Reviews (page 8 of 14)
For some reason I can't put my finger on, Paul Simon ends up making music that always manages to be pleasant. I once heard a timeless hit needs melancholy. In that regard he manages to always marry an upbeat and cheery tune with introspective or critical lyrics. Maybe that's the key?
Good stuff
This was a feel good album, it evoked nostalgia and brought up the beautiful wonders of being a child again.
More music that is unobtrusive for the office.
5/5
I have always been a fan of Paul Simon and this album is no different. I don't think it's his best album but it's solid, overall, and has a few excellent songs and big hits.
6.5/10
It’s fine but I found it boring tbh
A musical hug. You’d have to be soulless if ‘Me and Julio down by the schoolyard’ didn’t put a smile on your face!
Theres better paul simon out there. Some good folk in here, some boring, many depressing.
3,5/5 rigtig godt folk rock sing and song writer musik. Tror sgu bare han har sat et stort. Første solo album efter at have løsrevet sig fra Simon and garfunkel. Blander folk, jazz, reggae og latin.
I had never heard any of these songs before. Paul is an amazing lyricist but the songs here fall a little flat. It lacks the harmonies and polish he had with Garfunkel, and lacks the hooks and experimentation of his later solo work. To me this is a transitionary album, and as such I question its inclusion on this list.
This is a lovely record. Not my usual thing, but I bought Graceland back in the day and liked it. The recording quality and production is very good. Pretty perfect for a lazy Sunday morning playing through the house.
Un album qui fait du bien. Très sympa.
Maybe one song sounds ok...otherwise...very flat. Will not listen again, sorry Mrs. Robinson
Nice to hear. Started with a reggae song ! Well I 've always been quite fond of Simon's early solo songs.
Rien de bien particulier mais rien de catastrophique pour autant, c’est écoutable en musique de fond
Great album. Nice balanced songs
There you go, another thing that excites nostalgics from Rolling Stone magazine and maybe old campfire enthusiasts. Even George Harrison feels punk in comparison to this. I can’t tell one track from another—at best, it works as background music for a nap. Since I don’t give a damn about Paul Simon’s sexual awakening or road trips, I also find the lyrics boring. Same for his voice.
lovely
This is so pretty. It definitely feels like listening to a genius put himself through music school. So much exploration, new styles and sounds. And, yet, it seems fairly intimate and pared down. Far from the symphonic compositions he’s known for. Can’t complain. This was a great surprise. 5/5
3 - some bangers, mostly mediocre and uninteresting songs. Album lacks a cohesive theme between songs and styles.
What an absolute gem. So many wonderful songs.
Just a fantastic record, start to finish.
Better than the previous Simon album, pleasant listening 3.25/5
Enjoyed this more than the cars are cars travesty but still found it dull in parts. Julio and the percussion kept it interesting enough to sneak a 3
A pretty good singer songwriter album (from what I would believe it is). Everything just sits nicely and the vocals are pretty cool
Second Paul Simon, starts groovy but then mellows out, but that's what Paul Simon is. Just so talented, a great storyteller, and makes for a great listen.
Love this album. Mother and Child Reunion remains a Simon favorite of mine; Me and Julio Down in the School Yard is great as well.
7.5/10 Fave track: Duncan
De la folk gentillette avec quelques délires plus ou moins réussis. Pas l'album du siècle, mais rien de nullissime.
Is this the same Paul Simon I met back in 1924?
This is a great album, front to back. It’s not my favorite solo release from Paul Simon, but it’s still worth the listen every time. Excellent lyricism, great musical accompaniment. No complaints it’s just not Graceland.
Fantastic. Classic.
Always good easy listening but not a wow I cant live without this album type of record.
Really fun, folksy and had a great time
U like jazz?
Generally a nice vibe but not really for me. I particularly liked Paranoia Blues.
Good vibes
Me when Congratulations wasn't a PewDiePie cover: 😔
I was so optimistic and then he started singing
Just not my kind of music, kinda boring to me
6/10
1. Mother and Child Reunion 2. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard 3. Duncan 4. Hobo's Blues 5. Paranoia Blues 6. Peace Like a River 7. Papa Hobo 8. Armistice Day 9. Run That Body Down 10. Everybody Put Together Falls Apart 11. Congratulations
Not bad, just boring.
Paul Simon is the standard.
Biased because I've listened to it so many times in the last year, but I've gotta give it 5 stars for its warmth, comfort, flow and listenabity.
Я могу быть старпером, но это так приятно и успокаивающе заучит. Понравилось, но скорее всего добавлять альбом в избранное не буду
кантри американщина, неплохо звучит. в начале тягомотно но со второй половины живо и чувственно, по сути гитара основной и почти единственный элемент аранжировки но при этом звучит все целостно и не скучно, что самое важное. 4
The last three tracks on the album in spotify are demos and I’m unsure whether they are part of the original release. Generally I don’t like hearing demos/duplicates/live versions along with the original tracks as they ruin the vibe of the original song for me. Overall I enjoyed this album, which has a good variety of stuff. Hobo Blues sounds like it could have been written in 1910.
Look at you in your little coat, Paul Simon! Writing songs named after 親子丼! Making up guys called "Lincoln Duncan"! Singing the classic lyric "Went to my doctor yesterday / Aaaah"! I like all of it, but other than 'Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard' (which is a 5/5 song), and 'Paranoia Blues', everything's just a little too mellow for my taste.
A handful of excellent songs and a couple forgettable ones.
Paul heeft er zin in. Altijd leuk hoe hij, voor zijn tijd, nieuwe wegen verkend. Beginnen met een potje reggae, waarom niet. Energiek, melodieus, verstild. Ik mis enkel een nummer met wauw-factor, zoals ik het een beetje van de man gewend ben.
Kort geleden kregen we Heart and Bones van Paul. Ik heb er weinig over geschreven. Want het was vooral saai. 1,5 ster kreeg het. Dit album is meer gevarieerd. Dat heb ik wel nodig. Maar de nummers blijven saai en/of vergeetbaar. Meer dan een 2+ kan ik hier niet van maken.
Onderhoudend albumpje van Paul Simon, met van alles wat. Het begint met reggae, vervolgens een Dylanesque liedje. Hij gooit er wat typisch Simon gitaarwerk tegenaan, het hitje "Me and Julio down at the Schoolyard" had zo op een Simon & Garfunkel album kunnen staan. Het tweede deel heeft weer wat meer blues. Hoewel het uit de hoogtijdagen van de singer-songwriters komt, voelt het niet singer-songwriterig aan. Het blijft gewoon allemaal aan de rustige kant van het spectrum. Maar doordat het voldoende afwisseling biedt, verveelt het niet. Afgezien van het hitje zal het wel enigszins vergeetbaar zijn, dus dan zitten we toch weer op een 3.
Pretty average album. No real stand out songs for me, but quite an easy chill listen.
Not a bad album by any means, very easy-listenable, maybe not my favourite Paul Simon tracks, although me and Julio is a banger 😎 Fav song: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Paul Simon always feels like a soft blanket and a warm cup of tea
Solid
Good music, but as always Paul Simon's unique blend of serious/funny/bluesy/folky light rock just is not my bag.
Thought I'd enjoy this more but it's not doing much for me, Mother and Child Reunion and Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard are still decent though. Can't be giving it more than 2 sadly
Primera vez escuchando un álbum de las carreras en solitario de uno de los miembros de Simon & Garfunkel. Musicalmente es muy bueno. Una guitarra folk virtuosa, y muy bien acompañada con unos arreglos simples pero elegantes. En cuanto a las letras, la verdad es que no me han dicho gran cosa. Creo que son demasiado simples, interesantes pero sin llegar al virtuosismo poético de Dylan u otros cantautores de la época. Un álbum que merece estar en la lista y una buena nota, pero no me termina de apasionar.
Glaube muss ich in der richtigen Stimmung für sein. Ohne Garfunkel aber nur halb so gut
Aber nur in Relation, weil er noch viel geilere Songs hat.
LOVE S&G together, solo album just doesn't do it for me sadly
Paul Simon hit the ground running with this, his first post Garfunkel album. It dips into various genres whilst retaining the catchy folk elements that you associate with his early career. Every song was a joy and hearing hints of reggae and world music made this album sound like a halfway point between Simon and Garfunkel and Graceland and it’s all the better for it. I ended up listening to it 3 times across the day and I will definitely be adding it to my list of albums. 4 and a half stars.
It's nice but I felt little connection to it
Paul Simon is one the greatest American song writers of all time. Everything in this album feels so fundamental to folk music. That being said, this early in his solo career he hasn't quite reached the same heights of creativity that he will with Graceland and it's hard for me to rat this as highly as Graceland - it's just not comparable. Maybe it's bias that I had this album second but it is a clear step below.
Comforting & lovely, can happily have in the background and not feel overstimulated. I like Paul's style and I think his sound is timeless!
Talented Song writer a good listen!
If the super bowl hangover wasn't putting me to sleep, this finished the job.
It was okay
Calm, easy, and comforting. Not something I'd listen to regularly, but this is a really nice record. Paul has a very pleasant voice and the instrumentation that carries it makes it an enjoyable record to listen to.
It was nothing special - songs didn’t hit.
me and julio jorking it down by the school yard
Not bad, easy listening but no standouts. Pretty much the standard candle for a 3.
Not much to say really. Washed over me.
Was expecting much more from Paul Simon here. Unfortunately found it to be dull and uninspiring. Stand out track was, Julio down by the school yard. Surprising this album actually makes the cut. Disappointing 2 stars.
Congratulations! You found this album! Now listen to it!
few good tunes scattered throughout, but nothing that really stands out and blows me away. ⭐⭐⭐ 55/100
good storytelling and a smooth delivery. good album.
Generic Paul Simon. Could have been Simon and Garfunkel. Ok I suppose. 2.5/5
3.5 stars - i like Paul Simon solo better than with Garfunkel
Pretty classic album
I have boundless affection for Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.
Very good, enjoyed how folky it was with the blues twist towards the end. Paranoia Blues was my favourite track
Such a comforting voice this album feels like a hug Favourite song: Armistice day - the little guitar shuffle and the woo-ooo-oooh
Some interesting folk tunes. Nothing quite catchy
When not being carried by Garfinkel, Simon is reduced to making white-washed reggae and bland guitar ballads. Album is a snoozefest. 1 ZZZZ out of 5
Упрощëнный битлз. Есть моменты, когда можно послушать
4/5
HAHAHAHA YAY
Good album. I particularly enjoyed Me And Julio By The Schoolyard, and Run That Body Down.
fine- I don’t mind his voice and I liked the softness of the music, quite relaxing
Luv paul simon
Some great acoustic guitar work but a bit too slow and relaxed for me. I just can't see myself ever wanting to listen to this again. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard is great though.
this is Simon from Simon & Garfunkel. Great instrumental work in the album, has ilayaraaja vibes. fav track: armistice day other picks: duncan, run that body down, me and julio by the schoolyard
I'm really enjoying the variety in sounds. The guitar work has been really fun too. I love this style of acoustic guitar playing. It's very relaxing to me. I'm loving hearing all the different instruments on this record. I also just love Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard.
Paul Simon is a genius. I think too much of his work is overshadowed by Simon & Garfunkel. I love how he just explores sounds, genres and songwriting with this record. Its kind of the opposite of yesterday's album. It's so subtle, but it's spot on. He's playing with reggae, blues, folk, country, rock & roll. I think it's far more interesting than really any of his previous work. I think this is the perfect solo album after being in a successful band. Sometimes artists go solo and put out records that are kind of showing off. Like "look what I can do without you." This album never feels over the top or even overly self involved. He has a solid band behind him, but you can really feel the vision of this record and what he was going for. It really just feels like he wanted to explore genres and sounds more and his previous band had him in a box.
Such a beautiful voice. For sure would listen again
Good album! Not super special though, would maybe relisten.
3 again so many average albums
Liking this album, which feels like Graceland in formation. Fave tracks are Mother and Child Reunion, Duncan and Paranoia Blues.
Really liked, thanks Paul. Paul!
Felt folksy. I had first heard the Julio song in the SNL parody of Wes Anderson, and then Royal Tenenbaums. I enjoyed the flutes on Duncan, it reminded me of Illinoise. Some of the songs were kind of quiet and didn't have much going on. Low 4.
This album was alright but I love Paul Simon and I love Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.
7/10 - I absolutely love Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard but the rest of the album was not as good as I wanted it to be.
Chill album. Pretty good. Liked it a lot more than Graceland
Great storytelling songs, a lot of good acoustic guitar work.
One of the great albums of its era
This is really nice, but of course the better was yet to come.
Classic but not an overwhelming listen
Looking at some of the reviews, I wondering if expectations are getting in the way of the enjoyment. A guy with a smallish tenor voice playing mostly quiet songs dominated by mostly acoustic guitar... sorry, you've got to go to him, you can't expect >2021 stylings and production to jump out at you and grab you by the throat. Seems like those into Vetiver and Iron & Wine would already be ready for this, and those who've already been through the Simon and Garfunkel catalog. Others have to try a little harder. Those who don't play guitar don't understand that Simon is doing some fascinating, unusual stuff here. "Armistice Day" in particular is a cool drop-D guitar workout, almost Leo Kottke-like, before the rest of the band kicks in. It provides some contrasting experimental haze to prepare you for the pop hit "Me and Julio...". ...and, after that, the acoustic break half-way through "Peace Like a River" (around 1:40) is incredible. I had never listened to this album before, only having heard "Julio" and "Mother & Child" before. It's interesting to grok all these early '70s Simon songs that are so solid, but so under the radar. "Peace", "Armistice" and "Duncan" stand out for me besides the hits. and hats off to the electric piano solo at the end of "Congratulations". That's the way the early 70s should end. Many commenters are comparing this to "Graceland" for some reason, a record that came 15 years later. I am guessing that album is one of the 1001 but I haven't run into it yet. I'm VERY familiar with that record. I'm not even going to BEGIN to compare a record I've heard once to one I've heard a hundred times. I'll just say that Simon, like him or not, is an absolutely 20th Century songwriting giant with a ton of classic songs, hits and gems to his name.
Some nice moments, but ultimately a little bland for me.
"Mother and child reunion" is a banger Don't understand the overwhelming popularity of "Me and Julio by the schoolyard" Rest of the album is boring
Simon without the Garfunkel. A poignant wordsmith and expressive troubadour. A wide range of influences blended effortlessly into an inconspicuously strong album.
Never quite clicked with Paul Simon in the way that I feel I ought.
Best Song: Mother and Child Reunion. I kind of wished that the whole album was reggae. Worst Song: Armistice Day. This felt cacophonous in a distracting way. Like there were three different songs playing at the same time, competing for my attention. Overall: He's got a great voice and clearly decent songwriting chops, but the album also feels like it needed more editing to come up with a series of songs that made sense with each other (and that even sounded internally consistent).
With Paul Simon, Simon demonstrated his fearless commitment to experimentation while maintaining his signature knack for melody and poetic lyricism. The album feels timeless yet groundbreaking, a perfect example of Simon at his creative peak. Add in the iconic live versions of hits like “Me and Julio,” and it’s no surprise this album deserves its place as one of the greatest works of the era. 4.5 stars for me
Very folky, roadtrip to West Virginia vibes
I think I liked this fine enough? Not sure though. Probably a 7
не зашло, обычный дженерик альбом
Another album with/by Paul Simon. Way too many on this list. When maybe one Simon & Garfunkel and one solo album (Graceland) would make sense.
released after splitting up with garfunkel, this album is relatable, peppy and introspective. i was definitely expecting something good here. i like the songwriters that write honestly, telling stories that they've most certainly witnessed and dealt with in real life. this personable material paired with the sometimes quiet, sometimes playful mix of tracks... a very solid listen i'd say. it's got a... "jugband" sound at times.
Very relaxing
Good album. Very mellow.
More Simon then Paul
Was decent, nothing stood out tho
It’s no Randy Newman but the music felt polite to listen to, don’t ask what that means that’s just how I FEEL
Man that's a slow album.
Well, here it is, my last Paul Simon album to review. My wife and I actually have this on CD, but I’ve never listened to all of it. The CD was mistakenly delivered to us by in an Amazon package, and we could never track down the rightful owner. Even though I’ve never listened to this album in its entirety, I do love “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.” I’ve loved Graceland since the first time I listened to it many years ago, and I thought Hearts and Bones was pretty good, so I have some high hopes for this album as well. The cover to this album suits the weather outside perfectly, so let’s get after it! As much as I wanted to love this album, I thought it was just fine. Paul Simon is a great songwriter, and that talent was on display on this album, but I didn’t find it that interesting to listen to. This album featured plenty of that signature folk sound that Paul Simon built with Art Garfunkel, but there was also some of the African and world music influences that Paul would utilize on later albums. The appearance of both of those styles wasn’t bad necessarily, but it just wasn’t something that I enjoyed. From a musical standpoint, I was a much bigger fan of songs like “Mother and Child Reunion” and the aforementioned “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.” The cuica on “Me and Julio” was fantastic, and I love the guitar playing as well. There’s such an infectious energy on “Me and Julio” that makes it a blast to listen to. “Mother and Child Reunion” has a lot of those African music influences that I love too, especially the way the organ and bass guitar sound together. From a songwriting perspective, “Peace Like a River,” “Run That Body Down,” and “Armistice Day” were my favorites. “Peace Like a River” was particularly great, because Paul Simon took his folk writing roots from the sixties, but gave it that pessimism from the seventies. Overall though, this album just doesn’t feel terribly cohesive to me, and there were too many moments on it that were a little bland for my taste, and that’s why it lands in the middle of the road for me.
Some lovely songs but on the whole didn't grab me
What a weird and awesome mishmash of sounds! I had only heard Me and Julie Down by the Schoolyard from this album previously but I dig all of this!
Solid, but we all knew that.
Nulla a che vedere col duo, ma carino
It's fine. Unremarkable. Never been on board with PS so. Moving on.
Not bad, not great.
One of my favorite singer song writer. Smooth and easy listening. Great album. More please.
It is one of my law of live events that - Dylan excepted - one person and their guitar is rarely enough to hold my attention for more than a couple of songs. And so it is here, the ones with a band are excellent, the ones without are, well early 70s singer-songwriter. On the whole three stars, but individual track ratings rarely a three.
Amazing record, one of the greats
This did nothing for me, other than working as background music. On positive note, Me and Julio is a great song though
It was fine. Sort of thing I'd expect in a coffee shop. Inoffensive background music with the occasional toe tapper.
Again, it’s grand. Alit is stuff in here could have been Simon and Garfunkel in a different time. Couple of highlights, Me and Julio has always been a favourite.
A nice listen but not particularly memorable
Superb
Enjoyed it but it felt like it didn’t capture my attention on both listens. Duncan & Me & Julio are great song though.
I like Paul Simon, I liked the opener and I liked some other bits, but graceland is way better
Fun playful and a bit folksy. Paul Simon is great.
I surprised myself and liked this one.
3/5. It is a very quiet album and close to the heart. I think this works wonders in the more soulful songs but not all songs on the album are great, got some skips in there despite the short length of the album. I guess I lose interest after some time and it doesn't hold up as a front to back masterpiece like other albums Simon is involved in. Best Song: Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard, Peace Like a River, Duncan
Me and Hilary down by the schoolyard
Simon without Garfunkel just isn’t my thing; Duncan is the one redeeming track for me (I’ve always found Me and Julio completely insufferable and this listen didn’t change that 😂)
Probably over-indexing because it's the first listenable album this week.
Delightful and calming, who can deny Paul Simon
“Duncan”, “Peace Like a River” and “Congratulations” are so beautiful that this gets four stars from me even though I actively dislike a lot of the lyrical content
5/5
5/10. feeling indifferent. I liked Run That Body Down. that’s about it.
Couple of songs were heaters
Very chill old school vibes. I like it when he doesn’t speak raggae.
I liked the music, not the lyrics.
Not the best workout album 3 It's missing something...
During Armistice Day, I thought he sang "Oh, i'm weary from waiting in Washington D.C., I'm coming to see my congressman, but he's a boy to me" and I thought WOAH an interesting lyric?? Then I looked it up and the line was "but he's avoiding me" and that's when i realized this album is poop
Strong, very relaxing and calming.
Verses sung coolly Of not so plot driven tales With lax acoustics
Not typically a big fan of soft rock or singer-songwriter. But this had some good vibes and some quality vocals. It just felt like it was missing something. Garfunkel maybe?
Paul Simon - his music is lovely, some of his best hits are classics. Nonetheless, most of his music just doesn't hit me with all that much joy. Still, a decent album
10/10
Not bad at all. Vibes are upbeat chill.
Love this album
It's weird because I don't like this. The arrangements are too harsh, especially the drums and perhaps the tempo and even the violin!!! Too fast, too loud, too annoying, a bit plain. It's just weird to picture Paul Simon with this kind of style, probably because I've listened to too many Simon&Garfunkel. Melodies are beautiful as usual, The lyrics aren't bad (folk rock after all, I value lyricism). An overall 2.5/5. My favorite tracks are "Duncan" and "Peace Like a River".
Interesting mix of material that is still very reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel (like Duncan or Peace like a River) and that which is markedly different (like the opening track Mother and Child Reunion and Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard for example). Most of the rest of the tracks are arranged fairly simply but have a different feel than your average Simon and Garfunkel track; jazzier/more soulful & a little more laid back & personal/conversational. 3.5⭐️
Beautiful singer songwriter. 5/5
Me and Julio and some other songs.
Meh
genre: folk and a lil white man reggae. this was a fun listen and i quite enjoyed it!
I love Paul Simon, one of the greatest songwriters of all time. But just his voice without the harmonies of Garfunkel has never had the same emotional affect on me. Still a damn good album, "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" is a song that I have so many good memories tied to, I can't not like this album.
a sweet little album. Me and Julio is a great song, but not the only gem. Liked Run That Body Down, Armistice Day, and Peace Like a River as well. The reggae rhythms of Mother and Child Reunion clearly foreshadow Graceland.
A pleasant listen. Peace Like a River stands out as something special.
The first entry by Paul Simon! I found myself liking this one a lot. It has a good mix of softer folksy sounds and upbeat jams. Simon's voice is also really nice- he has a distinct sound. Overall- very good album
🎧Love the flutes on Duncan. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard one of the best songs Simon’s ever written.
Paul Simon's album of the same name. I really liked this album. A good variety for a singer/songwriter. Lots of storytelling and painting pictures in an approachable way. The song order wove a tapestry and ended with what seemed like a conclusion.
First full album of Simon that I have listened to. Really enjoy the variety, lyrics, and Paul’s voice.
It was a bit weird lyrically but still fun and enjoyable to listen to
Very nice to listen to. His lyrics were thoughtful and interesting without being pretentious and annoying which hasn't happened very often on this list (cough cough Bob Dylan). Voice sounded really good. Instrumentation was very nice and had some nice variety to it. Overall very nice listen. Album cover is a little weird but nothing crazy.
folksy, mellow. just not my thing
Fantastic album...Me and Julio, Mother and Child Reunion and Armistice Day are killer, the rest is totally fun and listenable. Short and to the point and immaculate.
I've liked quite a few of the Simon and/or Garfunkel albums on this list, but this was a big step up. A perfect Saturday Afternoon with this album. Great vibe and not a bad song among them.
Mysigt album. Tycker man hör hur mycket han var av Simon & Garfunkel.
I’ve not listened to a lot of Paul Simon’s work, but from what I’ve heard before I’ve enjoyed. I can see why this one is on the list. Great stuff.
Fine. It was fine.
downloaded 1,2,3,4,5,10&11. relaxing drawing sesssion truly enjoyed this albums company
Very folksy and chill. Banjos and shit. 2 tracks in though and it's apparent the lyrics are dogshit. Boring story telling. It's actually starting to piss me off how dogshit the lyrics are. I'm assuming the problem is he was too young to have lived much of a life or done anything interesting.
A very relaxed and mellow record. I enjoyed the overall sound of the album, but I'm not a big fan of the slow paced and randomness to the lyrical structures, for me the record misses a good flow. The songs do fit together well and the feel of an album is apparant, I like the conscious approach to writing music that Simon has and he manages to discuss important topics. Overall a fine album, which has an important message, but for me lacks in structure. Favorite song: Congratulations. Overall score: 6,1/10
Surely nice, but not my kind of music.
Good but not my type of music, one song saved
so chill
# Album Name: Paul Simon # Artist: Paul Simon # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Mother and child has a slight reggae vibe to it. Interesting. Wasnt expecting that. Pretty average album. two good tracks. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Nah.
No es mi estilo
Classic
Very nice, I like his tone in his voice. Plus his songwriting is always impressive, good story telling. I like the dash of latin and maybe like almost reggae that plays in a few tracks. Good stuff
No lo encontré terrible, muy buena composición y letras agradables. Pero nada que ver a mí. Aprecio que usaron cuica en un tema folk, una anomalía. Un 5/10.
74/100.
Ce serait le premier album solo de Paul Simon, suite à la rupture professionnelle avec Art Garfunkel, parti jouer à l’acteur. Très belle intro d’album avec une chanson reaggae (« Mother And Child Reunion ») et une deuxième chanson folk vraiment très belle (« Duncan »), avec des guitares très country et harmoniques et une flûte qui accompagne les refrains. Un disque qui s’écoute vraiment très bien, avec plusieurs chansons folks douces. Gros coups de cœur pour le sujet et le texte de « Run That Body Down » et pour la grande et rythmée « Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard », que je connaissais et aimais déjà beaucoup à cause du jouissif film « The Royal Tenenbaums » de Wes Anderson.
It gets an extra star for winning me over. Would listen again, really good music as much as I was biased against it! Hooray for broadening my musical horizons :)
3.5
3+/5
I don't think much of paul simon
It was... okay. A bit lackluster, comparing to previous Simon & Garfunkel's albums, or probably because I listened to too much folk lately. Either way, Mother and Child Reunion was lovely. 3.5/5
Car cd kind of album!
Probably the weakest Paul Simon/Simon & Garfunkel album that’s come up so far, but it’s still a cut above many other artists on the list. I count Mother and Child Reunion, Duncan and Me and Julio as the three standouts, but Run That Body Down and Peace Like a River aren’t too far behind, while Hobo’s Blues is delightfully short ’n’ sweet. 3.5
I will admit I was partially distracted when I listened to this album, so this isn’t the fairest rating, but I did like what I heard. Lots of great bluesy folksy stuff, and of course “Julio” slaps every time. Still, none of the songs really stood out to me as especially catchy. Overall, it was an enjoyable listen for what I was doing at the time of listening, and I’d be curious to re-listen at a time when I’m able to truly take in the words.
Sorry to the Paul Simon fans, but every track is either boring or a bit cringey
Both of my parents were big folk music lovers, so I've heard this album many, many times growing up. As an adult, hearing it for this project just made my day. Excellent work here. Paul Simon writes the words about emotions that I have but can't put to words.
Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard
Blah blah boring blah, but respect anyway...
Good stuff. One of the best singer/songwriters. My favourite was Peace Like a River.
Simplemente un discazo. Paul hace canciones inteligentes, tiene una voz preciosa y los arreglos son perfectos. ME ENCANTA quiero seguir escuchándolo.
3.5 very solid
Nojoo rillutirallati. Ei iskeny mut yleensä lämpeän muutenkin parin kolmen kuuntelukerran jälkeen et ehkä tää formaatti ei oo ideaali mulle. Tai pitää vaa enemmän palata kuuntelee uusiks.
Lots of variation. It sounds too polite, though. Great for wallpaper. If you pay attention, you can hear that it's very well made. Still sounds like wallpaper. Favorite song: Armistice Day
Not my cup of tea, 2.5
Paul Simon is incredibly talented as singer, songwriter and guitar player. This is not as good as some of his later work or records together with Art Garfunkel, but still great.
I thought it was good but I'm pretty easily excited by albums that sound cute and lively like that. In hindsight, the lyrics weren't incredible and none of the songs were super memorable for me.
Pretty good. I like Paul Simon.
I enjoyed it and will try and listen again
Standout tracks: - Mother and Child Reunion - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
i liked it. pretty good. i like the instrumentals
нудятина же
I dig it. A little goofy at times, but tasteful overall.
78% Best: Mother and Child Reunion; Run That Body Down; Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard; Congratulations Must-Hear? Not quite
Ese fue un Fun Little album, la pase bien, simple, divertido, me re gustó. Total del album: 74
I give it a 3.5, definitely could grow for me going forward. Nice subtle folk and pop, the masterful way Paul Simon does it.
Mjög falleg plata hjá Páli. Ótrúlegur lagahöfundur og góður að soga að sér sköpunarverk annarra, for better or worse.
Paul alltaf ljúfur og fínn, sérstaklega með Julio á skólalóðinni.
First solo album. Reggae vibes. Some lovely folk. Cozy. Nice and mellow. A bit boring.
booooring... but nice
Cute!
Songs i knew:0 Songs i liked:2 or 3 A load of solid tracks on here, guessing he was heavy on the weed when he written that reggae number and paranoia blues. Much better than bridge over trouble water, he was well better without that other prick. High 3.
Enjoyed this. Didn’t blow my socks off but there’s some decent tunes on here, a couple of which go fairly hard for acoustic songs. Me and Julio down by the river is a nice little ditty with a bit of swing to it, and Peace Like a River has some cool riffs. The lyrics to Paranoia Blues remind me of going through security check in Schipol airport. Overall, not bad. Best tracks: Me and Julio, Peace Like a River, Paranoia Blues
I'm a big fan of Simon & Garfunkel and whilst I miss Art's harmonies on this its still a solid album. Even the reggae tinged songs didn't feel too cringe. Especially on Mother & Child Reunion. Belter song. Some of the album tracks are a bit lacking that classic S&G sound and just meander around a bit. Thinking songs like Everything Put Together Falls Apart and Run That Body Down. Armistace is a bit messy. Highlights: Mother and Child Reunion - Reggae can be alright sometimes. Me and Julio - Slaps. One of his all time best. Papa Hobo - Fun little ditty Paranoia Blues - love that slide guitar Lowlights: Everything Put Together Falls Apart Run That Body Down Congratulations Bit of a mixed bag but a nice listen. Quite a stoned sounding album and misses some of the orchestral touches of his other work. Feels quite demo-ey/first take at times. Great sunday morning album though.
No complaints, but didn't really speak to me either. Paul Simon is a very good songwriter that seems to be known for everything save putting his heart in what he does, despite making beautiful music. At least that's how he comes off to me. I remember listening to Graceland when I was 13 or 14 because my mom bought me an issue of NME or Spin or one of those magazines that wrote a retrospective on it, and being thoroughly confused by what the big deal was. Being older hasn't really changed that feeling, I guess.
It’s Paul Simon but not the best. This has less to do with the individual songs and more to do with the feel of the album as a whole, which seems a bit scattered. Still some great songs: "Mother and Child Reunion," "Run that Body Down," "Armistice Day," "Peace like a River," "Papa Hobo," "Congratulations." "Me and Julio" is not very good, however, tho it sticks around, and "Paranoid Blues" works as a homage to the American blues but not a fantastic rendition.
Highlight: Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard In a nutshell: dabbling in a bit of everything Paul puts folk rock from Simon and Garfunkel on the backburner and tries out blues, roots and light reggae. It doesn't sound like he's appropriating the genres either. It's good, just not his best. Overall: 5/10
Nope
Nice
Nice
Not half bad a bit boring though. Some good word play worth a relisten for the lyrics, a few songs at least.
A very Paul Simony album. Peaceful and toe-tapping at times, but largely background music.
This felt disjointed, and still quite bland. I think Paul was trying too hard to pretend he was not trying. He should have saved his energy, and skipped making this.
A simple and well-made album. Have a close personal connection to this album as this was the first album my father bought after I was born. He tells a tale of listening to this album nonstop for the two weeks after I was born while he was taking care of me at home. Paul Simon having his first chance to be on his own, his music became a little funky or a little groovy, a little less folk, singer, songwriter and got blues and world music and it is really appreciated.
It was okay
Primer disco en solitario Vendrán otros mejores. Excelentes 8 de las 11 cancioes.
Now THIS is the Paul Simon I've been waiting for. Much more of the singer-songwriter vibe I was hoping for in the other two of his albums I've had thus far (#81 "Hearts and Bones" and #211 "Graceland"). I think really what I want from him (and what a lot of people probably want from him) is just more Simon and Garfunkel. And that probably frustrates the hell out of Paul Simon. But that's his problem. The elements of funk, world music, and folk that he weaves in here are, while a departure from what he'd done prior, welcomed because they're intertwined so seamlessly. They feel like they fit and they should be there as part of his sound. It's like the natural evolution from what he'd done with Garfunkel. This is an easy four stars. Close to five, really it was. Hell I'll even say it's really four and a half stars, but. I have to round that down here. It's like I said above - all I really want from him is more Simon and Garfunkel and this is the closest I'm assuming he ever got to making a record like that by himself. So I can't give it five because it isn't what I wanted it to be. Bummer. Standout Tracks: Mother and Child Reunion, Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Armistice Day, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Peace like a River, Hobo's Blues, Paranoia Blues
Nice
Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 😐🧥🐻 Production: 🎧😐🆗 Music: 🎤🎶🌍🌳✨🥱 Rating: 🌳🌳/5
I had very low expectations for this as I was expecting some waffle folky nonsense, I was wrong and surprised, its got a bit of rock, a bit of ska, a bit of blues, its good stuff
Nice.
I really enjoyed this!
This is good. Peaceful. It's simple, but it makes me happy. And it feels like a much better stylistic choice and vibes for Paul than Graceland. I do miss Art, but this works really well on its own. Favorite Song(s): Run That Body Down
прикольно, но не удивил
pretty tame but very pleasant
Great vibes. Love Rhymin Simon
I like Paul Simon but I don't love him. This is a nice album though
The best Simon & Garfunkel album ever made.
Meh.
I did not like ot at first, but it grew on me. A BIT TOO OLD FOR MY TAST- but the lyrics were nice, and his voice is like MMMMM.
Gemmy
Nothing stood out, but not bad.
Tämä on kerrassaan hyvä levy, ja sopivan erillainen verratta S&G-osastoon. Reggaefiiliksetkään ei oikein haittaa mua. Tekisi mieli antaa febonen mutta ei tää ihan sinne riitä. Mitä vitosesta uupuu? Ehkä joku megaluokan klassikkobiisi vielä, en oo varma! 4/5
Mukavia kappaleita levyllä. Paul Simonin musa on kyllä sellainen turvallinen säkkituoli.
I have a theory that the older you get, the harder Paul Simon hits. My Standouts: Mother and Child Reunion, Me and Juilo Down by the Schoolyard, Peace Like a River, Congratulations
Pleasant but mellow. Could have used a little more Julio.
I never listened to the full album so there was new experience for me here. All generally pleasant.
Some amazing tracks and some very average ones. Wish he had just gone full melodic.
All the elements of what you are going to get out of a Paul Simon record...a mishmash of styles, all tastefully and respectfully adopted, with thoughtful songwriting...especially on the chord profression side. 3 chords and the truth this is not.
не, 1
Really liked this one. Pleasant and cohesive sound, reminded me of a lot of the best parts of different genres. And I generally like Paul's voice :) Some are a bit boring but overall good listen. 4/4.5
Thank goodness for Julio hanging out by the schoolyard. Without him this album would be a stone cold one star event.
This was wonderful. It encapsulates a lot of what Paul Simon did beautifully in this phase. Its a combination of really good pop songs, but with added musicality and breadth. Me and Julio is one of the og's.
One of the best songwriters, in my humble opinion. I was familiar with the hits, but hadn't ever listened to the entire album. I don't know that I would dive into the deep cuts again but it was an enjoyable listen. 3.5/5.
high 3
Great album, really showing how he retained the authenticity from his early days in Simon and Garfunkel and grew as a songwriter, composing more complex and interesting songs about even the simplest of subjects. Also great because it marks a beginning of his move towards world music with interesting rhythms and sonorities
terug een mooi album van Polle
My father was a fisherman. My mama was a fisherman's friend. Favourite track: Duncan.
A singer-songwriter that excels at both
I made it a few songs in and it’s what I expected. Music for old white men to pay their bills to
Throw in the hits and stuff some solid songwriting around them and you have yourself a Paul Simon album. I really do like ‘Duncan’ and enjoyed the demo version of ‘Paranoid Blues’. Nicely heard.
Knew some songs but never listened to entire album. Have to say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Great production and songs had a lightness to them. Will definitely be listening to this again.
duncan旋律真的好好；好像很久以前有听过他和另一个人的组合
70s god
Que lindo es escuchar música sudamericana hecha por este hombre
Nada que un buen disco folky de un enano no pueda resolver
It's good, but I'm certain I could defeat Paul in the octagon.
Paul Simon is one of my absolute favorite songwriters so of course this is gonna get a 5. The man's a poet.
Bit boring for my taste.
Had a real feel of an album written by someone in the last few weeks of the gap year they’ve mainly spent playing the guitar next to campfires.
Quite enjoyable with some catchy tunes, one or two 'hits'. Probably not something I'd listen to again.
What an opener! Only for the vibe to drop for next five songs :( Me and Julio… was another false dawn. The man can really write a song, but for me some of these just dragged
Ohhh not another man from the seventies. Thankfully this was slightly different to the sounds we have had before. I was pleasantly surprised by the opening track and I liked Duncan. I was only familiar with ‘me and Julio’. Quite a jolly album, makes me regret giving Eagles 3. Not something I’d listen to again but perhaps the occasional song.
Prefer this more folksy approach to the pop of Graceland in lots of ways. Not as strong as the strongest S&G, but contains some timeless classics (Mother and Child, Me and Julio).