Hearts And Bones

Who is the imbecile that choose to include Heart and Bones instead of There Goes Rhymin' Simon on this list? No, it's not a terrible album in fact it has a few great songs, but it also has some junk that makes you swear Paul Simon wrote in his sleep after a midnight snack of a meatball hoagie the size of toddler's arm. Car are Cars? Really, Paul? I love you man. I grew up with your music, and I will grow old with it but subjecting your loyal audience to that is an asshole move. 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die can be a frustrating book. Sometimes I swear that some albums were picked with absolutely no thought behind the selection. Why is this album on here? I find it doubtful that listening to a Paul Simon album recorded during a notoriously difficult dry spell is something anyone on earth needs to do before they die.

nice, soft sound and textures, nice variety, soft bongos. funky, it's just fun pop, not offensive, not cheesy

He's a great songwriter, and this remains on show here. There's some lovely melodies, nice singing, and great storytelling in his lyrics.

Actually kind of enjoyed a lot of it. Hearts and Bones, Song about the Moon, Train in the Distance and then, surprisingly, Rene and George Magritte with the dog after the war. Cool album. Introduction to Paul Simon. Seems fun.

whatevs

These songs are all very pleasant and listenable, and Paul Simon has one of the most iconic voices ever, but the songs don’t really have that much to grab onto and some of them are actively annoying (the cars one….)

Enjoyable listen, with a laid back and melodic sound.

This was decent, but it's not my favorite by Paul Simon. Maybe it needs some more playthroughs, but nothing about it really stuck out, where I feel like Graceland and Hissing of Summer Lawns both really grabbed me. 3/5

This was good. Some interesting arrangements, and all typically Simon. Held my interest and I enjoyed it. Not much more to say really.

decent

it was quite enjoyable but I'd be lying if i said i remember a single second of the music. i'm willing to give it a second chance though

3.5/5

I'm trying to be objective and take every album as it comes, but fuck sake another fucking Paul Simon album already!? Guitar in the first track is great, but otherwise it's the same old stick.

I miss Art. Paul is suffering from unrequited love (for someone.) The album is pretty good, would have been better with Art involved to the finish because he kept Paul in check. (Why did Art leave the project?) Cars Are Cars is what happens without Art to balance the duo. Also, a good call by the Prez of WB convincing Simon to go with Hearts and Bones, definitely the better choice for the title cut. (3.0*s) Never heard of John Lennon being referred to as Johnny Ace, but I’ll go with it…

I really like the songwriting, Paul Simon is one of the greatest, but the production... the worst 80s production cliché is that reverby drums that ruined the albums of a lot of bands and artists that transicioned from the 60s and 70s, its not a good match for me

It was okay. There are better albums.

Don’t recall listening to this one before. Solid

Not bad. Quite mellow. Would maybe listen again

Paul Simon has much better albums. Hearts and Bones is ok but feels like leftovers from his better work

It's OK, but not as good as the subsequent Graceland.

This was good. Not Paul Simon’s best, but that still makes it better than half the list.

Meh, some decent easy listening but not really my speed.

Paul Simon solo has always been hit or miss for me, and this one was mostly a miss. It's fine, and there are some interesting and catchy tunes, but fewer and far between than I hoped. Paul Simon is still an essential artist, and this might be one of his best solo albums that people should hear for musical context, but it's a 3 star for me.

Weird choice of Paul Simon albums to include

Fine

Fairly generic soft pop album with some solid standout moments. Nothing too noteworthy, but a few songs (particularly the title track) do rise above the rest and have a very sentimental quality that makes them more enjoyable on their own. Top tracks: Hearts amd Bones, Think Too Much (b), Cars Are Cars

A more intimate collection of songs that demands a few spins to find its groove.

Sounds like the soundtrack to a Vietnam War movie.

Het is een wat vreemd album, het is haast extreem gezapig album en toch heeft het ook wel weer wat. Misschien net wat minder duidelijk dan bij Graceland meanderen en kabbelen we een beetje door Afrika. Met de hand aangeslagen trommeltjes, kampvuurgitaartjes en de heldere stem van ome Paul. Aan de oplettende luisteraar worden er denk ik mooie verhalen verteld. De 80's drukken nog niet teveel hun stempel. Van die lekkere easy listening luistermuziek waar je eigenlijk niet zo heel veel tegen kunt hebben zou je denken. Af en toe een uitstapje naar pop. Muzikant maakt mooie muziek; Je zou denken dat dat de minimale eis is hier in deze lijst maar regelmatig blijkt het toch teveel gevraagd. Misschien mag ik hier dus nog wel iets dankbaarder voor zijn. Gewoon een drietje. Prima.

Not really a dud. But not a masterpiece like Graceland. I just kinda wish his 80s efforts were so pop washed. The original demos and recordings after the album moved me so much more than the forward. But I guess you don't "you can call me al" without some treading water and making okay pop songs.

This album has the feel and energy of a cat taking a nap, atop a pile of old magazines, in a cluttered, eclectic apartment.

kinda love this -- sent me into a paul simon phase for the past week. i think i prefer this to graceland

This was a good listen. I didn't take too much away from it but not bad in the slightest. Paul's has a nice voice.

Albums like this are hard to rate. I enjoyed it. They're great songs. I appreciate the mastery. I FEEL like I should be giving it a four or five. But am I ever going to listen to this again? Unlikely.

As a certified Philistine, I have a hard time distinguishing between Paul Simon albums. He writes some pretty little ditties, but in the end they all sound like a Paul Simon minus Art Garfunkle song. This album is no exception. In fact, in the catslog of things we've listened to, it would be listed first under "Unexceptional." This is in no way an album I ever needed to hear, but in the hearing I did not sustain any lasting psychic injuries like some we've heard. And for that, 3 stars!

Initially I had a strong negative reaction to the production on this album and the first song, which sucks despite being very real for Paul Simon. I listened twice and liked it much more on the second listen. I’m not choosing to listen to this over Graceland or There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, but it was pretty interesting to see how some of the songs would transmute into songs from Graceland. You Can Call Me Al is a dumb, catchy song that bears resemblance to Cars Are Cars which is a very dumb song. Similarly, Hearts and Bones sure has things in common with Graceland, especially when he says “are traveling together.” The melody and phrase is really close to “my traveling companion is nine years old”. Train in the Distance has elements that sound like Under African Skies. Glad I heard it but not sure I will go back.

A Paul Simon album I've never heard of, with not one song I recognize by title. This should be interesting. From the timing I guess it's the one before Graceland. ... It wasn't that interesting. One or two songs that caught my attention, but I'm apparently one of those shallow Simon fans who needs more Kodachrome.

I was pretty underwhelmed with this one perhaps because I was given Bridge Over Troubled Water earlier this week.

It's fine but definitely not Paul Simon's best.

Apart from his time with Mr Garfunkel I’ve never really listened to Paul Simon beyond “You Can Call Me Al” (which you couldn’t avoid when it came out) and (possibly) the “Graceland” album. This album certainly doesn’t reach the heights of the Art & Garfunkel tracks, but is largely inoffensive. That said, what the hell is “Cars Are Cars”? What bright spark thought that was a good or interesting idea? That song almost made me drop the album to a 2. Maybe it still will, but generally the album is probably a more mediocre average 3. Halfway through my second listen as I write this but none of the songs have jumped out at me (or atleast in a good way - Cars Are Cars certainly jumped out, but more in a road crash sense).

This a fairly weak album for Paul Simon. 3 stars or C-.

Interesting

Really close to a 4.

Antes de empezar aclaracion para Tapestry, no sabia que Joni era contemporanea a Carole lol pense q Joni era de los 90s. Prosigo: Bueno, otro album que para mi no es un esencial, no siento que traiga nada muy innovador. Tiene canciones que estan bien dentro de lo chill que es el album. Igual, habian temas demasiado corny o algunos ya medio bizarros tipo que hacemos cantando sobre alergias??? Puede ser que haya alguna alegoría que me perdiera. Lo escuche en el bus a las 7 am y me dio mas sueño del que ya tenia. Favs: When Numbers Get Serious, Train in the Distance, Rene and Georgette etc etc

Simon y Garfunkel pero sin el Garfunkel. Se escuchan los ecos de esa época en el buen storytelling, pero, más allá de eso, no me parece su mejor trabajo en solitario (espero que hayan metido Graceland en la lista). Igualmente me gustó porque un señor taciturno cantando es todo lo que necesito, I mean, me llamo Damon Albarn por algo. Rene and Georgette Magritte with their dog after the war es un título loco para una canción Favs: Heart and bones, Song About the Moon, la del perro de Magritte

Rock, Pop, 1983 -> 3

When Numbers Get Serious had me scared for a bit. There were some bits where I thought horns were going to come in and I was going to have to listen to a Ska song. Not bad at all. Just not my cup of tea.

80s singer songwriter folk. Very soothing with a world music twist.

knowing Garfunkel was there for the whole recording but Paul erased him off the album adds a whole new flavor

A bit underwhelming for what I'd hoped.

Solid, but not outstanding overall. Liked the Philip Glass feature though

A lovely little record from Simon that I wasn’t familiar with. It’s quirky, honest, and very re-listenable. Some experimentation that adds valuable flourishes without taking away from the songwriting. If this was the debut from Joe Shithead from Brooklyn, it’d be 4 stars. But need to grade compared to the rest of this list and his catalogue. An exciting discovery nonetheless.

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

This was a very Paul Simon album not bad but not his greatest

The musical equivalent of a roundabout on the road from Simon & Garfunkel to Graceland

Paul Simon wer es mag der mags ich finde es bisschen zu monoton bisschen zu viel paul bisschen zu wenig gute Musik Rating: 2,7/5 Best Song: René and….

I love solo Paul Simon, late to the game as I was. Graceland is one of yr best albums of all time. This... I think I'd like more on repeated listens but didn't hit that much first time. It's a bit all over the place.

Starts out like someone who has run out of things to sing about. I had heard "Think too much" before and it is far and away the stand out track. There were a couple of other decent offering included, but not the best from this musical genius. We expect such high standards from him, that when he doesn't hit them the temptation is to under score him. Compared to his other works it is a high 1. But compared to every thing else out there it was a reasonable listen and therefore worthy of a 3. This is getting to be a bit of a run of mediocre albums, come on let get a bit more extreme, try something really different.

Can really understand now where Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints came from - 3.5

This almost sounds like an album of stuff that wasn't quite good enough to make it on to Graceland, except made before Graceland? 2.5*

I quite enjoyed this one. Bit lightweight perhaps, but the 80s production is fun, and I appreciated the lack of pretension and cultural shoplifting compared to Graceland.

🗯 Despite most songs written about Princess Leia, the force isn’t really with this one. This was supposed to be the big reunion with Art Garfunkel — until Paul pulled the plug and claimed the songs were too personal. That was enough to piss Art off for good, and they never reunited again. The muse at the heart of it all? Carrie Fisher, Simon’s on-again, off-again partner, and the inspiration behind much of the record. Musically, it’s subtle to the point of being a little beige, but there are glimmers where it spikes: Allergies, When Numbers Get Serious, and Think Too Much (a) all add some bite (thanks to Nile Rodgers’ fingerprints on the latter). The rest drifts by in delicate shades of melancholy, almost too polite for its own good. It’s a fascinating record, though — a breakup diary set to restrained pop, forever caught between reconciliation and reinvention. And the best part? What came next. Graceland would arrive just a few years later, blowing the doors open and fixing all of Simon’s prior mistakes in one glorious stroke. Verdict: it’s fine the Hustle (minor Simon, but fascinating — and the misstep that set up a masterpiece) For fans of: Paul Simon’s craft, breakup diaries, Carrie Fisher lore

Man, I really get bored of Paul Simon's music Best Song: Hearts and Bones Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3/5

Liked his self titled album much more

This one grew on me. What can i say though excited for Graceland

I’m not sure. It’s decent and a bit boring I think. Did not do very much for me. Also, goofy (especially Cars Are Cars).

Not sure how many Paul Simon albums there are going to be on this list; there are albums I like better which haven’t shown up, those that have so far, with the exception of Graceland, are not required listening to my ears. That doesn’t mean that Hearts and Bones is a bad album. The songs are never less than listenable, some excellent. The title track foreshadows Graceland (both the song and the overall sound of that record). The production on some, not all, songs on the album, despite the quality of the players on them, displays too many ‘80s cliches, particularly on the more uptempo songs like opener “Allergies” - too much reverb, too much Greg Phillinganes. (That’s perhaps a little unfair but he did seem to appear on albums by the likes of Phil Collins and Eric Clapton from that decade, probably Tina Turner too.) The middle of the record is a little forgettable, both ‘Think Too Much (A)” and (B), or B and A as they are sequenced. “Train In the Distance” is a nice enough track but could lose the sax solo - another ‘80s trait. “Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War” is almost as surreal as its subject’s art with the painter and his wife pictured dancing naked, window shopping, and listening to ‘forbidden’ doo-wop groups of the ‘50s. Not sure what “Cars are Cars” is about, not one of Simon’s best lyrics, but “The Late Great Johnny Ace” is a great song in that introspective, slightly maudlin, way of much of the album. The mood captures the feeling of emptiness that the death of and idol can bring - in this case Johnny Ace, whose music the singer doesn’t know, and John Lennon, with whom he was obviously much more familiar - and the Philip Glass composed coda adds to that feeling.

It was decent, couple good songs.

I got nothing. 3/5

Not bad. Paul’s voice is as good as ever on this record, but some of the songs are forgettable. “Cars Are Cars” is not forgettable. It’s one of the most lyrically tortured songs I have ever heard. A 5 year old could have written something more profound. Anyway, good guitar work and pleasant vocals make up for some of the lyrical shortcomings. It’s okay. I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen again, but I wouldn’t say it’s a record to avoid like the plague.

I really liked some songs. Others were kinda silly. I don't know Paul Simons work and I only know the hits of Simon & Garfunkel. It was a good listen. Probably wont listen again though. I am glad I did.

Like when you start singing gibberish in the shower, run out of stuff to rhyme and then change the entire beat to fit something else you've just seen.

A great album, this reminded me of John Lennons individual work. It's easy to tell when an artist has a natural talent for music and Paul Simon is one of those individuals

I had heard this album sucked, and that's why Paul was inspired to make the magnificent 'Graceland.' However, I was pleasantly surprised by this album (I would've been quite interested to hear things with Art Garfunkel). I'm not sure this album is better than 'There Goes Rhymin' Simon' or 'Still Crazy After All These Years' but Paul makes good stuff and I should apparently listen to more. Top tracks: "Hearts and Bones," "Think Too Much (a)," "Cars Are Cars"

This was ok. There is so much of his solo work and S&G I like so much better that this kind of sounded a little generic. Nothing really stood out, although “Cars are Cars” was kind of catchy. Rounding up since when Garfunkel bailed on some of this material he powered through on his own. Could it have been better with both? We will never know…. 2.5/5

This seemed like an album that bridged his signature softer 70s sound with what would eventually become Graceland. At times Simon’s music can be simple and literal, and at other times pretty complex and challenging. He writes some of the most beautiful melodies too. This album has all those moments, along with one of the dumbest songs ever written in Cars are Cars. At times the production is way cheesy with 80s techniques, but it’s still a fine listen.

Would you describe Simon’s song writing as playful? At times this is endearing and he writes beautiful songs paint a beautiful picture in your mind. Other times I find it a little too childish (I’m looking at you Cars are Cars). No denying the musicianship on this is stellar. The guitar work on Allergies was surprising and I was like “god damn that boy can wail!” Also read this was supposed to be a reunion album. But there were creative differences so Simon cut Garfunkel’s vocals. Suck it Art!

Something about Paul Simon's music comes off corny AF. I still thought this was fine, but def corny. 2.75/5

У него отличный голос. И музыка приятная в целом. Но чтоб прямо схватило - нет. Лучшая песня - Hearts And Bones.

Very slick. Very 80s. It's not bad, but I much prefer Graceland or his debut solo album. 3/5 #167

Pop music that reminds me of background music in an 80s movie. Nice voice and acoustics but some odd songs/lyrics. Not bad, but nothing incredible.

I know some Paul Simon, not this album though. Let's GO! Track 1-Very 80's. Track 2 sounds like what I think of Paul Simon in my head. Beautiful. Just okay overall. The highs are pretty high but it's mostly middling in my opinion.

Great example of a marginal album by a great artist that doesn’t need to be on here

Sounds like outtakes from One Trick Pony. Not essential.

Generic 80's music is not Paul Simon's strength, although his talent does manage to shine through. I think Garfunkel would have elevated some of these. "The Late Great Johnny Ace" would have been unbelievable with him on it. During "Cars Are Cars", you can pinpoint the exact moment where Paul Simon ran out of ideas for this album.

6/10

I didn’t care for it but I listened to it again and liked it more. There is a song about Carrie Fisher.

Hmmm - weird songs like allergies....

Better than Graceland I guess.

Some interesting stuff here, which would probably sound even better with familiarity.

Paul Simon is one of my all-time favorite recording artists and I was happy to see an album of his that I wasn’t familiar with (other than the songs that are on Negotiations and Love Songs) come up. But I found this album to be a very mixed bag. The title track is okay and “Train in the Distance” and "René and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" are both good songs, I might even describe the latter as a great song. But those are the three songs I already knew. The rest of the album veers between mediocre and downright embarrassing. Although it was nice to see that the album art continues Paul Simon’s almost unbroken streak of terrible album covers. Paul Simon is great but this album is completely skippable.

some good songs in there, pleasant listening but not super striking, like the john lennon memorial

Solid album, the songs are brilliantly written.

I enjoyed listening to this album, but it wasn't any sort of giant revelation.

A nice and fun little palette cleanser after the atrocity that was Electric by The Cult

It's fine.

As a kid, I really liked Call ame Al which came out a few years after this, but that was my first introduction to a Simon. I would describe this as uneven,, sometimes great and terrible moments live next to each other on the same song. Liked both versions of Think Too Much and Cars are Cars stuck in my head even if it was dumb. If you wanted to listen to a folky middle-aged singer songwriter in 1983, I'm not sure why you'd turn to this when Dylan has come out with Infidels. That's not perfect either but it's far less infuriating than Hearts and Bones.

Strikes as a transition album from There Goes Rhymin' Simon / Still Crazy After All These Years to Graceland.

"Hearts and Bones" and "Rene & Georgette Magritte" are old favorites. "The Late Great Johnny Ace" may be becoming a favorite--and cool to hear Marin Alsop on the recording after I just saw her conduct the CSO last month. The rest were OK. Cars are cars, man.

Ah Paul never fails. Not his best album but nevertheless a fine listen

3.5/5

First listen, although if someone said that I had heard it 10 times before, I wouldn’t be surprised. There is nothing really bad about this album, it’s just instantly forgettable and some of the lyrics sound forced. Johnny Ace is probably the pick of the bunch. I don’t know why this is in the book. I could have died without hearing this. As it is, I will probably forget I have heard this before I die.

All the songs sound the same but it's nice background music.

Got this randomly from a record store mystery CD grab bag. I enjoyed it. Still do.

Very '80s Paul Simon - what else can I say?

Divertido aunque olvidable. Las letras son más que interesantes? Mhh? Nota: 2.7

Cars Are Cars is the sleeper hit. Most everything else is just meh

What is special about this? I think my love of Paul Simon begins and ends with Graceland, Rhythm of the Saints, and the stuff he did with his stoner buddy. Great lyrics here, but that's expected with Paul Simon. This shit is boring and too much 80's soundtrack cheese. 3

Mixed bag. Some great - especially the title track. Some lost in the era, with chord and time changes. Some doesn't work at all. His backlist is an exercise in how variable his output was. 3.5 *

Ok. My PS exposure has mostly been Graceland and S&G. This was what I expected it to be. 3/5

Who would've thought that Garfunkel was the dynamic one.

Not his best

Not his best work.

aw that was really lovely. easy to listen to without being “easy listening”…i can see myself crying to ‘train in the distance’ at some point (compliment). but idk if you need to listen to this before you die. fav tracks: train in the distance

Not a bad Simon album but like both of their solo stuff it just doesn't feel the same without their "other half". Not a fan of the lyrics either, some songs feel thought provoking and serious while others feel completely brain dead and satirical. Not bad Not great

Although I normally do not enjoy this kind of music, I found myself liking the sounds and instrumentals of each song. Each song had an individual sound that was different to the last and didn't get boring like this type of music usually does.

There's probably about 6 or 7 Paul Simon albums I'd think about including on this list before this one. It's a fun listen but not really an essential one. There are some fun upbeat songs I really enjoy here, such as Cars are Cars. However, there are a few too many acoustic songs on here that just feel unfinished to me. This entire album has that feel of not living up to its full potential, and the backstory behind this one explains how so.

Significantly better than the whiny American folk rock (a mostly crap genre to be fair) he pushed earlier in his career. The bombastic eighties instrumentals and production actually fit his voice quite well, and the songwriting is inventive and unpredictable, even if it does drag at times (predictably during the folky sections). 3.0/5.0: Good

i hated this album the first time through and came in prepared to absolutely trash it. i put it on again this morning to remind myself what things i wanted to mention in my review and while skipping through i was surprised the amount of variation on the album. generally speaking i think the songs are still pretty terrible but some of the instrumentation is actually really good.

Def not his debut but still good

This is just okay by Paul Simon standards. I would argue that Simon is over-represented on this list. And of all the albums I’ve listened to so far, this is the first of his I would cut.

Nothing super special. I loved the songs Think too much, relatable af.

6.5/10 This was musically nice, very eclectic, good vibes. But the songwriting was up and down, some of it very goofy. Enjoyed the Nile Rodgers stuff, and how sone of those tracks are clearly key influences for Vampire Weekend. Best: Think Too Much (A)

it's a fine album...

I like when this project introduces me to an album I hadn't heard of before. That's the case with this one and it was perfectly ok.

I liked this more than I expected, I'm pleasently surprised that Paul Simon managed to write something that sounded more modern and had more introspection than a lot of the stuff he made with Garfunkel. That said it's still not really my style but it's alright Standouts Allergies Think Too Much (a) 3/5

Enjoyable. 3.5 stars

3 meh borderline 2.5

I love Paul Simon, but I'd be lying if I said this album wasn't a little boring.

2.8 "Cars are cars" really doing its best to drag the rating of this album to the ground.

(mostly) pretty good! a lil boring at times tho

It’s an okay album. Has all the sound and feel of his other albums, just lacks some definitive songs. 3/5 Might listen again

Pretty good, nothing too special but held my attention.

It's unoffensive background music for me

“Paul Simon rambles over soothing pop instrumentals” the album. Sometimes it works, sometimes it really doesn’t.

Favoriten Hearts and bones The Late great jonny ace

Paul Simon a le génie des paroles... quoique la pièce Allergies m'ait fait douter cette fois, au départ. Cet album m'a semblé suffisamment proche de Graceland sur le plan musical pour que je me demande pourquoi on devait écouter les deux dans le palmarès.

It’s no Graceland, but I like Paul Simon’s sound.

Enjoyed this more expected! Musically more often than lyrically - one or two big duds didn’t mean this was terrible on the whole

Hey its not Garfunkel. I don't know any of either of these guys stuff outside of when they worked together but I got to know some of paul Simon today. I had a good time. Saved a few songs. But I fell off in the second half and didn't care too much for its later parts. Just good pop acoustic and songwriter type stuff. Worth a listen

Excellent overall despite the stupid fucking cars song. Bumped it up to a 4 after recovering from the PTSD brought on by the stupid fucking cars song.

An interesting foray for Simon and is heavily influenced by the time period in which the album was released. Not my jam.

Paul Simon is fine. Graceland is beautiful and great. This one was silly and I’ll never listen again.

This is a solid album. Def not the best Paul Simon album, but this was good. There were some silly lyrics here and at times lazy (I'm looking at YOU "Cars Are Cars.") Also I feel like "oohs" and "aahs" sometimes get used as filler. "Allergies" SLAPS. It was a fun listen. Most likely an actual 3.5. The guitar solos here were surprisingly GOOD. Liked Songs: "Allergies" , "When Numbers Get Serious" , "Song About the Moon" , "Train in the Distance" (both the regular AND acoustic demo), " The Late Great Johnny Ace"

Sound listen.

it's nothing special. cars are cars is surprisingly dumb but even more surprisingly catchy

Bad day good music

This was fine. Inoffensive, but not really attention-holding. Pleasant-sounding but not particularly interesting. There was good variety on the album and it's a little long but not obscenely so

Allergies and 'cats are cars' were pretty amusing. The album is really quiet and subtle. I enjoyed it despite struggling to hear it all (while working). For some reason while listening to this album I kept picturing Patrick Bateman trying to tell me why it was a good listen.

Poetic. Heartfelt. Experimental. Some great lines and some filler. I understand what he was going for but not worth killing the collab with mr Garfunkel

Never really thought it about before, but I guess cars are cars. Thanks for the info Paul. Profound.

It was alright. We expected to perhaps recognise some of the songs on here but didn't. None of them really stood out either.

Hyggeligt, lidt god akustisk guitar, god sangskrivning

I think we have the measure of Paul Simon now. I've heard enough of his wry observations on life and particular brand of jaunty 80s pop that it's becoming a bit uncanny valley. It's just a bit too overproduced, the drums are too echoey, sounds a bit AI. I think assessing this album on its merits, it's alright. If you're throwing a middle class barbecue for the 50s-60s crowd I think it would get a lot of appreciative nods. It would be best if I don't hear him for a while though as I think I could grow to hate him. 2.5.

Other than Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War, the rest were fairly new to me. It is still twee - the song Allergies hits the metaphors a little too hard - but he can just about get away with it, the cheeky little scamp. I definitely preferred Graceland, and absolutely any of his work with Art Garfunkel. His songwriting comes across as a little empty and stretching, but the music is good.

I quite enjoyed this. It's very safe and very nice though, which I guess is no suprise from Paul Simon. Didn't know any of the tracks here but it was recognisably him. In all honesty I probably won't be back but I did enjoy this. Gotta be a 3

I am a huge fan of Paul Simon and think he has a place as one of the greats of modern music. So I was initially surprised and excited to listen to an album of his I didn't already know. Excitement turned to disappointment and some confusion. There were flashes of songwriting brilliance but it was difficult to find behind the strong 80's sound which I have a hard time getting behind. There are 4+ other Paul Simon albums I would rank higher than this (maybe they are on here too?) but unfortunately this one failed to deliver.

Overall, I didn’t hate it, but I’m probably not going to give it another listen. Some decent singer-songwriter music that leans just a bit too far into cheesy 80s vibes for me. And then there’s Cars are Cars; I’ve never heard a song that simultaneously makes me doubt someone songwriting and mechanic abilities.

It was fine

Solid, but not great. This album is very easy to listen to but has no songs that would compel me to listen to it over much of his other work, with the possible exception of the title track.

Probably my least favorite Paul Simon album

Pre-Graceland. Liked the song about John Lennon. Would be a 2.5 but have to give a 3.

It’s Paul Simon so of course it’s half-decent, but this isn’t even an essential album in his own discography, let alone in all of recorded music history. 2.5 / 3

It's fine I guess. Kind of a fun Bob Dylan-esque album.

Paul Simon is one of my favorite musician/songwriters. This is not his best effort. Well written and produced but oddly not very interesting.

What an odd and random Paul Simon album to pick?

I wasn’t really feeling this one but “Train In The Distance” and “…Johnny Ace” are both pretty interesting and cool.

Alright but sounds like every other Paul Simon album I heard

Es ist ein gutes Album, aber auch ein langweiliges. Es gibt m. M. n. besseres von Paul Simon.

I enjoyed the storytelling in some of the songs but, ultimately, it is not something I will be adding to my playlists. Three stars!

Easy listening

Not his best. But it's also not bad really. Simon just seems to be reaching for something he didn't grasp here.

I like a more folky Paul Simon. This felt a bit too 80's. Not terrible though.

Fajne, ale nie skończyłam muszę jeszcze ras

ок

Deze moest echt niet. Paul Simon heeft goede albums gemaakt, maar deze is 'm niet per se. Beetje poppy en wat minder folk-pop zoals we hem kennen. Tweetal nummers opgeslagen na dit te beluisteren. 2.9

Albumi #193, 06.04.2025 Hearts And Bones on Paul Simonin kuudes sooloalbumi. Se julkaistiin vuonna 1983. Albumin piti alunperin olla Simon & Garfunkel -albumi Art Garfunkelin ollessa vahvasti mukana studiotyöskentelyssä. Levy alkoi kuitenkin muotoutua Simonille liian henkilökohtaiseksi ja hän päätti tehdä sen sooloalbumina. Garfunkel jätettiin ulos projektista ja Simon korvasi hänen lauluosuudet omillaan. Albumi on varsin eheä folkahtava pop-teos, mutta ei yllä Simonin parhaimmistoon.

I enjoyed it. Kept me company while I was cleaning and was the perfect type of music… well-written and performed, pleasant, light rock. Liked it more than I thought I would.

3.5 Just the other day, as I neared the halfway point of this project, I realized I hadn’t gotten any Paul Simon or Simon & Garfunkel yet, which I thought was odd, since I know they’re definitely represented on this list. And lo and behold, a few days later, the algorithm gifted me with this! It’s actually a Simon album I hadn’t heard before. I really like him, but I’m no means a completist. The man has released garbage before. This isn’t garbage by any means, but I don’t know if I think it’s an exemplary piece of work either. I enjoyed listening to it, and there’s a couple truly standout tracks (my favorite was actually an unreleased track from the expanded edition so I can’t count that one in my rating) and a couple stinkers. But overall, a better than average Simon and it was nice to finally hear him represented on this list.

> the Beatles

pretty but not mr simon’s finest work imo

Taattua laatua! 3/5

Tänään pelkkä S, ja tämä albumi taisi olla se viimeinen niitti duolle. Toimiva 80 pop-levy, tosin jää Gracelandista jälkeen. 3/5

Nice and chill. Had fun.

"Cars Are Cars" is delightfully silly. "The Late Great Johnny Ace" is nicely atmospheric. Other than that, this album mostly blurs into the background.

Pretty good! I didn’t love it on the first listen but I came back to it, and the second listen helped me focus more on the production and harmonies than Simon’s lyrics, which can sometimes be a little goofy. The instrumentation is pretty good! Album is pretty good! “Cars Are Cars” is not!

The production is fantastic. The voices and instruments sounds incredible smooth through the all album. In spite of the sound, I wish some of the songs were more memorable or stuck more with me.

My second Paul Simon album this week, what is this thing trying to tell me???

Kind of sad to read that it was this album that doomed the Simon & Garfunkel revival, and also sad that ostensibly it was over a woman (Carrie Fisher no less), although I'm sure that the (re-)breakup was far more due to old wounds that apparently will never heal. Still, it's hard not to think that this album would have been much better as a Simon & Garfunkel album, with all of Garfunkel's recorded vocals restored to the tracks. This seems particularly true of the opening track "Allergies" and "Think too much (a)" (which ironically was the working album title before Garfunkel gave up). And since I didn't really find any of the tracks all that compelling, I think my *least* favorite track was "Cars are cars" ("susceptible to theft in the middle of the night"). On the other hand, likely because of Garfunkel's participation on the album, this is occasionally a more interesting and introspective Paul Simon solo album than the others in this collection (I've only listened to "Paul Simon" so far, but I know "Graceland" well enough to know that I'm not looking forward to the experience). Even so, I feel like Paul Simon's solo albums in this collection are about as compelling as other singer/songwriter's like Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Suzanne Vega, etc. Fine, but usually pretty flat-sounding because there isn't a full band participating as contributing artists, and so the music itself seems less foregrounded. I'm also not sure why this album got included in this project, given how lackluster it was with both critics and fans, and even the "1001 albums" entry author (Will Furford-Jones) seems confused about why he was asked to review the album.

this was okay. why's it here? I mean, there are a few great Paul Simon songs none of which are on this album.

Good but not my jam

Поп музыка 80-х с интересными музыкантами и аранжировками. Альбом практически не тронул, за исключением Hearts and Bones и (особенно!) The Late Great Johnny Ace.

Strong start with Allergies then the more it went on the more i missed Art :(

Apparently for this record,Simon and Garfunkel wrote a lot of these songs together, planning for another group album, but they got in an argument, Garfunkel walked out on the recording sessions, Paul Simon removed Art's vocal tracks from the songs, and released it as his own album. Kinda a dick move. Through listening to a few Paul Simon records, and reading up on the history surrounding the records, it has become evident that Paul is a bit of a douche canoe. As far as this album is concerned, it doesn't hold a candle to Graceland, but it isn't a bad folk pop album all in all. Solid music to listen to in a coffee shop on a rainy day with an old book. Nothing remarkable about the album, but not bad. You can tell through listening to the album that Paul was grasping at straws trying to find topics to sing about....such as cars (dumb song), allergies, and the moon... Favourite songs: Allergies, Think Too Much (a), Hearts and Bones, Song About the Moon, Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War, Train in the Distance Least favourite songs: Think Too Much (b), The Late Great Johnny Ace, Shelter of Your Arms 3/5

Die ist das Album, das der Grund für die Trennung von Simon & Garfunkel war. Es wird immer die Frage bleiben, welches Potential wäre gemeinsam abgerufen wurde. So bleibt das einzig nennenswerte, dass es der Grund für die Trennung war und musikalisch verweilt es im gehobenem Durchschnitt.

I liked it more than the other Paul Simon album so far. I think it's the synths. Makes me excited to get Graceland, so I ended up listening to that one for the first time today too hahaha Edit Apr 2 2026: 4 --> 3

There's things I liked about this - mostly, it was much more sonically varied than the previous Paul Simon album while still feeling cohesive. So while it was better than PS Self Titled it is still in the 3 category due to some boring songs and stupidly tautological lyrics (cars are cars? wdym?).

ok then

Paul Simon‘s Solo music always sounds well-made. It’s not necessarily music I need to hear, perhaps

3/5

Not my favourite Paul Simon album but damn he's a good songwriter.

3.10

It was ok

An interesting listen indeed. I love Paul Simon and the best songs on this album would be my least favourites on his greatest hits album. They’re still well written and have great musicianship but just miss that something. Listening critically to the other songs was eye opening as well. “That’s a great bass line” “those steel drums rhythms and melody are so cool” But then it falls flat. Maybe the lyrics. Maybe the lack of anticipated harmony with Garfunkel before he bounced. Glad things came together on Graceland

A mellow Paul Simon album that doesn't compare to Graceland, which he put out a few years later. I liked the Late Great Johnny Ace.

Why be dull? Quite.

It's good cruising music, the album has some very nice instrumentation in it, and has a nice vibe :D . I think the first half of the album is kinda boring but the 2nd half has alot more sauce. the slap bass do be slapppppinnggg yummmm. fav song: Train in the Distance

Honestly just boring in my opion. Maybe I'll like Grace land when that comes up but this did nothing for me. Fave Songs - Think To Much (b), Train In The Distance

Paul Simon is typisch het soort muziek dat je in een snoblijstje mag verwachten. Gek genoeg hebben we nog niet zoveel van Simon (of zijn muzikale broeder Art) mogen beluisteren. Ik heb het dit keer een keer niet opgezocht. Ik neem aan dat we sowieso Graceland nog wel krijgen. Van Paul Simon solo krijgen we ook gewoon precies wat we verwachten. Rustige singer-songwritermuziek, een akoestische gitaar, wat zwevende pianomuziek, zoetgevooisd stemgeluid. Het zit allemaal prima in elkaar, maar ik veer nergens echt op. Het kabbelt een beetje voort. Ik mis zoals gewoonlijk weer eens een hitje, die dhr Simon toch zeker wel kon fabriceren. Er komen al wat Afrikaanse geluiden voorbij op dit album, waar hij later op Graceland nog meer gebruik van zou gaan maken. Bij Think Too Much (b) hoor ik zelfs geitengeluiden, of althans ik heb daar de associatie mee. Dan veer ik alsnog even op, maar niet in positieve zin. Bij versie (a) hoor je dan weer het typerende gitaartje van Nile Rodgers, maar verder is het een ietwat overgeproduceerd 80s nummer. En dan vind ik het dus wat mager, dit album. Hij wilde Aart er niet bij hebben, wat het begin van het einde van het iconische duo bleek te zijn. Misschien mis ik Aart toch nog wat in de composities. Ik hou het op een helaas vergeetbare 3.

Good!

Some low’s…Cars, Allergies and high’s …train in the distance, Rene and Georgette.

Love PS. Was waffling between a 3 and 4 on this one. Feel it’s like a 3.5. Lovely album.

This was pretty good, but I have had better Paul Simon...its a high 3

The album feels thoughtful and easygoing. The writing is upfront, like he's sharing his journal. It has a very quirky edge too. It’s good for a quiet afternoon, even if it doesn’t all hit the same way. It’s chill and it’s definitely got heart.

Kind of a deeper cut from Simon. Not his best IMO but some lovely songs amongst the meh.

Wassokay

Not too bad, not his best but some solid stuff

I was excited to see Paul Simon today but I was a bit let down with this one, I typically enjoy his songs more than I did these. They were okay tracks, just no real big hits.

I love Paul Simon, but did not love this album. Was middle of the road for me.

No hits

Very listenable but not memorable

i don't drive but i can imagine this being fun to have on in the car during a commute or something. satisfactory 3/5

3.5

Pleasant. Not that I listened to a lot of his records, I did listen a lot to 'Graceland' so my expectations were skewed. Now I've got an 'allergies' pop song in my head, establishing that we don't explore every day issues enough in art. Will I some day come across a catchy tune about my charley horse woes?

Paul kinda snapped on this hoe

This album feels kind of like the quirky Aunt or Uncle at a family gathering. Good in short bursts, but overall you just don’t get it. “Cars are cars all over the world,” really?

Thought I was gonna hate this but didn't!

It's alright for a bit, but tracks like Cars are Cars just feel like filler on a short album.

I like Paul Simon. This one is ok.

🎧Some good songs, some not so good songs (like Cars Are Cars)

Not bad, but it's not nearly his best.

A good album, I liked Allergies the most.

Good. Not really my thing.

a decent listen, but pretty forgettable as far as paul simon goes

Obviously, Paul Simon has got a deeply lovely voice and is a magnificent songwriter. However, by his own impeccable standards, I would say this just felt a bit lightweight to be honest. It's unusual for a Paul Simon or S+G album that I'm not interested in the bonus tracks and so on, but with this one, I was more than happy to leave it. It's above average, because of course it is, but it's not way up there.

I love Paul Simon, but this wasn't my favorite album of his.

Too many things are happening at the same time.

Paul Simon is great. Unmistakable voice and unique melodies. The instrumentation on this album (all of his albums, really) is really interesting. This definitely isn't my favorite album of his, but it's good.

Great artist

Thoughtful, adorable, mellow songs about love. As usual for Simon, the shining jewel are the lyrics that make unexpected turns. What a shame he kicked Garfunkel off the album, that might have made it great. Still, it is pleasant enough. 3.5/5

I am resolute in my love for Simon & Garfunkel and my disdain for solo Simon. But I do like Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War so the album gets a 1-star bump.

Całkiem fajne, ale z drugiej strony nic się nie wyróżnia gdy tak leci w tle

3.5

I love Paul Simon but this is an odd one to have on this list. Some classic Simon song writing but just feels like it didn’t age well musically.

Nice vocals, a bit dull but enjoyable

This is pretty great but it should not be on this list. The other paul simon albums definitely deserve their place, but this was slightly unsuccessful, doesn't have any big singles on it, it's not an important cultural touchstone. Just a pretty decent listen. Think too Much is brilliant

this was just ok. 70’s paul simon > 80’s paul simon.

Paul Simon’s inevitable contemporary pop album. The genre itself is perfectly non-offensive - and so is this album. It’s still Paul Simon though, so there’s enough strong songs and melodies to not make it dull. During the otherwise bland “Cars Are Cars”, Simon proclaims that “cars are cars all over the world”. I would really like it to be a commentary on racism - but there’s a real possibility that it’s just about cars.

Paul has a very unique style but it's not one that I enjoy. It's got too much 80s vibes and slow songs for my taste. But I do appreciate the variety he mixed in here. He writes some pretty guitar melodies.

I felt a bit confused by this album. On one hand it's Paul Simon, so it's going to be good, but on the other hand many of the songs sound like they were written for Sesame Street. Cars are Cars could have been sung by Elmo or Grover. Allergies could be a public service announcement by Big Bird. Song About the Moon? What about the dish, what about the spoon? Title track was good though.

I didn’t know a single track from this album. It was ok, it sounded exactly as I’d expect a Paul Simon album to sound.

Good pop album but I liked Graceland a lot more

sounds like a nice fella

some great songs but others could have been left out as well

Paul Simon has been well represented on this list with his work in Simon & Garfunkel and his solo work, many of which are deemed classic recordings. To include, Simon's 1983 album, Heart And Bones is a stretch and a head-shaker at best.. This isn't quite scraping the bottom of the barrel for Paul Simon solo albums (there are several that are not worth a listen), but it sets the bar a little lower and questions who or why is this considered "essential"? There aren't any standout songs, most of them are okay, but the lead-off track, "Allergies" is horrible and the lyrics of, "Cars Over Cars" is embarrassing, especially considering, Simon is a Hall of Fame songwriter and inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame twice!. I guess even mediocre Simon is better than most stuff out there, but it's hardly Simon's best moment...not even close.

I do like Paul Simon but this isn't my favorite -- though there are a few songs here that I love, the album as a whole is just mediocre.

I don't mind a bit of Paul Simon, without or without Garfunkel, but as far as albums go. I would question its essential status. Nice, but certainly not his best.

An opening song about allergies is definitely a choice. So is cars are cars. Nice Paul Simon though, 3* Highlights: heart and bones

I'm surprised this album made the cut 'cause honestly, Paul Simon can do better than this... and he did, on many occasions. Not to say that this album's bad—it's still pretty decent as it is—but I would not choose it for an example of his best work. 2.5 - 3 stars

it's Paul Simon! Beautiful voice and guitar and instrumentation as always - but I didn't find anything really special about this album. A solid 3 from me. As the blurb notes the follow-up to this is Graceland and that record is monumental - in comparison this one is pretty weak but as albums go I think it's fine.

Hearts And Bones is a pretty decent album for what it is. You can still easily tell that Paul Simon brought everything he learned from his career with Art Garfunkel and while it might not be as well executed here, what's here is still pretty good. The songs had a very pleasant feel to them even if they could be about some pretty dark topics. Simon's voice also helped make the songs feel alive too. The songs here could be forgettable due to following fairly similar formulas but i didn't find a single one to be all that bad. This is just a solid album through and through. Best Song: Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War Worst Song: Allergies

Hmmm ... difficulto rate. Somehow I like it but then again it sounds partly boring. Not really sure, therefore it will be a "3"

Decent - some really good tunes and some dull as can be. Middle of the road

Would have been a 2 but the late great Johnny Ace added a point.

...

In which one of the greatest American songwriters (whose sensibility has stymied his contemporaries but endear him to those seeking a "secret third thing" to Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen; not that Paul Simon doesn't have a literary sensibility, he certainly does) offers a universally-derided work about pushing 40. Honestly, I would say that 'Hearts and Bones' from 1983 represents a critical moment in Paul Simon's career in which he owns up to being an older person in the world with older-person-problems (ie. divorce, death of peers, allergies) and in doing so ages better than all of the other 60s boomer songwriters combined. Perhaps this style of sophisti-pop dreadfully awash in stiff and dated 80s sonics isn't Paul's bag. But the highlights on this albums could maybe stand with Paul's best solo work? Maybe? If I'm creating a compilation of Paul Simon's best tunes, the title track absolutely deserves a spot on the back half. And "Think Too Much (A)" is another stunning lyrical showcase from one of the greats: "I had a childhood that was mercifully brief." Sometimes I think Paul Simon could've made a great novelist or short story writer, but then again, the top-line melodies he is able to construct clearly show he is a born musician. B+

Fell asleep on the train listening to this, so it's relaxing at least. Heat and Bones is a great song! But a lot of 80s shite pop etc on here and awful topics for lyrics (numbers, cars and allergies). Looking forward to listening to Graceland, Allergies by The Lovely Eggs is a better song.

i really vibe with paul simon’s vocal quality and general musical aura so i enjoyed the vibe of listening to this album (especially the first half). hearts and bones is so good (saved on my spotify tyvm) but the song writing in other tunes really made my eyes roll (cars are cars?? and song about the moon???). really simplistic writing that i did not care for. however! i really did enjoy some of the admittedly very 80s production and keyboard, only if it’s because it’s nostalgic to me. the beatles and john lennon mention on johnny ace was so silly to me… but i digress. overall an enjoyable listening experience!

3.5 rounded down there’s something about paul simon which is very larry numb3rs coded i think highlights: hearts and bones, when numbers get serious, train in the distance (sep 7 2024)

This was distinctly average for me. No tracks really stood out. That meant i didnt love or hate any. Felt like a very safe one dimensional album. Wasnt offensive, it just didnt connect with me at all. I could happily put it on in the background but thats as far as i would go. I think a low 3 would be fair.

Not a favourite

Ni fu ni fa

beetje kabbelend, maar het is altijd fijn kabbelen met Paul...

not my thing, not bad

some fine moments, some unpleasant ones. mostly inoffensive!

Feel good easy listening from Paul Simon Well crafted, but also a bit boring..

It’s a lovely album. Whether it’s a great album is a different matter. Minis points for terrible car lyrics and ending the Art Garfunkel collaboration for good.

He's so silly 🤪

So much Simon sauce in here, but still left me cold. An opening song with an allergy metaphor. I mean, a bold choice for sure. Song About the Moon had some magic in it but aside from some terrific playing not much for me here.

I was savage when reviewing Graceland - but this? Much better. It's not swamped in chintz and synth schmaltz, the songwriting is sharp and I don't even mind Simon's non-event of a voice. Best song on here is 'Train in the Distance', which would sound at home on a Donald Fagen solo outing. The title track is also quality. 'When Numbers Get Serious' annoyed my girlfriend.

Stars are Stars. And Paul gets three of them.

Started out really nice but became flat

Really good singer songwriter stuff.

Probably the weakest of the 3 Simon solo albums I've gotten so far. More proof there should have a been a limit of how many albums an artist is allowed on the list.

Mukavaa akustista ja jotkut kappaleet enemmän rock. Enemmän rock kuin aikaisempi Simonin levy. Ensimmäisestä kappaleesta tuli ehkä jopa joku Eric Johnsson mieleen. Simonin ja Garfunkelin Simon tässä kyseessä tietenkin. Parhaat: Think Too Much (b), Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War (Original Acoustic)

cars are cars all over the world

Cars Are Cars sounds like a kids book narrated over a drum machine.

Again, I am not a big fan of Paul Simon. This album isn't bad but it is not very memorable for me. It's ok.

Fett trevligt album, Paul Simon e legend, detta e dock inte hans bästa grejer Bästa låt: Hearts and bones

Good album with some interesting songs Standout songs: Allergies Think to Much Train in the Distance

Less boring than the last Paul Simon album I got.

ganz cute, aber gibt bessere alben von ihm

what's up with car songs? -1 for that

I'm sure that there is more to this if you really dig, but I'm not that bothered and this sounded perfectly reasonable if a little bland.

A nice Paul Simon album that is moving on from S&A and feels like it's on it's way to Graceland, which was 2-3 years later. Some lovely story songs. Some songs that are purest filler. Cars are Cars. Really Paul? You pushed past demo with that?

Almost time for Graceland

The guy's a good singer, but I felt like this was just more of the same as the previous album I heard from him. And I suppose that's what some people want.

3.4 made me a bit bored

2.5

Graceland’s rough draft. Decent music, but lacking cohesion.