Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Mjög hár fjarki. Algjört fimmunart.
Ack så mysigt!
Add a start for Homeless
Has a very 80's feel. although can't quite say what that means, is different from every other album on this list so far and I enjoyed listening so it gets a 4
Brought South African Rhythms to my ears. Classic album.
Surprenant comme écoute. L'appréciation de la World Beat n'est pas chose naturelle pour moi. Par contre ici, avec le style d'écriture un peu plus pop/folk de Paul Simon, ça donne des mélodies accrocheuses avec des sonorités auxquelles je suis moins habituées. C'est rafraîchissant et ça fonctionne bien. L'époque vient par contre affecter négativement certains éléments comme par exemple les deux fills de drum au début de I Know What I Know. Ce son de drum électronique sur ce fill rentre un peu à la crowbar juste avant le premier couplet. Très étrange à chaque écoute. La pièce You Can Call Me Al aussi est très marquée dans cette époque des années 80, mais elle fonctionne tellement. J'adore cette pièce et encore plus le vidéoclip avec Chevy Chase. Cette pièce à elle seule ajoute une étoile à mon appréciation de cet album. Ça m'a demandé quelques écoutes pour apprivoiser et mieux apprécier l'album, mais dans son ensemble je crois que c'est un album important et je vais sûrement y revenir à l'occasion. Pièces préférées: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, I Know What I Know
I enjoy the complexity of the lyrics. Pauls vocal skills are the dominant strength I take from this album
I didn't really know the background of this album. But as I was listening, I kept thinking this sounds a little bit like what would happen if Paul Simon sang the Lion King soundtrack. Read up on the history of the album and it's South African roots and it made a lot more sense.
❤️
Lots of nods to Africa in the creation of this album, liked it more than I thought I would
23rd February 2022 Listened at home while working before driving home to glos in preparation for Ali’s wedding. Combination of folk, pop and African influences as Paul Simon’s wonderful songwriting hits it’s heights. Anchored by you can call me Al and diamonds on the soles of her shoes. 4.5 if I could.
I KNOW this album is iconic, but I had never heard it. In fact, my total knowledge of Simon's solo work is pretty well limited to just a handful of songs, most of which are on this album. I was eager to give it a full listen. The ways Simon and his team found to blend African and zydeco music with his more typical folk sound was not only revolutionary for its time, but nothing short of artful and masterful. In listening to this, I knew I was hearing something that was unique, and is probably still fairly unique in its execution, even today. The music and album craftsmanship at work here is undeniably top notch. On one hand, Simon did westerners a great favor by making them aware of the beauty of African music, but on the other hand, this could just as easily be interpreted as a white musician with a slumping career using an "unknown, exotic" sound to revive said career, building it on the backs of South Africans who more than likely did not get their fair share in pay and recognition in exchange for what Simon took from them. This really is an album that people should hear before they die, as there is nothing else quite like it. I really did enjoy it from an idealistic "one world" perspective, but that's not the world we live in, as much as I wish it was. Realistically, Simon knowingly did something great AND horrible in making this album.
1986. Graceland, You Can Call me Al
Very good
I forgot how much I like this album. You Can Call Me Al still fills me with glee. How can it be that I still remember all the words?
Such a delightful stretch from the normal folkie stuff. Paul Simon is definitely multi talented
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Honestly it's pretty good, It's fun and His voice is kind of Nostalgic to me for some reason.
Fun to listen to. Kinda have "You Can Call Me Al" stuck in my head now haha. Really interesting to read the Wikipedia article and about him going to Africa and all the hubbub that followed; how it tied it with political and social things happening at the time.
This a good one
Приятный мелодичный альбом. Из-за небольшой продолжительности не сильно приедается. Поставил бы около 3.5
Really pretty fun to listen to. Wavered between a four and a five on this but it's just not quite got enough pull to it to make me want to listen to it again and again.
the singles are life changing, the rest of the album is pretty damn good. 8/10
Fun to listen to. 8/10
216 albums in, it's clear this book isn't going to introduce anyone to African music. So, instead of reviewing this very good album, here are some great African albums for those who like what Simon's collaborators bring to the party. Omona Wapi, Franco & Rochereau (1976); The Music In My Head, Various (1998); The Guitar Paradise of East Africa, Various (1991); The Indetructible Beat of Soweto, Various (1985); Egpyt, Youssou N'Dour (2004); Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara, Various (2005); Specialist In All Styles, Orchesta Baobab (2002).
Something about this sound just makes me feel happy. I think it reminds me of some old Disney movies or childhood shows I grew up with(album came out the year before I was born). I think Paul Simon is such a great artist and for him to be down and out, divorced, band broke up, last solo album flopped, so he decided to come out of left field with this album focused on African rhythms and things. Very risky but it paid off and created a one of a kind album. Also, You can call me Al...Probably one of the happiest songs and music videos of all time, watch it and try to stay in a bad mood, you can't.
I had great expectations for this based on memory. This LP could be summarized as 1) a bunch of mediocre songs made good by a few South African musicians or 2) an excellent album featuring excellent ZAR musicians. I choose #2 but acknowledge that #1 is also true. The songs (e,g. Homeless) featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo are excellent and this is a good amount of a cappella for an album. You Can Call Me Al was the big hit but for me it's not the strong point of the album. Graceland, the other hit, is quite good and made so by Ray Phiri's guitar playing in the Soweto style. Diamonds on the Soles ... is a great tune that would be average were it not for the excellent intro by LBM. Likewise I Know What I Know would be a fairly lame song without the ZAR guitars and bass. It's true, the lyrics about the cinematographers party would not, by themselves, have carried this song. Crazy Love Vol II continues with the ZAR sounding guitar riffs. There was lots of politics around this LP. It's said that Paul should not have broken the boycott by going to ZAR to record. This argument makes sense. He probably should also have taken a pass on having Linda Ronstadt sing on the album. There are also accusations that Paul took advantage of the musicians. That sounds like a nonsensical argument made by the wingnut section of any Socialist party and was probably led by the likes of Billy Bragg. I bought a lot of records by South African musicians like Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Joe Mafela, Miriam Makeba, Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, etc. Paul Simon wasn't directly responsible for my liking their music but I would not likely have found material from LBM in the record stores were it not for Paul. Paul created tremendous interest in and benefits for South African musicians. --
Still a fresh sounding album
Possibly his best album. Nostalgic
Hits all the right spots, including nostalgia.
Nothing says stealing black music and making it white like Graceland. A beautiful album, with coherent lyrics, made by a proper musician. Well done, Mr Simon.
I had only heard one song from this before. I liked it, and it was interesting to learn about. Although the African influence was cool, I did get a little tired of the constant pep.
It was good!
v good, 4/5
Ready for a 5. Big fan. Didn't quite get there though. Grrat music, love the album cover, but I think some of the songs need some time to come around.
Absolutely brilliant. An uplifting classic that I'd guaranteed to put you in a good mood despite some of its darker undertones and subject matter.
Good album obviously and the source of some of the most recognizable Paul Simon songs in existence, but I think it gets dragged just a little bit by its use of tymphonic 80s drums. Can't really BLAME it for that, but it is an element I don't love. Need to revisit.
Fun album
Great album. Starts very strong and goes strong for most of its runtime but I feel like the last 2 tracks are considerably worse than the rest.
Homelessness was a terrible song. Boy in a Bubble reminded me of Come With Me Now; accordions are underrated. I did like the more popular songs on this album. You can call me Al is a classic.
Listened to this a TON when it first arrived. Still holds up well.
Do I think about the great sounding sounds, or think about cultural appropriation? I think he does a good job of paying homage to the culture.
“In yoking this intricate dance music to his sophisticated New Yorker sensibility, Simon created a bridge that neither pandered to nor patronised either culture.”
An top artist in top form demonstrates what innovation and exploration means. Yet, at the same time, I find I’m unable to connect with the music as much as I can with other Paul Simon stuff.
Un disco que hoy nacería cancelado por apropiación. A mí me gustó, una versatilidad armoniosa, como que es un recorrido guiado de cómo puede sonar la música desde muchos lados con orientación sobre todo pop. A veces incluso se oye lúdico. En fin, disfrutable. Canciones fav: "I Know What I Know", "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes", "You Can Call Me Al" y "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" 8.5/10
Första 8 låtar var en go variation från allt annat, sen blev det väldigt mycket Paul Simon
Was good in its day.
I go back and forth between “Paul Simon is so good” and “okay, Paul Simon..I get it”
Més enllà de les crítiques sobre apropiacions o abusos, ningú pot negar que es tracta d'un disc de pop soberbi, innovador i molt inspirat. No només va donar a conèixer nous sons i revitalitzar la carrera de Simon, també és el lloc on trobar cançons tan increïbles com 'You Can Call Me Al'. 'Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes' o la mateixa 'Graceland'
4/5
This is the first album in which I knew most of the songs! Maybe it’s because of that nostalgic familiarity, but overall I really enjoyed this album. I am a huge fan of the South African beats that Paul Simon employed and his witty lyrics about his personal life (specifically his divorce from Carrie Fisher) as well as global injustices.
Favourite songs: The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints.
4.5
Classic! Fantastiska texter, underbara sydafrikanska influenser, superfina sockersöta Simon. Bästa låt: Graceland. "The Mississippi Delta/Was shining like a National guitar". HUR inte älska???
Been meaning to listen for a while. Overall very enjoyable
Good one
I don't think I've heard this full album, but I know I'll like it at least moderately well since it's Paul Simon. I know the tune for song 6! Giving it a 4, cuz it's Paul Simon and because of the last track is a story of it.
A solid album with some interesting influences. 8.2/10
Im Bus habe ich es nicht gefühlt, aber in Ruhe zuhause schon, muss noch mehr auf die Texte achten
Veldig koselig album! Har alltid likt stemmen til Paul Simon, han setter et veldig karakteristisk preg på musikken. Veldig gjenkjennelig. Likte den litt folkelige og \"world music\" stilen han har gående. Beste sanger: I Know What I know, Homeless, You Can Call Me Al (så klart)
Digger viben på noen av sangene, Graceland, Diamonds on the soles of her shoes og Crazy love. Resten var okay. Chill album å høre på med venner.
A nice album that blended tones of genres into a nice little pop package
Solid album. 4/5
This was a good album with an interesting story.
With Graceland, Paul Simon hit on the idea of combining his always perceptive songwriting with the little-heard mbaqanga music of South Africa, creating a fascinating hybrid that re-enchanted his old audience and earned him a new one. An enormously successful record, Graceland became the standard against which subsequent musical experiments by major artists were measured.
I'd forgotten how radical this was
Background with book...didnt really notice it on
Sounds like Vampire Weekend
'You can call me Al' gives me ptsd to shitty undergrad club nights. Other than that, enjoyable. I appreciate the influence of south african music
Extremely pleasant. Tenho quase certeza que ja ouvi Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes enquanto estava on hold numa ligacao num call center.
Not massively familiar other than the big ones. Nice.
Good balance between chill and energetic.
A classic
Always very listenable
it's a classic, but there are a few week tracks.
Graceland is a nice track. A couple other songs had nice instrumentals and also a big variety of vocals.
A classic. Some great tunes and some interesting African sounds Favorite Track(s): “Diamonds in the Souls of Her Shoes” and “You Can Call Me Al”
This is an excellently put together album, expertly combining Simon's folk rock stylings with South African street music. It is an exceptionally high-quality recording and well deserving of a five star rating. ...but I'm not going to give it a five star rating because no matter how much he tries to disguise it, it is still a folk album and folk is bad. Get folked, Paul Simon.
Super varied and interesting choice of instrumentation
Great album!
7/10 on my first listen...
Solid. All good songs
Very Good
P7io.
8
7/10 Best songs: diamonds on the soles of my shoes, you can call me Al. Interesting mix of African influences and electric pop. I like the percussion. Not sure I'm a Paul Simon fan now but very chill album - maybe good for a summer roadtrip.
I love his writing and storytelling but not a huge fan of some of the music - That Was Your Mother was particularly not good; I think the accordion is going in the shit instrument pile along with the banjo and fiddle. I did like the way he folded in some of the Africa influences though, especially at the start of Diamonds on Soles of Her Shoes. Obviously You Can Call Me Al is one of the all time great Ric's tunes, the bass breakdown deserves five stars alone. Four stars all things considered.
solid album. Some bummer tracks but great overall
3,5/5
Enjoyed very much. In all honesty, I feel I would need to listen more to give a 5, but I shall be revisiting this album.
Enjoyed very much. In all honesty, I feel I would need to listen more to give a 5, but I shall be revisiting this album.
Kuuntelin autoa ajellessa, aurinkoisena sunnuntaipäivänä ja oli todella osuva levy hetkeen. Uudelleen kuunteluun tämäkin.
Very good, closer to 4.3ish.
Pretty close to a 5 here... love this album. An all time classic most will agree!
Fantastiskt! FN hade infört reseförbud till Sydafrika pga Apartheid. Det sket Paul i. Han åkte dit och gjorde albumet tillsammans med lokala artister ändå. Nästan en 5:a.
Good album overall, I did not get bored thanks to the versatility of it but I probably don’t need to listen it again. I do understand this album is very important tho
-definitely the most unique-sounding Paul Simon work i’ve heard so far, obviously because of the introduction of South African / Louisiana elements -i’m intrigued by the lore and controversy surrounding this album, i wouldn’t say it’s my favorite Paul Simon album but it’s really good and i’m glad it was made -Favorites: Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies
Ngl I like
Decent. Really dig You Can Call Me Al
There’s lots to enjoy about this album - the poetic lyricism, it’s infectious instrumentals and the collaboration with African artists really gave the record a vibrance that was super fun to listen to. A few songs did fall a bit flat for me though when compared against some of the more upbeat tracks.
3.5/5
Blind listen. Love the opening track. it reeks of a kind of hope that doesn’t exist during our day and age. kind of got really sad listening. Graceland is so beautiful. It’s so cute and sweet and soft. I’m enjoying the blend of different sounds and cultures. It’s working well. African Skies is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. —POEM— The Boy In Graceland Knows Boys On Their Soles On Call Under Homeless Skies A Crazy Love, All That Myth
Some more good tunes on this album. Widely regarded as his best but only about half of it appeals to me. The first half mainly. Enough tracks on here to keep me interested but several I would skip if I heard it through again..
It was very sweet, i liked the album
2 Simons op korte tijd is beetje teveel van het goede. Toch een objectieve 3 sterren.
high-key chill
Obviously, well crafted I think the best thing about it is just the laid-back nature of his vocal delivery is so cool and he plays around with the rhythm a lot on the bad side, the world Best craziness is a bit annoying and a little cultural appropriation Ish, but I still more or less enjoyed this.
This song really makes me want to take a vacation. Don't know what rating that translates to, thinking a good-hearted melodic 3.
sounds like playing trombone champ
Feels like White Lotus
carino, mi piace
It took losing Carrie Fisher to write this album, and I don't know if that is worth the trade
Brings back memories from my childhood - not really to my taste, but my mum listened to it a lot
entretenido, me gustaron mucho las melodiad que tienen las canciones
I was familiar with Graceland (the song) and You Can Call Me Al, but I am pretty sure I had never heard this album before. There is a lot of 80s we are the world vibe to it that.owes to its era. The album is catchy, but sometimes it feels a little forced as well. Overall, it's not a hard album to listen to, and I'd consider it re-listenable.
mid muziek maar z’n stem s de redeeming factor hier
A pleasant listen but probably my least favourite Paul Simon / Simon & Garfunkel album I’ve had come up on the generator so far. I liked the African influence though.
Not my thing. Too much world/African influence. I’m happy that other people enjoy it.
Started strong, got weird real quick
Solid listen, honed sound
Deuxieme est bonne
Feels like a different time different vibe. Weird. Ok after 2 or 3 songs I’m enjoying it. The album opens up after the first 3 songs or maybe I just got used to the sound. I liked it. Maybe 3 stars?
At the very least, this was interesting. Something for everyone here, even some zydeco! Fun call, though I don’t think I’d listen again
*59 Fantastisk vokal. Gode indslag fra Sydafrika og Senegal. Det er simpelthen dog alt for happy go lucky. Man bliver lidt kuk.
Jeg synes det er udemærket, men jeg er heller ikke helt oppe at dinge
nice. some good ones. call me Al honestly wasn't even the best on the album
I ignored this when it was new because I thought it seemed middle of the road and watered down rather than an innovative fusion of styles. Right call, teenage me. If you want to listen to zydeco, there's plenty out there without having to sully it with Paul Simon vocals.
Enjoyed it to start. Did some interesting things with spoken word and music. But became a little too the same by the end
WHEEEE happy happy smiles and joy
You can call me al is a wonderful classic. The rest of the album sounds similar but not as good. So the album as a whole is just ok.
Not my fav Paul Simon but it’s not bad
ok
Got a little weird after African Skies. This is a take it or leave it album for me. Very much a 3. 3/5
Oh man, here we go. The album which contains arguably the worst song of all time. I say arguably, because there's always one dick who will be all like 'but it is very well recorded and produced, with sublime if quirky lyrics and ear-opening instrumentation'. No no - it's just shit. But maybe the rest of the album is good? Well, who am I to say what's good? Objectively sure, there's good stuff here. Culturally, it seems you can fall into two camps - foul appropriation which he should be shamed for, or shining a spotlight on artistry which he should be praised for. Me? I don't care. I can admit that musicically, lyrically, vocally it is 'good' . But musically, lyrically, vocally, it was mostly painful for me. I don't like Simon's vocal approach, his intonation and the repetitive talky rhythm which rarely changes from song to song. It evokes an absense of feeling and a lack of melody. The African singers...I've never understood the appeal. Every time I've heard that group perform I don't understand the worship and applause they receive. The bass sound is terrible - Call Me Al is not the exception. Lyrically, it's the usual storytelling malarkey which is fine but goes in one ear and out the other for me. Musically, there is plenty packed in but it still all comes out sounding like Call Me Al. Several songs follow a suspiciously similar set of chords and root notes. But the band plays well and you know it's a talented bunch. Outside of a couple of songs though, all of that talent doesn't add up to anything on a personal level. I'm bewildered that the album sold so well more than the fact that it is still held in such high regard. I get that Boomers eat this sort of thing up and that it was an important album by an important dude. It's more interesting than his debut, but the style and the vocals don't do it for me.
"You Can Call Me Al" is the most famous track from this album, but Ladysmith Black Mambazo stole the show for me. I really liked the South African influence in this album. "Under African Skies" is a lot of fun. The vocal harmonies on "Homeless" elevated the listening experience dramatically for me.
11 songs Added to liked: -The Boy In the Bubble (knew the song) -You Can Call Me Al (knew the song)
Awin mawe awin mawe awin mawe awin mawe Me agarro medio en contramano la verdad, se me hace admirable la mezcla de folk anglogermánico con el sudáfricano. Dicho esto no me veo escuchándolo. No queda guardado pero awin mawe awin mawe
Havent fully listened
parecía música d animación de pixar por partes
Overraskende pent.
Good, nice energy and interesting themes - but felt somewhat twee and samey after a while.
It's like when a reggae fan wants to do reggae music. It sometimes slaps though
Rv
This album was pretty fun. I like hearing all the different styles.
Afrikkalaista perinnemusiikkia yhdistettynä länsimaalaiseen folkkiin ja poppiin. Ja muutama muu johonkin haitarimusiikkiim sekoitettu biisi. Taas yllättäen (eli ei) hyväntuulista. Parhaat: Graceland, You Can Call Me Al
You mentioned yesterday that there is a great pleasure in writing a negative review. It is easier to articulate and challenge the mistakes than it is to isolate and garland the achievements. It is a hard to describe art. Clearly, then there is a potentially greater pleasure in making a moral argument against something that you find aesthetically displeasing: more and bigger mistakes, less messy nuance. Grand dismissal is theatrically more satisfying than the snide, detailed takedown. It eats into your time less as well. You can get on about your day. When the target is an 80s, multi-hit mega-seller that everyone likes, the pleasure is even more immense. And, so, I know what I'll be doing when we generate Thriller by predatory paedophile, Michael Jackson. I like Graceland. The songs are all sweet and catchy. The collaborations are clearly successful on record, if not elsewhere. Paul Simon remains as oblique as Bob Dylan, but with a bit more effort. 3.5 These are very pretty songs with nice Paul Simony lyrics. What else is there to say? 2.5/5
The music was great, especially the Afrobeat and Zydeco tracks. I just kinda hate his voice. If he'd shut up it would have been a better album.
All in all it's not bad but not my vibe, not my style.
Some songs carry the album more than others. More enjoyable blended genre than I expected.
Destacados del album: 1- The boy in the bubble: linda letra y abre de forma muy linda el album. Aborda temas como la violencia la decepcion ante los impulsos, la embriaguez y la violencia de la crianza que caracterizaban esos años ". 2-All around the world or the myth of fingerprints: Lo pongo como destacado ya que contiene referencias de un tema de charly garcia y ademas la letra esta buena señalando a las camaras, presentadores de television y haciendo un juego de palabras nombrando a brad pit implicitamente, "on the black pit town". Resumen del álbum: Claramente es un álbum atravesado por la cultura africana, como se puede ver en "homeless" y otros albums. Contiene artistas compañeros de allá mismo también y varias frases en idioma suajili por lo que pude averiguar. Me parece lindo el concepto y lo que representa pero siento que no se ha exprimido la idea al máximo de lo que podría haber dado. Hay temas que son de aquellos los cuales uno ya parece haber escuchado alguna vez, obvio son de los 80s así que mas o menos la mayoría mantiene esa acústica y efectos tanto en guitarras y voz. Observaciones: "All around the world or the myth of fingerprints" repite ritmo y cierta melodia de "no me dejan salir" de Charly garcia. No se bien si se conocen estos dos musicos o paul simon era su oyente o algo asi pero se hace un dato extravagante de oir. En sintesis: A este album le doy un 6, disfrute escucharlo pero no lo volveria a escuchar completo
wowwww the song graceland is just stuck in my head now hahahaaa.
Good
Upbeat, happy and not bad at all
I actually wrote a decent review for once, but then the site fucking died. Alas, the album was actually not too bad and somewhat enjoyable until we started hitting the middle of the album where the Lion King/breathing bullshit starts.
Im surprised that I liked this more than his other albums on this list.. but he still sounds like raisins in potato salad
funky, folk/country tyylinen levy. haitari kuulostaa hyvältä ensimmäisessä biisissä. miksaus kuulostaa selkeältä. kolmanessa kappalessa on hyvät choir/tribal voksut jotka ovat kertosäkeen päällä. Taustakuorosta ei oikeen saa selvää. neljännessä kappaleessa harmonikan kyytiin tulee myös saksofoni. tässä kappalessa voisi lisätä vocalseihin lisää kaikua. tulee myös bob dylan fiilis vocalsien rytmityksestä. vitosbiisissä hyvä maailmanmusiikki fiilis 6 biisi vaihtuu suoraan 80 luvulle ja se kuuluu taustalla soivista syntheistä.. mikä vittu tää on tää snare tässä vikassa biisissä???
Love the African and texmex vibes
Ritmos tribales, muy rítmico, creo que lo habia escuchado en su dia, pero es alegre y con motivación
So I love Paul Simon, even though I find his writing a bit pretentious. For 1986, I think it's kind of brave to try an African themed album mixed with folk/pop. I think Graceland is a masterpiece of writing in my opinion and carries the entire album. I do find the rest of the album overrated and somewhat annoying. Again, another album with incredible musicianship. Especially the bass. I dig the African vibe though in small doses.
Ouf... Where to even start. The highs are high but the lows are just beyond more low. I don't care about the lack of credit Paul Simon have to the South African artists (I do but not in the context of how I feel about the music), I don't think it's cultural appropriation, and I don't think it was wrong of him to record in Johannesburg during the apartheid embargo. His voice is just so muted and soft and kind of twee. The mid range is really muffled. I have good memories wrapped up in this album and it was hard to decide if this were a 3 or a 4. Either way, it just doesn't resonate like it used to.
Cute for a rode trip but i dont think ive have achieved this level of happiness and joy in my heart quite yet
80s rockers had a strange but common symptom of a midlife crisis: they began drawing inspiration for new songs from Africa. Paul Simon even went so far as to dig so deep that he actually went to South Africa to record with local artists, prompting a howl from the leftist morality police, because of apartheid. This howl continues to this day, this time on the topic of "cultural appropriation" (which, by the way, doesn't exist), which doesn't prevent the album from being quite positive and danceable. But what does Africa have to do with it? No, there are some of their folk music here, but it starts around the middle of the album and are expressed through bongos and folk chants. There's a much stronger influence of country, rockabilly, and classic rock 'n' roll here, and the African theme was explored long before this album's release by Talking Heads, and not long ago by Peter Gabriel. And they did a much better job.
I couldn’t care less about supposed cultural appropriation. This is just a boring album. It’s not bad, just not very good either.
it was ok i suppose, not to the level of the other album though
This record had a very poppy feel to it. Very easy to listen to and unoffensive. Favourite Track(s): Gumboots, That Was Your Mother Least Favourite Track(s): Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes
Recognized one song, the rest was new to me. Wasn't crazy about it
I really enjoyed this album. I liked all the African and German influences on it. This album really used all the features well. I also think that the time period can really be herd on Graceland because of the 80 system production. I'll give it a 5 or6.
a few good songs, nothing spectacular.
The whitest man who ever whited taking “inspiration” from African music to make an absolute fortune? A story as old as Elvis. At least Paul Simon doesn’t touch kids.
Incredibly well produced and nicely performed. Every song sounds the same to me.
80s folk rock. Features eclectic mixture of genres, including pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco, isicathamiya and mbaqanga. South African influence. His most successful album. Style does not do it for me, couple of hits.
the simon with no garfunkel. this one is weird. simultaneously i have a lot of thoughts on it but am struggling for things to say about it. the songs are like, fine? there's a lot of good sounds in em but they're honestly a little samey and as there's not really much of a structure to the album as a whole i have trouble telling the songs apart. this makes "homeless" my favourite almost by default since it's the only track different enough to catch my attention. which feels a little unfair cos it is genuinely a good song. but its shining brighter against its blurred surroundings, yknow? having said this, it's not that other songs didn't catch my attention, but in most other cases what i was noticing was that the lyrics are kind of fucking bad. paul simon's vocal style is fine but i'm not a fan of the "i said, he said, i said, she said" loop he repeatedly falls into throughout this album. it got so severe in "i know what i know" that it legitimately pissed me off and i had to go take a shower. i don't need a blow by blow account of a conversation you had one time dude. gimme a break.. ultimately my feelings on this one are complicated. i think i like it, but the bad lyrics keep taking me out of it, but i don't think it would be better as an instrumental album cos i enjoy the quality of the vocals as an instrument. i feel like vampire weekend did a much better job with the same musical ideas, but i don't think this album is worse for it even if contra is kind of just the same album but better. and i'm not even gonna get into the political context this was made in. probably not the wisest move? idk. ....i'm tired of thinking about this album.
Divorce albums are sometimes something special. It's hard to rate this specific one in a vacuum considering the politics of it, but it's undeniably a continuous jam with a great variety of instruments and vocalists. While it's not something that draws me in enough to listen to it again, I bet it makes a pretty good neutral roadtrip pick. "That Was Your Mother" is not great. Simon's voice hits such a dissonant tone with the rest of the song and it does not meld at all. But this is the only standout offender.
Sympa !
From a technical standpoint, this album is AMAZING. There is about 4 different genres all put together, usually within the same song! Rock, country, funk, folk, etc. Pretty amazing. Each song is beautifully and articulately crafted. I love the crisp bass. The lyrics are incredible. The challenge for me is the sound is very dated, sounds EXACTLY like 1986. Also, Paul is clearly a one-truck pony on this album. Every single song is just stream of consciousness almost spoken word verses. It gets old after a while. Artistically this is a 5, but I struggle getting into it from an actual listening standpoint.
I agree 100% with Chris.
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes hat mir am besten gefallen! You can call me Al kannte ich. Insgesamt gute Stimmung. Sehr rhythmisch.
ya tellement de trucs différents quesaco
A pretty excellent album. I liked it enough, but it has that scent of the kind of music that would benefit greatly from re-listening: like it asks of you a warm familiarity. I feel like I only half-grokked onto it, when it's the kind of album that you're meant to nostalgically remember playing in the car on a hot road trip in your childhood. Maybe I need to listen to this again while cradling a beer on the verandah or something. Thankfully, it's got some groovy-as-hell basslines and Afro sound peppering an album that would suffer from being yet another folk-infused cheesy 80s popfest. I like it a lot, and I think it has some enormous potential to be a subtle favourite, but for now it's not blowing my socks off. Fav tracks: I Know What I Know, Homeless
You can certainly call me Al but I don’t know if the rest of it left much of an impact for me personally!
Not as good as I'd expected. The other one was better
Some very familiar songs.
2.6/5 I love the vibe of this album. I could just see myself listening to this while on holiday looking over the beach having a few drinks. In saying that, a few songs that I didn't really like but I'm sure if I listened to this more I'd rate it higher.
Yeah it’s ok I only saved to songs impressive variation and sound but it a bit bland and the most listened to song was not the best I didn’t comprehend probably gonna be a 3-4/10
Tonttumusiikkia. Afrikkalainen musiikin tyylilaji mbaqanga on inspiroinut albumia.
good. 6/10
Pretty good album, mixes African sounds with Paul Simon’s folk stand our songs: the boy in yhe bubble Graceland You can call me Al
Not my style
7.5/10 No es mi estilo, pero es bueno
Estuvo bien, pero me aburrió.
I like the lyrics, but the music, way less. I dindt expect this album to sound like that. At the same time I know almost nothing abouth Simon and Garfunkel. Or just Paul Simon in general.o Disapointed with this one, I expected to like it more :/
Very interesting album. Did not expect the large amount of African music influence and features from African artists including Lady Black Mambazo whose album I listened to from this list. Still not that captivating, some really boring, plain 80s pop songs, but unique album
255/1089 oooh it’s simon as in garfunkel. i’m liking the mix of genres here, it’s very peaceful and harmonious it was a nice album to listen to, probably above average and i think i’d listen again faves: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland 56/100
3/5 I completely understand the innovation and the art behind the album and concept, I like Simon as an artist and definitely there is incredible talent behind each song. But is not my cup of tea.
3 stars
I can appreciate the plethora of influences in here and the collaborations. I disliked the recording and production quality was very inconsistent across tracks. Some sounding great, some with questionable mixing decisions being made. All in all, not a bad record. I wouldn't listen again, but I'm glad I did once.
Mostly recorded in South Africa iirc. The SA jazz and jive influence is very present and adds quite a lot to the album imo.
3.5⭐️/5 03.28.2026
It was ok. 3/5
Call me Al got stuck with me for two days. Talented guy.
Distinto a lo que suelo escuchar, pero me gustó. Sobre todo el estilo country y la voz del cantante. Me guarde algunos temas que fueron mis favoritos. Uno de ellos " graceland"
Me gustó pero no es lo que suelo escuchar
Paul Simon is an all-timer for a reason. Although I think I may prefer his dark and brooding “bridge over troubled water” era
Has an upbeat vibe. I very much liked the first track.
while i was listening to the title track my girlfriend messaged me to say that it sucks. i can see the argument for that! especially given how this is the poster child of slicked up, westernized, white-savior "world music". what a gross term. "world music". is the anglosphere not part of the world? lord knows this list is guilty as hell of ignoring everything outside of it. but i digress. this is pretty light and definitely keeps the bounce of the Southern African music inspiring it. pretty decent listen overall; does a good job too at standing up to the very 80s production style. deserves to be one of the 1001? yea, but like. add in some shit from the scenes that inspired it, ok?
Easy
Great 80’s album from 60’s icon
I'm not as hyped as some others on here. It's quite good fun. I think the different musical influences and collaborations bring a bit of a different flavour to it. You Can Call Me Al is the most famous song on here and is the standout.
Enjoyable album with some classics
i feel like theres nothing crazy special about this album. like its definitely something but nothing really stood out to me personally. also i didnt finish listening to it
Fun, but not much my vibe.
No. 134 liked it. good background music
This is a solid album and I enjoyed it more than i thought I would after the first song. Paul Simon does this talk sing thing that I wasn’t really a fan of when the album started and then it started to grow on me as the album went on. I think a strong point of the album is the sonics and all of the cultural inspiration that can be heard. The album really grew on me in the second half and I found myself bopping around to it.
Better than i thought it would be....
Love the fretless bass. There is some interesting resources, but overall this country-funk style isn't really my thing.
I had this CD way back in the day and listened to it quite a bit for a while. It was unique and fun at the time but it's not something I kept going back to. Certainly not as good and rich as some of the old Simon and Garfunkel tunes.
One classic song that I knew, which was joyful to hear. A pleasant listen.
nvm not my taste but ehh
I mean it's ok.
Mid at best with come catchy songs for sure. But, the people on here crying about cultural appropriation are hilarious - ship has sailed schmohawks, we're all tired of hearing it.
Cool fusion of styles... grew on me more as it went along.
At first I tried to place where I’ve heard his voice before and then you can call me Al started playing and I knew!! This album was goid
Alright easy listening (?). Sounds like other Paul Simon to me but with a heavy dose of African music as well. I've nothing bad to say about his music, but it's never grabbed my attention.
Not my type of music, but it made me feel I was inside a movie
interesting African sounds
Message in a Bottle is classic!! I didn’t think I’d like this album though but was pleasantly surprised. Definitely would listen again.
pov you are racist white boy on the tropical island of joy and whimsey and cultural appropriation
Fin album, smešno mi što ima neku random pesmu iz kralja lavova. Idalje, album nije nešto specijalan, ima jednu jaku pesmu i to je to. Svako jutro mi je lagaanoo prošlo uz ovaj album tkd ocena je 3,75/5 aliii neću ostaviti 4 :'(
I like it, but don't love it
Vampire Weekend influence?
Props to PS for so effectively shaking off the 60's folk vibe Quite enjoyed listening to this again - not my usual style, but it has a fun energy
my parents would enjoy this
Hm. Really want to like it. A 3-4.
Sfeerig. Veel liedjes die ik kende eigenlijk. Maar niet allemaal bangers. Diamonds on the sole of her shoe was de beste
Not my style, but I always enjoy Paul Simon
Easy to listen to, a couple of classics but not something I’d play regularly
I've been meaning to listen to this for a while. I've always liked You Can Call Me Al and there are a few Paul Simon songs that I've liked over the years. He's a great musician with a diverse range of influences which come across clearly in this album. It's just a little too upbeat for me, but great nonetheless. 3/5 You Can Call Me Al is a fun track and it's an easy listen, but just a little too upbeat for me.
It lost me on some song, it gain me on others
I appreciated this but feel like Paul could have put a bit more welly in it. Like how about some more expression and variation in the vocals? I do just wanna shoutout the bass in You Can Call Me Al, like a minute before the end because that little groove gave me life.
With some africans
This is the kind of album that feels like it was over in 33 minutes. You think I just put this on, how can it be over already. Very cool album. Will always remind of 2nd grade because my teacher played you can call me al and dont worry be happy all the time.
Hmmm, I really like Paul Simon's lyrics and his tunes are great, I just don't really get on with the feel of this album, there are a few songs that are alright, but a lot of it just is there. I keep getting told by everyone that this is a classic etc etc, but I just don't love it. It's ok at best (beyond those few tracks). Part of wants to understand the hype, part of me wants to be contrary and hate it. Most of me is indifferent to a lot of it. It popularised the idea of world music which I find to be a bit of a naff term and made me sit through hours of music I wasn't too fond of on jools Holland. Meh.
I think it's I great album. I know it since childhood. As a less experienced listener, I tend to focus on the "world music" side of it. Going back to it today makes me realize that the power of this album is the quality of the songs themselves. The moments where the songwriting isn't great and relay on the African production are quite weak. But most of the album is written very well. Under African skies is more beautiful than I remembered. Less strong tracks are homeless, gumboots and that was your mother. Almost all others are between good and great. If a younger me was reviewing this album, it would get I 5. But I'm rating it now, knowing there are better projects in Paul's catalog. A 3.5
ALBUM #2 🤠 02/01/26 folk is deffo not my genre, the only songs i really liked here were: The Boy In the Bubble You Can Call Me Al its too american im sorry
It was good
Having seen this live there is something slightly flat about the recording that doesn't quite capture it properly 3.5*
Not really my jam. I thought a lot of the African influence was neat, some good bass solos. I can see my mom liking this as a teenager.
Less bad than I remember but I still think it’s a bombastic vanity project. Some tracks are great, others are fine, but I won’t revisit this on purpose.
Great music for dancing with your baby
I'm so very mixed here. On one hand, I love something about these bright sounds with burbling bass and plucked guitar that make me think of some of the world entries in this list (e.g., Songhoy Blues). On the other, there is something distinctively cheesy feeling about this all that makes me feel like it lacks a certain genuine nature. Like even the bass burble feels like a caricature in many cases (especially on You Can Call Me Al). But then You Can Call Me Al actually plays and I can't help but love this song. I could see where someone could love this record, but for me it is just fine. 3
Paul Simon albums are funny cause it's mostly just him talking with instruments playing behind him. This one was mostly nothing special for me although an easy listen. You Can Call Me Al will never not get me going though. And the last song was a big ol' bop.
This was just alright... He got pretty quirky and while some people can pull it off I don't feel like this does. Pretty meh 3.
segundo album desse mano aqui o.O FAVS (top 3): graceland, you can call me al, under african skies mençoes honrosas: the boy in the bubble, that was your mother, homeless ah, legalzinho nota final: 3.5/5
Not my favorite
A jolly vacation vibe overall 6.8/10
not my vibe
The album is alright. It's nice background music, but nothing more for me.
3.5/5 Good, but not for me. Clearly a direct ancestor of Vampire Weekend. Drum recordings are some of the worst I've ever heard put to vinyl
It was fine. Probably won't listen to this album again. Has some songs that are nostalgic that I was glad to listen to again.
Toe tapping. Easy listening. Multi-hit.
Fun album, a few good songs, but overall just average musical entertainment.
up beat could dance and laugh to
I wanted to hate, but You Can Call Me Al is seriously a bopper. The rest of it is fine.
Sorryyyy er jo ganske fan
Not really for me but consistent in its quality. Would be a good soundtrack for going on an adventure with someone I love but idk when I'd throw this on otherwise.
After reading the wiki I think I feel both sides of the argument. It’s good that he worked with all these South African musicians and shined a lil light on that part of the world but also he made hugggge commercial successes by appropriating music that white western audiences were not comfortable with if it had come from a Black person. THATS MY TAKE!
A complicated album to review. Some magnificent instrumentation, especially in the rhythms and fretless bass playing. But Simon's twee storytelling and thin voice just doesn't mesh well overall and hinders more tracks than it compliments (You Can Call Me Al and Diamonds... being clear exceptions).
You Can Call Me Al, I Know What I Know, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. It was alright, it didn't stand out to me that much. Worth a relisten in the future since I feel like my opinion could change.
Like it 3/5
Good solid album, great songwriting split between a 3 and a 4. Worth another listen
160626 23:50 3.5
The fuck is this dude on about?
Perfectly pleasant
some good tunes. better than i thought
Look, it is not bad, but if I'd rather listen to South African artists than Paul Simon's cheap imitation.
Pas vraiment mon truc
meh
yea
enjoyable listen, but didn't stand out to me
the songs were long asf lol 😂 but I enjoy listening to it as background music !
Graceland was a perfectly fine album, I enjoyed most of the tracks. I like Simon & Garfunkel so I figured I’d enjoy this album but it was a lot different in sound than them as a group. Nothing particularly jumped out at me but I did like it.
very folk-y song, i hear some synth action going on, i didnt know the synth was even invented back then, lots of instruments and also surprisingly prominent bass, vocals sound as if i'm listening to the lion king or something
Paul took it to the limit the "USA for Africa" idea, recording the full album embedded with african spirits in the air (and music)
80er, teils Country Style, gute Laune, .. You can call me Al (..if you be my bodyguard).. Afrikanische Einflüsse, Gospel, Chor
Wasn't feeling this one at first, but it grew on me a lot by the end. I think my appreciation for Vampire Weekend helped me out here.
summer album def was good at the start and the end the African refs were rlly good to just kinda random lol
I liked the African collaboration. Call Me Al in the middle of it through me off. A solid album but not something I would come back to regularly
Normalde dinlemediğim bi tarzdı ama dinlerken sıkılmadım
i like diamonds on the sole of her shoes
- mukava pehmeä soundi tällä levyllä - you can call me al on sarjassamme biisi jonka nimeä kukaan ei tiedä mutta jonka kaikki on kuullu - kasari kuuluu tällä levyllä vahvasti, hyvällä tavalla - on tää paree ku simon & garfunkelin levyt mitä on tullu vastaan
It was alright, better towards the end of the album but overall an Alright listen.
Im 50/50 on this one here. Simon is a great writer and vocalist but half of this feels like white guy kumbaya. Like hes using funk slap bass and traditional drums and it all feels out of place. It just doesnt fit in my head. Oil and water type. You can call me al and Graceland are the standouts. Shout out to the boomwhacker on al. What a weird instrument that i never would have thought id see beyond the 2nd grade. It has it in some respects and its wildly off base in others. Thats the short and long of it.
- The appropriation and entering apartheid SA is problematic, especially given that the album isn’t meant to be a political FU to apartheid - it’s just supposed to “bring this music to light” - so that feels weak, at best. The possible plagiarism is also concerning. - Why would anyone use that bass sound? - I like a handful of songs on here despite the annoying bass, lol, and repeated listens helped me like the album more. - That said, the chorus of Graceland really irritates me - the verses are nice, but it’s ruined by the chorus. Honestly, this is how I feel about a bunch of the songs on the album - super busy with instrumental/vocal elements that I find chaotic and/or annoying (e.g.,The screeching vocals on I Know What I Know and horns on Gumboots and The Boy In The Bubble, the sudden oomba oomba in Under African Skies that’s not sung by a South African, but Linda Ronstadt, lol, the honkey tonk guitar on the final song, the entire That Was Your Mother). Also, what’s with the weird fade out ending on Gumboots?
Liked Boy in the Bubble and Crazy Love well enough but it felt a little forced when Simon leaned more heavily into the African influences
I first listened to this album on a road trip with Sarah and Katie Watson as we were coming back from Leavenworth in December 2025. It was much more upbeat and understandable that the previous album we just listened to by Bruce Springsteen. This album is upbeat and has a variety of collaborations with harmonies from Ladysmith Black Mambazo providing a good variety which kept me interested. Anytime accordion is included in a major album is a win for all the polka enthusiasts. Some songs actually sounded like a polka tune.
i couldnt get into it thef rist song jsut really wasnt for me. It maybe couldve been amazing but i couldnt see it to the end
This reminds of getting ready in high school. Not normally my kind of music but this is pretty good. Not sure if it’s better than the Black Album.
This is such a okay album. Totally washed over me and inoffensive in quite an offensive way.
2 and a half
Perfectly fine. But I think it's overrated
I want to love Paul Simon, but something about the upbeat sound of the album just leaves me at a remove, I can’t seem yo get past the jingly-jangly sound. I know it’s supposed to be a phenomenal album