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Ell
Nov-14-2008, 10:51 GMT
United Kingdom


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Hearts & Bones is the last true Paul Simon solo album in my opinion with very personal songs - and we´ll never know what new heights S&G may have reached in the 80´s with an album written from scratch.
At the time of Graceland, Paul said he was not the same bloke who wrote ´The Boxer´ and I think he recruited a lot of new fans with Graceland and beyond.
I don´t really associate Paul Simon in the same way with Graceland, ROTS, Capeman etc. I associate these albums more with the music of South Africa, South America and Broadway - in my opinion they don´t come close to anything that went before.
I read somewhere that Paul had written a recent song by reverting to his Old style of writing - fingers crossed, this is a new beginning.

Ian
Nov-14-2008, 11:37 GMT
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That´s very interesting Ell. Where does Surprise fit in? I thought that Surprise was Paul´s return to a compositional style that was not linked to any other cultures or art forms. He still,on Surprise,seems to have built the tracks first,and then fashioned the songs over them,but Brian Eno´s contributions aside,the rest of the work is lyrically and harmonically,pure Paul Simon I think. Maybe,it´s the transitional piece in between Graceland etc,and the New material,such as Love in Hard Times,which seems me to be an outright return to his classic writing style.

Ian
Nov-14-2008, 11:37 GMT
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That´s very interesting Ell. Where does Surprise fit in? I thought that Surprise was Paul´s return to a compositional style that was not linked to any other cultures or art forms. He still,on Surprise,seems to have built the tracks first,and then fashioned the songs over them,but Brian Eno´s contributions aside,the rest of the work is lyrically and harmonically,pure Paul Simon I think. Maybe,it´s the transitional piece in between Graceland etc,and the New material,such as Love in Hard Times,which seems me to be an outright return to his classic writing style.

Ell
Nov-14-2008, 12:33 GMT
United Kingdom


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Hi Ian

I think there have always been cultural influences in Paul Simon´s music from the beginning e.g folk, gospel, reggae, jazz, but the predominant sound of his albums in the 60´s & 70´s were acoustic guitar based.
When Graceland came along, there seemed a definite lull in acoustic influenced songs for me. Don´t get me wrong, there are songs like Graceland, Under African Skies that are good acoustic based songs but as an album, it doesn´t work for me. And so it went on through ROTS with drums / percussion being the predominant sound etc. I think ´Cool Cool River´ â?¦live, is amazing!
Paul has recently said, I think, that he has returned to sitting down with an acoustic guitar and making a song from scratch - hopefully without the influences from individual guitarists and drummers and sound landscapists.
I think I mean that his influences have not been the best for my liking in the last twenty years.

mog
Nov-14-2008, 15:00 GMT
Canada


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Yeah, I had never thought about this...H&B as a solo record that would have prevent (or delay) the world music projects...interesting indeed !

If history would have followed this path, I would not be here writing today...being hooked with Graceland and ROTS.

By the way, does anyone have any clue about the non-success of "Citizen of the Planet" released a few years ago as a new S&G track ? I mean...it is not a song in major leage, but it is quite nice and appealing. It looks as (another) missed opportunity.

Maybe they did not want any promotion done with it, no to fuel any interest in a new record from them.

Andras
Nov-14-2008, 16:12 GMT
Hungary


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Ell, I think You´re The One was also an album without any influences of a particular land or musician. Off course there are some of the Graceland and ROTS musicians playing, but they play Simonian :). Anyway I think that YATO is an acustic album.
YATO is anyway my favoite album (with Surprise) and I am very sad it is so under-estimated everywhere, including the people on this forum. (No problem, I mean, we are different.)
For me H&B - YATO - Surprise is a straight (OK-OK) line

Ian
Nov-14-2008, 16:19 GMT
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I don´t know Mog,I´m embarrassed to admit not knowing actually if ´Citizen...´ was even released as a single,and furthermore,on what medium do people buy singles these days,as CD´s,or downloads???

Ell
Nov-14-2008, 16:27 GMT
United Kingdom


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Yeah Andras, I remember someone said to me in 1983-4 that they could not believe where Paul Simon had gone with ´One Trick Pony´ - an album I personally like a lot - and how they were relieved that ´Hearts & Bones´ was a return to what they admired about Paul Simon.
´You´re The One´, I think, came very close to a return for me to the Paul Simon I admired during the seventies - but as you say the musical influences were still there.
Having read the above views on Surprise, I will listen again with fresh ears.

mog
Nov-14-2008, 16:43 GMT
Canada


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YTO was a solid set of Simon songs that are not related to any territory(geographical/musical) since Graceland. Still, I have always seen it as a very clever way of summarizing what he has learned thoughout these years.

Personnaly, I cannot say that it is a reminder of Simon was doing in the 1970. Every album is different and that is the my personal force of attraction toward Simon´s music.

YTO in my mind is superior from Surprise. Yes, the latter is rich, textured, researched, but it seems forced sometimes. Also, it is not as compeling as previous work. If you are still to convince, play Surprise and then Graceland back to back and see on which you feet start to dance.

Ell
Nov-14-2008, 17:05 GMT
United Kingdom


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Well, under certain circumstances, I like dancing to Paul Simon´s music -Graceland / ROTS.
But on the whole I prefer to listen, learn and hopefully be moved by the experience - Still Crazy / Hearts And Bones.

DannyJ  
Nov-14-2008, 21:40 GMT
United Kingdom


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We just need to give Suprise a little time... Remember Hearts & Bones is about 26 years Old now, and was a complete and utter flop when it was released, but now an all time favourite of many (including me).

OTP the movie has never been commercially released in the UK, it was that unpopular, but I Love the album to bits.

Even Graceland was hugely unpopular in certain sections of popular culture, but given a little time the PS genius starts to shine through... Surprise will Surprise us all I think.

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