Album Review: Graceland by Paul Simon

Review Notes: I don't think I need to put this in my reviews any more, but for one last time, I care most about the music itself and notice/comment on the lyrics only if they are very prominent and/or interesting.

Paul Simon is definitely one of my favorite musicians, both for his work with Garfunkel and as a solo artist. I think he is a fantastic songwriter, right up in the top tier of pop artists. While his voice is not my favorite, it is pleasant and flexible enough to sound good in most of his songs. And certainly Paul is one of the best lyricists in pop music. This album, probably his most famous as a solo artist, was presumably released as an early birthday present for me, coming just a month before my birth ;) The album was recorded primarily in South Africa, and Simon collaborated with several other musicians there. The album retains a similar sound throughout, though it has a great variety of styles as well. While I'm very familiar with some of the hits since my childhood, many tracks are newer to me and thus I don't have quite the connection to this one that I have to others; like virtually all of Simon's albums I've listened to, though, it's very good.

1. "Boy in the Bubble" (Simon/Motloheloa)
This song is a nice way to start off the album, although it's hardly the best opening track. The verses sound pretty nice, sung nice and clearly by Simon, but the chorus is kind of a letdown; it could have used something a little harder hitting. It's really the instrumentals that give this song its appeal. Generally, I'm not a fan of accordions, but it fits in well here, and even neater are the tuba-like synthesizers that bounce along throughout. The drums beat along dutifully, giving the song a nice tempo though not very toe-tapping. This track could have been at least 30 seconds shorter, since there's really not much musical variety in it, but it's a fine song.

2. "Graceland" (Simon)
Now here's a classic Simon pop song: the title track is one of his most recognizable and written fully in Simon-style. Definitely one of the strongest songs of the album, everything just works. Here Paul comes up with a really catchy chorus to go along with his usually strong verses. Towards the middle, he's even joined by the Everly Brothers briefly. Once again, it's the instrumentals that really shine, and raise this one to classic status. The drums are great, as is a very active bass part that keeps the song humming for its five-minute length. The guitar part is also really good, making its presence felt most in the chorus with its easily-recognizable little hook. Excellent song, and it really shows how Simon was great at these medium-range tracks.

3. "I Know What I Know" (Simon/Shirinda)
Here is a personal favorite of mine on the album. This is simply an irresistably catchy pop song, and if your foot isn't tapping at least a little, you may want to check your pulse. The guitars in this song are played in a way that makes them sound sort of like bumble bees, and the effect is really cool. And like in "Bubble," the drums keep the tempo going (and the toe a-tapping). The verses are really fun, with Simon's voice rising on the last note of each line. The following chorus is even more fun, with Simon joined by the Gaza Sisters who lend a high-pitched and perfectly matching vocal; following the chorus is a short "whoop-whoop" section from the Sisters. Maybe I'm just a sucker for these upbeat, catchy pop songs, but this is really a great one.

4. "Gumboots" (Simon/Mkhalali/Masilela)
Now for a bit of a letdown, with one of the album's weaker tracks. There is really just nothing very interesting about the verses or chorus; I almost want to label this song "poor," because Paul doesn't seem to have put a lot of effort into the songwriting here. In a recurring theme, however, the instrumentals make this one at least listenable. The bass and drum parts give the song a shifty beat, with bright accompanying accordions and a few nifty saxophone parts. Otherwise, this makes even "Boy In The Bubble" seem quite remarkable.

5. "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" (Simon/Shabalala)
One of my favorite Paul Simon songs, "Diamonds" is also one of the most creative and original songs I've heard. The first minute of the song is an a cappella intro with Paul singing lead backed by others in what I assume is a traditional African style; a very nice touch. The guitar then brilliantly transitions the song into a more western, upbeat pop style that keeps an ensemble of African drums and feel. The bass part in this song is just incredible. While there isn't really a melody exactly in this song, Paul gives enough variety in his storytelling-like singing to keep it interesting in this long song, especially supported by the bright instrumentals. Included in the instrumentals is a great horn part (and I am definitely a sucker for horns). Just a phenomenal song that roams about for close to six minutes, but doesn't tired itself out at all.

6. "You Can Call Me Al"
Speaking of horn parts... here's a song that probably even non-Simon fans have heard. That three-note horn part is the trademark, and it is a great, simple, triumphant one. And, once again, there is a great bass part to go along with it. Put simply, this is perhaps his best song, at least of his solo career. The verses are fantastic, with some great lyrics even by his high standards, and the chorus, during which the horns come back, is of course unforgettable. With the bass and drums humming along, it's impossible not to be swept up in the song's joy. Heck, there is even a pretty damn cool flute solo! If you have not heard this song for some strange reason, do yourself the favor, and soon.

7. "Under African Skies" (Simon)
Here is another outstanding song on the album. It's hard to describe this song, as the real tempo is slow, and it's certainly not meant to be an upbeat track, but the instruments, in particular the drums but also the guitar and bass, drive forward with great energy and enthusiasm. The chorus is classic Simon stuff, almost a little more like his songs with Garfunkel; however, it's the verses that are just gorgeous, not only well written but also sung in harmony with Linda Ronstadt. Her voice is amazing on this track, and it fits with Paul's perfectly. A small part near the end also includes Linda, with Paul's vocal acting almost like a bass guitar, and Linda's like a flute or similar instrument. Definitely one of the album's gems.

8. "Homeless" (Simon/Shabalala)
This song is definitely a change of pace, as we have a return to the a cappella, traditional African style heard in the intro to "Diamonds" - but this song is entirely composed of this. It's a fun song, and certainly worth hearing, but it really comes off as a sidetrack on the album. In fact, Paul only sings briefly in a few places on this one. So, not really my cup of tea, but I think it's fun and others may enjoy it even more.

9. "Crazy Love, Vol. II" (Simon)
I feel that this track has a lot of similarities with "Gumboots," although technically they're rather different songs. Again, any charm of this song pretty much comes from the instruments, this time the sprightly guitar part. The verses are fine, if nothing special, but like "Gumboots," the chorus is just very disappointing. Even the lyrics seem rather poorly written, and the music to go with it is just as poor. I just really get the sense that far less effort was put into these two tracks than the some of the other far superior tracks.

10. "That Was Your Mother" (Simon)
Here's a fun little track. Great saxophone work, playing along with Paul and in solo form. Some heavy drum playing also gives the track a good dose of energy, as well as some more accordion. With that said, I can hardly believe Paul wrote this one; it's definitely a departure from his style. And while it is a fun song, it's a far cry from the stratospheric heights of this album. That drum part just keeps on keeping on for about three minutes, then boom, it's done. And that kind of sums up how I feel about the song.

11. "All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints" (Simon)
Or Paul's attempt to match the title length of a certain Lennon song for The Beatles. Here, the instrumentals finally make a somewhat poor showing, as the drums are way too heavy. It sounds way too much like a bad 80s hair band; in addition, the accordion/sax part just sounds corny. I do like Paul's vocal on this one, and despite the corniness and overdone instrumentals, it is still pretty fun. Apparently, a group called Los Lobos worked with Paul on this one and then later claimed that he stole it from them. Personally, whatever the truth of the matter, if I were Paul I would have given them more blame - er, credit - for this one. The best part of the song is what seems to be a vocal improvisation by Paul near the end. And then you're left in shock that this was the last song on the album.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. I just about gave this album a four, when I forgot about, of all songs, the title track. The top five songs of this album are superb (top four, as I had been thinking earlier). Although the quality drops off significantly after those... well, practically half the damn album is still superb! There are no bad songs on the album, but I'm disappointed by enough of them that it's not quite a five star album, although I can certainly see how others might disagree.

Essentials: "You Can Call Me Al", "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes", "I Know What I Know", "Under African Skies", "Graceland"
Weak(er) Songs: "Crazy Love, Vol. II", "Gumboots", "All Around The World..."