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