Paul Simon

Some really good songs and a couple of stinkers.

I listened to this three times at work. I love Simon and Garfunkel and listened to their greatest hits growing up. That said, I was a bit disappointed in the songs that I hadn't heard before. But the songs I knew were great. Me and Julio is a banger.

I forgot I even had it on when I was listening. I know it’s a classic artist, and I appreciate his artistry but I could live without.

Includes two well known songs that are fun to listen to again.

Paul Simon is just not my jam. Hard pass.

Very poetic

Sqee

Siempre es agradable escuchar la voz y la música de Paul Simon. Un buen disco.

Couple classics ; paranoia blues has a couple interesting versions, never heard it before.

brilliant. run that body is the self care anthem. the arrangement is like a raspberry yogurt muffin with a bit of vanilla icing on top. the album is an early morning cafe thick with the mist of rich dark coffee.

AHHHHHHHHH

Love the percussion and creative drumming. Typical Simon lyrically poignant mixed with humor. Excellent. A master playing.

Escuchado yendo y viniendo del partido de tenis, Lunes 8 Enero. Ni fu ni fa. No me llama mucho ese estilo sin desmerecer. Mas de fondo.

I had been on a Simon kick. I like this one. Idk why I like him, but I do. His songs tickle my ears.

Not my usual genre, but very much enjoyed.

Great choice. I love Simon and Garfunkel, but this album really highlights the creative freedom Paul Simon had in going solo. The range of sound in here is beautiful.

3.2. Now I know what supermarkets sounded like in the 70’s.

In the project so far, I've listened to three Simon & Garfunkel albums from 1966-1970, and two Paul Simon albums from the '80s. This was a nice bridge between the two sets (and I’m guessing and hoping not the last). There wasn't a moment on this that I didn't love, on the songs I knew and the ones new to me.

Most of this album was new to me, and I loved it!

Most of my exposure to Paul Simon has been via greatest hits albums. It's great to hear a complete album and find new favorites like Armistice Day and Paranoia Blues. Simon is a master song-writer and story-teller.

Yet another album that was part of my life ever since I can remember, this album was in the family record collection the entire time I lived at home so I am quite familiar with it. I’m excited to revisit this familiar album as I’m pretty sure it has been over 30 years since my last listen. How will this fall on today’s ears? I was surprised how little I remembered of this album. Yeah I know the hits. But the rest felt mostly new even though I know I’ve heard this album hundreds - maybe even thousands - of times. There were many moments of Deja-vu, so this was rattling around somewhere. As expected, Paul Simon creates really monster hits surrounded by more modest tunes that are no less compelling. I don’t know if I’ll remember all these songs in the future, but I sure enjoyed reconnecting with this album!

Vibey, not my go-to but good for the background. 2,5/5

the whole time i listened i was like i should feel higher on paul simon but here we are could i write poetry to this? n

Lots of great riffs on this one. Quick easy listen overall.

One star for Me and Julio, one star for Mother and Child Reunion. One star for nice guitar playing. Otherwise this was an annoying album.

Nice folksy album. Good vibes

A collection of different instruments kept this interesting and fun enough to break the traditional folk sound that I would associate with Paul Simon. His story telling is exactly what I enjoy about his music but some of the slower stuff doesn't manage to hold my attention all the way through. Duncan and Me and Julio Down By The School Yard are some of my favorites on here. Overall a solid album with good storytelling.

More mellower than I thought. More funky than anticipated. Excellent finger picking. Musically very clean well recorded

Of course love Me & Julio Down by the School Yard but I found some other Paul Simon songs I liked and learned a bit about him too!

Nah

Good stuff

Love Paul Simon

Very beautiful work in music and lyrics. The acoustical guitar work one this album is amazing.

Another gorgeous record by Paul Simon - impeccably produced - just the perfect length and great great songs. I don’t know how I passed over Paul Simon for so many years but he’s been a delightful discovery to me. It’s not 5 stars by a hair - because it’s not his best record - so I’m being very unfair here.

Decent! Not as good as Still Crazy or Hearts and Bones

Great

Good album with some absolute classics. Paranoia blues is a favourite. His blues stuff in general is my favourite. A little rough around the edges in places, from a time where not everything was so polished (and an early album for him too). Can see the inspiration of other artists in his style. Listened at the gym Listening environment: 4/5 Album: 4/5

Bra album med bra melodier

It's a great, joyous, varied album. One of the best Paul Simon solo albums (not as good as Graceland obvs.)

Many favorites, a few masterpieces.

Probalby revolutionary Folk Rock back then, but nowadays quite boring.

This is a direct continuation of Simon & Garfunkel, only without Garfunkel. It's quite good. 3/5

Not relay my music

Nice one, good Sound and easy to listen.

I like the vibe, chill but with emotions and tells a story

Enjoyed

Lyrically very smart. Beautiful songs. Very solid for what it is.

This was too fire. Still on rotation

I’m a big fan of “You Can Call Me Al” which is not on this album, but that’s the sort of upbeat Paul Simon I was hoping for and to be fair, there are a few on here that fit that style. However, those track that aren’t upbeat are a bit of a drag on what was a chilled listen. Also didn’t know that Me and Julio song was done by Simon, also didn’t know this is the Simon from Simon and Garfunkel. The stuff you learn eh?

My mind was elsewhere this morning. But let's try and give it a go. 3 well known tracks here, mother & child, Duncan, and me and Julio. M+jdbts was an updated version on youtube but still a good track. Now for the rest of the album. Got off to a slow start,but picked up. Wasn't as upbeat as I expected seeing m+jdbts and m+cr in the listing, but still ok. Would I buy it? No, it's no graceland. But still worthy of a 3.

Uninspiringly beige.

Yet another album labelled 'Folk- rock'. Shit album cover. Thought I'd hate this. I didn’t. Paul Simon again proves he can write a decent song or 10. I bet if you gave him a kazoo and a xylophone, he still would create a masterpiece. I'm not a fan of acoustic guitars, but what did did with it was excellent, plus all the other instruments to back it up worked really well. A low 3 as I probably won't listen to it again, but it was very good for what it was.

Gatorade has been around for a long time! I can't hate on Paul Simon, the dude is great. But for the most part I prefer his work with Garfunkel.

Boring. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard Rating: 2

As someone who had previously heard of Paul Simon only in the context of Simon and Garfunkel… Wow. This is one of the most complete and fun albums I’ve listened to in a good while. The album covers a broad range of different musical genres, and, yet, doesn’t feel disjointed. I’m not sure how it pulls that off. Each song was unique and fun, and there are some distinct, recognizable hits that I had heard before, but not attributed to Paul Simon. Overall, a fantastic album and one of the reasons this 1,001 albums project is so fun.

a classic one

It was ... nice.

I like this album, Me and Julio, Mother and Child Reunion, and Duncan in particular. Paul Simon is a wonderful songwriter, better than Dylan in my opinion and they are always compared for some reason. Maybe just beacuse they were doing similar things at the same time? Anyway - as good as Paul Simon is, I feel like eveerything he did with Garfunkel is better than his solo stuff. It's odd because Garfunkel by himself was not stellar (to be generous), but the records they made together were so much better than either of their solo endeavours. I can't give this record more than 3.5/5.

What I expected from a Paul Simon album. Very nice first half, a bit worse second half. Stand-out: Mother and Child Reunion

Really incredible album, the lyricism is movign and deep, which is what you'd expect from a songwriting master like Paul Simon. Not a single drop of quality was dropped in lyricism between his solo career and the one with Art Garfunkel. Great compositions spanning multiple styles too!

A gem I didn't remember.

Sure I've listened to Simon and Garfunkle and even Graceland by Paul Simon. Mom used to have the cassette tape. But only to that extent on Paul Simon. I was surprised to hear a reggae beat on the first track here Mother and Child Reunion. What a fitting track, since I was thinking about mom with this artis. The acoustic guitar is nice on the second track AND it has what sound like Andean flutes! I like this so far. The words are good too. Oh I guess I'd heard Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard. I really enjoyed this album. 4 stars!

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.

Classic

A gem of an album

It’s ok just not for me

wow fun guitars

The first post-Troubled Water album from Paul Simon. A sort of eclectic mix of folksy songs, perhaps invigorated by the fact that Garfunkel wasn't there to ground him. Some songs work especially well but there are a few that don't quite land. The clear highlight is the bouncy Me and Julio which never fails to make me feel a bit better.

Mother and child reunion opening riff is a trigger to throw me back to being around 10 years old in the kitchen Great album

It’s tough but I might like this one more than Graceland or Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Rating: 4.7

He's not just another singer-songwriter, he's Paul freaking Simon.

I’m kinda meh about this. Like, some nice guitar sounds, peace like a river is nice. 2/5

what a butthole 9/10

Love that !

Not my type but also not bad

I love the variety in this album Paul really stretched for this album, pulling in some blues, country, and even a bit of bluegrass elements into this alum. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard is the famous single from this, but goodness I think Armistice Day should get more love. Great slide guitar, and some really underrated lyrics.

Good but not especially moving

Onverwachts top

I really enjoyed listening to this. It features a variety of styles, conversational lyrics, crisp production and of course Simon is a fab singer with a distinctive voice. The songwriting is consistently high but probably not as memorable as S&GS finest work (or maybe I just need to get more familiar). Top marks from me.

Man this guy

Enjoyed this far more than I'd expected, nicely chilled and mellow,. Great album. (I still can't work out why I had such low expectations.)

A bit too folky for my tastes, but there are some undisputable killer mic-drop tracks on here. It's no Bridge Over Troubled Water, but it is also less twee than that.

Hadn't listened to this album before. Quite enjoyed it, pleasant, mellow and relaxed. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard is a highlight!

It's Paul Simon. It's great songwriting, lyrics, and musicianship. Always a hit!

A good album with a variety of types of songs. Couple of dud songs for me, but enjoyed the album as a whole. When he’s on form he smashes it out the park.

Lovely

enjoyable folky

ne sviđa mi se ovaj kao akusticni seoski zvuk

"I'm living on gatorade, planning my getaway" I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would, which is always a pleasant surprise. I found myself smiling, and in a relaxed trance while listening to it, and I think it came to me in the perfect moment. It's cool to hear some solo work from the notorious Simon of Simon & Garfunkel. Really pleasing and soft voice, paired with nice acoustic guitar and round bass lines, and soft drumming. Lots of the songs are groovy, and I particularly liked "Run that body down" for the reasons aformentioned (playlist track). I disliked "Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard" because of how poppy it sounds, and it reminds me of a Jack Johnson song (not a bad thing, but not what I want from a song). I also disliked "Paranoia Blues" because of the screeching slide guitar. In an ideal world, this album would get a 4, and although I could imagine myself throwing it on after a tough day, I don't think it quite deserves that rating. 3.4/5

Fairly calming

I wonder what Garfunkel is up to

Paranoia blues best song

At first it seemed like Simon’s songs were lacking without the addition of his former partner backing him, but as I listened more, the songs on here seem to draw from many aspects of Simon’s creativity, making this just as, if not more enjoyable all the way through than many of Simon & Garfunkel’s albums.

I liked just one song of the album. It was “Duncan”

Yeah a couple songs are pretty good 6.5/10

Great acoustic album, super mellow, and fun. Me and Julio down by the schoolyard…

One of my all time favorites!

A very mellow album, that will probably lead to me listening to Simon & Garfunkel. Need to digest the lyrics more! 4/5 on first listen. Also rating these on RYM.

The first track gave a glimpse of the sound Paul Simon would eventually establish as a solo artist, but most of the album felt like Simon and Garfunkel without Garfunkel, but that’s still some pretty good music

This was a really pleasant listen.

ok, chill and comfy

Not how I expected this to start by good. Solid middle of the album but finished a little weak. What great songwriting though. Repeats: mother and child, run that body down, me and Julio, peace like a river

過渡期といえる本作ならではの味わい深さがある。

This must have been a liberating album for Simon, writing and performing whatever he wanted and just for himself, expanding on the sounds we knew from Simon and Garfunkel. Simon was bound for success no matter what context he was in as he was such an excellent performer and song writer. Most of this album was new to me as I've only listened to Simon's greatest hits and it was an enjoyable listen. If I knew nothing of his work and was hearing this for the first time I would want to hear more.

Ok 3.5

I love to make fun of some of his lyrics or vocal directions to my wife, who adores Paul Simon, but this album is amazing and listening to it start to finish was really enjoyable. Peace Like a River. Everything Put Together Falls Apart. Duncan. Run That Body Down. Awesome. I think the goofiness or strangeness (maybe just to me) of Paul Simon is still here. Armistice Day \"man i've been waiting a long time on armistice dayyyyyyy nenenenenenene\", but it's a nice song and I really enjoy the vibe of this album. 5/5

This album is good Not great I want to give 3.5 but I cannot so I’ll be nice I think Paul Simon is a good album it’s just hard because his other stuff is really good and that’s my comparison point I think Graceland is one of the greatest albums ever made This is still good though

The acoustic guitar is great More of my style of music Top tracks: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Peace Like a River, Hobo’s Blues, Paranoia Blues

A beautiful piece of work. A real melting pot of cultures and ideas. His lyricism and tone effortlessly portrays snapshots of life and captures vignettes of daily life. The lack of dynamic left it a bit flat as a cohesive work, but it thrilled none the less. Solid.

Honestly not a lot I can say about the album. It’s solid. Pretty much what you would expect from Paul Simon. I enjoyed it and would listen to it again. Favourite track Mother and Child Reunion or either of the Blues on the album.

J'étais pas assez attentive je lisais, mais justement j'ai pas accroché au point de sortir de ma lecture. Pas écouté en entier psk je dois aller dodo

J'ai vraiment aimé ! 3,5

C'était l'album parfait pour un jeudi d'octobre-novembre, il est bien tombé.

He's never clicked like he seems to for everyone else but that doesn't mean it's not still awesome

I like it

Bored

it was easy to get through. me and julio down by the school yard is something my spanish teacher in high school would say. so it was nice to know where that came from. i would listen again.

Trevligt. Mycket kvar från Simon and Garfunkel, och inte än i utforskandet med Graceland några år senare. Lite jazziga toner dock.

A solid folk effort from one of America's truly great songwriters. As an occasional Simon listener generally but a stalwart evangelist of Graceland as a top five album and The Boxer as a contender for Greatest American Song, it's no insult when I say that much of it just sounds like a bulk order of 'some Paul Simon'. The mid-record run of Armistice Day/Me and Julio/Peace Like A River is the strongest section for me but it's all worth listening. Even the low points of Paul Simon's songwriting career are worth listening to. The melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, textural, poetic and story elements of his writing are rich, deep and often unexpected. His prime influences seem to be Delta Blues and Tin Pan Alley and those are bright as day, here. Plus, it's a short one. It's not my favorite Simon work, but it's an album that most of us could only dream of writing. Check it out regardless - maybe I'll be your favourite.

I wasn’t particularly moved by it. Me & Julio is the standout track. I understand it’s a classic but it’s just not my cup of tea

Really enjoyed this, and i really didn't think i would.

paul simon's comfort genre is folk, and on the whole, this album is mostly folk! i find myself amazed of the other genres included in "mother and child reunion," but reggae does stand out the most. the reggae element is a great one to use to open the album, but it also makes for a great song. outside of that, this album has so much folk that sometimes it borders on country. folk isn't my typical genre, but gosh does it make for easy listening. the usage of pop in "me and julio down by the schoolyard" lightens the album's load, too. simon's songwriting talents are clear on his first album after simon & garfunkel's breakup. a lot of these songs showcase a vulnerable side to simon, especially revealing songs like "run that body down" or "everything put together falls apart" or "paranoia blues." these songs reveal who simon was in 1971. in the middle of the album, there's "peace like a river" as a semi-hopeful desire for peace, but the final line of "congratulations" is "live together in peace," which definitely brings the album full circle but also suggests what simon deems as most important. 3.5 because the second half wasn't as solid, but i'll round up for good intentions.

This is a nice folk rock album that doesn't overwhelm you with folk! There are hints of Latin and reggae in this album, already hinting at Paul Simon's love for using world music and other cultural sounds in his music. While this was technically his second solo album, it was his first released in the US, and definitely the album that cemented his solo career, showing that he could excel sans Garfunkel. Somewhere between a 3 and 4 for me, but close enough to a 4 that I think it warrants it!

chill hippie music. 2.5/5

Found a copy of this in the depths of a second hand shop. Cover was parted and the record was filthy dirty but no scratches. It’s Paul Simon and worth a couple of quid so took a chance. After a careful restoration of disc and cover I got to listen to this for the very first time. What I found was a beautiful set of songs from an artist I had never really heard outside of Simon & Garfunkel.

the most paul simon listened to me by far, and it wasn't awful.

solid

I like Paul Simon, found this a little passive compared to some of his other stuff though

Weak sauce.

This entire album had amazing use of fairly nontraditional instruments. Very unique sounds, and Paul Simon is a good vocalist.

A great album that transitions Paul Simon from his partnership into solo work. Sure, not all songs are great and there are some weak parts but it also has some songs that have become a part of the American songbook

Found this really boring musically

Solid but nothing special, good chill music. Doesn't have you can call me Al so could be better

Solid music.

dritkjedelig

Good stuff.

very nice and calming, one of the most beautiful albums I've heard, duncan was my favorite, just great, 10

Solo

Enjoyed this. I'm surprised that I actually wasn't familiar with any of the songs off this album, including "Me & Julio" where I only kind of recognized sections of it. Really enjoyed the guitar work on this record, as well as the range of songs that added a ton of diversity from one song to the next.

When this record started I got lured in by the reggae-like sound and thought it was someone from Jamaica singing. Didn't recognize Paul Simon's voice at all! Paul Simon is a pretty clever guy when it comes to creating interesting stories and wordplay. But for some reason it just isn't quite hitting home for me, it doesn't stand out enough somehow and I can't explain. As interesting as some songs are lyrically, equally as uninteresting some songs are as well. 'Run That Body Down' has a nice mellow vibe to it, but the lyrics feels like filler lyrics someone would come up with on a napkin while sitting on the commuter train. Same thing goes for 'Armistice Day'. And I just expect a bit more from Paul I guess. All things considered it will have to be a 3 for me, though I realize this could be a 'me' thing and it deserves more.

I hadn't thought about this album for a long time. I had guessed a few Paul Simon (and Garfunkel) albums would pop up sooner or later but I wouldn't have thought of this one in specific. Anyway it's a nice mix of songs that really showcases Paul Simon songwriting. There are plenty of great songs here "Mother and Child Reunion", "Duncan" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard". I have trouble if this deserves a very strong 4 or a weak 5. The latter part of the album is not at all as good as the first part. Looking at my other 5 I still think this deserves a spot there. It's not a perfect album but I've listened to it all weekend so that should count for something.

OK Google

Never took to the sound of Paul's voice. Too "jokey" for the most part. Never liked the sound of his music either. Was much better with Garfunkel. Nothing on this album I liked. 1/5

This was pleasant but I prefer Simon & Garfunkel honestly. Standout for me was Peace Like a River but I hated the first song. The writing was very beautiful.

Relaxing, Smooth. Feeling like a cowboy in a bar, but with a relaxed vibe

Niet heel aandachtig geluisterd moet ik zeggen. Was wel leuk zoals alles van Paul Simon, maar geen Graceland, en ook niet in de buurt van Simon & Garfunkel.

Rofls, lots of guitars

Good lyrics, but this was a bit too straightforwardly folky for me.

I like Paul Simon and this has just enough hits to make it worth listening to. Lots of different styles and musical traditions here (which has always been a feature of the chap). It's a nice soothing album.

soft mood

Graceland is still my favourite. Anyway, anything Paul Simon does is pure and kind, like the sound from careless childhood.

an enjoyable oldies album. nothing that blows me away though

Love me some Paul Simon.

Dads around the world cant be wrong

4. The amount of different sounds caught me off guard pleasently and bumped it up to a 4. The ending song is also beautiful

Not my fave Paul Simon

Meh

- Heard a few Simon & Garfunkel albums before but never any of their solo ones - Surprised by how few of the songs I was already familiar with - Really good album but with a few songs I didn't like as much as some of the others - Fav songs: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Mother and Child Reunion, Duncan

Some good jingles here for mellow times. It's nice hearing where melodies and phrases, that you were familiar with, came from.

39 Based on this scale: 1 - 0 to 19 2 - 20 to 39 3 - 40 to 59 4 - 60 to 79 5 - 80 to 100 The album is good at what it does, but what it does isn't exciting to me. Some okay bits, especially the slightly bluesier songs near the end.

It was fine. Nothing stood out for me, but it was pleasant to listen to some old familiar songs and many I had not heard before

not my style...!

3 stars

lovely

It's not Graceland but Paul Simon is always incredible. Me and Julio is the highlight but there are a number of great tracks.

Pleasant

G.O.A.T!

The album works best when Simon allows himself to experiment and be weird. It's sometimes dragged down by an unwillingness to move away from his past work, but does get better on the back half of the album.

Real nice background singing one, enjoyed more than I thought I woulx

I found every song relentlessly upbeat, dull or both. Not for me

Nice album, dude plus guitar, songs all have range, and sound different enough to make it interesting Great car listening and I liked 2 songs on Spotify

Gentle, relaxing, I enjoyed it a lot

Really like Duncan and Me and Julio down by the schoolyard - very good storyteller but not as good as Graceland

Did listen to few songs

Crisp, understated instrumentation and mellow vibes.

Aika medium pimputusta. Kivaa taustamusaa, tosi melankolista

This album is easy to listen to. Soft vocals, heavy use of acoustic guitar, and folksy percussion. Some of the chord changes were standard (I-IV-V), or bluesy and others were even slightly jazzy. The songs sound like they would be fun to play on the guitar. There was definitely some down-tuning and steel guitar usage. Nothing was catchy. Overall, the highlight of this album is the creative and technical guitar work. Would I listen to this again? Probably not, but I think I would recognize it if I heard it again. I don't think I have a favorite song off this album.

I groaned when I saw this album pop up because, while Simon and Garfunkel is one of my all-time favorites, I am not a fan of Simon's solo career. I think he lost something when he lost Garfunkel, and YES! I know that Simon was the driver behind the band. I remember in grad school making an off-hand comment about how I don't like Simon post-Garfunkel to a stranger and ended up in a huge argument. I think this album has a little more of the S&G magic than his others, probably because it came out shortly after they split. While I haven't listened to the album before, I have heard many of the songs - and insofar as I like solo Simon songs, it turns out they're from this album (with the exception of Graceland). There is one song that I hadn't heard before and I absolutely love: Peace Like a River. So the album was worth listening through for that alone - plus getting to hear the demo version of Duncan, which I actually like a lot better than the released version. But otherwise, eh.

Julio and schoolyard. Abby knows it from her dad playing it

Pretty boring tbh, wasn’t something I was in the mood for at 6PM Friday

It was fine, nothing that really caught my eye

Peak Simon, great timbre, musicality without the grating edge of some later albums produced

sheesh

Paul Simon is purely okay, The songs aren't really anything too special but they aren't terrible either. Some times the songs could be relaxing but then the instrumentation becomes too much at points. I believe that this album is decent but nothing more than that Best Song: Duncan Worst Song: Paranoia Blues (I wish the unreleased version was the main version of this song because it sounds quite a bit better)

It's real nice. Lovely song-writing. Good instrumentation. It's quite inventive and with varied songs.

My first impression is that this is gentrified reggae for white people. This is ok I gues. Not really my thing, but I can see the merit. Production was pretty good at least. A low 3/5

Great collection, his second solo album. My Dad had this in his record collection and this and any S&G song reminds me of him. He wanted a law passed that said Art Garfunkel had to sing on any song Paul wrote. Thanks, Dad, for this lifetime of music I hold dear.

Amazing!

Not really my fav but ok

Nice

Where is Garfunkel? I hateses hobbits

Enjoyed it, didn’t love it. I loved Simon & Garfunkel as a young kid, his voice made me nostalgic for those albums.

Solid album, really feels like parting ways with Art inspired Paul to start exploring different musical concepts that would fully bloom in later albums like Graceland.

I only knew Me and Julio from this album which is a great song. the rest of the album is very good but nothing remarkable so nothing got added to the playlist, but a nice listen.

"Everything Put Together Falls Apart" is the sad bop of the century.

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.

Me and Julio really sticks out from this set of kind of sleepy songs. I really liked a couple of songs over the others, Duncan for example, but there’s not enough to rate the album higher as a whole.

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

Pleasant and relaxing. Not quite my thing anymore but I’d be happy to listen to ti again some day. I haven’t finished it.

Par fora hilibili stvari, a to volim jer sam seljačina. Ove depresivne bluzeve malo manje.

All I’m gonna say is it’s not my favorite Paul

This was a nice listen, certainly not his best work but I’m never going to talk down about Paul’s particular brand of songwriting and bouncy Folk-ness. There are some pretty good peaks in the song quality here (Mother and Child, Armistice Day, Julio, etc) and while not everything meets that peak (not a huge fan of the Hobo suite towards the end) it’s still an enjoyable trip.

Really great, some songs don’t really do it, but it’s a great easy listening album with great melodies. You can see the early experimentation that makes him famous later

Not a huge fan of the sound. Too singsong-ey for me.

It was pretty fun. I’ve never heard of Paul Simon

Classic, like to get on vinyl.

Rambling nonsense

The palette of sounds and styles drawn from is by far the most interesting thing about this album. I don’t think it’s amazing by any means but a few tracks definitely stood out as classics. It also sounded a lot like modern indie folk which I thought was interesting. I could see Fleet Foxes or Sufjan singing these songs today.

Eh

Mon 2ème album de Paul Simon. Le 1er est celui de 1983. J'aime le mood pas mal! Sur la route, must be nice.

Doesn’t really feel any different than any other rock/folk singer-songwriter artists

Two good songs. Ten more i won’t miss if i never hear them again

When I love David Bowie, I love David Bowie when I don’t I’m just meh.

Not bad, just boring.

Relaxing, joyful, acoustic

Nou, hier had ik vrijdag dus écht geen zin in. Vrijdagen zijn voor gezelligheid en energie en ik had zo'n vermoeden dat ik dat niet zou krijgen van Paultje Simon. Nou, dat was correct. Dit is SPP(Of SPF?) In optima forma. Oftewel: een prima maandag ochtend album. Gebeurd er iets spannends op het album? Nee, maar Paul Simon komt op mij altijd een beetje over als het soort man die zwarte peper eigenlijk al te pittig vind en in het weekend spa rood drinkt als ie los gaat. Misschien is dat inherent aan folk rock hoor, dat zou prima kunnen. Dan heb ik nu al zin in alle Bob Dylan albums die we nog gaan krijgen! Dit is wel prima te pruimen op de maandagochtend. Ik wil easy listening achtergrond muziek, en daarin levert Paulus dan wel weer. Pantera zou ik op dit moment bijvoorbeeld niet kunnen trekken. Jeetje Paul gooit het opeens op de uptempo tour met Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard. Dat is ook meteen 1 van mn favoriete nummers op dit album. Er gebeurt tenminste iets! All in all is dit een album dat je aan kan zetten als achtergrond muziek en waarvan niemand ooit gaat klagen dat het kut is. Het is de ultieme background noise, en dat bedoel ik redelijk positief. FAVO: Duncan, Run That Body Down,Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

Paul Simon Zeer rustig, folk achtig album. Beetje saai. Niet mijn smaak, verder niet zoveel mis mee. Ik hou om de een of andere reden wel altijd van gefluit in nummers, dus pluspunten daarvoor Ga ook wel hard op de viool?? solo, in Hobo's Blues, iemand ging er voor. Favorieten: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Hobo's Blues

Paul Simon is Paul Simon. Sort of steadfast and never-changing since this early album. He seems like an old friend here and that's the part I like. When he does what I call his caricature songs, I like those the least. Those are the ones with the lyrics like, "Hello my name is Samantha and I'm 15 years old in the Bronx...My mother never buys me garbanzos".

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.

I'll agree with dmo - just give me "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" on repeat for 11 tracks. It turns out that song is only 2 minutes and 42 seconds. Clearly not enough. But the rest of the album is actually pretty solid too. I enjoyed "Duncan" and "Paranoia Blues," but there's not a bad track there. However, only "Me and Julio" is a 5.

If the whole album was me and Julio it woulda been a five.

While the reggae influenced Mother And Child Reunion doesn’t fit the rest of the album, I like the song a lot. It’s good that it comes first so that it doesn’t feel like a complete departure once the rest of the folk songs have been heard. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard is an all-timer type song. What a fantastic song! I’ve heard this song a 100 times. This time I noticed the 2nd rhythm guitar on the right channel. It provides a light, airy counterpoint to the main rhythm guitar. The interesting thing to me is that the 2nd rhythm line has been a key component to the song that I’ve definitely felt, but not necessarily isolated. It’s higher up the neck than the open chords of the mainline. As someone trying to learn the whole fretboard, this really stuck out. The guitar on Peace Like A River is amazing, as are the break downs during Armistice Day. I love the bluesy hammer-ons and bends. This solo Paul Simon offering offers quite a bit to get into.

it's fine. safe, generic, pop, and it's fine. perhaps in its day it was more revolutionary, but it offers very little to modern audiences.

Good, a little slow for me but had some classics like Me & Julio.

I was expecting this album to be a standard 70s folk album, and that’s kind of true for some of the tracks. Can get a bit boring at times, but I really enjoyed the tracks with a clear reggae or blues influence, gave the album as a whole a funky feel. The production was also pretty solid, I enjoyed the instrumental choices.

Me and Julio down by the schoolyard is a song I knew!

pleasant, low key, started off with more of a downer song then I wanted.

I am quite glad to have discovered this album from Paul Simon who is someone I had never heard of before as the folk scene is not one I was previously invested in. This album was quite pleasant sounding with acoustic guitar taking over as the main instrument here. These songs were simple but unique elements in each song kept things interesting. Each song felt different from the last and Simon is obviously trying to tell a story of some kind which is something I always appreciate in an album. I see myself coming back to this one.

Decently good, will have to relisten but I found myself losing interest about midway through

Really miss Garfunkel's harmony. Still okay

Solid 3.5/5-it’s pleasant and like the original John Craigy. Will download

Paul Simon is a better songwriter than Dylan. Dylan always seems to be attempting to convince the listener of his own cleverness, with the historical and literary references but this so often leads to an emotional immaturity especially when it comes to portrayals of women. Paul Simon tells the story as is, in a direct but beautiful style, and as such is a songwriter whose work hits emotionally. This is best expressed in Graceland, but Paul Simon, his second solo album, is a close runner-up. It’s a gorgeous perfect little folk album, full of perfectly observed vignettes about people from all sorts of walks of life, and one Gypsy Folk Jazz duet with Stéphane Grappelli. The album is worth listening for that song only, but in between I’m sure everyone will find something to admire and to fall in love with. Just a perfect little gem of an album

Good stuff.

wow. wow wow wow. paul simon wasn't playing with this record. well i mean, he was playing the foot out of that acoustic, but he WASNT PLAYING. the talent captured on this eclectic little record is crazy. Ron Carter - jazz legend, played with literally everyone. ON IT Toots and the Maytals - maybe the most important raggae band outside of the wailers. ON IT Stéphane Grappelli - founded hot club of france with THE django reinhardt. ON IT Charlie McCoy - Country Music hall of fame. ON IT and again. i did not know paul simon could play like that.

Definitely a landmark album and had huge influence on a lot of people. Not my jam but the album is great enough for me to be able to enjoy most of it regardlessa

Not my favorite work of Paul Simon, but it’s passable as an influential album.

Mellow

big fan enough said

Folk again! Another cool album from Paul. Some tracks are more forgettable than others, but it’s still good and has its moments. Chill and relaxed. Cool!

love love

It's not a bad album, but it's probably not something I'd return to. The melodies remind me of Jamaican rasta music in a way, and the acoustic guitar steals the show. Paul's personality cuts through the record, and he's a very good singer. I enjoyed it!

Paul Simon - Paul Simon 1972 Mother and Child Reunion - REGGAE VIBES Duncan - good song, nice recorder/flute; RenFair vibes Everything Put Together Falls Apart - slow, relaxed, Run that Body Down - boring; down Paul Simon vibes Armistice Day - nice raw song. Clean guitar recording Me and Julio down by the schoolyard - classic tune, A+ Peace like a river - forgetable papa hobo - pleasant song; Hobo's blues - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Paranoia blues - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, until the saxaphone. Congratulations - okay song. Nothing worth adding to my Apple Music Library and I consider myself a Paul Simon fan.

Personal bias but I just can’t get there with Paul Simon. Songs are all objectively well composed but he’s boring.

Nice - but a bit dull for mine

Kivaa akustista, tykkäsin lauluäänestä.

Did not expect this to start out on a reggae-inspired dub track. I'm not sure how to feel about this being appropriated by a white dude, but it is done very well so I'll let it pass. Duncan puts the spliff down for a folksy storytelling number with traditional elements. Masterfully done, Simon jumps from anecdote to anecdote painting vivid pictures. Everything Put Together Falls Apart is a sparse bluesy number -- pretty cool. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard is a low-key jam. Feels a bit like some of The Dead's jams off of Workingman's Dead. This is another one of those albums that I had zero expectations for that has blown me away. I know of Paul Simon from his work as half of Simon and Garfunkel, but never really listened outside of their hits. This album has a lot of character and a ton of range start to finish. His voice and ability to tell stories on record are great. I was enjoying all of it even as it drifted into the background of work. 4 / 5

A nice, calm, folky album for a gloomy day. Pretty good combination. Not a lot of songs that I recognize on this album except for Julio which is one of his bangers. I like a lot of Paul Simon's music, especially his voice and lyrics. Might not be the best music of all time, but it always puts me in a good mood when I listen to Paul Simon. This is a 4 with some bias helping out.

Starts off really strong with Mother and Chile Reunion but then kind of goes downhill from there being way too slow for my liking. I have heard covers of Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, but never this original. That song was good.

It was ok nothing special. I was listening to it as background music so that may have played a part. Definitely love Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard though.

Good. Elevated by a few good songs, weak depth. First half stronger than second.

Solid

I love Paul Simon but this album is just ok. There are a few good tracks and Me and Julio is amazing, but most of the time I was just wanting to listen to Graceland.

Although I obviously know who Paul Simon is, don’t think I’ve ever heard this record before. It’s so much fun!

THis is a fantastic album and one of my fathers friends played on it (he used to send me stamps from that he recieved from fans all over the world).

I love Paul’s voice and this album is classic

Durcheinander, gute Folkmusik, sucht Stil

Catstevens Vibes ohne feelings, country? Roadsongs Amerikastyle

Great album. Simon nearly at his S&G best.

Wow! What a great album! Love the voice, harmonies and, oh gosh, the guitar tone! Thanks for bringing this to my ears!!

Horrible

I can see why this is on the list. It's his turning point and presages the direction he later adopted. His rep as a poet was buried on this album. I don't think he played to what he was best at.

Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Simon

I love Paul Simon. He is one of the best songwriters of his generation and it shows on this album. Upbeat fun album to listen to. Added to playlist: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

4.5/5 I really enjoyed this but ‘me and Julio’ does a lot of the heavy lifting for this getting such a high rating

Pretty chill

Love this one, very relaxed music I listen tho this one al lot in the morning.

A very pleasant and easy album to listen to, hard to find many faults except from that it lacks some real standout songs outisde of Julio. Could listen to Paul Simon sing for hours though, great voice and guitar playing throughout. Probably worth a relisten in future.

ok!

Loved it

A couple of absolute classic songs everyone should know. You might even say they should hear them before they die. Even in his "lesser" songs, Paul Simon knows how to speak plain but also turn a phrase. He manages give rise to and coax an emotional response from me more than I'd like him to. It's a gift that keeps on giving. That said, I feel like there wasn't a lot of reining Paul in when he thought something was a good idea which is how we also get "Hobo's Blues" on this record only to be followed up with some questionable instrumentation on "Paranoia Blues" which borders on self-parody. The album just doesn't close as strong as it opens, I'm sorry to report. Even Congratulations which isn't as bad as his "blues" tracks doesn't have the gravitas of the starting block (first half of the first side).

Surprisingly loved this: before listening to this album I knew one of the songs very well (the main hit on this album) but I was relatively surprised to come out of this really really enjoying. Could definitely see this playing on vinyl in my room whilst I'm tidying or smth. The guitar was strong and catchy whilst the genre kind of jumped everywhere but to the point it didn't take away from the music but more of a pleasant surprise.

Great album, favorite track was Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard. It still had some folk Simon and Garfunkel sounds, but there was some reggae influenced Paul Simon solo sound in there as well. Overall great album

Genres: Folk rock Formed: 1970-72 (solo) Run time: 14 songs, 42 min, 52 sec The second solo studio album by the American singer-songwriter. Overall it is an album about the trials and tribulations faced throughout life. Spotify: Least popular song: >1.1M Most popular song: almost 298M plays. "Mother and Child Reunion" is an emotional track about a parent grieving the loss of a child. As an interesting note, the title is actually the name of a Chinese dish made up of chicken and eggs, i.e. mother and child. "Duncan'' is the story of a young man named Lincoln Duncan. He leaves his past behind to start anew, finding his way through religious experiences and love. "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" is about an individual’s struggle to cope with life. It is a warning against using drugs as a coping mechanism. "Run That Body Down" is also a warning about self-destructive behaviour and its effect on body and soul. "Armistice Day" is a solemn song about Armistice Day. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" is about a boy who goes to meet his friend (Julio). His parents are not happy about what he’s up to and go to the police. Consequently, he is arrested but the only consequence seems to be him appearing on the cover of Newsweek. We don’t know who the boy is, or what he has done. I can only assume there is a metaphorical meaning to the song . "Peace Like a River" is about the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement. "Papa Hobo" is a song about Detroit (“Motor City”). The car industry made it a great city, now that success is choking the city with pollution. The singer then talks of leaving. "Hobo's Blues" is an Instrumental. "Paranoia Blues" describes the mistrust the singer feels as a result of living in New York. "Congratulations" is about someone being congratulated for an achievement. The singer, however, resents the person for their success because he himself continues to be miserable. The songs are really well written and executed with simplicity, putting the song front stage, rather than the artist. Listen Again?: Maybe My Rating: ****

Perfectly pleasant but with Bob, Bruce, Neil, Nick and Leonard, I don't feel the need for another white, western male singer-songwriter in my life

Everything by Simon and/or Garfunkel I've heard, except for Graceland, is just dull dull dull

Boring

Yes

I liked it, some great tracks, but this is Paul Simon's fifth best solo album, not sure why it is a must listen.

Paul Simon is pretty good. Just gets a bit old after 5 or 6 songs.

This is awesome.

This is decent folk music but nothing special. No Graceland that's for sure.

The epitome of “hard to hate” music. Easy listening, good musicianship. He’s got some better albums, I think. But this is great

Damn, so much good stuff here.

Reminds me of The Royal Tenenbaums. Love it.

It is af he tried to figure out his genre for himself, while having the talent to back up such a project. Fun album!

Ej i min smak

Really joyful album, really enjoyed this.

I didnt listen to The lyrics. This was a soothing album and just what I wanted to hear today. So today this is a 5.

Meh

Songs just didn’t quite grab me. Ofcourse Julio did

Really good album!

Nuevamente Paul Simon nos da un gran singer songwriter que se escapa del sonido habitual. Hablándonos no solo desde sus letras, sino que también desde melodías que son ricas y tiene una tendencia a la profundidad. No es tan excelente como Graceland pero este disco sorprende para bien, es complicado situarse como singer songwriter pero rozando el pop y rozando el folk y al mismo tiempo ser identificado, pero al mismo tiempo alejándose de lo que era referente en esa época como Dylan o Cohen. Por eso, este disco se gana un 8/10.

2/5. It’s a shame that I have to give this album a low rating; It is simply not my style of music. I’m sure plenty of audiophiles would love this soft, melodic journey through Paul Simon’s first record after going solo, but it just didn’t do it for me. Highlight song for me was “Armistice Day”

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

A nice one. Lovely tracks and lyrics throughout, never overworked. Not something that's gonna rock my world but there was abundant pleasantness. Even tenderness you might say. Tenders. Three and a half. Fave track: Paranoia Blues

I've listened to this album plenty of times before, and it was interesting to return to it this weekend. Simon definitely has some ability in his DNA to on occasion write a pearl of pop song, and other times I find him quite unbearable. This album maybe sits in that gulch between the ambitious but simple sounds of his not too distant past - in the wake of Bridge Over Troubled Water where he hit the nail on the head, and his future records that get a little too twee at times for my taste. There's a great flow on this album, and it offers a wide range of sounds to engage with. Not everything here grabs me as much on repeat; some tracks seem to be missing an edge or freshness, and some songs are at this point just annoying (Me and Julio had to be skipped on this listen). It's a fairly good album, and on another day could rate it higher. Probably some tracks that could benefit from Art Garfunkel's sensibilities, though maybe I'm missing the point by comparing this album to his work in the duo. Plus, it's hard to deny tracks like Run That Body Down, which is the standout for me by a mile. Three and a half.

Not my vibe, simply put.

Said it before, Paul’s one of the best. You can hear the graduation from the Garfunkel days here. This feels wholly unique from the duo’s records, many of which are nearly perfect in their own right. I don’t know if it’s the songwriting, lyrics or both, but something about Paul’s sound just puts you in another level.

Listening to what Simon says is a subjective chore for me, even if he’s objectively good at what he does.

The hits are good. The rest is forgettable.