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31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Graceful Album, May 9, 2005
Prior to the release of Graceland in 1986, Paul Simon was already a musical superstar. From his 60's days as one half of Simon & Garfunkel to his solo work the 70's, he created some of the most memorable songs in music. Through it all, the basis of his music was an acoustic guitar and deeply rooted in American sounds like doo wop, folk or jazz. When one heard the South African rhythms that came from Graceland, the last person you'd expect them to come from would be Mr. Simon. The lyrical content of the album is no surprise as Mr. Simon is one of the best in the business, but the musical backing is fresh, new and vibrant. "The Boy In The Plastic Bubble" just explodes out of your speakers and for some reason the song reminds me of a carnival. Ladysmith Black Mambazo adds stirring vocals to the sublime "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" while adding a plaintive almost mournful sound to "Homeless". Linda Ronstadt supplies a fine harmony vocal on "Under African Skies" while Los Lobos assists on the albums closer "All Around The World". "You Can Call Me Al" had a hilarious video with Chevy Chase but beside having a good video, the song is as bouncy and catchy as anything he's ever recorded. He not only uses South African beats, but he explores zydeco music on "That Was Your Mother" and stays at home on the title track. Graceland is the peak of Paul Simon's long and illustrious career. The reissue, like all the others in the Paul Simon collection, is first rate. The sound is greatly imporved and the packaging replicates the original album nicely. Also like the other reissues, the three bonus tracks of demos are okay, but not revealing or required listening.
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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exquisite!, January 9, 2005
This seamless blend of African pop and American folk styles is one of the most exquisite musical achievements of the 20th century. The melodies are beautiful, the voices divine, and each and every one of the tracks is a classic. This extended version contains alternate takes of three songs.
The best loved songs include The Boy In The Bubble, Graceland, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes and Under African Skies, but the rest hold great charm too. The most rootsy African sounds surface on I Know What I Know with the soulful vocal infusions of The Gaza Sisters.
Paul Simon has always successfully integrated exotic sounds in his music to create great beauty: Andean flutes in El Condor Pasa, reggae in Me And Julio Down By The School Yard and in Mother & Child Reunion, and Latin/South American sounds in Rhythm Of The Saints, but Graceland is his towering achievement as a solo artist, a truly exceptional album with a power and beauty that transcends all musical boundaries.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Finest of Paul Simons Solo Albums...., March 14, 2005
Paul Simon has been at the forefront of music, for as long as most of us can remember. with a career dating back as far as the 1950's, and having already established himself with the seminal work, as the 'Simon & Garfunkel' duo. It wouldn't have been unreasonable to think that his solo work, would have paled in comparsion. Yet after a steady stream of steadily more accomplished solo albums, it wasn't until this his 9th studio album (Released in 1986), that he hit his creative peak, with his "Graceland" album. An album that so beautifully (and some would argue 'Seamless'), fuses: Singer/Songwriter, Worldbeat, Contemporary Pop/Rock, African hymnal songs, and presented in such a largely accessible way, that it became one of the first 'World' music (or certainly 'World influenced albums), that was a huge hit in the west.
It's not hard to see why this album was so easily accepted by the western music buying public. With an elite cast of musicians that would eclipse most festivals, these were either musicians that were already huge on the musical circuit, or due to become big after having a hand in this recording...so people such as: Linda Ronstadt (Vocals), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Vocals), Youssou N'Dour (Percussion), Los Lobos' - Cesar Rosas (Vocals, Guitar), all contributed to the construction of this album, and their performances are beautifully captured (especially Ladysmith Black Mambazo, backing vocals, on some tracks) and remains a remarkably powerful album. Possibly because the album covers so many bases. (Possibly in an effort to appeal to as wide an audience as possible). And so it proved to be as eclectic a record as Paul Simon ever recorded. So you have the sublime Adult-orientated rock ("The Boy in the Bubble"), Poetic, articulate singer/songwriter tracks, for those seeking something a little more substantial ("Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"). The glorious and irresistible catchy pop, of the hit single ("You Can Call Me Al"), torch-bearing hymnal African harmonies, ushering in broadly accessible world music ("Homeless").
What is hugely impressive here, is the fact that each track is truly deserving of inclusion on this marvellous release, nothing on this album feels like it was included to fill out the album, and it's shift through various moods of being Exuberant, Poignant, Reflective, organic, and spiritual & Consistent remain unquestionably impressive. In fact it was such a perfectly realised album, that when taken as an album whole, it all comes together to combine into making this one of the greatest albums released in the 80's. For those that aren't huge fans of Paul Simon, but do appreciate his work, I (very) strongly urge you to pick this album up even if you only have a passing interest in his music. This album not only helped open up the floodgates to Western ears appreciating (accepting??) World Music, but also remains his creative high point (both musically & Artistically)....you'll be surprised at just how well this album, has stood the test of time, with it still sounding as vital as it did back then (obviously, not as political important, as this was released around the Apartheid days), but few could argue it's cross cultural musical experiments, and become the album for which other culturally fused music was judged against.
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by Paul Simon 
