, it's a very unique time, the last years in an artist's life. I think we did a thread on it once actually
There was a nice interview with Simon where he talks about how he was gonna quit music, and Chuck Close the painter told him, no, you've got to stick it out, the Old Period is very important, it's a very unique time, the last years in an artist's life. I think we did a thread on it once actually
sus
Moderator
On Late Style
Its his 39th studio album, and its actually pretty good. His voice sounds the youngest it has in about 30 years.
www.dissensus.com
Rumours sold way more. and FM was still way more huge in the 80s (over here at least).
Simon, and even more so for Garfunkel - they barely existed in people's minds by the 80s, and I barely even knew about them, and besides You Can Call Me Al which I hated - Graceland was more of an "adult contemporary"/NPR listener thing.
jenks
thread death
Glad to see some love being shown for Paul Simon. I reckon the albums from Parsley through Bookends and Bridge and then into those early solo albums - PS, There Goes, Crazy and ending with Hearts and Bones is as good a run as many of his more esteemed peers.
I think Still Crazy might his most complete work - a sweet spot of mature lyrics with clever and subtle compositions.
I like the way he didn’t stand still, is willing to collaborate and understands that there’s music outside the US - we might make jokes about pan pipes now but El Condor Paso was new to American ears once.
The work with the Muscle Shoals on There Goes is worth replaying - some lovely moments.
What I suppose I’m saying in a rambling first cup of coffee way is that he’s a lot more than Graceland
I think Still Crazy might his most complete work - a sweet spot of mature lyrics with clever and subtle compositions.
I like the way he didn’t stand still, is willing to collaborate and understands that there’s music outside the US - we might make jokes about pan pipes now but El Condor Paso was new to American ears once.
The work with the Muscle Shoals on There Goes is worth replaying - some lovely moments.
What I suppose I’m saying in a rambling first cup of coffee way is that he’s a lot more than Graceland
