Emily: Paul Simon's musical style can best be described as "troubadour." He learns stories of people, places, emotions, and events, and retells them in song. He did it with Garfunkel by keeping the music minimalistic so the listener could focus on the story in the lyrics. Here, in his mid-'80s solo career, he takes a slightly different path. Inspired by apartheid-era South African township music, Simon broadens the scope of both his lyrics and his music. He draws from African pop music and instrumental styles and incorporates them with American pop and rock, creating a unique sound that tells a global story.
Favorite Tracks: Graceland; You Can Call Me Al; Crazy Love, Vol. II
Zack: This album featured not only Paul “I’m involved
in 6 albums on this list” Simon, but a bunch of people who make appearances in
the world genre of the 1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before Your Time on This
Earth Ends. Because of that, I could see it being a great intro for someone who
wants to get into sub-Saharan music but doesn’t just want to jump right in with
some Fela Kuti. Considering it sold only like a billion copies, it clearly must be pretty accessible to Western audiences. But, for me, it was kind of
underwhelming. I think a large part of that is that we play the lead single –
You Can Call Me Al – at work so I’ve heard it enough times to like the song and
then develop a burning hatred of it. Not even Chevy Chase could redeem this
song in my ears. I probably need to listen to the album again to digest the
lyrical complexities that Paul Simon is known for, but after a first listen I
was kind of unimpressed.
Favorite Tracks: Graceland; All Around the World or the Myth
of Fingerprints; Under African Skies
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