Surprise - Paul Simon

Advantages: The Western world's introduction to African music on a commerical scale
Disadvantages: Probably not generally recieved at the time for what it was really worth..

...number 4 in September 1986, pushing Paul Simon into the pop star category for the first time in over ten years. Surprisingly based again on a South African traditional style, it came across as just another standard eighties pop based record. With the usual sax, trumpet and percussion accompliment, it seemed a great deal away from its fellow tracks from the album. Lyrically founded on the struggles of human existence, it failed to enlighten the struggles of anything other than a Western man trying to find his way around a foreign country. Each verse seems to start off as an everyday occurrence'…a man walks down the street…' Each verse continues the story from the last. A cheeky song with high spirits due to its amusing video, it was a catchy tune which had the population chanting its chorus for months afterwards… The sombre, 'Under... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great songs from three decades on two CDs
Disadvantages: Not enough room for everything!

...This is my first attempt at a music opinion and to tell you the truth it's a bit scary! I'm going to rave about one of my favourite perfomers, Paul Simon. He's the talented one from Simon & Garfunkel (some of you will like Art Garfunkel I suppose, he's just not my cup of tea). I say talented because in my dad's words "he can write songs, sing AND play the guitar - it's not fair!!"). He does all those things, and he does them all superbly well. INTRODUCTION TO THE ANTHOLOGY CD This CD is an anthology of songs from Paul Simon's albums. There are a few songs from the Simon & Garfunkel days (1964 - 1969), then the songs proceed through his first solo album (imaginatively titled "Paul Simon" 1971) and others until the Rhythm of the Saints (1989) and Concert in the Park (1989). MY OVERALL FEELINGS ABOUT THIS CD When my husband first... Read review

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Advantages: A definite classic from the 1960s
Disadvantages: Disadvantages? Are you crazy !

...THE DEFINITIVE SIMON & GARFUNKEL - CD - £14.99 new, but you can purchase used versions on amazon and other internet sites for as little as £3.49 Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are pure musicians who have left an everlasting mark on popular music. The album of 20 songs, carefullly selected by Art for this compilation completey epitomise what the duo were all about ... acoustic harmonies, soulful and haunting lyrics ... not what you would term as typical rock and roll, in an era dominated by such music. In fact, a more apt desription of their music would be "folk", which is where the duo's early influences lay, particularly from Bob Dylan and the Everley Brothers. The album sleeve is simple with a picture of the duo whilst recording, with the inner sleeve providing three pages of text, detailing some very interesting facts, such as... Read review

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