Paul Simon

This has nothing to do with anything, but why does Paul Simon look completely different in every single photo I've seen of the man. There's some forest demon fuckery going on here, and I don't like it. Oh yeah, we're talking about the music here. It's nothing special. I'm very indifferent to Simon & Garfunkel in general, and nothing by these chaps has particularly stuck in my head. Feeling a "meh, not for me" on this one.

Like almost all of Paul Simon's work, this album swings back and forth between awkward self-deprecation and confident competence. It's as though Simon knows that he's a talented songwriter... but worries that maybe people will laugh at him if he tries anything too unusual. I find the resulting timidity off-putting and I can't help but wonder what he could do if he just leaned into his talent and went for it, full-throttle instead of playing it safe.

A smorgasbord of different sounds. He was either that amazing of a musician or surrounded himself with amazing musicians, or both. Great stuff

Great album. Never would have listened to Paul Simon without this site.

This really does feel like a transitional album. Some of the wonderful folk stylings from Simon's work with Garfunkel but with some hints towards the more diverse output that he would explore further over a decade later on Graceland. It didn't quite reach the heights of that album, but there's some great stuff on here. Run That Body Down was a standout track to me

Paul Simon has got to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time. His melodies and tunes are so well-crafted, and his guitar playing is understated, but really effective. It's interesting to listen to his self-titled album here, because he hasn't quite reached the experimental highs of something like Graceland, but you can hear the ideas being formed and the seeds being planted. All in all a really solid album of great tunes, from a prolific artist.

I have no reason to doubt Paul Simon's genuine affection for roots music, gospel, reggae, Andean folk, African music, jazz, etc, but I can't shake the conviction that he's the worst type of opportunist and carpetbagger. It's not really fair of me. I feel like I should be impressed with his musical curiosity, and his dedication to craft. But it all feels like intellectual condescension to me. What would I have Paul Simon do different? I'm stumped. Would I have him stick to pop songcraft, folk, and rock n roll, as in his Simon & Garfunkel days? Why should I begrudge him trying to stretch? And yet I do. To me, when he shoehorns Andean instrumentation and themes into Duncan, it feels forced. When he tries out unconventional song forms, it feels like a purely intellectual exercise, rather than being organic. I can't point to specific crappy or tasteless arrangements, but the whole thing just seems joyless. Oddly, the only song that works for me is Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard. I think it's the lack of pretension--even the Brazilian percussion (courtesy of Airto) works on this tune. Okay, how to rate? Paul Simon's craft is undeniable here, and the musicians he's picked to flesh out his compositions are terrific. But he overreaches constantly, blundering in his attempts to incorporate disparate styles and traditions into his music. His overt attempts at intellectualism don't help either. I can't help it. This music just rubs me the wrong way.

Slippery and lithe, every song is brought to life with twarps, boings, the sound of Simon scratching his beard. He starts with heartfelt coffin-side counsel and follows that with his best song ever, in which the sound of a couple fucking in the next room sets the narrator off on a reverie about losing his virginity that starts with his birth, takes in the major points of his life, and finishes by cheekily thanking the Lord for his fingers (yes, I'm reading this salaciously). The motel room he's staying in never features again, but we never leave it. Elsewhere, he finds the perfect balance of high- and lowbrow literary chops on songs about addiction, burnout, political deception, industrial collapse, marriage collapse, and a gloriously silly story about absolutely nothing--just a framework on which to hang witty rhymes and elasticated rhythms.

I’m a Paul Simon fan?

I was surprised I didn't know any of these songs, but it was a very pleasant sounding, light-footed album. The album employs a variety of genres including folk rock and blues, and opening with an ska-inflected song that immediately puts you in the right mood.

Interesting mix of material that is still very reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel (like Duncan or Peace like a River) and that which is markedly different (like the opening track Mother and Child Reunion for example). Most of the rest of the tracks are arranged fairly simply but have a different feel than your average Simon and Garfunkel track; jazzier/more soulful & a little more laid back & personal/conversational.

Paul Simon a une très belle voix, ça c'est indéniable. Seulement, dès la première piste du morceau, le bon Paulo commet un erreur qui lui coûtera très cher: l'utilisation du synté des îles. Mais laissez moi vous replonger dans le contexte. C'est en 1965 que l'éminent auteur allemand Chris Dusseldord mentionnera pour la première fois le concept de "Insel Synthetik" dans une publication qui fera l'effet d'une bombe dans l'industrie musicale. Ce synthétiseur, à la sonorité extrêmement désagréable, trouvera ensuite très rapidement refuge dans le reggae, qui usera et abusera du Insel Synthetik. On pensait donc le Insel Synthetik disparu, ou tout du moins tenu en vie dans l'intimité de quelques tribues reggae, mais c'est la que Paul Simon fait son apparition. On ne s'attend pas à retrouver ce son désagréable dans un album de folk. On se retrouve désemparé, dérangé, et on espère ne plus jamais revivre cette experience. Pour ce dur rappel, Paul Simon récolte la note de 3/5.

Yes, I know he's a great singer songwriter, but this album is way too bland for my taste.

Everyone should listen to this

One of the best singer-songwriters ever.

Masterpiece. Slightly prefer Graceland. 10/10 1. Peace Like a River 2. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard 3. Mother and Child Reunion

Exceptional album. Smooth but jaunty, sweet and sad.

Great from start to finish.

Some fantastic PS songs, some less good but I love them anyway

Very much enjoy some Paul Simon. Songs like Me and Julio down by the schoolyard is a classic. And a lot of these other songs were surprisingly nice.

So good

Perfect afternoon

Paul Simon's solo debut is a fantastic mix of styles and songs. We have reggae, folk, jazz, gypsy folk, blues, folk rock and latin to name a few of the styles here. The man is a genius. Best Tracks: Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Run That Body Down, Papa Hobo

This is Simon's second solo album after breaking up with Garfunkel. The first song is surprisingly good reggae???, and Duncan is a really nice chill song with some world music influences. Overall its a really good album. Probably 4 stars, but close to a 5.

always

One of the most beautifully crafted Folk-Rock album.

This album was so good! The opener track was amazing and I know I'm definitely going to be listening to it a lot from now on. And as for the rest of the album, wow! Every single track was good but there were a few highlights for me as well as the opener track - Armistice Day, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Peace Like a River and Paranoia Blues. This album is definitely one of the better albums I've heard so far. It makes me want to delve deeper into Paul Simon's discography, and more into the folk rock genre itself. 5/5 stars.

5.0 - Damn, this record destroys any ambivalence I had about Paul Simon. Yes, the way he parrots and reinterprets various folk genres into his music can come off as inauthentic cultural appropriation. But, as I’ve said about “Graceland”, this criticism is easily overlooked given the quality of the songs. He draws from deeply personal experiences within the backdrop of New York so they end up feeling genuine emotionally. Standout: “Paranoia Blues.”

This is one of my very favorite albums and it has one of my very favorite Paul Simon songs: Paranoid Blues.

Great

What a fuckin folky bop my boi!!! Range of sounds and lyrics and all dat. Good stuff.

Enjoyable, almost 5 stars.

Super solids starting tracks on sides 1 and 2. Everything else, eh alright. Kind of the classic tracklist for American records: put the hits at the beginning of side 1 and 2. Paul Simon's whole catalog is like this, some of the most timeless songs ever and then just some forgettable and not unpleasant stuff.

Is this really a white guy doing a Jamaican accent?

Free of worry.

I feel like Simon & Garfunkel had a pretty consistent output, so after a band breakup like that, the solo material might take a few albums to really be something good, as the members adjust to making music on their own. And this album I think is a perfect example of than. It was okay, but definitely nothing special. I imagine that some of Paul Simon's later stuff is much more interesting.

Is this your album of the day? Yes. It’s alright. It’s boring. You have my permission to use that as your review. To my wife’s harsh verdict, I’d add that it’s beautifully crafted in places, with some clever flourishes. Over a period of my childhood, I have heard Me and Julio enough times to have assimilated it into my musical ID.

Before listening: I like Simon and Garfunkel, just like millions of others and I get upset when people think Disturbed wrote Sound of Silence. I have, however, listened to Graceland and did not care for it. I don't know if this album is more folk because I can only assume this is his first solo record but what the hell do I know? After listening: My God this was bland. It wasn't bad, it was just ok. Barely any songs stood out to me and I'm pretty sure I won't remember any of them. I can't exactly give it 1 star (I reserve them for "new" Radiohead), but it's not even an enjoyable but flawed 3 star. So this gets my very first 2 star. Congrats Paul Simon!

This is quite pleasant but outside of about 3 songs it's too timid for repeat listening. Grow a pair, dude, go "borrow" some indigenous tunes!

It was ok to listen to it. I was surprised by the reggae song who opens up the album but I liked some of the tracks

A fun album, not really my style, but Paul Simon knows his shit and this album is very indicative of that.

You know, this was fine. Paul Simon is great if not just slightly problematic in what feels like cultural appropriation on his records. More so on Graceland than this for sure. But in general a bunch of great songs. “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” always hits.

Another nice, albeit inessential album. There are many interesting melodies and songs on this, and there are probably many people that love this album, as he's clearly a gifted songwriter. For me, it was a bit too corny and unfocused to hit properly, especially the end of the album which left me feeling quite underwhelmed. 2.5/5 Fav track: Duncan

Good to know that Simon was appropriating world music before Graceland.

Uninspiringly beige.

Man this guy

Where is Garfunkel? I hateses hobbits

If this list was called 1001 of the most average albums you've ever heard in your life, I would have given it three stars. But it's not so I can't give this more than 2 stars. Absolutely nobody misses out on anything if they don't hear this album before they die. I don't know who makes these lists but they have an objectively bad taste. It reminds me of the Indians who out of national pride vote 10 out of 10 stars on every shitty Bollywood movie they can find on IMDB. Who wants to hear some guy blabber on about some basketball town? There's a million different albums I can think of which would actually be worth listening to before you die, which would never appear on a list like this. Loads of classical, current day jazz, yes even a lot of lesser known shoegaze albums are better than this crap. Go listen to some Saint-Saens violin concertos and avoid this album.

This fucking guy again. I wish there was an Art Garfunkel solo record on this list. I’d rate it 5 stars without hearing a note and would leave a review saying as much, for two reasons: 1.) I know it would drive Paul Simon nuts to see Art Garfunkel get any praise whatsoever. 2.) Art Garfunkel, as vanilla and boring as he is, is still not anywhere near as boring and vanilla as Paul Simon. He should’ve just called this record “Tapioca: The Album”.

No I don't hate Paul Simon for being a wife beater. I just hate this album. I found it boring, yet distracting Oh, and Paul's voice could benefit from not being so douchey.

Paul's lyricism sets him apart, and with the addition of his musical exploration with Caribbean and Latin rhythms, this first solo record remains one of the greatest departures from a successful duo/group. Few have successful solo careers after having intense success with a group, but Paul Simon has shown time and again he belongs amongst the greatest American songwriters of all time.

I always knew that Paul Simon was wasted as part of that duo. I’ve known since Graceland at least. Never have I delved deeper into his discography than that seminal album, because I was already deeply engrossed in other styles of music. I absolutely love this album though. A testament to the genius of Simon compared to the weakness of Garfunkel.

10/10 fuck it, I love Paul Simon, even with all the weird shit he does down the road after this album, he’s still a very talented musician who makes amazing music I do prefer the stuff he made with Garfunkel tho

Wajoow I only knew a few songs by him nd one specific album but first song got me hooked instantly

I’m surprised yet again by a folk album! I really enjoyed this! Paul Simon has a great voice, and I love his guitar work on here! Only one song from this album didn’t make my playlist(Hobo’s Blues was a good song, but it wasn’t at the level of the rest).

Love it. Never heard some of the songs

Nothing but good listening here. Love Paul Simon

Although possibly one of the worst openers in musical history, this wound out incredibly well. The mans love a walk up (and down) the fret board - outrageous guitar playing.

great album

With his first solo album after the disillusionment of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon could now assert his voice, both in his writing and singing. An excellent debut that illustrates his passion for South American music, with some of his most expertly crafted and contagious songs of his career.

Superb

jaaaa love deze

really awesome

Loved it

Really enjoyed it

Timeless classic

How have I never listen to this album in full, or much of Paul Simon's solo work aside from Graceland. I always thought there would be something missing without Art Garfunkel, which truth be told it is, but musically its different compared to the duo's discography. Mother and Child Reunion and Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard I've heard before so I was expecting songs with a similar music feel, but was soon proven wrong. Aside from the aforementioned songs, I came away loving Duncan and Peace Like a River, along with liking most of the songs on here too. The blues songs towards the end fitted the album but I wouldn't listen to them individually unlike the rest. What I concluded from this is I really should listen to solo albums more, especially when it's the member who's the main songwriter.

Maudit que c'était bon! Je connaissais juste 1 toune, mais j'en ai ajouté plein à ma playlist. Je pense pas que j'avais déjà écouté un album solo de Simon, ça donne envie d'en écouter d'autres!

Wrong link on Apple Music found but gas bonus songs. The original album is amazing. Love this!!

Key Songs: Mother and Child Reunion, Duncan, Run That Body Down, Me and Julio

You can't be angry when listening to Paul Simon, it's illegal.

Listened Before? N Wow. I'm really sitting on the fence between 4 and 5 on this one. He nearly lost me with the first song.. but oh BOY did it come back strong. What a great artist and an amazing album. He was clearly talented because of his work with his partner Garfunkel before this, but this shows that he was the driving force behind a lot of their sound, along with adding his own diversity to the mix. A top tier record, I think I may even prefer it to his more polished later work. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Me and Julio

研究活動が捗る音楽だった。気に入った。夏の終わり、どこか哀愁漂う空気が秋の訪れをまだ満面の笑みを添えては迎えられない、そんなことが想起される今の時期にぴったりの曲だと思った。

Solid album which showcases Paul Simons stand-alone genius. 5/5.

the style i like, great voices and lyrics, good stuff

pretty good fecken alblumm, feels christian. High Vibes High Spirits

Fine songwriting, and great guitar work.

Some classics in there. Nice chilled vibes to all the songs

Freedom from the constraints of a partnership shows here. As expected a collection of well crafted songs, bur suprising in the variety of influences demonstrated - from reggae through latin via folk and blues. One of the best singer/songwriters demonstrating what he can do, with strong hints of the things that were to come.

Excelente álbum, first time listening to full Paul Simon album and wow. Song writing is awesome and the music is just so new yet so familiar. Will keep on the rotation

Best song: Duncan; 2nd best song: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard Least fav song: Everything Put Together Falls Apart

Great!

I'll be nice and give this 5 stars, well-written songs with no filler.

Oh mon dieu, deux en deux jours 5/5. Le meilleur de paul simon solo avec graceland. Tellement unartiste exceptionnelle. Dan sla meme classe aue Dylan, mccartney,lennon, etc. 5/5

HLs BESIDES ‘Mother & Child Reunion’ and ‘Me & Julio’: “Duncan”, “Peace Like a River” M&CR is probably one of my favourite songs, the rest holds up pretty well too.

Love Paul Simon. One of the great 20th century pop composers.

05/26/2022 The greatest. Truly special and unique in every way. An absolute all-timer.

Yndisleg plata.

awesome

C’est un cliché, mais quel artisan, je suis jaloux. Le jeu de guitare est particulièrement savoureux sur Peace Like A River.

Paul Simon es un genio y puede hacer algo que suena como a Reggae, cosas folkosas, rockcito pop, blues, lo que sea y suena bien. De este disco en especial me gustó que no trae las que más se oyeron en Universal Stereo y me permitió explorar más de su música. Mi favorita, además de "Mother and Child Reunion" que es la obvia, es "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" rolones que le ganan la 5a estrella.

Paul Simon's self-titled album is a wonderful piece of multiple slices of Americana. The flavors of the blues, jazz, and soul-inspired work can be heard throughout musical history. Some of the guitar work is reminiscent of the later Ratatat (I swear I heard it), and the bass reminds one of the darker tones from Pink Floyd's *Dark Side of the Moon* (released one year *later*). While some concepts aren't as fleshed out as they are in later works like *Graceland*, the sheer honesty and raw nature of some of these tracks betray some of the true emotions of Paul.

This is a really solid album. Naturally everyone knows the Julio schoolyard but there are some other very good songs I hadn't heard before

Good stuff. Good in the background and some classics

Very good album. Previously I knew only one song from that album. Very good relaxing. Thanks

Best track: Mother and Child Reunion

Such a classic album. I'm glad I finally got to listen to every single track because I'm so in love with this sound.

Хорошая музыка, успокаивающая

Very chill album.

Listened to this twice and thoroughly enjoyed it!