Graceland

Classic. Still plays well.

I didn't like this when it came out in the 80's, when I was a teenager, and I still don't like it now. It's listenable at best. The most alarming aspect is it feels like he has just absolutely rinsed a long list of artists and passed it off as his own work. And people go crazy for it, like it helped end apartheid. Fuck off with that shit.

Not my vibe honestly

This was one of four CD’s I was bought to go with my first ever CD player. Whilst I am a big fan of this album I cannot remember how or why I came to like it. My main musical taste is Prog which sound wise this album isn’t but could be regarded as such due to the relative new fusion of African music with western pop and rock. Back then there was none of this modern woke nonsense of white men appropriating black music for their own ends and degrading it. I believe Paul Simon genuinely wanted to bring African music to a new audience to experience the joy he also had when discovering it for himself. Had it not been for this album and those of Peter Gabriel I would have never have discovered African music and doing so has enriched my life. So I think it was the freshness and absolute joy, which I still get, which attracted me to this album. 5/5 20/5/25

Meeste nummers leken een beetje op elkaar

Ik vind het laatste nummer op dit album echt top, zie mezelf al wel zitten op een strandje met een box met dit nummer aan, de rest vond ik ook leuk

sounds like the intro to arthur

Simon and Garfunkel Go to Africa

mr simon ily

3.5/4 Interesting and fun

Much better than I thought, thoroughly enjoyed

Paul Simon locked tf in

high 3.

muy bueno, tiene algo mántrico, medio hipnotico

Ein toller Mix aus verschiedenen Stilen. Highlights "Graceland" und "You can call me Al". 4/5

Fun album, not the 1st time listening to Paul Simon but the 1st full playthrough of this album. 'Graceland' and 'Diamonds on the soles of her shoes' are my favourites

I had a friend who played this album every single time you were with her, as fun as it is, it’s just overplayed for me and ruined a bit. Listened to this on the way to the beach with my girlfriend and we sang along

Good, but not fully my jam

Listened late at night yesterday. Was okay. Can't think of anything interesting to say. Maybe I think it sounded a little too 80's for me.

I really enjoyed this.

Not bad, but not the best.

it’s crazy that I haven’t listed to this album in so long, but I remembered a lot of it. Dad had it and I remember him listening to it. It’s fun album. Every song just makes you feel happy in a different way.

this list needs more african music but this ain't the way to do it

[[1001 - 2 Paul Simon - Graceland]] Is todays album, released a year before I was born, not quite to my style but definitely reminds me of sitting in a bar that plays all the classic rock/Americana sorta stuff which definitely isn't a bad thing now! Graceland is instantly recognisable, wonder if there will be any other tracks that ill recognise. Diamonds on the soles of her shoes is a bop but it wont be getting added to the big playlist. AHAHA And there it is I never knew what this track was called, I always thought of it as bodyguard, turns out You Can Call Me Al, it is getting added to the big playlist.

Probably better at the time. You Can Call Me Al might be one of my least favorite retail songs ever created, not helping my enjoyment of this one.

This album was so fun. I actually listened twice and enjoyed it even more the second time through. I liked the variety on this album.

Some catchy songs. Light listening

fucking phenomenal

Un álbum pionero en adaptar la música africana a los gustos occidentales. En plena crisis de la mediana edad, Paul Simon se enamora de la música mbaqanga de Sudáfrica y crea un álbum muy pop que conecta las tradiciones musicales de ambos lugares. Aunque hoy en día no suene tan especial, supongo que en su época tuvo que ser un bombazo. Y musicalmente sigue siendo muy bonito de escuchar. Es un álbum que combina la felicidad y energía que transmite la mbaqanga con la elegancia pop-folk de Simon. Un álbum muy bueno que merece formar parte de esta lista tanto por su calidad como por su influencia y su contexto histórico.

Mediocre, but pleasant enough. Unfortunately has a cheesy 80's vibe to the instruments/quality.

3,5 Já tinha ouvido sobre esse álbum antes e a grande maioria me disse que era uma obra prima... e deve ser para alguns gostos. Não gosto muito das musicas de Simon & Garfunkel e confesso que não tinha escuta os projetos solo de nenhum dos dois até então, nem tinha muito interesse também. Então, sei lá, eu estou aqui colocando na categoria das experiências interessantes, mas nem de longe na categoria das experiências arrebatadoras

Utterly soulless. So devoid of soul that listening evokes a mild terror, even

My thought process before listening: Oh, Paul Simon. This will be ok. I've heard a few of these. There's not a bad song on here. It seems I like the African rhythm. Favorites: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints

pretty unique considering the african influence, falls kinda flat in the second half 7.2/10

Not a huge fan of this specific body of work, but Paul Simon is a legend. Dare I say this bordered on yacht rock at times....

Lk

He loves to rhyme. Doesn't really do much for me though

Really enjoyed it, found myself bopping my head along to majority of songs, “You can call me Al” is a classic

5/10

Unbelievably listenable and varied album

Not a huge Simon fan, but this album is solid and an easy and fun listen.

I didn’t want to like this album. I don’t like folk, I don’t really like adult contemporary or whatever Paul Simon identifies/d as. But his exploration of various genres here is so genuine and authentic and well done, even someone not in love with the genre(s) itself can appreciate the craft.

Really good stuff.

Not really my vibe 2/5

I liked the song where he teamed up with Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Disclaimer, I barely listened to Paul Simon before this but I can understand why this particular album is worth listening to. It's South African and American fusion paired with Simons particularly fantastic story telling creates something completely unique (at the time) that needs to be listened to from beginning to end. "You Can Call Me Al" is by far the best track but the self titled track "Graceland" and "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" are not far behind. This is one of those albums where I can see bands like Vampire Weekend were influenced by and while I did just praise this album, I don't see myself coming back to it all that often. However, I have found a new appreciation for Paul Simons and will look into his other work. 7/10 (I don't know. I'll figure out a rating system at some point.)

Solid story telling, fun melodies. Sounds I’m not familiar with, but can groove to. Finally know who made that one hit I hear on the radio all these years. (You can call me Al)

White people love this shit. Especially barefoot white people. Don’t like the spoken rhythm lyrics.

Paul Simon’s comeback album features multiple genres and quirky lyrics that we all know and love him for since his days with Simon & Garfunkel. There are a few tracks that I’ll always love (You Can Call Me Al) but this album never really drew me in as much as the critics praise it. An enjoyable listen. 3/5

I applaud Paul. It’s not often you listen to an album with only one good song (you can call me Al). None of this comes together in a satisfying way. Would also like to add that Simon’s take on zydeco is embarrassing.

Not Paul Simon's best work. Much like Bob Dylan, he has a habit of talk-singing through these rambling stories with uninteresting instrumentation. It wasn't all uninteresting in the case of Graceland; sometimes it was actively annoying, like when it crossed over into polka territory with tracks like "Gumboots" and "That Was Your Mother". There were a couple decent songs--"You Can Call Me Al" is a classic and "Crazy Love, Vol. II" was pretty okay. As a result of those two songs, I can't give this a 1 star rating, but only barely.

Paul ran out of English folk music to hack and had to move continents I guess. Bassist is cool, but that's about it. 0/10

I really enjoyed the harmonies and rhythms on this album. The stories were well told. Great album.

Not a big,big Paul Simon fan but he sounded very good in this album

He has a great voice, the South African musicians sound great as well. The lyrics are solid and well done, Simon is a great storyteller. However, I don't really want an entire album that's just stories. It's too bright and sunny for me. It's a very pleasant album which is kinda why it rankles me a wee bit. It sounds too bright.

Some tracks leaning towards singer songwriter pop and som more towards folk rock. I found the first group more enjoyable than the last, but none of them was particularly interesting to me.

This is one of the most formative albums of my life. I remember when my dad brought this home. The sounds that Paul Simon captured with the amazing and talented South African musicians on this record really blew my mind. It's a record that transported me to another world. Standouts for me are "The Boy In The Bubble", "Graceland", "I Know What I Know" and "Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes", both about Carrie Fisher, "You Can Call Me Al", "Homeless", "Crazy Love, Vol II", and "All Around the World Or the Myth of Fingerprints".

Remember when in the music course back in school, all the talented kids got to play the few actual instruments and the rest of us musically challenged kids with basic motor function got handed the claves, knowing that this isn't an instrument anyone actually uses, but a low-cost inclusion measure? Well, Paul Simon is one of those talented kids who actually uses claves in his music, and it doesn't sound half bad. 3.5/5

Inoffensive but boring IMO, nothing special. Not as good as the Simon and Garfunkle records I had before (gave those a 3). Basically what an entire album of songs that sound exactly like Rusted Roots' Send Me On My Way would sound like (so listening to this album, it's obvious what RRs influence was). Fine song, but I don't need an entire album of Send Me On My Way.

Can definitely tell Vampire Weekend got some influence from this album

Big fan of Simon and Garfunkel but haven't really checked out Paul solo. It's pretty good. Easy to listen to and he stuck to the theme very well. The African sounds are what make it interesting and Paul's vocals are soft on the ears. It does start to blend together in my opinion. Nothing groundbreaking, he was just using another culture for inspiration after all. I could be wrong but it was also a little funny to hear the tinge of bitterness from a divorced man come through. RIP Carrie you're a queen

- Huge respect to the African artists Simon worked with. And "You Can Call Me Al" is fun to dance to. But god...Simon just seems like an insufferable twat. - Apparently there were concerns of cultural appropriation and musical imperialism...how could there not be? It is hard to listen to some of these when you recognize that there is a white American at the center directing everyone else.

Aside from “Call Me Al” and “Graceland”, this album should have been credited to Ladysmith Black Mambazo (feat. Paul Simon). But the aforementioned tracks are bangers, and the rest of this eclectic album holds up, even after 40 years.

I'm sure a 2025 critic could accuse this of cultural appropriation but viewed in the 80s during apartheid this has a completely different context. Probably did more than any other record to turn people on to non-Western sounds (I'd never heard ANYTHING like this as a kid) and has a bunch of killer tracks

milquetoast world music

great album! for „you can call me al“ alone this album deserves 5 stars.

The Boy in the Bubble and Graceland was good. I really like Simon & Garfunkle but this solo album didn't move me other than the first two songs. I won't probably listen to again though I can see how the album could be enjoyable to those that like Americana more.

The world music style gets exhausting after a while. Hits are still classics

Just great stuff innit? Not a bad song on there

I haven't listened to this album all the way through in a long time and it doesn't feel like it has aged very well. I like "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" a lot still but overall I didn't seem to enjoy this as much as I used to. It's not a terrible album but it isn't something I am likely to put on again any time soon.

Entertaining world-pop blend with a great showcase of African music. Does feel a little odd coming from Paul Simon, but a really solid listen with a ton of fun moments. Easy and laid back. Top tracks: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

Total cack

enjoyable and chill but probs wouldn’t listen again

A bit unusual to put my feelings into words here. In general I definitely found this album to be enjoyable for me, the instrumentation to be intriguing and Paul Simon’s partial singing/talking to fit perfectly in many cases. Although I can’t say that it resonated with me completely, I still felt compelled to come back to this album right after listening to it and relistening some of the songs. Only after listening to the album (and I really liked the influence of South African music) I found out about its controversy. Although it definitely is part of this albums history, I won’t let it influence my opinion too much here. I definitely think that I will be coming back to this and do feel that I want to listen to more of his music as this album definitely felt artistic in the best way possible. But I can’t quite give it 4 stars as I want to reserve that rating for albums that I definitely love. So it’s about a 3,7 for me.

Big sound, big effort, and it works. I remember this from childhood without knowing it. Some songs are playful, some hit deep, but the whole thing earns its place. Five stars.

AL

Jag gav den nästan en etta men det var bara för att jag försökte lyssna på det när jag pluggade och blev irriterad. Not for me.

Incredible start that just fades a little toward the later songs

al

to this day i’m still not sure what you can call me al is about

>The Beatles

'People say I'm crazy, I've got diamonds on the soles of my shoes' Well, actually they say that because I actually rank this album lower than Hearts and Bones, or Rhythm of the Saints. The fact that I'm still giving it a 5 speaks to how great a run Paul Simon was on at the time (musically, at least. Hearts and Bones flopped commercially). There's still the political and moral question of whether Paul was right to technically flout the boycott (I lean towards it not being so), but the fact that he bypassed the criminal government and went directly to the musicians living there is a mitigating factor. And what music. Riffs! Percussion! Paired with Paul Simons lyrics, everything pops, and the production is also top notch. There is no bad song on the album, and it's no wonder it got this big. Tangent: All Around the World's not only the most dated sounding of the songs, but the plagiarism accusations also detracts from my enjoyment, even if I don't fully think it was Paul Simons' fault. (Bringing a new song you've made to a jam session with a fellow musician and then not telling him that it's your song is not a very smart idea) Favourite Song: Crazy Love Vol. II Least Favourite: All Around The World Strong Bad Demerit Count: 2

DISCOURSE.

Excellent. Loved the intense, driving beat on The Boy in the Bubble. Favourite tracks: The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al & Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. Definitely worth a relisten. 4/5

Not sure I'm qualified to speak on the appropriateness of a moderately wealthy American white guy "highlighting" the street music of apartheid era South Africa on his hugely popular record with his name at the top. For context, all music at this time that wasn't english speaking western music was called "World Music", so clearly there was some work to do there. A very listenable record on the whole. Upbeat, catchy Diamonds, Al, and Graceland are the big bops on this one

Really liked this one, I was unaware of all the controversy at the time it came out.......

Well isn't this just lovely? I feel like if golden-doodles had the ability to make music, this would be the kind of album they would make.

some rly good songs

This is a very har rating. I like the collaboration and merging of genres, and Mr. Simon makes exellent music.

3.5 - Good

Paul Simon really explores the limits of his own creativity. This doesn't sound overly original, but it's not bad. 3/5.

Interesting thought I wouldn't like it at first but it's quite alright to be fair

There were some really lovely songs on this album but also some really annoying ones

I remember first listening to this album, such a surprise. Like everyone got introduced to Paul Simon through Simon and Garfunkel. That taught me about his beautiful voice and fingerpicking and folk arrangements. But Simon can do so much more! Out of the gate Simon hits you with weird accordion and a bass that’s somehow both funky and somber. If you expected folksy fingerpicking then you got something else coming. All throughout this album we have Simon exploring different style and ideas, a lot of African influences but we also get eighties synth pop and other stuff. You can hear the joy Simon has in exploring different approaches and ideas and mostly rhythmic variations. Now I consider Paul Simon to be one of the greatest songwriters ever, so of course he takes a bunch of fresh ideas and makes timeless songs like Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes. Great album from an all time great. Let’s do five stars.

Probably the greatest album of all time.

I really like the world music and some of the songs are fantastic: Graceland and Diamonds in particular. It’s not all great and there are some dull songs, but you gotta go with what your heart says

It’s Graceland. Nuff said

Paul Simon I’m pouring honey on you goat

His 7th album. African inspired sounds. African backing vocals and choirs. Homeless has good lyrics and a good sounding choir. You Can Call Me Al is the signature track and a great single. Overall, disappointed. Heard so much about this album but I wasn't into it at all apart from one good song.

Great

cool n all

Meh

For some reason I don't like Paul Simon but I can't beat his catchy tunes.

Sounds great still and just so nostalgic to me

Disgraceland more like This annoyed me more than I would have liked it Maybe it's the voice? Maybe it's the lyrics? Just annoying

Poor

Funkier bass lines than I expected

Magnificent and so touching. American folk seamlessly sharing space with and amplifying African soul - what a treat.

2.5

I think the first half of this album is pretty awesome but this unfortunately changes from Under African Skies onwards. These songs aren’t nearly as strong in my opinion, with That Was Your Mother being my least favourite. Still, there is nothing bad at all on here, so it’s a solid 4 stars. Favourite tracks: Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al

Finally listened to this one in full, and yep it's very good. Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes is particularly good.

I skipped forward more songs on this album than I think any I've listened to so far. I really don't like Paul Simon's voice and nothing in any of these tracks makes up for that

This was very different from his other albums, and has clear African influences. I liked the guitar+bass riff in Graceland but Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes was the standout to me. It was an interesting listen but not something that's going to be on regular rotation.

It's funny when music artists have distinct periods like painters, but this era of Paul Simon's music can definitely be defined that way. And I can understand how making this shift is considered when Paul Simon got his song writing mojo back after suffering from writers block for a while. The album is a masterpiece.

Fun listen. There were some really cool harmonies and various different folk elements. I’d give it a 6-6.5/10

Dope

Paul Simon's Graceland is light-hearted and breezy, thanks to Simon's folk background with South African mbaqanga influence. The rambling vocal style combined with lively mbaqanga instrumentation, along with flamboyant 80's production, give the album motion and makes it feel like a great road-trip record. Despite the wealth of musical styles and instrumentation at play here, there is so little variety from Simon's vocal performances that "You Can Call Me Al" stand head and shoulders above the other songs on the record.

A little too folksy/twee for me, but I must acknowledge the beautifully crafted melodies.

I love this album. Incredible from start to finish and honestly, nothing else like it.

Enjoyable and easy listen but didn't really do a whole lot for me. Favorite song off the album was Gumboots.

Adventure of a lifetime ahh album

Musica tribaleggiante e folk. Non un brutto album, anzi ha molti punti un sacco interessanti ma non top.

The African influences push this from OK to amazing. The few songs that lack that are what brings it down a tick.

Paul Simon est célébré quand il fusionne la musique africaine à sa propre marque de folk, de rock, influencée par les sons du Sud américain. Le résultat est très agréable, mais on peut voir ces appropriations d'un œil critique.

A fairly okay album. It was nice to hear You Can Call Me Al, a song I've heard plenty as a kid but never knew the name of. The African inspirations can be heard in the background vocals and percussion, and unfortunately that is the most entertaining part. The vocals were drab and did not fit the tone of the music, especially Gumboots. I was bored while listening to the album, little hooked me, nothing was added to my "Liked Songs."

So close to a 5 but some of the later songs like Under African Skies, Crazy Love Vol II, and the last track just don't do it for me. Practically everything else is a banger plain and simple. A strong 4.

Doesn't feel as developed as his later albums but still very beautiful. You can definitely tell it is from the 80s. Feels very Sting. Really in between a 3 and 4 (like 3.75).

fire

Enjoyable throughout with some classic songs

4.5

So many all time classics. Non of these songs make it into my personal top list, but they are so ubiquitous it's hard not to love them anyway

Music at my house growing up was mostly classical music, show tunes and hymns. My folks had very little interest in pop, R and B, jazz or really any popular music. However, this one somehow broke through to my father's ear, and it was on rotation for years. This might have been the first time my 6 year old brain got a taste that there was more out there musically. I'll always have a soft spot for it.

Love the earthly rhythms of this album. It seems primitive and cosmic at the same time. Kudos to Paul for capturing this authentic human sound. “I have reason to believe We all will be received In Graceland.”

You can call me Nick

Good

pretty good, would prob listen again

Classic. Who doesn't love Paul Simon and his African phase. The fretless bass is iconic. I love this album.

Жизнеутверждающий альбом. 6,5 из 10.

This album is awesome musically. The music is very interesting, but I found myself wishing for a different singer. 1001 album worthy: yes - 66/123

Much better than Coldplay

I was 11/12 when this came out so probably heard this before listening to much Simon and Garfunkel. I loved the African influences and featured artists.

Bought this album when it first came out and was an introduction to African music. As far as I am concerned a land mark album that is faultless and beyond my critical sphere.

The most beige music I’ve ever heard. All the most boring middle aged people you know hear “you can call me Al” and all collectively say “ooh I love Paul Simon”. Leave it out, he’s absolutely dreary.

Meh

Graceland- classic timeless song. You can call me Al- also classic.

Swooping a 'Capella harmonies, cod highlife guitar, cajun sounds and 80s yacht rock with Simon's fragile, crystal clear vice rising to the top. It is cheesy, but everything was cheesy in 1986, and at least it was original (and yes, problematic). Back in ye olde days this was ubiquitous and would show up in everyone’s music collection as well as littering the bins of record fairs (and later charity shops) up and down the land. And - Seinfeld slap bass not withstanding - I can finally see why.

Clean, sometimes interesting, the album feels wrong.

Interesting album. Very upbeat pop with a South African street music flavor.

2nd Paul Simon album. It has his hit in it, cool. I just think it’s just so so so stock standard 😭😭😭😭 Nothing bad but nothing good either

Great continuation of Paul Simon's brilliance, he continues to know his way around a song and this album is special. Contains great hit singles like Graceland and You Can Call Me Al as well as interesting collaborations with various other musicians that all add to the album.

a pleasant twist of afrobeat world music and the soft singing and lyricism of half of Simon & Garfunkel. though it all has this kind of beige vibe like I'm listening to 80s mall montage though... 3.5/5

Okie dokie. 3/4

the singles are catchy! very.... of the time

I'd heard so many great things about this album so went in expecting to be blown away. It was just fine. You Can Call Me Al is such a bop and is definitely my favourite from the album. Overall, it just didn't really do much for me.

quality slightly dips near the end of the record for me, but this is so close to being 5 stars. a big whopping 4.5. 'I Know What I Know' one of the greatest songs of all time

Still a cracking album, the highs are extremely high

Decent enough album, probably won't rush to listen to it again

Really enjoyed this. You can call me Al probably my least favourite on it. Will definitely listen again

Delightful

Weird how the algorithm decides to recommend this: a) Just a few days after Shaka Zulu, the music that inspired Graceland, and b) Just days after I left for college, and by extension, my record collection at home, which had this LP Anywho, this album was my father's childhood, and he often told me the story of how he worked on local fields (omladinske radne akcije, za moje balkance) whilst listening to this cassette on the deck, so I always felt obliged to write at least SOMETHING about this one, yet it never materialized until now, partly because it came and went so many times and I just had to sit down and write something. Obvious historical snippets aside, this is a nice pop album that's very easy on the ears. Combining something that's relatively boring like indigenous South African folk with Paul's ability to create some worthwhile and timeless melodies is a recipe for success. Probably a weird analogy, but this one feels like the process of urbanization of a once rural outback area, where the body of modernization is rampant, but the rural spirit is still among the brick and the mortar. ⭐⭐⭐

I did not use a private session for this one. Great hits on this one, Simon use of the african rythms and singing really work, gimmicky, but it works.

Tough call between a 4 and a 5 for me. A great album, probably Paul Simon’s best solo effort. One of the best songwriters ever and a really high degree of difficulty to merge African music with American folk and mostly pull it off. Graceland the song is an all timer. Ultimately, there are just too many only OK songs to get to a 5 for me.

4.5 I wouldn't classify myself as a Paul Simon fan but really liked this album, Great mix of folk stylings and World music. I thought the bass playing throughout the album was awesome, interesting lines and even better tones. This would probably be a 5-starer if I was more familiar with it. I will have to read more about the apartheid context when I have more time.

Fantastic! Not a real dud on the album and lots of great jams. Faves include: Graceland Homeless (lady smith black mambazo!!) You can call me Al (holey saxamoley!) Diamonds on the soles of her shoes Crazy love

Love it. Beats are great. Drums are great.

I don't know, man. I enjoy listening to this record a lot. But there are things about it that worry me. I've always wondered how the African musicians felt.

några fina poplåtar, ah typ det

I like Paul Simon. It might be growing up seeing reruns of him on SNL or my dad playing some of the hits (not a huge Paul Simon fan, but he liked the hits like anyone). I can't really give this five stars, but I was not upset about having this on my list.

daora mas n e minha pira

3/5 Muito agradável. Tenho ele em LP e é a versao que recomendo, facinho de achar e sempre bem baratinho. A pegada sul-africana tem seus momentos que fica um pouco cartunesca, mas as faixas mais tradicionais são maravilhosas. Também preciso dar créditos a história fascinante por trás da produção do disco, história essa que é inclusa na contracapa da edição de vinil. Toda a controversia por trás definitamente adiciona muita coisa a experiencia do album. Minhas favoritas: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds On The Sole of Her Shoes e Graceland.

321/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

4.5 stars. Really good pop/rock record that has big hits as well as some world-influence variety. Simon's voice and style is very easy on the ears. "You Can Me Al" and the title track are standouts while "I Know What I Know" is annoying and the only major dud on the album.

Nice songs and a super fun fat bass sound.

Very unique album and sound the whole way through. Although I respect it more than enjoy it

very vibey 8/10- really enjoyed learning about the history behind the music

Beautiful, unique sound. Excellent songwriting, a worthy classic!

Story telling Vocal harmonies are interesting Rhythm is well thought out One banger One surprise

Lovely.

fun sounds, but cant rate it as one of the goats

OVERALL: Very African influenced. I like the lyrics on most of the songs, and the backing vocals are always great, but it can get pretty boring. There are still interesting songs, though. Particularly Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, You Can Call me Al, and All Around The World or the Myth of Fingerprints, which are all incredible songs. Despite this, I feel like this is probably here because of influence, as it probably popularized African music and/or criticized apartheid while it was going on. Really good message, especially in the closing track. Pretty good percussion. Although it can be a little boring, it's a great album with a really good message. SONG AVG: 7.8/10 PERSONAL RATING: 7.75/10 The Boy In The Bubble: I don't really like the intro, and the instrumental is kinda weird, but I like this. Great lyrics, and the instrumental works very well with Simon's voice. Great commentary about apartheid (I think) and terrorism, very good overall. Also uses a fade out outro. Sonically, it isn't doing too much to impress me, but it still sounds pretty good. 9/10 Graceland: Pretty nice, I really like the bass. The instrumental is a bit repetitive, but it's still pretty good. The lyrics are fine, but I don't really understand what human trampoline is supposed to mean. I guess it's a bit boring, but that's pretty much it. 7.5/10 I Know What I Know: Kinda annoying, but I don't really mind. I like the story, but the weird noises in the instrumental kinda turn me off. It is pretty fun, though. 7.5/10 Gumboots: I'm not a big fan of the talking-singing, and I don't think it works very well with the instrumental. I do like the sax solo, but that's kinda it. The rest of the instrumental is kinda annoying and repetitive. 5/10 Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes: Nice little intro. I really like the instrumental. Pretty nice story of a rich woman and a poor guy, although I feel like the lyrics end earlier than they should. I like the backing vocals. 9/10 You Can Call Me Al: As soon as I heard those synths, I instantly thought that this was going to be a side 2 kinda thing. Really nice instrumental, I have no complaints at all. Great backing vocals. I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, but they seem fine. I guess Simon's vocals aren't the greatest here, but they aren't that bad. The only complaints I kinda have are that it's a little boring and the vocals at the very end aren't good in my opinion, but those are very minor issues. 9.5/10 Under African Skies: Pretty nice. It's pretty good overall, great concept and really good instrumental. I love the duet. I don't really have any complaints, but it doesn't really excel in anything other than the duet I guess. 8/10 Homeless: Very beautiful, unfortunately I can't understand most of the lyrics. It also doesn't have any instrumental. The vocals are very good though. I don't really like what they say after "somebody say", it's kinda annoying and it sounds like someone gasping for air. It also feels like it goes on for way too long. 5.75/10 Crazy Love, Vol. II: Pretty good I guess. Nice instrumental. I guess it's kinda boring. Pretty nice message and vocals. 8/10 That Was Your Mother: This does not sound like it should be on here, such a change in style. I think I like it? I don't really like the intro, and the drums can be kinda weird, but it sounds fine. Pretty nice jam, but the lyrics are kinda mid. Pretty fun I guess. 7/10 All Around The World or the Myth of Fingerprints: That's a pretty long title, I feel like The Myth Of Fingerprints is a better title than All Around The World. Great closing track, great message. Basically, everyone is the same and nobody is more special than another. Really good closing track. Oh yeah, the song is pretty good. The instrumental combines all of the styles on the album, and the vocals are pretty standard with the rest of it. Pretty nice. 9.57/10

Belle découverte, je ne connaissait le duo mais pas l'artiste seul.

Goede artiesten slaan hun hele leven lang nieuwe wegen in. Waarom zou je eeuwig hetzelfde blijven doen. Op eerdere albums zagen we Paul Simon al andere paadjes verkennen, en hier laat hij zich inspireren door (Zuid-)Afrikaanse muziek. Het resultaat is een ware klassieker: relaxt, verrassend, vervoerend, energiek, en het staat vol heel plezierige oorwurmen. Deze plaat reist al heel lang met me mee en zal dat blijven doen.

Volgens mij de zesde keer dat ik Paul tegenkom en alle voorgaande albums scoorden een 1 of een 2. Ik ben geen fan van suffe Paul, dat is duidelijk. En ik erger me ook wel aan het veel te vaak opnemen van dezelfde artiest. Maar toch word ik deze keer wel verrast. Gek misschien, want ik kende ook wel weer verschillende nummers. Maar toch was dit blijkbaar verdwenen uit mijn beeld van saaie Paul. De zang zelf verveelt mij deze keer niet zo. Het is ook niet zo, dat ik erg onder de indruk raak van de zang. Maar mij niet ergeren is al heel wat bij Paul. Muzikaal hoor ik voor het eerst echt iets interessants. Dat zal wel vanuit de samenwerkingen komen. Het is vooral opvallend dat de meer Afrikaanse klanken prima samengaan met Paul. Al zit er af en toe een misser tussen. De Lion-King-klanken zijn mij toch wat te overdreven. Al met al kom ik op 3,5 ster.

Dit is weer een van die iconische albums en daar word ik dan op zich wel weer blij van. Ook omdat er veel herkenning in zit, met het fijne Graceland en de iconische bassolo van You can call me Al. Ik begrijp alleen die fascinatie met Afrika niet zo. Tuurlijk, iedereen mag zijn eigen fascinatie voor een land hebben, sommigen hebben dat met Japan of Italie, in de 80s was apartheid natuurlijk wel een dingetje waar de goegemeente zich druk over maakte. Het is geinig om die Afrikaanse invloeden op een mainstream westers album te horen, dat geeft een album absoluut een fris en nieuw geluid. Ik vind het niet altijd geslaagd, zoals Homeless, maar als het gedoseerd wordt toegevoegd, in de ritmesecties of de gitaargeluidjes, dan is het zeker wel interessant. Het album is ook mede door die fusion iconisch geworden vermoed ik, anders was het misschien wel het zoveelste Paul Simonesque album geworden. Het uiteindelijke luisterplezier zorgt ervoor dat ik het tussen een 3 en een 4 zou waarderen. Ik ken graag bonuspunten toe aan de iconische bassolo en daarmee rond ik het af naar een 4.

Catchy, bangers, pop som ikke er kedeligt

The "Diamonds" into "Call Me Al" combo needs to be nerfed, it's way too overpowered. Rest of the album has no such cause for alarm.

An excellent album that I have heard many times. It has a nice combination of musical styles with some excellent vocal guests. I think that all of Paul Simon's work is excellent but this is probably at the top for me, it has a little bit of everything and is a joy to listen to from beginning to end.

What a brilliant album. Quite varied tracks but all so good. Wonderful to hear it in full again.

The album that saved Paul Simon.

I like the music in this one and the collaboration was really interesting and unique

Amazing album. Grew up with the music. Love the African influences.

Tuney

Upbeat fun and different 9 out of 10

good overall but is he a bit soulless or what for what hes working with…

Would make the perfect soundtrack to an early 2000s movie that would make you cry (if it isnt already). Vaguely like if Bob Dylan was given country fairground backing tracks. Missing a little garfunkel in the mix. You Can Call Me Al is an all-time for good reason. Honestly some godly mixing done on this one too wow. Overall not for me musically but the peaks peak.

I really love the instrumentation on this album, particularly the eclectic little hits and an accordion player who WILL. NOT. QUIT. Simon sounds amazing, but I did find my attention drifting from the vocals often.

This album is truly incredible. Was not aware of the context, w/ apartheid and breaking the cultural boycott etc. Is it cultural appropriation? Yeah, you betcha, but it's a tasteful and hopeful type. I like it and so do a whole lot of others. Time to go do deep dives on South African music.

favorite track: you can call me al. Overall score: 6.5/10

Banger of an album!

Pretty good.

Very nice but where’s the Garfunkel!

Perfect album. 10/10

What was it about the 80s and white people trying to do 'Africa' things.. the style of it just feels dated and a bit wrong at times. When it doesn't nick from other cultures it is far more tolerable.

honestamente, fue una nueva experiencia para mi. no suelo escuchar este tipo de música, tampoco siento que sea para mí en particular, pero reconozco la carrera de Paul Simon y admito que algunas canciones como You Can Call Me Al o Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes fueron una grata sorpresa. estoy seguro que alguien que sigue más de cerca este género le daría un puntaje mucho más alto, pero para mí es un álbum normal al cual quizás solo vuelva para escuchar algún que otro tema de vuelta.

Classic!

Most musician's forays into international and broad genre collaborations devolve into cultural appropriation or gimmicky tropes. Simon's simply enhances it all with a brilliant melding on this collection of songs. Simply brilliant, all the way through.

Album 714 of 1001 Paul Simon - Graceland (1986) Rating : 5 / 5 One of my all time favorites. Happy to see this one pop up this morning. Enjoyed it as much as I did back in 1986. This one holds a lot of memories. Certainly in contention for overall favorite when this listening journey is over.

This is a weird one. There are undoubtedly some great vocals on this album, but they’re not Paul’s. Great instrument playing, not Paul’s. Great songwriting, some of which is allegedly not Paul’s. The lyrics are definitely Paul’s, but they’re completely separate from the influences apparent in the music. In short this sounds like a normal Paul Simon album with a lot of heavy lifting from a lot of other people.

4/5. I think this album is definitely culturally significant. Simon wanted to use South African music in his album and provided malicious incompetence in why he couldn't wait. He was offered the reason why he couldn't do it according to the African National Congress, he ignored it, and then wondered why they were mad at him. He made up his own reasoning why it was a good idea, without knowledge of the apartheid, and then later said "well actually what I did was good." I'm sure the musicians on the album enjoyed the experience and royalties but at the expense of the rest of the country. Now did he end up ruining everything down there? Obviously not, but it made the fight that much more difficult. And now, the music. This is a classic in its innovativeness and songwriting. It introduces South African music to a wider audience, providing more South African artists to gain mainstream and for other artists in America and elsewhere to use and implement this style of music. The songs are all well written and even the inclusion of an a cappella song offers a fun listening experience. Taking these songs out of context and placing them through normal Simon albums, they would still be mostly popular. The base is still there and the songs are carried mostly by his vocals and choices of classic instruments he normally uses. They are only amplified here, making them stand out more. I don't think it's a perfect album and loses it's steam in the latter half but it is still an important listen. It's important to remember that art can exist on its own while still being relevant to its surroundings context. You can enjoy an album but to deny, or worse, reject, reality and the cultural implications this album stirred, is to offer a chance to repeat history at some other time and/or place. Everything is more than one thing and for those reviews on either side of the fence, to view things in black and white can cause more harm than good. Simon can be ignorant in his hubris to create his album while still benefitting African music in the long run by providing a larger audience. Just because that was the outcome, does not mean it did not cause harm in doing so. Retrospect is 20/20 and each art piece battles with the perspective of Time. Best Song: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, The Boy In The Bubble

3.5 possibly?

Great horn section and that goofy whistle thing is cool

Never really had a sit to listen to Paul Simon. I like it. At first thought, way more accordion than I expected. The fretless bass is an acquired taste, but makes the whole sound of this record alongside the chorusy lead guitar riffs ala The Smiths. Somehow this record kinda hits like a hip hop record in the way that the different layers come together and Paul kinda singy-talks over everything. This is another one of those records where I can pinpoint its influence all over modern music. Very cool.

Like kje You Can Call Me Al

This is the 64th album I’m rating. I’ve great things about the album but I know nothing about him except for That 70’s Show. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, I Know What I Know, Gumboots, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies, Homeless, Crazy Love, Vol. II, That Was Your Mother, and All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints. All in all I liked 0/11 songs. This is boring and not that good. Why did Paul Simon do this? I need to listen to some Fiona Apple.

Well call me Al that was a good album start to finish.

strong start... great first 4 songs good singles Homeless kinda weird that was your mother is a groove Just finished, feeling a solid 4/5 Would rate 80/100

Great album, creative and very worldly sounding.

Yea man Paul Simon the GOAT good shout from whoever sent him to Africa

A later career masterpiece

A great controversy.

At first I was tempted to use for my review what I said out loud to myself as I turned this off after about 4 tracks : "Fucking... it's just shite, isn't it?!!!" After listening to the whole album I have decided to leave a more considered review: You know those people who have interesting stuff in their house, but when you ask them where it's from it turns out to be mass produced and sold in mall furniture stores or Hobby Lobby? Or worse, they bought it from an independent store that peddles them a story about it's origins, and they tell you the story like they actually went there and met the person who made it. You know, they go on cruises so they can say they went to interesting places, but what they actually like is sunning themselves on the boat and they're scared to get off. The people who mention that the ethnicity of people in their stories, even though it's irrelevant. You know them, right? They listen to Paul Simon.

This one didn’t blow me away, but there’s a good amount of fun tunes on this record. “You Can Call Me Al” is the strongest standout and I love hearing it over and over.

really solid album

Quirky, goofy, upbeat. I know Paul Simon has his following, but it's not necessarily for me. A lot of it sounds cheesy, but it's not unbearable to listen to. Just something about the acoustics that doesn't align with me, but it's okay I guess.

kinda enjoyed some bangers

I was skeptical of more Paul Simon, but this album is a lot of fun and the broad influences are unique and interesting.

frekar flott plata. ekki viss um að ég hlusti á það aftur. afrísku áhrifin.

The first time I ever listened to this record was also the first time I was ever stoned, so I have a lot of strong associations with it. At the time as a teenager I had a know idea about the background and circumstances around it. I still think it's a great album and it hits in the right ways, but problematic for sure.

Incredible to think that this is nearly 40 years old. The controversy at the time, when Paul Simon defied the UN (?) embargo on South Africa seemed to be overtaken by the attention the album drew to the South African musicians who played with Simon and arguably on the Apartheid regime as well. The music stands up and is as entertaining and fascinating as it was back then, melding Simon's songwriting to music from African and American cultures. We have Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Youssou N'Dour, Los Lobos, Cajun accordionist, Rockin' Dopsie, The Everly Brothers and, particularly influential to the overall feel of the album, an incredible African band featuring Ray Phiri's guitar and the astounding bass player, Bakithi Kumalo.

A classic for a reason

Still sounds fantastic

amazing. Start to finish. So upbeat and smooth and lovely.

Enjoyed it

Simplemente maravilloso

The album that launched Ladysmith Black Mambazo onto the wider world. "Eclectic" somewhat fails to cover it, to be honest. I first heard this as a 15-year-old and I couldn't get into it at first, but it won me over and I ended up playing it and playing until the tape broke. The most famous track is of course You Can Call Me Al, though my favourite is the opener, The Boy in the Bubble. The collaborations are a joy: Homeless, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Under African Skies, and That Was Your Mother are all excellent. In short: I love it. If you haven't heard it, try it out and see if it has the same effect on you.

4/10

One of those albums that is always in the top of these lists. I would say 2/3 of it I think is really good. A third are just fine. The recording of it is done exceptionally well and is worth a listen on your best equipment. The song Homeless always catches me but surprise at how good it sounds.

# 430 - 06/03/2025 - Great album, I like this. Graceland is the best song here. I love the African influences in the music. Top 50 of the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums and 1987 Grammy Album of the year!

Good album. There are quite a few musical influences on here and it comes across well. Simon's voice is pleasant but thin. He is a good song writer. I know that this is supposed to be his masterpiece and the album generated a few singles but I feel like there is quite a bit of hype over the album because he had South African artists on the album. That's all well and good but I am betting outside of a few critics and Simon super fans that there weren't many consumers that said "boy, I have to get this album because there are musicians from different countries on here."

What a great album! I've heard at least 3 of these songs a lot. Cecelia, She's Got Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes, and You Can Call me Al. These songs are really fun and refreshing. I added a few to one of my main playlists

This was a VERY hard listen. Not my style AT ALL

You Can Call Me Al is a classic, but the rest of the album was very hit or miss for me. I also don’t like that he was involved with South Africa during apartheid or that Chevy Chase was part of a music video, but that doesn’t affect the music, just my opinion of Paul Simon.

It’s good. Paul’s great.

You can call me Al unlocked a core memory

Graceland by Paul Simon. This is why I'm doing this project, I get so close to being burnt out listening to either really forgettable shit or ...just shit that it's such a breath of fresh air when I get something I listen to and I'm like oh...oh this is different. I really enjoy the variety of instruments used throughout. You can call me Al is a wild trip of a song. It's a 5, it's added to my wish list on discogs

Interesting but no saves. Didn't feel it in my balls or my heart

It really was a huge release when it came out, and it reinvigorated Paul Simon's career. In general, I think it holds up. At the time, CDs were pretty new, so it was used quite a lot to demonstrate audio systems. It is recorded well. Ladysmith Black Mambazo sounded so good on those rack systems, especially "Homeless".

Hér eru stórkostleg lög og önnur mjög fín, og eitt eða tvö sem ég er ekki að dansa við. Platan dalar smá á hlið B, en þetta er nú samt fimma.

нормалек, раньше такого не знал.

Pretty enjoyable listen. Was more familiar with his stuff with Art Garfunkel (which I still think I prefer) but glad to have this in the rotation.

6/10

Eh, I generally enjoy one or two songs but I just feel iffy about the whole composition of the album considering where Simon got his inspiration from and the political climate at the time. Not awful but not memorable. The two stars is more for the talent of the featured South African artists.

This is quite possibly the perfect album.

I did not like it

Forever Classic

Meh. Ehmm... Some of it is ok. Pleasant enough, not particularly diverting. I guess because I've listened to more of the real thing since rather than a watered down version for western audiences. The guitar work, the bass work, the vocal harmonies are all great. The main problem with this record is Paul Simon and the lack of tunes. Also, um why randomly including Los Lobos? So basically, Duck Rock but not very good.

Lots of songs I knew, didn't know the context of the album. 7/10

One my absolute favorite albums of all time. The lyrics, the melodies, and the African vibes are just amazing. By most accounts Paul Simon is an absolute demon, but my god can the dude make music.

High 4 Side A is a lot of fun track Side B is a bit too "lionn king" other than "you can call me al". A fun alvum with a lot to like

soooo liberal white guy and not as good as remember but still has high highs

Mostly calm, some nice bits to it but nothing really hooking me

just a little guy having fun with it. An absolute joy

I believe this is the best solo album made after 1970 by any 60s icon named Paul. When it came out, my girlfriend’s dad played the cassette on repeat on a long road trip we took together. The songs are well written and interesting, and also safe for the whole family.

I am not sure this album holds up over the years, but it is great to hear Paul Simon when he is creatively flourishing. The tracks are strong, if a little dated, and I found myself smiling a little more than I thought as I revisited them.

Absolutely stellar. Paul Simon take one idea and just runs with it. The incorporation of South African music in his Contemporary Folk songs is seamless. It spotlit this little-known (to Western audiences) music genre without it ever sounding like a pastiche or letting it overwhelm the songwriting. Peter Gabriel also did something similiar a few years earlier with his fourth self-titled album, but here Simon makes it a lot more appealing to a general audience. And no, I don't care about "cultural appropriation", nor do I think it is a valid concept. Key tracks: The Boy in the Bubble Graceland I Know What I Know Diamonds on the Sole of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al Homeless

Evidence of an amazing solo career

I own this album and like it. However, it's very hard to ignore that Paul Simon "played Sun City" making this album. I like to think that he helped some artists, South African and otherwise, get some exposure they wouldn't have gotten otherwise, but stories of improper attribution of credit and/or payment for work on the album are troubling. The more I read the more troubling it gets. Based solely on the music, this is at least a 4, but I have to take 1 off. Regardless, You Can Call Me Al is a great song.

Singles are still great especially title song, but others are a bit dated now.

Call-out for my hometown of Lafayette in the title track

Before listening, nostalgia was telling me 4 or 5 star album. With fresh ears I struggled to get through it in one sitting. Some good songs, not a strong album. Hasn’t aged well.

Not for me

This album stands the test of time. Every track is enjoyable

There is a lot of talent on this album, but I'm not sure that the content has aged well.

First of all, I simply like the sound of this album. Simon had done the album's initial recordings in South Africa (during the height of apartheid, mind you) and thus you hear the likes of South African vocal groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Boyoyo Boys across a few tracks, as well as plethora of other native South African musicians contributing their works. They all come together to create great, memorable melodies and uplifting messages that would eventually land this album various Grammy awards. Makes for great road trip music too. Best tracks: Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

Expected to enjoy it more. Not bad and some tracks that stood out. Probably preferred his debut solo album if I had to choose.

I feel like I'm on an early morning road trip with my hair in the wind

We all will be received.

3.5

This is perfection. Every song was brilliant.

Some fun songs on the album. Great instrumentals, but his voice isn't my favorite. Overall a pretty good album. Favorite Songs: Gumboots, Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, That Was Your Mother Least Favorite: I Know What I Know

Sehr entspannte Lieder für gute Laune, vor allem Gumboots und das letzte Lied des Albums haben mir gefallen

afrikka ethnic on slight cheating...

Cultural appropriation ... before the term was mainstream. Boomers love this album.

So cozy and comfortable to listen to. It felt like a good day on a holyday. I'm gonna give it 4 stars.

Shouldn’t have broken the boycott, bitch!

This generator isn't going to change my mind on Paul Simon or Billy Joel, sorry.

Fun sound, nice classic feel. Some songs are familiar. :)

Melhor música: I know what i know início em grande! bluesy mas ao mm tempo faz quase lembrar funana(a concertina ou synth ou o que seja) cordofones bue fixes nao adoro a voz (nao tem nada de diferente é so o paul simon - canta bem mas não gosto q parece quase q tem reverb naturalmente)

What a wild album, the multicultural influences from all around the world are really cool, mad respect for actually working with artists from said cultures, also really like Paul’s meandering vocals. I don’t think this album should work, but it really does

It's always nice to hear artistas getting inspiration from other cultures. I like the mix with western and africano folk music. It sounds like this was done with respect and admiration. I don't think it's cultural appropiation.

When you're having a mid-off and your opponent is this album

Three really great songs and a bunch of meh.

Not his best. But some gems here.

I like Paul Simon. This record has some great kinda African inspiration and it’s whimsical. Still wish people didn’t use the harsh static/explosion percussion sound rampant in Michael Jackson’s Bad. But this album is a lot of meh but happy. Lost track of my ratings so we’re gonna go with 3.4? I dunno. It’s funny.

was pretty good, didn’t enjoy the end as much as the beginning. appreciate the african influence and the wide variation of instrumentation but i can’t see myself returning to the album as a whole — or really any individual tracks — very much. i like it a lot more in theory than i do in practice, that said it’s overall a good project, maybe just not my cup of tea

Pauls Simon is to me the Spielberg of singer-songwriters, if that makes any sense. I mean that a little bit derisively. Nonetheless, this album is pleasant and well put together. I don't have too strong opinions on it either way, honestly.

Another album I enjoyed more than I expected. I always thought Simon's songs were a bit dull, but there are some incredibly evocative lyrics, lovely melodies, and a great range of sounds and textures. Call me Al and Diamonds are perhaps the obvious singles, but I found something to like in every song. Didn't quite reach the level of a 5, because I do find him a little repetitive after a while. Also surprised that such an 'african' album would have so many references to places in the US!

Top 10 album of all time. Just makes me feel good.

Really not my type of thing, I don't care for the voice nor anything that is going on, it doesn't reek of the 80's but frankly its rubbish. 'I Know What I Know' I found particularly annoying and could well have been heard playing at the New Inn, 'You Can Call Me Al' was recognisable and okay but I'm hesitant to add it to the top tracks as it's not saying much considering I didn't like a single other track. Folk music is uninspiring to me so I was unlikely to ever like this but I'm unsure how Mr Young, deep within the 1980s, makes music which sounds all the same. How 'The Queen is Dead' and this {Graceland} were made in the same year is beyond me, the backdrop of Apartheid is certainly interesting but in no way makes this album listenable to me. In no way will I ever listen to this again. 1/10 flat and dull. Top Tracks -> You Can Call Me Al

To me, this is as near to being a perfect album as one can get. Paul Simon, one of the truly great songwriters, goes into a completely new direction and creates something new. I get that people are critical of him and accuse him of cultural appropriation, but I don't buy into that. He brought visibility and profile to African rhythms and artists, and, above all that, when it comes to music, there should be no boundaries or rules over who can play what.