When Paul Simon’s solo album was first released it was heralded as a ground breaking masterpiece, and I couldn’t agree more. This album really shows a fantastic ability to try something new, the varied use of instruments and styles creates an amalgamation of amazing songs all superbly unique. With fantastic rhythms and beats that have a clear heritage in tribal music that at points is directly sampled, light rock melodies and the soft gentle tones of Simons voice combine beautifully in these songs that lyrically attack and embrace concepts of life, death and love as well as highlighting issues prevalent at the release and that still hold now. At times these songs can become crowded with all the instruments and backing choirs become crowded such as the chorus of I Know What I Know. Also I find that the ups and downs of the differing tempos, sometimes with in just one song, make the album a little disjointed. Diverging from these few and slight criticisms it must be said that the points that are god are simply exceptional blowing those critiques out of the water. The music is not just music it here, it is a tool of discussion, it is artistic expression, it is a symbol of youth, it is a example of amazing talent. The lyrical content is nothing to be sneered at with their intellectual comments amongst wonderfully catchy verse and choruses. I think however the thing that stands out most about this album that whilst being artistic, expressive, explorative, innovative, intellectual and a musical masterpiece it is fun. The songs are irresistible and have you moving with their tunes whether you want to or not, their light nature and fast beats put a smile on your face, and the lyrics happily embrace the silly and nonsensical. The perfect example is You Can Call Me Al; though not necessarily the best on the album (my personal being Gumboots) it encapsulates the spirit of this album. What is the spirit of this album? Life!
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