 "Good but not classic" | 2008-03-28 |
| - Reviewed By rickholly@nac.net |
| I know I'll catch heat for this opinion but here goes. I always thought this album was very good, not great, but original in concept and execution. In my mind a great album is one of those can't live without, desert island albums. Albums that I play often over a period of many years and must have in my collection. I bought this album on vinyl when it came out and played it often for about six months maybe a year. I just bought a used copy of it recently and played it for the first time in many years. While I like the sound quailty and the unique arrangements, these songs just don't stand the test of time for me. I would give it four stars for originality, musicianship and technical sound quality but take away one star because half of the songs are just ok filler. Just my opinion. Paul Simon has made better albums than this. |
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 "Still incredible" | 2008-03-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: AATP6Y64VVGUK |
| I bought the album in 1986. A few years later I bought the cassette for the car. I recently bought the cd. I still love every single song. Wow. |
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 "Paul Simon is a poet" | 2008-02-13 |
| - Reviewed By clasonde |
| I love this CD. I've played the "Graceland" track over and over. It's been my favorite, although "Under African Skies" is outstanding. The man is clearly a poet -- maybe a genius. |
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| "keep your feet still if you can" | 2008-01-05 |
| - Reviewed By bunny-wabbit |
I wore out my original cassette recording, so how nice it is to have this enhanced cd.
Hearing again the powerful vocals of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, takes me back to the days of the 'Free Nelson Mandela' campaign, prior to the end of apartheid in 1991. |
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| "Just something good to listen too" | 2007-10-27 |
| - Reviewed By simons_2000 |
Decided to buy this album after procrastinating for what seems ages. One of my better decisions. I played it to some of my students that I teach photography. Who's Paul Simon ? some of them asked. They have their taste now.
The Boy in the bubble track is great listened too when cooking or working. The accordion in the background is a real great part of this track. The album is fun too listen too, brings back some great memories of my childhood living in Zambia.
These are the days of miracle and wonder ! enjoy the album |
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| "sounds even better on CD" | 2007-09-21 |
| - Reviewed By User: A32WXXRHJLX0WJ |
| Graceland is a brilliant piece of music; I once had it on cassette only but replaced it with the purchase of the CD. Sounds even better and I will always love it !! |
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| "Graceland by Paul Simon" | 2007-08-26 |
| - Reviewed By mccoys13 |
| I bought this album when it first came out and just purchased the CD. It is no doubt the best work ever done by Paul Simon. It is timeless. |
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| "The best Album so far" | 2007-07-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3IB6MM3WC1K0V |
| Several years ago I purchased Graceland as a Cassette Tape and have since lost it. It was after Simon's induction in the Gershwin hall of fame program on TV that I realized how great the music of Graceland was. We have "Surprise" and, although I love the lyrics, the melodies don't stay with me as much as Graceland. I then purchased the CD of Graceland. When I want to be in a good mood, I play it. |
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| "Shining like a national guitar!" | 2007-07-21 |
| - Reviewed By User: ACZZGG30O4RD |
Graceland is probably Paul Simon's last largely received work amid a truly prolific, terrific musical career. Although his most recent album "Surprise" is deservedly garnering much attention, "Graceland" will remain timeless forever. Its difficult to say difinitively which is Paul Simon's best solo album, afterall there are so many great ones. I am partial to "Hearts and Bones" and "You're the One" myself. Its like trying to pick the top five most magnificent crown jewels from the Tower of London! But this one must find it's way to a comfortable spot in anyone's top 5 of Simon.
Opening with "The Boy In the Bubble", I must confess not one of my favorite tracks, however a good song and universally well liked; it begins with a drumming of accordion unusual for Simon but well used throughout Graceland. This, morphed with a core beat that can't help but remind one of something strangely disco create a sound that, at the time, must have been cutting edge for Paul. Its unusual to me, but it works. Following is the title track, perhapse the best one in Simon's illustrious career, "Graceland". This is a fine song and if you haven't heard it in it's entirety, you should. These sample tracks are good, but you can only descern so much from them. "Graceland" deserves for everyone to hear it once, afterall when you mention Paul Simon to someone they will ultimitely say something like "Oh yeah, Graceland right?" His last, best song. "I Know What I Know" is humorous, entertaining Simon's more comical side as we all know he has one. Great fun, and slightly African sounding. "Gumboots" is perhapse even more fun, one of my favorites here. The lyrics, the reappearing, wheezing accordion in the background. It's just one of those fun songs. In the next track Simon puts on a slightly straighter face for "Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes". It openes slow and vocal, just Simon and the appearing Zulu singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo with which he collaborated in this album for the slight African feel. A really cool song, and if you're lucky enough to purchase this album version with extra tracks, the demo with dominant base guitar is better. Many people will say that "You Can Call Me Al" is a 'weird' song. Maybe so, but you have to agree that it's also good. Like so many of these songs it is once again fun. "Under African Skies" and "Homeless" are the two predominately African style songs, both calm and enjoyable. "Homeless" is particularly good where we get the best view of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. "Crazy Love vol. 2" is graceful with it's guitar chords, and lyrics are as good as usual. "That Was Your Mother" skims the surface of cajun zydago influences of Simon and his version is also quite good, the same with "All Around the World".
And that's it save for the bonus songs, which are all demos and all enjoyable. This album piloted the group of foreign sounding musical themes that ensued, followed by "The Rhythm of the Saints" (South American), and "Songs From The Capeman" (Puerto Rican). I recommend checking them both out if you like Graceland. With a great artist like Paul Simon, you aren't bound to come across too many rotten apples!
Enjoy. |
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| "Has there ever been a finer album?" | 2007-07-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2G9JJ0EI0JVIA |
Paul Simon peaked with this masterwork. He will never return to this form.
"Graceland" is without equal. "Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes" is an idiosyncratic tour-de-force. "You Can Call Me Al" -- well, you already know that one.
If I had to rate all the CDs in my collection, this would be in the top three or four. It's so far beyond Simon's prior works, and so much better than today's dreck, it's difficult to explain. |
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