Dead weird this. I was walking to work this morning listening to Fall of Efrafa which led me to order the Blu Ray of Watership Down at 6am which in turn led me to think of Bright Eyes by Art Garfunkel (gasps for air).
Always thought growing up they were really boring but I have really enjoyed Bookends recently. Have they really only got 5 studio albums? Iâm going to abstain only due to lack of listening to the actual albums although it is clear they have some fantastic individual songs.
Is Paul really held in much higher regard than Art?
Gone with a 4 for both. My mum fucking loves S&G so I heard a lot growing up but but I never got it at all until about a year or so ago when I gave it another go and it clicked, same with Simonâs solo stuff really, which I enjoy much more regularly. That list of PS singles is ridiculously strong, a toss up between Me And Julio and Still Crazy⊠for me but could be any of about 5 or 6 realistically. Havenât gone that deep on the S&G albums past Bookends and BOTW but am going to give them a go over the next couple of days. Clearly amazing songwriters and highly influential.
Paul Simon solo is way superior to S+G. I find the duo a bit too twee and saccharine, but on his solo records he becomes a little more acerbic, plus to my ears he just gets better at songwriting.
Iâm sure someone will be along in a bit to explain why it is bad to listen to Graceland, but it really did open a door on (South) African music. Iâve spent hundreds of hours since listening to and enjoying Loketo, Manu Dibango, Bhundu Boys, Four Brothers, and many others, and Iâm not at all sure I would have if it hadnât been for that album hitting me at a formative age. (Not setting myself up as some world music purist here - I have also spent thousands of hours listening to whiny indie sad boys and metal records about goblins).
Fives all the way. This was the setlist when I saw him play a three-hour set at the Royal Albert Hall - it was, without doubt, one of the best gigs Iâve ever seen.
It featured Paul Simon and Linda Ronstadt doing Under African Skies with the same musicians on Graceland and it is phenomenal. I used to have a video of it but itâs long gone.
anyone who loves Graceland but hasnât gone further PLEASE go check out Rhythm of the Saints, itâs got loads of the same magic.
Those two and the Songbook are all timers. Also really dig a lot of bits from across his solo catalogue but he does like to layer on the schmaltz which means full albums can be a struggle.
Paulâs still sounding great and doing interesting stuff now, this is from a few years ago
also shout out to the last track on Graceland, which is sometimes neglected but is such a banger
