Album Reviews

Last Record Store Day Sony/Legacy reissued three Paul Simon albums: his eponymous solo debut (not counting 1965's U.K.-issued Paul Simon Songbook), There Goes Rhymin' Simon and this record. While all three are musically fine, if you're thinking of buying just one, my vote goes for this one.

Here's why: All three were cut from analog tape by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed at RTI. Musically and sonically Paul Simon is an album worthy of any record collection. It has the classic "Mother and Child Reunion" recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, "Duncan" with Los Incas, recorded at C.B.E. in Paris and even a track cut at Western in Los Angeles. Roy Halee and the late great Phil Ramone are among the engineers. Players include Larry Knechtel, Hal Blaine, Joe Osborn, Ron Carter, Airto Moreira, etc.

For fans unsure, this album demonstrated that Simon could sing his own songs and be successful without Garfunkel. The original Columbia pressing mastered by George Horn and released in 1972 sounds terrific. A DCC Compact Classic edition (LPZ-2060) is best avoided because of questionable EQ choices (sorry Steve). The bass is tubby and slow and the upper miss have been noticeably pushed. The original's rhythmic snappiness and transparency is sadly diminished. The RSD reissue is an improvement over the DCC but it falls short of the original. I emailed Ryan and he replied that the master was unusable so he cut from a copy. He cut it honestly so it sounds similar to the original, just diminished.

There Goes Rhymin' Simon was notable for "Kodachrome," which, as I recall it, was the first product placement song in pop music (not counting Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz", which was more of an a cappella throw away) and it does contain some great tunes and superb musicianship too, including "Tenderness" with the Dixie Hummingbirds, "Love Me LIke a Rock", and others plus it was engineered mostly by Phil Ramone and Jerry Masters. However, while it was well-received critically and was a commercial success, in many ways it feels like a transitional album that lacks a center of gravity. The arrangements now sound glib and dated as does the recording, which relied heavily on what sounds like the dreaded Aphex Aural Exciter that put ice around Simon's voice. Still, most artists would be thrilled to have an album this good be a "low" point in a long, distinguished recording career.

The original mastered by Lee Hulko (LH) at Sterling Sound sounds very similar to the DCC Compact Classic edition, both of which are very good, but on my system at least, the new one mastered by Ryan Smith is the best. It offers faster, cleaner transients and much tighter and deeper real bass, greater transparency and wider dynamics. So if you love this record get the RSD version. You get an MP3 download too if you want to travel with it.

That brings us to 1975's Still Crazy After All These Years, which won two Grammys for Album of the Year and Male Pop Vocal Performance and deservedly so. Musically and thematically it's more unified and centered. The title tune hit many boomers hard: "after all these years? We're too young for 'all these years'" but we weren't. By 1975 many had reached or were approaching thirty. It was sobering.

The song and album capture Simon's mood as his marriage ended and he looked back at it and his "little town" reuniting with Art Garfunkel.

The album's darker tone and songs like "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "Gone At Last" made it one of Simon's best and one that stands the test of time in every way. The engineering "gloss" on There Goes Rhymin' Simon was also cut back, making the sound too, better able to withstand the test of time. Michael Brecker's memorable solo on the title tune became most of Lenny Pickett's SNL finale music. The arrangements remain intricate and worth considering with each play.

The original was a good sounding record mastered at Sterling Sound (but not attributed to anyone) but this reissue absolutely kills it in every way. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" should floor you. Ralph McDonald's percussion (sounds like tambourine zils) is "right there" and clearer than ever. Steve Gadd's drums (he devised the part) have an impact and immediacy that the original lacks. Everything about this record is better than the original, except for the cover, which unlike the original doesn't feature raised lettering and picture. But you do get an MP3 download.

Still Crazy After All These Years has never sounded this fine.