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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Getting Ready for Christmas Day |
| 2. The Afterlife |
| 3. Dazzling Blue |
| 4. Rewrite |
| 5. Love and Hard Times |
| 6. Love Is Eternal Sacred Light |
| 7. Amulet |
| 8. Questions for the Angels |
| 9. Love & Blessings |
| 10. So Beautiful Or So What |
Product Description
Review
Whenever pop songwriters venture in search of profundity, they tend to overreach themselves, their lofty ambitions toppled by hubris and laughable pretention. Not so rock icon Paul Simon, who’s been writing astutely crafted songs, poetic, questioning and rich in meaning, for almost half a century; remarkably, his 12th solo studio album finds his gifts undimmed, even sharpened, by time.
There is a tendency among music critics to proclaim each new album from an elder statesperson as their best since (take your pick). But this must surely rank as one of Simon’s most affecting post-Garfunkel achievements.
Conceptually bound by the biggest themes of all – love, God, mortality, and our place in universe – this deceptively casual yet carefully focused collection never struggles under the weight of its ambition. Instead, Simon delivers these ruminative sermons with wit, warmth and wisdom. Despite virtually every song being haunted by notions of divinity and the attendant spectre of death, they’re realised with such shimmering lightness of touch that the overall effect is surprisingly life-affirming.
"Most folks they don’t get when I’m joking / But hopefully somebody will," he sings, in that conversational, ageless voice, on the almost free-associative Love Is Eternal Sacred Light, which somehow encompasses the origins of the universe, suicide bombers, and the exultant freedom of life on the open road. Now almost 70, it’s as if he has so much to say but with little time remaining (the album clocks in at just over 30 minutes, with not a moment wasted). In the same song he declares that love is "free from the shackles of time", while in the poignant Dazzling Blue he thanks God that he found his wife before it was too late.
When death does come knocking in The Afterlife, rather than bringing an end to earthly trials, it presents a bureaucratic chore where "you’ve got to fill out a form first, then you wait in the line." Even such deities as Buddha, Moses and Gene Vincent must endure this process: the ultimate joke.
Driven by Simon’s uniquely percussive acoustic guitar, and with his world music leanings embedded naturally rather than overtly, this beguiling album shows him to have lost none of his ability for finding universal truths within the guise of introspection. It’s a profound statement from a master of his craft.
--Paul Whitelaw
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is a welcome surprise from one of the finest songwriters of our time. Since the career-best Graceland, Paul Simon`s releases have either been uplifting and inspirational like Rhythm Of The Saints, slightly incoherent yet brilliant collections of songs such as the mostly superb You`re The One, or muddled near-misses like Surprise, his last rather misconceived effort. To call this a return to form is merely to speak the truth.
He sounds rejuvenated - at 70 already! - on a brief set of heartfelt songs on which his writing, singing and musical skills (he has always been a quietly virtuosic guitarist) are at their bright & shining best. At first I really didn`t like the cover, but looking at it closer one can see that it complements the esoteric yet generously compassionate, humane nature of the songs within.
The soundworld Paul creates here is both eclectic and spare, with instruments such as kora, tabla and glockenspiel adding subtle textures to the already beautifully crafted songs. There`s no dud song, nothing that goes on too long, no songs that don`t quite come off, and the whole thing is produced with the accent on clarity and a brightly warm immediacy.
To highlight one song: the opener, Getting Ready For Christmas Day, starts the whole thing off in glorious style, overlaying Paul`s vocal onto an old sermon recorded as long ago as 1941 by one Rev JM Gates, complete with scattered congregation calls & cries. It not only works, but is a burst of joyous ebullience that puts the listener in a very good place for the rest of this supremely listenable album.
I think this is, by a whisker, Paul Simon`s most wholly satisfying album since Graceland. He is quite possibly the most underrated songwriter around these days, but on these ten songs he proves he`s still very much a contender. It`s not only as a guitarist that he`s been undervalued either, his voice over the years - especially
since the split with Garfunkel - being one of the most understatedly expressive in all popular music. The Sam Cooke of folk-pop...?
This is also a lovingly packaged disc, the booklet containing not only the songs` lyrics and a few thankyous from PS to various people, but - and this must be almost unique - an advance encomium from none other than Elvis Costello, whose appreciation of these songs is as effusive as it is obviously sincere.
He`s not wrong, as this album is sheer joy from beginning to end, sometimes blue, always dazzling.
He sounds rejuvenated - at 70 already! - on a brief set of heartfelt songs on which his writing, singing and musical skills (he has always been a quietly virtuosic guitarist) are at their bright & shining best. At first I really didn`t like the cover, but looking at it closer one can see that it complements the esoteric yet generously compassionate, humane nature of the songs within.
The soundworld Paul creates here is both eclectic and spare, with instruments such as kora, tabla and glockenspiel adding subtle textures to the already beautifully crafted songs. There`s no dud song, nothing that goes on too long, no songs that don`t quite come off, and the whole thing is produced with the accent on clarity and a brightly warm immediacy.
To highlight one song: the opener, Getting Ready For Christmas Day, starts the whole thing off in glorious style, overlaying Paul`s vocal onto an old sermon recorded as long ago as 1941 by one Rev JM Gates, complete with scattered congregation calls & cries. It not only works, but is a burst of joyous ebullience that puts the listener in a very good place for the rest of this supremely listenable album.
I think this is, by a whisker, Paul Simon`s most wholly satisfying album since Graceland. He is quite possibly the most underrated songwriter around these days, but on these ten songs he proves he`s still very much a contender. It`s not only as a guitarist that he`s been undervalued either, his voice over the years - especially
since the split with Garfunkel - being one of the most understatedly expressive in all popular music. The Sam Cooke of folk-pop...?
This is also a lovingly packaged disc, the booklet containing not only the songs` lyrics and a few thankyous from PS to various people, but - and this must be almost unique - an advance encomium from none other than Elvis Costello, whose appreciation of these songs is as effusive as it is obviously sincere.
He`s not wrong, as this album is sheer joy from beginning to end, sometimes blue, always dazzling.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have been a Paul Simon fan since I was at school,and he has never disappointed with any of his albums. At an age when most artists are doing revivals or happily sitting at home with their memories Paul Simon has been back in the studio re-inventing himself yet again.This album doesn't quite hit the heights of Surprise and doesn't contain as beautiful a song as "Father and Daughter", but it is quite brillian nonetheless. I look forward to seeing him in the Uk next year if all goes to plan and he tours with Artie. That really will be an event !
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This CD is not as immediately attractive as Graceland, but as usual, Simon has gathered around him some great musicians,the production is really polished and I love the way he mines different musical traditions and adds his own take on them.
I particularly like the slower tracks on the CD. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why but the lyrics are moving without being sentimental and the mix of very American music with that of world music works well.
I'm probably going to have to listen to the CD a couple more times but I'd say it's well worth investing the effort.
I particularly like the slower tracks on the CD. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why but the lyrics are moving without being sentimental and the mix of very American music with that of world music works well.
I'm probably going to have to listen to the CD a couple more times but I'd say it's well worth investing the effort.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Paul Simon does it again
This is not dissimilar to his African themed music and singing. It is catchy, one needs to listen carefully to the words. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ann Maguire
From a disatisfied and angry customer
I ordered a new CD by Paul Simon and got a copy - obviously as the first number on the CD starts abruptly. Read more
Published 7 months ago by DorteG
Goodness, what a dull album
For any casual fans of this man's music (and I am one) this album will almost certainly disappoint. That's because the casual fan will have picked up some Simon & Garfunkel, maybe... Read more
Published 7 months ago by robotfish
Another strong album from Paul
Although this is not the strongest album by Paul Simon it is in fact very good. The songwriting is up to the usual standard and the music ideas not only work well but they are... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ms. M. Potter
Paul Simon's latest 2011
A well recorded,thoughtful album with quality musicians.Also a little disappointing with a generally low-key approach. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. Richard A. Spanner
Excellent
As always, anything by Paul Simon is a winner, have been really enjoying this one, keep up the great music....
Published 9 months ago by Maz
Simon Classic
Having booked his recent concert at the Hammersmith Odeon (where I first saw him many years ago), we were disappointed to receive an email saying he was ill and it was postponed... Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
Boston Al
Takes a while to get into but as I have always been a fan I have found it worth the effort. Grows on you!!!
Published 9 months ago by Alan G. Pickering
Not Good
I am very disapointed with this - no heartlifting moments, no simplicity - It's over-engineered and tuneless NOT engaging and timeless. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Poppy
Quirky but not great
This is a very quirky Paul Simon album and I love the initial feel of the opening tracks with a jolty guitar and some nice harmonies. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Steve Horsfall - Author / Writer
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