Graceland [ECD] - Paul Simon > Reviews > A Benchmark For World Music

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Brilliant musicianship,superb evocative tracks
Disadvantages:	On e or two weak tracks

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

When first released in 1986 the Graceland album was very controversial. Paul Simon had eschewed the trend of boycotting South Africa for his own policy of positive engagement with the country and its musicians. This was a time when Nelson Mandela was still a prisoner on Roben Island and trade sanctions existed banning products being supplied to or bought from South Africa.

Fortunately common sense won through and Simon had a huge world-wide hit with Graceland. This was deservedly so as the album was the first commercially successful fusion of western pop music with traditional ‘world’ music. The market trend for music from obscure countries began here and influenced many artists from Bowie to Adam Ant who used Burundi rhythms on many of his early records.

The album brought to greater prominence Ladysmith Black Mambozo who were attracting attention as an a capella group singning traditional African songs. Hugely successful in South Africa, their blessing to Paul Simons project was immensely important. ‘Homeless’ is a track which evokes that sound and was written by Simon in conjunction with Joseph Shabalala the lead singer with the group. The group also features on ‘ Diamonds On the Soles Of Her Shoes’. On this track and others the brilliant guitar of Chikapa ‘Ray’ Phiri is heard. Phiri was the member of a South African band – Stimela – but the beauty of his playing lifts this album like no other.

The album featured other artists unknown at the time who went on to international stardom. To find Los Lobos Simon did not have to venture beyond LA but Youssou N’Dour was unknown outside Senegal before helping out on the upbeat ‘ Gumboots’

‘The Boy In The Bubble’ uses an accordion to develop its melody and this used Tao Ea Matsheka a Lesotho group to provide the musical accompaniment. This was released as a single as was ‘Under African Skies’ which is a typical South African type of work song or one song in a communal arrangement.

Some tracks work less well in the context of a world music album such as ‘You Can Call Me Al’. In itself a good track which featured a comedic duo of Simon and Chevy Chase in the video but hardly with a compelling argument that it was a ‘world music’ track. The title track ‘Graceland’ more closely evokes such sentiment. The driven bass has the light singing guitar of ‘Ray’ Phiri over the top. A track which sounds as fresh today as it did 15 years ago.

‘Graceland’ is one of the most influential albums of the past 30 years. Not just for Paul Simon but for the collaborating artists and world music generally. It is hard to imagine where Radio 1 presenter Andy Kershaw’s career would have been without Paul Simon having created the path for him to walk down.