Paul Simon

I totally get it

I LOVE Simon & Garfunkel, and Paul Simon, but somehow I've never heard this one before.

Parecia, ao fim das 3 primeiras músicas, que ia ser um bom álbum. No mínimo um forte 3. Acabou por ser um 3/5, nada de especial. Faz lembrar um Bob Dylan, mas não tão bom claro. Duncan foi a música que mais gostei.

3/5. Had Simon and Garfunkel yesterday and today I get solo Paul Simon. Anyway, as the story goes, after Bridge over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel followed in the footsteps of their greatest influence (the Everly Brothers) and started absolutely hating each other. So they went their separate ways and this self titled was one of Paul Simon’s early solo records. And it’s alright, you get the expected folk music but also some bluesier songs and some Latin American influence in the percussion. At its high points there’s some great songs on the level of some Simon and Garfunkel stuff such as “me and Julio down by the school yard” but there’s also a few songs that are just kinda okay.

Heard Before? Obviously. Notes: - chock full of his typical genre pastiche (or cultural appropriation depending on your outlook). this mostly works. - almost the archetype of a lyrics album. thoughtful, clever, subtle, emotional. - at the same time, so many cool sounds: the flutes on "Duncan", the dobro on several tracks, the cuica on "Julio", etc. - for me, however, the middle stretch sags heavily with unremarkable arrangements and hushed production. - I didn't remember "Paranoia Blues". it's a gem. Verdict: Lots to love and to learn from, but fails to fully embrace experimentation across the whole runtime. Listen Again? I can forsee a Paul Simon discography crawl sometime in my future.

Self named album...pretty average with no memorable mentions.

Some of the Songs were good but didn't really standout for me. Not my Type i would say

Charming little album here by Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel fame. This is the first solo album for him of 3 I’ve rolled for this project, following the duo’s famous Bridge over Troubled Water. While both are great Folk albums in their own right, I thought that Self Titled by Paul Simon is more adventurous, has a lot more variety than the very calm Bridge, and actually enjoyed it slightly more. They’re still comparable of course, but I liked how many different places this album attempted to go, and found it to mostly be a good call with every song. My favorites of the bunch this time were “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Armistice Day”. Nothing absolutely wowed me on this one, but every song being so happy and full of joy is really felt, and the multiple different vibes from song to song are really felt. From what I believe is a flute on “Duncan”, to the very Jazzy, mostly violin laden “Hobo’s Blues”, Paul was not afraid to take some risks with this one, and as previously mentioned, it makes every song feel fresh and memorable. Also worth mentioning is that it’s just pretty surprisingly funny at times, and the lyrics, as well as some of the song names and concepts, caught me off guard a bit. The very first lyrics to “Duncan” being “Couple in the next room, bound to win a prize”, sung in Paul’s down to Earth and calm voice, are so comically out of place with what’s actually being said, and it’s fantastic. I like some humor in my Folk albums, and this one has it in spades. So, while it’s still not exactly the type of music I listen to very often, this one is still going to stick with me for a little while longer. Cool album art too. Bro just kind of looks like a bit of a badass in that outfit, not going to lie to you. Good stuff, very excited for the other 2 Paul Simon albums.

#52/1001 🇺🇸 Always enjoyed Paul Simon's music, but this album is new to me. It doesnt stand out as an out and out classic, but its a step away from the folkier sound of his work with Garfunkle and moving in a more experimental route. I'll come back for another listen. Best Tracks: Duncan, Paranoia Blues, Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard.

Mellow

I like a few songs, but not quite to my taste to hit replay immediately

Is not for me, but it has a lot of work on it.

nog nooit dit album van hem geluisterd. nuchtere vrolijke muziek/bluesy.

Me and Julio is a banger, and there's a couple of other good tunes here, but they are doing a lot of heavy lifting of the rest imo.

Gee I wanted to really like this. Instead it felt scattered inconsistent and long. No real standouts. Lisa largely agrees. 3/5

Not bad. Some good stuff mixed in. Very folky. Idk if I have any detailed notes, didn’t listen close enough tbh. And wasn’t interested enough to listen so closely, it didn’t catch my attention enough.

not totally my tempo although good Will I listen to again:20%

I don't know what to do with this one. It's a very fine album. A mid Paul Simon album. So, a mid rating.

Lovely stuff - genre hopping and well crafted

Soulful original Simon

He’s better with his mate

Standard fare. Easy to listen to, but doesn't stand out it too many ways. Strong songwriting as you'd expect from Mr. Paul. Probably on the higher side of 3, but not too high.

Reggae, música peruana, blues, mostrando quien era la mete maestra detrás peo mucho más laid back que los discos de Simon & Garfunkel. Se nota que no traía el cora roto como con 50 ways to leave your lover.

I honestly didn’t feel lime finishing it.

q linda voz y q acordes emeceros x momentos no

Folk/rock. Algumas músicas bem legais e outras ok. Só ganha 3 pq nao tem 3.5

i was leaning towards giving this a 4 during the first few songs but kinda lost interest in the second half. it sounds very nostalgic, like one of those albums you heard a lot as a child that you still adore as an adult even if it doesn't really match up with your music taste anymore

Melancholic and lyrical poetry. Proving that Paul can stand on his own and deliver a genre defining performance.

First time diving into Paul Simon. Pretty nice, pretty chill, couple of jams

i luv paul simon and his cool coat in the album art. i also like that this album still retains some S&G sound even though he'd split from art by this point. i'm an art apologist and i don't like any of paul simon's solo work more than S&G, but because this album sounds pretty similar, i'm quite fond of it

Having track 1 of your first post split album be as good as “Mother and Child Reunion” is the musical equivalent of “I drink your milkshake.” Somewhere between a 3-4.

Mild and inoffensive

Thus is kind of cute. Not in a dismissive way more in a “this is quietly charming and self-aware” way. It’s playful and thoughtful without ever trying to feel monumental, and I actually liked that it didn’t aim for some huge, cohesive statement. The stripped-back production makes everything feel human and lived-in, which works in its favour. It’s not an all-time, life-changing album for me, but it’s the kind of record you throw on and slowly warm up to more each time.

Me and Julio are great, the rest... 🤷‍♀️

I will forever love Me and Julio.

I was half listening to this while doing other things. Not the best way to do justice to Paul Simon and his lyrics. Sorry Paul.

Paul Simon’s catchy and cool enough on here. There’s a good variety of music to go along with his witty lyrics. This is more of a middle of the road album of his, his best is yet to come.

★★★¾

Paul Simon's crafted one of the most amazing catalogs ever. Whether it's his work with Garfunkel, albums like Graceland (a masterpiece), or individual songs such as Kodachrome, there's just so much to love about what he has brought to music. I'm afraid that becomes a double-edged sword for me, as when I listen to this debut solo album, I just find that it is lacking vs. a ton of his other work. Yeah, there are some good songs on here. I really liked Peace Like a River, which is a track I have never heard before. Also, Mother and Child Reunion and Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard are good songs, but neither is amazing for me. The rest of the album felt very average, or at least it pales in comparison to things like Graceland. This means it's a 3 star album for me, nothing more.

Favorites: Mother and Child Reunion, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard Least favorites: Armistice Day, Paranoia Blues Rating (out of 10): 7.5/10

Great job Paul

Sometimes Simon is better solo. This is not the time. Still good, though.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would on the second listen.

Saved from a 2 by a couple of decent songs. Just found it a bit dull overall.

Middle of the road music. 1 or 2 enjoyable songs.

There is some good stuff on this album but nothing that I super loved. A pretty decent album but nothing to write home about.

Great example of a cleanly engineered album. Sparse arrangements that don't have the impact a 21st century listener may be accustomed to. Paul Simon is a poet and sometimes that's to his detriment. There's a single hit here for a reason.

Donnerstag, 19.02.2026 ~ Mittags ~ In der Ringbahn - auf dem Weg zur Uni. Platz am Fenster; Sonnenschein in meinem Gesicht; in einem Zug durchgehört. Passend zu meiner Stimmung.

Paul Simon is always easy to listen to.

3/5 Me and Julio Mother and Child Reunion Paranoia Blues

Still not too keen on his voice, but his skills as a player and a songwriter are really impressive

The first known case of white boy reggae!! In all seriousness, a great album. Whilst I do prefer his earlier work, some of these songs absolutely blow me away. No two songs sound alike, which can not be said of many albums.

I don't typically like folk, but this wasn't bad! Paul Simon has a nice voice and is complimented by his music style

Paul Simon is actually a very good guitar player. This is decent, but knowing Bridge Over Troubled Water had already come out by this point, it’s not his best work

Falls just short in a lot of ways for me. Not catchy enough to be good '70s folk pop, not poetic enough to be good Blues or standard Folk, not leaning into influences enough to match up to Graceland. Highlights: "Run That Body Down", "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"

Prefer the double act material more but this is still really good.

un disco bello, creo que crece con cada escuchada. Ninguna canción me conmovió o me enloqueció de más, puntos para Run that body down que fue un gran tema. Seguramente con cada escucha se vuelva mejor! me trajo vibras a blonde on blonde pero sin la epica dylan, quizás le falto un cambio de emociones entre tema y tema

Hey, he was into other genres well before Graceland, how do you like that. I suspect this was a big one for Britt Daniel.

It was fine, nothing stuck out to me although I had heard the Julio down by the schoolyard song before! I wouldn't go back to it, but I could understand why it's on this list.

Surface level folk. Thought the tubes were good but nothing stood out to me. Will most likely forget about this.

Paar classics, maar ook wat fillers er tussen

A little less interesting and more poppy to me than graceland to me. Though still a solid experience

3/5, but it is so close to a 4. It's a lovely album. Simon is a wonderful composer, and the album is arranged and produced well. He also has this honesty and down-to-earth quality about him that really endears me to his music, and those are both on display here. What pulls me back from a 4 is that only two songs stand out: "Me and Julio," and "Run That Body Down." The rest are a nice listen but on the whole forgettable.

This album was alright. By digging further into the Wikipedia I had more appreciation for Simon’s stylistic experimentation, but ultimately it felt too disjointed and the lyrics and music never really reeled me in. A fine but kind of boring listen for me.

Pleasantly surprised after assuming I wouldn’t be a fan. Particularly liked track 1 - mother and child reunion and track 10 - paranoia blues. Liked the eclectic genres used and every song felt very different.

Campfire Music

The easy listener.

he's got some blues in him, mais un peu répétitif

This album was OK not the greatest. In my opinion. I do like some of his older stuff. He is a great writer and the lyrics are always good. I guess the instrumental sound is what I don’t really enjoy.

This sweet little boy can right some folk. You hear the roots of "Graceland" in this one and overall it's not so much of a departure from his duo work you'd think Art was weighing him down. "Me & Julio" is an all time bop.

De la diversité dans cet album. Tout n'est pas top mais ce Paul simon est une pointure

So incredibly safe and lacking depth, but otherwise a pleasant listen.

Kjoet

bit of a slower album, but nice cohesive folksy sound. top track: run that body down

3/5 - More entertaining than expected, realizing that I really miss songs that tell stories. Country with a dash of something else. Don't see myself re-listening, but I have no regrets.

3.5 - love me and julio bc its so nostalgic but once again just not music id listen to over and over again but still appreciate it

meh

Paul Simon always brings a sense of calm. It was great listening on a winter day. I knew only two songs before hand and noon of the rest really grabbed me, but I definitely didn't regret this listen.

Also never heard of him before It feels like nothing bind blowing to me honestly, it’s not bad tho I like the instruments in armistice day the guitar ahh It’s still a vibe tho lol Also me and julio down by the schoolyard I like fun

Solid album I hadn’t heard in years (but only listened to in entirety probably once). Bunch of popular tunes though….

Enjoyable but not super memorable

Graceland better but enjoyed nonetheless.

Beautiful flute sound Live the mixing of genres done very seamlessly Great sound

gut ruhig schön manche lyrics zu weird eher so gedicht vortragen vibes

very folky very fall vibes. not a favorite but enjoyed listening

Never listened to this as a single album before. Though I know many of the big hitters of course.

Je m'attendais à une bouse d'un mec avec un ego surdimensionné et finalement c'était pas si mal

It feels like an album that 40 year old me is gonna absolute love, I am 20. 7/10

favorite - everything put together fall apart 6/10

Very whimsical listen. Super chill to listen!

Favourite Songs: Duncan Peace Like A River Hobo's Blues Paranoia Blues

Well. Me and Julio down by the school yard always reminds me of Wes Anderson films and just happy summer days. Great voice, easy to listen to on a New Year’s Day 1

It was fun!

Some good tracks on here and some forgettable ones, about half and half. Favorite tracks- “Mother and Child Reunion” “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard” “Paranoia Blues”

It's Paul Simon... not much more or less. pleasant but not extremly engaging album.

Pretty joce folk stuff on here, some catchy tunes but nothing special

"Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" is a classic, but I can't get into Paul Simon or Simon & Garfunkel in general. When you have two songs with the word "hobo" in the title, that's a sign this won't be my thing. Rounding up to 3 for "Me and Julio."

Not my favorite genre, but still had a couple of songs that I enjoyed. Overall an average album, but definitely on the higher side of a 3.

Chill vibes Fave track: Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard

Pleasant enough. 3/5

I can put my hand on my heart and say I have NEVER heard this album and I only recognise one song, which seems to surprise me. That said I enjoyed it. It didn't blow me away but it was... nice... and a little interesting. I will listen to it again.

Synes det lyder virkelig velproduceret, en del sange jeg kan lide, men jeg savner Garfunkel på nogen af de mere simple numre og det hele er bare lige cutesy nok endnu. Man kan godt høre Graceland er på vej

De bedste numre var vildt gode, de dårligste numre var lidt fesne

Mid, dec' 25, guitar mostly nothing special, could understand if this is someone's favorite though

My Dad had a Paul Simon Best Of that he used to play when I was growing up so I was familiar with Mother and Child Reunion and Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard. There's something mercurial about the individual songs, I am enjoying them and something will happen lyrically or musically to throw me off or I'll be finding a song a little mundane and then a brilliant lyric or unexpected musical turn will grab my attention. As such, it's hard to rate this, because it's slippery and hard to fix an opinion on. I liked it more than Hearts and Bones but think Graceland probably has more magic so I'm going to award this a 3.

Poslechla bych si znovu? Možná. Některé písničky fajn. Některé mají indiánský vibe. Asi bych stáhla půl hvězdy, kdyby to bylo možné.

It was alright.. Duncan stood out Pretty mediocre though in my opinion but then again we all receive music differently and I can appreciate that somewhere out there this has changed someone's life.

6/10 good space filler album. Very suzie. Favorite song: peace like a river (duncan is also very good)

I definitely don't hate this album, but It doesn't stand out to me. There are a few songs I enjoyed and will listen to again, but not my favorite album.

Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Ganz okay.

A solid album of songs. Simon can hit it out of the park sometimes but a few tracks seemed like filler to me.

It’s a 3.5

Paul Simon has very gentle voice. I really like his other album "Still crazy after all these years" but this one is also enjoyable. I would rate it 6,5/10

Tranquileras, para poner de fonfo

Listened through twice, with reading the chronology (1972) makes this interesting if not great. I can understand the adulation, but he has better albums in his quiver. 1. Mother And Child Reunion 2. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard 3. Peace Like A River

Some nice folk rock. Probably need a few more listens, but doesn't stand out to me.

3.5

Some highs, some lows. I feel like I listened to this as a teenager 20+ years ago so a handful of songs were familiar. Slow start, strong middle, weak end. Would give it a 3.5 if that were possible.

This was a nice album. Good folk and some blues in there too. Nice listening.

I like 3 songs (Mother and Child, Me and Julio, Armistice Day...the rest were not necessarily horrid, just meh. Very easy listening, but that's about it...Congratulations sucked though. 3 stars MOR stars.

First listen

Wow very nice but when I went to find the album I got really scared because I saw his face and it was actually really scary I’m sorry

This is my first review and I'm a little worried about review inflation so that may be coloring the number of stars I give this. Also I'm going to rank these against how well I think they belong on this list. A 3 star great album is still a soildly great album. 5 Stars would go to a work of genius with no flaws. One star would mean I question it's position as great but not necessarily that it's bad. That said, I recognize the importance of this album. It is laying the groundwork for a five star album 14 years in the future. It was one absolutely perfect song (Mother and Child Reunion) and one song I find annoying at best (Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard) and the rest are all range from pretty good to unoffensive. There are great bits to most songs but to me they are flawed breakthroughs pointing to the perfection to come.

Initially, lots of energy. I liked the vibe from the very start. As I keep going though, I’m finding it a bit too bouncy and light. Not super my style. Almost annoying to me, and trying to keep myself from mindlessly changing the song.

Very good album. Definitely reminiscent of the Beatles as they were made in the same era. Very beautiful sonically. The album flowed extremely nicely while still having every song feel unique and exciting. My favorite song was paranoia blues because I loved the visuals. Definitely will have to check out more of his work

Mehhhhh not really for me. First song was all right

Generally pleasant but not all that interesting. A few tracks like Peace Like a River have nice instrumentation.

Fine folk album, but I see why only Me and Julio survived the test of time. Again, nothing wrong with this album, just no songs outside of the aforementioned were super smashing for me.

Whispy.

Mother and Child Reunion - 4/5 Duncan - 5/5 Everything Put Together Falls Apart - 2/5 Run That Body Down - 5/5 Armistice Day - 3/5 Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - 5/5 Peace Like a River - 5/5 Papa Hobo - 3/5 Hobo's Blues - 2/5 Paranoia Blues - 3/5 Congratulations - 4/5 Average score: 3.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ i guess i half-enjoyed this. there really are some gems in here, it's a shame i didn't care for half the tracks on here the album just seemed to lack cohesion in my opinion, like there were too many ideas being exploredon one album. i probably would've liked it if Paul stayed more in the folk lane

Pretty nice.

5.5/10

Laid back yet energetic. Really into hobos seemingly. Great background music not in a negative way

OK

Not my thing but since watching the documentary must say I like this guy

Duncan is my favorite Paul Simon song, but there are a number of so so songs

He’s no Bob Dylan (compliment)

Faixa favorita: Paranoia Blues Letra favorita: “Everything Put Together Falls Apart” Como me senti: Country e hétero Resumo: Álbum solo que mistura folk, pop e narrativa íntima. Paul traz pequenas cenas do cotidiano em histórias cantadas, com leveza e humor. Reação pessoal: Escutei à noite de janelas abertas com o vento frio passando; foi como ouvir pequenas histórias de um jovem falido. Me fez pensar em estar perdida e juventude.

It’s fine but knowing that Graceland is probably on this list it seems like a waste of time

Odeio quando os artistas não sabem quais são as músicas boas do álbum. Das 6 primeiras, só duas são boas, "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" e "Armistice Day". Ironicamente, são as duas com menos streams entre as 6 (talvez o errado seja eu). Da música 7 em diante o álbum melhora bastante. Com uma pegada bem mais raiz, melódica, e criativa. Apesar de "Peace Like a River" ter sido a minha favorita, é necessário fazer um menções honrosas à "Hobo's Blues" e "Paranoia Blues". A finalização não é das melhores, mas é honesto. Resumindo: um álbum que começa bem mal, com algumas ressalvas, e se redime no lado B. Faltou maturidade para explorar mais as ideias que eram de fato boas. Melhor do álbum: "Peace Like a River". Pior do álbum: "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard".

Mixed bag but nothing that was awful.

I like some of Paul Simons stuff but this just didn't do it for me

Good album. Not as good as I was expecting, but good nonetheless.

This is a bit of a variety piece that just about works. The Calypso-esque sounds on first track didn’t get it off to a great start. It felt a bit forced where somehow the pan pipes on Duncan didn’t. Then you get some decent tracks dotted around. Some enjoyable funky guitar on Armistice Day and a few others that while not profound are generally decent. Papa Hobo sounded like a S&G song but very much poorer for only being half the equation. All in all quite a mixed bag and I’d probably rather just listen to S&G but there’s enough to pique the interest (just).

Interesting album which I found myself phasing in and out of with regard to my enjoyment. The plus for me was the often stripped back arrangement which allowed the unique elements to shine, and they captured the tones and depth of the featured as a result.  It made some of the guitar elements in particular very engaging.  Ultimately well put together. I think the key downside and probably which dated some of the songs was the incessant need to throw the kitchen sink at it with regard to the depth and variety of musical instruments on offer.  From maraca to flutes.  They have experimented themselves out of a 4 in my opinion here. 

Overall this is a lovely sounding album. The well composed songs are perfectly recorded and the mix is artfully done. There is some really good stuff in there, particularly the guitar, but sometimes it just tries to do a bit too much. For example, I was really enjoying the stripped back guitar performance of 'Armistice Day', despite the bongos, then the maracas started and it lost me. The songs are all just a bit too saccharine for me and it lacks any bite or edge. From the moment it opened with a reggae track, the album had a tinge of self indulgence about it and the gratuitous use of flutes and tambourines made me think of over-exuberant secondary school music teachers.

well he's Paul Simon

Liked it more than similar sounding albums but still don’t love it

First song sounded like Bob Marley. Nice peaceful music

No stand out songs for me, probably one of his weaker albums but will still happily listen to it over and over. He's a genius.

Who knew Paul Simon's music would improve by cutting off the dead weight of a lesser partner? I guess Paul Simon knew.

This album has a lot of classics on it even without Garfunkel

Excellent as Paul Simon may be, I’m not convinced he’s 100% for me. That being said, I think if you wanted to give a foreigner an album that explained America in the 70’s/80’s, this album may be a strong contender. Like a slightly folksier version of Springsteen

Etter å ha hørt S&G og Graceland, må jeg si dette var litt skuffende. Ikke dårlig, men heller ikke essensielt...?

Sympa, album folk. Oubliable

Enjoyed a lot of it, including the opening reggae song and the one that mentioned Detroit. Definitely a headphone album — recording is stellar.

Julio drags this to mid

much chiller vibe compared to blood and chocolate, very folksy feel to it standouts: Duncan - love the flute action Run That Body Down Hobo's Blue - LOVED the instrumental, prob maybe a 5/10 i feel very overall lukewarm abt the album, no insane standouts....

Interesting music. Paul Simon is clearly a talented artist, but meh. There's nothing bad here, but nothing that will make me want to listen to this album again.

A little too easy listening for me

I enjoyed graceland a lot more

Paul isn’t my vibe by interesting to hear his early sounds

Por uma questão de tempo não consegui ouvir tudo.. é o que é

Not bad, but kinda not my jam.

Etheral schön, ne ganze experience Wish you where here (*****)

Not my jam but solid 3 stars. was never much of a Simon & garfunkel fan anyway

Koselig og melankolsk. Kan funke dette, men blir også litt fort kjedelig

Nice sound, light enjoyment

No private session used for Spotify. I like Paul Simon's music a lot and I impressed with his long and varied career. I listened to this album a couple of times and then listened to other Paul Simon albums throughout the day.

The well known songs are great, but overall the album is a little lackluster.

The self-titled "Paul Simon" album showcases his fantastic songwriting and blend of styles, from folk to reggae. The acoustic guitar creates a pleasant, chill vibe that's enjoyable, but some tracks feel a bit boring and lack the punch of his later work like "Graceland." While the lyrics are interesting and highlight Simon's talent as a solo artist, it doesn’t quite reach the heights I hoped for.

Great singer songwriter, but its just not my thing

Pleasant, with a few familiar favourites.

Some boring songs, some better songs

Excellent album

Fine fine fine.

Dobre folkowe brzmienia, ogółem to mi sie spodobał ten album, ale nie sądze żebym chciał wracać do piosenek.

I really like this album. It's not his best work, but between the songwriting an dthe craftsmanship, Paul Simon is an absolute master of his craft. 7.5/10

Paul on his way to become the greatest songwriter, but not quite there yet.

Some okay sorta folk stuff. Didn’t really engage me much. 3 stars

Mother and child reunion is a great way to start any album. The only issue it sets the bar high and what follows whilst pleasant is far from the same level. The obvious exception to that is Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard. Other than those two tracks things like Papa Hobo are enjoyable just nothing noteworthy. Hobo’s Blues jointy tune does however put me in mind of a toothpaste advert, which i appreciate is my issue not a comment on the quality of the songwriting

This was fine - fairly middle of the road, easy listening, and nice to have in the background as I faffed about. “Mother and Child Reunion” was a highlight; I loved the reggae vibe of it, and the backing vocals were fab (hello, Cissy Houston). The rest of the album didn’t reach the height of that opening but, like I say, it was fine.

Nice for a morning coffee

Okej album, ali ništa posebno, neki prosjek 3/5, 6/10

Kinda meh compared to his work with Garfunkel.

Prefer the faster-paced songs to the slower ones but overall, a solid record by a gifted singer-songwriter. Favorites: Mother & Child Reunion, Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard Would I listen to it again: Probably

Not his best, not his worst. Feels like a mid choice to be on this list. Me and Julio is massive though

I love Simon and Garfunkel, but Simon with out Garfunkel just isn't as good.

This isn’t vastly different from Simon abundance Garfunkel’s outpourings, and I don’t suppose there is any reason in should be. It’s very even, and the beat remains fairly consistent throughout. Nothing to get terribly excited about and nothing too terrible. Although I could probably die without being told what it’s like when you have a room next to noisy shaggers! Honestly, does he think this is an unusual experience?? I always feel like Paul Simon makes music that has stay within two parallel lines, and if the music goes outwith those boundaries, the world will cave in. This is a man who doesn’t go over the lines when he colours in. This album lacks innovation and inspiration and Paul Simon will be locked into this groove until Graceland.

Surprisingly nice, just not amazed, Frankly

I have no feelings one way or the other

Es klingt irgendwie genauso wie mit Garfunkel. Ganz nett, wird nach einer Zeit dann aber doch etwas anstrengend. Trotzdem ganz süß.

446/1001

Definitely enjoyable with some classics.

A nice blend of folk styling & pop writing. Sounds a whole lot like his work with Art Garfunkel, which leads me to believe this was a time when Simon was still figuring out his own style. All in all pleasant, but nothing too extraordinary

Very clearly just continuing the sound from Simon and Garfunkel, which is to be expected. Great music to drive to while vaguely listening, paying more attention does not add much to the experience.

Ok album with a couple catchy songs, but a little bland in other spots. Nice to listen too, but nothing that makes me want to revisit anytime soon.

Peaceful and happy. But not really for me.

Tired of people knocking Paul Simon for cultural appropriation. Why didn't I hear this kind of thing about Clapton for I Shot the Sheriff? Or The Clash for Junco Partner, or the Beatles for every song with a sitar? You don't have to like Paul Simon-- I have mixed feelings myself -- but do you have to make it a moral thing?

this was ok!! some nice tracks but nothing that necessarily blew me away. good hosting music imo - a good vibe to be in the background of catching up with friends.

Not bad! Definitely feels like Simon and garfunkel

Overall, this was a very chill album, it was nice having it in the background. I had the first song in my Favouirites but I don't even remember listening to it, so I guess it was a long time ago. Nothing really exciting happened, but it's more of a Just Chilling type of vibe.

Eh, fine. I like Paul Simon and will gladly listen to his music but I can't imagine putting this on on purpose.

Having heard a couple of Simon & Garfunkel albums and not been wowed, loved a few singles, but rank that 'Call Me Al' song as one of humanity's worst atrocities, I didn't have high hopes going in. This is a collection of songs, not all that different from what I expected. Some are nice. Fairy forgettable after a single listen. I can't tell if I'd like it more, or less, with more listens.

Not bad, it's for sure not my thing necessarily but still good music in places.

Pure American pop, prefer him with Garfunkel. Again not sure what this is doing in the top 1000

Todella leppoisa

This isn't unpleasant, it also isn't very interesting, just a nice folk album, with some decent songs and some others easily to forget. 3/5

It's a solid album with some top-notch musicians, a couple of bona fide classic singles, and some interesting ideas and sounds. But overall it's just not that engrossing for some reason, and has a sort of tentative feeling about it. I'm glad I heard it, but probably won't listen again.

P.S.: Later albums are far better

I liked this so much more than my last Paul Simon album, but not as much as the one before that. I guess it falls somewhere between the two Simon & Garfunkel albums I’ve gotten.

7/10 ❤️ : Run That Body Down Duncan Mother and Child Reunion

I don't know if I dislike American folk stuff in general or just Paul Simon. I'm hoping it's the latter. I do admit I was probably too harsh for his last album. I don't know if its just that I'm building up a tolerance to his vocals or I'm still amazed by the great instrumentality, but I put this one higher at a 6.5/10. Favs: Peace Like A River (the guitar is mesmerizing. 10/10); Duncan, Mother and Child Reunion;

Not earth shattering but ok.

pienen lapsen sielu tällä kauniilla miehellä. viaton mies. viaton POIKA. koskaan miehistynyt. sweet sweet boy. keho kulkee ajan myötä kuin me kaikki muutkin mutta sielu pysyy. kuin paikallaan pysyy sielu pienenä ja harmittomana. mahdotonta ketään pelottaa tai vaurioittaa, ei ole voimaa siihen, ei edes käsitä miten se olisi mahdollista niin viaton ja pikkunen. pikkunen. pikkupoika. awwwwwwwwww... so cute.... niin söpö.....mahdottoman pieni mies ja niin söpö ja niin viaton ja niin kiltti pieni pieni mies aijjaijjai kuinka vähän tämä pienokainen vaikuttaa ympäröivään maailmaansa paitsi suloisesti pikkupojan tavoin... duncan

Enjoyed this. Pleasant and easy listen. A few songs were quite catchy too.

Again, didn’t love this album but I recognize it is great music. Innovative and unique. It has the calm playfulness I’m familiar with in Simon and Garfunkel with bits of spoken word sprinkled in.

Yep!

Beyond 'Mother and Child Reunion' and 'Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard', has some nice songs like 'Duncan' and 'Papa Hobo'.

It’s fine, I’d rather listen to Simon & Garfunkel. This is more of the same

3.5/5 Favourite songs: Mother and Child Reunion, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

Not really my thing, but it was fine.

Some affecting songs

Imma relisten to it later

Pretty pleasing to listen to, but i did just get an auditory nightmare for my last album so anything would’ve been cleansing. Good background and thinking music.

7/10 - I'm quietly impressed by Paul Simon, my second album I've listened of his and I like his experimental approach with rock and pop

Blah

• 3/5 • Two great singles (Mother and Child, Me and Julio) and the rest is forgettable, if inoffensive

Solid pop/rock/folk album which is an interesting period piece looking at simons career and his breakup with garfunkel. You can feel the song writing talent. Like his vocals as well. He seems to want to show his musical range with a lot of genre hopping. While i admire the wish to display the mastery of everything from blues to reggea, it does not help the record imo. The tracks do not blend enough to make this feel like a coherent lp and bumps the rating down a little bit. Still very enjoyable.

Middle of the road Some good songs but my mind kinda found it all blended into one

- I like this a lot more than the last album. It was way better than I expected from it but I didn't really enjoy it too much. It was still a good album but definitely not the best.

Short and pleasant.

Jam forward. Good for a moody drive or a morose dinner party. Long songs, aside from everyone's favorite with Cisco Kid. Probably going to take a few more listens to really hear the lyrics.

Pretty good and entertaining. Simple yet not basic

Nice and folksy. Plenty of harmony and simple verses.

On his first solo outing after parting ways with Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon keeps one foot in the folk-pop comfort zone while dipping the other into more adventurous waters. The familiar warmth and lyrical wit remain, but the palette expands — reggae rhythms buoy the buoyant hits “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” while “Duncan” offers breezy, strummy folk-pop and “Run That Body Down” shuffles along with a jazzy, late-night sway. The result isn’t a radical departure so much as a gentle widening of Simon’s musical lens, a record that suggests his days of pushing past the S&G template are just beginning.

I did not realize how many songs I knew off this album. It reminded me of car rides with my parents and they're rotation of three CDs. Favorite songs was mother and child reunion

A lovely collection of folk pop that allows Simon's ability to shine as a songwriter. Some aspects of the album felt a little tentative to me, but Peace Like a River was a real standout to me.

Liked the vibe, very roadtrip vibe

Favs : Mother and Child Reunion ; Run That Body Down Pas mon style de musique, je peux difficilement juger. C’est sympathique dans l’ensemble et selon l’atmosphère c’est un album qui s’écoute très bien. Très acoustique, à la Paul Kelly.

Onda campirana, me gusta lo suave de la musica pero es un disco muy yankee como otros que han pasado por aca

Pretty good.

La manera en la que el disco une el flok con sonidos latinoamericanos y africanos es magistral.

Meh. Better in the beginning and trailed off. I respect paul simon and I do think hes unique and songwriting is great. But this didnt do much for me other than the popular songs

Wasn't sure what to expect from this album Paul's soothing vocals fit very well over the combination of folk Blues and pop elements. I did find the album a little one dimensional which would be my biggest complaint but it's not a major one

Fine, didn't like it as much as Graceland

This album was enjoyable enough, I liek the mix of jazz, acoustic, folk and all the other styles. There wasn’t anything that stood too me and I don’t think I’d come back to it but glad I heard it once. 3 is fair.

Kinda boring, but feel good music.

I have a student who refuses to play anything but Paul Simon when we work in the woodshop. He steals the aux and blasts Paul Simon on repeat. The same Paul Simon songs all day every day. I don’t know how to review this. It’s all good. I don’t like much of it. The instrumental songs are great. His stories can be charming. But I would never listen to this for fun. I think it's just stuck in that place where because my grandmother didn't play this all the time for my dad who then played it for me I am lacking the appreciation for Mr Simon as a whole. Hours later, a Paul Simon song came on shuffle and my wife goes on about how she LOVES Graceland and I asked her why and she said her dad used to play it all the time because her grandmother used to play it all the time. Confirmed.

*yawn*

Some great songs but overall he's just not in my lane. Brilliant songwriter, great voice a legend but not for me.

Way better than I thought it would be! I love Paranoia Blues from it.

Paul Simon is an odd artist in that I really like a lot of his recordings, and I have seen, and really enjoyed, one of his live shows, but I have never really warmed to him. This was his first album after his split with Art Garfunkel; it's not as good as Bridge Over Troubled Water, and he would produce better albums after this. There are some good songs - "Mother and Child Reunion", "Me And Julio Down By the Schoolyard", "Peace Like A River" - some merely OK. Simon's voice and guitar playing are fine throughout. "Armistice Day" stood out for me, I like this song a lot - acoustic guitar and percussion (by Airto Moreira) which, with the addition of some horns and subtle electric guitar, builds to a nice crescendo. But, as an album it doesn't really hold together and feels like he was largely treading water while he transcended to solo work after so many years in a duo.

Easy, easy listening

Very pleasant, more intresting than most gutiar/ vocal music. Wouldn't mind listening again

Pffff aburrido y repetitivo. No mucho más que decir 5/10

Not sure, i heard this longplayer the first time. I Like Simon&Garfunkel, but for Simon solo i need more time for a Fair vote

Vibes.

Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard Peace Like a River

I'm generally a fan but this record didn't do much for me.

Ganske fint, litt mixy

Paul Simon is a bit of a musical blind spot for me. I know he is considered a musical legend. But for me it’s a bit vanilla, a bit sanitised. Was going to score him a 2 but think this is probably a little unfair and not reflective of his talent as a songwriter (?). He can have an extra star for marrying Princes Leia, every schoolboys fantasy (if you were born in 1972)

Not shite, but not really my go-to thing. Pleasant enough sonically but requires a specific mood. It goes a bit reggae at points, which amounted to the more interesting and uplifting aspects of the album. Thumbs in the middle from me, might re-evaluate down the line.

Diverse sounds but so is the quality of song writing

A few classic songs and a lot of filler

2-3

Prefer his work with Garfunkel. Julio is a highlight but quite middle of the road otherwise.

I like this a fair bit, but it feels that for the most part, Simon had not yet found an independent voice that was distinctive from Simon and Garfunkel; this feels very much like Bridge Over Troubled Water II at points. This means it feels like Garfunkel is lacking from the record; I would have welcomed his voice. The exception here is Me and Julio, where it feels like Simon is covering new ground, and is the strongest track on the album by far. A strong three, almost a four.

me when "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" came on: IT'S THE SONG FROM THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS also I really liked "Peace Like a River"

Pretty good for a debut, solo, album. I know he has the years as Simon & Garfunkel, which I preferred, but this is still solid. A few good hits, but nothing that will stick with me, except for just how impressive his voice is in general. Favorite song: Run that Body Down

This was an alright listen. Nothing particularly objectionable about this album, though it was a little wierd and a little sleepy.

The story telling and melody are lost on today's music.

num fede nem cheira

eh normal hein... mas flerta bastante com outros estilos, num esperava isso nao

Puzzled on this one. A high three?

Me and Julio is amazing The rest is pleasant but not really essential

Not his best. There are a lot of diddly half songs

Wanted to love this more as some classics on here showcase his writing and singing in finest form

Good vibe. Not my favourite in his voice, but it is a happy album

Nice album. Great songwriting, I like the variety of themes treated in the songs. I personally can’t really feel the “jazzy, latin music” influences but that’s probably a me problem. Overall, I liked it, 3,5. Wasn’t familiar with Paul Simon but now I’d like to know more about the buddy he broke up with

Me and Julio is a fucking great song

I think I find Paul Simon a bit bland. Its a pleasant album to listen to though.

Some amazing classics and some really boring stuff

6/10 This was a very nice album. Paul Simon always seems like he’s singing from the heart and there’s nothing bad on this album at all, but there’s also not a lot of songs that would be troubling his ‘best of’ selection in my opinion. Honestly, I feel this is one of those ones that’s quite an odd inclusion on a list like this. It’s not his first album, it’s not even his first debut album (although his first only had a limited release), it doesn’t really do anything that groundbreaking, as far as I can tell, and it’s definitely not his best album. His voice is wonderful, his delivery is excellent and he’s clearly a very good songwriter. I did really enjoy listening to this one, though I still think I’m more likely to pop Graceland or Bridge Over Troubled Water over this if I’m in the mood for some Paul Simon. Glad to have been handed this one on a Monday morning though. Mother and Child Reunion - Nice enough reggae track. I like the melodies and the groove, but it does seem like a bit of a white boy distillation of a relatively new (at the time) music from Jamaican culture. Duncan - This is a more classic Paul Simon cut. I do like the way his vocal melodies move. Though I like it enough, I don’t think it does anything that interesting for a 5 minute song. Everything Put Together Falls Apart - A beautiful little piece of vocal work. Lovely. Run That Body Down - Another really nice track. He has such a great voice and I do like the way his vocals don’t always stick to the expected rhythm with the rest of the track. Armistice Day - Less keen on this one. There are elements that I like about it, but it never really lands on a memorable hook. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Love this tune. This is the one I knew best from this album beforehand and it really is a standout. Joyful. Peace Like a River - Quite a tonal shift from Julio. Very pretty song with a sombre edge and some really nice guitar parts. Papa Hobo - A pleasant enough song, but it does kind of feel like we’re on a wind-down now. Hobo’s Blues - Jaunty little intermission. Paranoia Blues - A good little bluesy number. Good, but not really standout. Congratulations - A bit of an understated closer. Again, very nice, but it doesn’t really do anything to stand out.

As someone who groaned and whimpered when I saw Paul Simon, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I think the first two tracks are the best. At the end of the day though with all the songs that followed, I don't feel I would buy this but at least my dislike of his work has abated.

An interesting one.

Some good songs. Some bad songs. I will listen to it again.

I’m a Paul Simon fan but this is probably my least favourite album. This album contains more of his poppy tracks which might be alright for some but personally I like his my folky stuff. There’s enough on it though to give it more than half marks. 3/5 19/6/25

3.5

This just doesn’t grab me. I feel like he throws everything at some of the tracks when they would be better if the music was allowed to shine. He tells a good story

nice

this is the album where i learned paul simon is the same guy as simon and garfunkel. so much makes sense now.

Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Pretty mellow, enjoyed the sound of his voice.

Such a great voice, enjoyed this one.

Mother and Child Reunion: happy vibes, very american, good harmonies 5/10 Duncan: tlou vibes. storyline 9/10 Everything Put Together Falls Apart: cute. lyrics. 9/10 Run That Body Down: same but boring 5/10 Armistice Day: same but happier 6/10 Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard: very happy song. cute title. 6.5/10 Peace Like a River: same vibes 5/10 Papa Hobo: cutesy and family. 5.75/10 Hobo's Blues: something different. 3.5/10 Paranoia Blues: don't like it tbh. 1/10 Congratulations: cool and chill 5.75/10

Meh, it's a popular album with women and Manhattanites. Not really my style but I'll give it props for it's appeal to others.

Not bad, but not one that lives up to his other works in my view.

A classical album.

Very good album. A mix of blues an some Latin flavors?

First ska like song is a little odd. Duncan is a classic 60s Simon and Garfunkel type track. The next couple of tracks are pretty good as well. Other than the first track, the album starts off pretty strong, and mostly stays strong. I'm not sure I'd go back and listen to it a bunch, but I'm sure Paul Simon fans would love it. Maybe I'll throw some of this stuff on a playlist.