Paul Simon [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Paul Simon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino Records
• ASIN: B00024WYKI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,276 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 13-JUL-2004

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Subtle pleasures beyond the hits, October 31, 2004

By 

John Stodder "a.k.a. Juan La Princi" (livin' just enough) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paul Simon (Audio CD)

After busting up Simon & Garfunkel, but before becoming a noted ethnomusicologist, Paul Simon was the essence of thoughtful pop craft. On his first few solo albums, he hired the best musicians to back him on songs that were carefully composed, lyrically as well as musically, with a poetic acuity backed by sounds that supported the words and vocals with just enough musical intrigue to warrant repeated listenings, and sometimes Top 40 hit status.

"Paul Simon" is his first solo album, and I think there may have been three hit singles off this, including one of the first efforts by a white, U.S. musician to use reggae players, "Mother and Child Reunion," "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," an antic look at the protest politics of the day (1970), and "Duncan" which made use of Inca pipe players. His lyrics were increasingly direct and autobiographical, seemingly influenced by the confessional school of poetry--except you always had the sense that Simon was always under control, never yielding to the call of the wild, but instead always studying and commenting ironically on his heartbreaks and confusions.

What I really like about this album is some of the musicianship. The session players Hal Blaine on drums and Larry Knechtel on electric piano shine throughout--Knechtel especially on the last song, "Congratulations." Stefan Grossman contributes wonderful slide guitar on "Paranoia Blues," and Simon's own playing on the great "Peace Like a River" is tasty. The late great Stephane Grappelli is given a chance to show off his fiddling on "Hobo's Blues," an instrumental.

The remastering cleans up what was already a very clean recording; the three extra tracks are fine, but not particularly essential.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Could Be My Favourite . . ., August 8, 2005

By 

Folknik "Folknik" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paul Simon (Audio CD)

(Here's a warning: I am a huge Paul fan and have adored him since I was 3 years old, so this isn't going to be a very objective review. If you still want to read my two cents, continue. If you want a more objective opinion, skip this.)

I have all of Paul's solo albums, and all the Simon & Garfunkel albums -- hey there's only 5 albums after all -- but anyways, this could easily be my favourite of them all. My "stranded on a desert island" kind of CD, if you will.

What I really admire about this album is that it is diverse and yet sparse and shows off a lot of Paul's songwriting and guitar-playing skills. I especially love the great mix of songs here: "Mother and Child" reunion, a great reggae track which did much to foreshadow his future World Music projects, is a great opener. "Duncan" is a fine storytelling ballad that had my attention from beginning to end, with a great instrumental bridge from the same band that helped bring us "If I Could" on S&G's Bridge Over Troubled Water album. "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" is sparse with some great singing from Paul (love his falsetto at the end!), and "Run that Body Down" is both catchy and clever.

Other highlights: "Papa Hobo" (didn't like it at first, but it grew on me and it's tons of fun to sing along to), "Congratulations" (a very fine ballad, a nice finish to the album), and "Hobo's Blues" (a great instrumental duet). I love "Peace Like a River", which could be one of Paul's finest songs ever.

The only song I usually skip on this album is "Armistice Day". The guitar is good, but I don't know what he really meant with the lyrics. It's sounds like he wanted to make a point and then got bored halfway through and gave up. It starts off promising, then just gets lost.

Overall, a fantastic tried-and-true album from a living legend.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Pop Composer!, May 9, 2007

By 

Paulybrooklyn - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Paul Simon (Audio CD)

I've always liked Paul Simon, but I just gained new respect for the compositions on this album... I'm a harmonica player, and was casually trying to play along with the songs-- but man, are these tunes complex! They sound like simple folk ditties, but there are all kinds of key modulations that sneak up on you (it's very hard to modulate with diatonic harmonicas--you need a different harp for each key). This fancy stuff is so understated that you don't even notice it though; the melodies all have an intimate, honest feeling. Amazing stuff.