Paul Simon and Brian Eno make a record together

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NY Times:
Paul Simon's first new album in six years, "Surprise," will be released by Warner Brothers Records on May 9. It was produced by Brian Eno, the studio innovator who has worked with U2, Talking Heads and David Bowie, among others. "Working with Brian Eno opens the door to a world of sonic possibilities," Mr. Simon, left, said in a statement. The album will also feature appearances by Herbie Hancock and Bill Frisell.

― Eazy (Eazy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:21 (twenty years ago)

Hmm.

― Eazy (Eazy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:22 (twenty years ago)

woah - color me VERY intrigued! strange i haven't heard any murmurings about this, it's the sort of thing that makes PERFECT sense without being an obvious teamup.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:25 (twenty years ago)

http://www.calltorenewal.org/Images/special/simon.jpg

― timmy tannin (pompous), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:25 (twenty years ago)

This should be the Scott W. album title except w/a "!"

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:26 (twenty years ago)

Logic guess:
bad record, but the best of Simon.

― con, Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:50 (twenty years ago)

Not entirely surprised. Eno talks about how much he loves Graceland in his diaries and how his initial reaction to it was wrong. More intriguing that Simon has taken up the chance to work with him.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 30 March 2006 06:56 (twenty years ago)

Paul Simon's first album in six years, "Get Me Some Water Or I'll Bugger Your Git," will be released by ZTT in nine different sleeves. It was produced by Brian Higgins, the studio innovator who has worked with Girls Aloud, Saint Etienne and Rachel Stevens, among others. "Working with Mr Higgins opens the door to a world of sonic possibilities, but don't forget - Clunk Click every trip!" Mr Simon, centre right, quipped at a press conference. The album will also feature appearances by Michael Barrymore and Cecil Taylor.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 30 March 2006 07:02 (twenty years ago)

You're The One is pretty underrated - it's a good mature pop record to listen to alongside Randy Newman's Bad Love. Both records have some incredibly dense pop songs, structurally and lyrically.

― Eazy (Eazy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 07:07 (twenty years ago)

six years is fast for him. wasn't there 11 between the last 2?

he's ace is paul simon.

― piscesboy, Thursday, 30 March 2006 09:35 (twenty years ago)

Marcello, why aren't you writing comedy?

― ratty, Thursday, 30 March 2006 09:47 (twenty years ago)

Awesome!!!

― strom (strom), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:33 (twenty years ago)

Man, I would so love a combination of the first Paul Simon solo album and Eno's Hassell collaboration.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:24 (twenty years ago)

Maybe I can get my older brother to listen to Brian Eno this way.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:54 (twenty years ago)

"Get me a cutting edge young dance producer! Like Eno!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:14 (twenty years ago)

yeah, well nile rodgers and philip glass were involved w/'hearts and bones,' and a fat lot of good that did. I'm still excited to hear this, just wish it was produced at least 25 yrs ago.

― bangelo (bangelo), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:17 (twenty years ago)

Hell, imagine thirty years ago. It's 1976 and Paul Simon gets Eno to produce his album and Herbie Hancock guests.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

that may have been what Simon was imagining

― Dominique (dleone), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Has Mr Eno ever said no to the $$$?

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:35 (twenty years ago)

I don't think Dollar ever asked Eno to produce them. They thought Trevor Horn was hipper.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 30 March 2006 14:38 (twenty years ago)

yeah, well nile rodgers and philip glass were involved w/'hearts and bones,' and a fat lot of good that did

That song was great! All it needed was Alfa Anderson shouting "GOOD TIMES!" in the background.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:03 (twenty years ago)

way off topic, but did anyone else have the misfortune of seeing ladysmith black mambazo perform "homeless" on TV sometime recently w/Sarah McLachlan

sorry to bring that up

― bangelo (bangelo), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Hey, 'Hearts and Bones' s a great song (even if the production on the rest of the LP is one of the early Synclavier casualties). Who's better than Paul Simon at writing pop songs with two bridges?

― Eazy (Eazy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:08 (twenty years ago)

oh therell be chuckles aplenty in the studio that month I tell you.

― Good Dog (Good Dog), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:09 (twenty years ago)

xposts

well, i was implicating the album more so than the song itself

― bangelo (bangelo), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:10 (twenty years ago)

more info here

http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/06-03/30.shtml#enosimon

― sovietpanda (sovietpanda), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

He fit the suit.

http://sixmeatbuffet.com/images/garfunkel.jpg http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/profiles/images/enobrianmain.jpg

Actually, I'm kind of excited about this.

― brianiast (briania), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:34 (twenty years ago)

Let's list things Eno and Simon have in common! Starting with:

1) Love of doo wop
2) Love of African music
3) Bald
4) Worked with Adrian Belew
...

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Let's think of other artist-producer pairings that would make unliked-by-ILM baby boomer icons suddenly palatable.

I'll start: Mick Jagger with Scott Storch.

― Eppy (Eppy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:52 (twenty years ago)

Yanni with Timbaland.

― qwerty, Thursday, 30 March 2006 18:32 (twenty years ago)

Burt Bacharach and Dr. Dre. Oh, that's been done?

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Thursday, 30 March 2006 18:34 (twenty years ago)

I'll start: Mick Jagger with Scott Storch.

Well, does working with Wyclef start?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 30 March 2006 18:37 (twenty years ago)

My Life In The Bush Of Art Garfunkel's Head

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 30 March 2006 18:40 (twenty years ago)

Panthalassa: The Music of Janis Joplin

― qwerty, Thursday, 30 March 2006 18:40 (twenty years ago)

maybe Eno will duplicate that backwards You Can Call Me Al baseline, but "ambiently".

― Wrinklepaws (Wrinklepaws), Thursday, 30 March 2006 19:17 (twenty years ago)

"Burt Bacharach and Dr. Dre."

which one of these guys is the unliked-by-ILM baby-boomer icon?

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 30 March 2006 19:37 (twenty years ago)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a256/erklie500/BOWIE2.jpg

― erklie (erklie), Thursday, 30 March 2006 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Mick Jagger and Larry Storch.

― ken berry, Thursday, 30 March 2006 20:04 (twenty years ago)

"Burt Bacharach and Dr. Dre."
which one of these guys is the unliked-by-ILM baby-boomer icon?

-- hank

Dre.

or alternatively lack of sleep made me confused.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Thursday, 30 March 2006 20:22 (twenty years ago)

Well, does working with Wyclef start?

Good lord no. I bet Mick gets more props than Wyclef from ILMers.

― Eppy (Eppy), Thursday, 30 March 2006 20:25 (twenty years ago)

hahaha erklie that rules!

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 30 March 2006 20:26 (twenty years ago)

Paul Simon is ace! Fuck anyone who says otherwise and make them listen to "Slip Slidin' Away" on repeat until they repent and bow to its majesty!

― regular roundups (Dave M), Friday, 31 March 2006 04:46 (twenty years ago)

Art Garfunkel is responding by putting out a new album with the Neptunes and Wayne Shorter

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Friday, 31 March 2006 04:50 (twenty years ago)

Awesome.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 31 March 2006 20:43 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

I really hope this isn't crap. But the last by each was pretty disappointing.

Still, could be a pleasant . . . surprise. groan.

― I.M. (I.M.), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 02:22 (twenty years ago)

I love brian eno and all, for who he is and some of his music . . . but what has he done recently musically that's worthwhile?

― andrew b (klik99), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 03:26 (twenty years ago)

Cat Stevens new album to be produced by John Paul Jones.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 03:31 (twenty years ago)

Unfortunately at this point Simon needs a) songwriting help and b) something to make his music exciting. Lots of people can add "sonic possibilities."

― someone let this mitya out! (mitya), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 04:03 (twenty years ago)

I'd like to see Brain Enormous collaborate with The Bomb Squad. That could be excellent don't you think?

― ratty, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 04:21 (twenty years ago)

Paul Simon needs songwriting help? Based on what bad songs/records?

Anyway, new songs streaming here.

― Eazy (Eazy), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 04:30 (twenty years ago)

Kinda meh. Lyrics a bit corny. Production sounds like typical AAA "contemporary songwriter" stuff but with some subtle touches that redeem it.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 04:57 (twenty years ago)

The subtle touches are, at first listen, one of the few things this really has going for it. Not used to Eno recording with a tenor singer. Usually he records singers prone to falsetto or sonorous baritone.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Saturday, 6 May 2006 13:25 (twenty years ago)

Not feeling the four songs on Simon's website. Appears to have captured the worst of both worlds.

― PeopleFunnyBoy (PeopleFunnyBoy), Saturday, 6 May 2006 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Have checked out a few of the tracks now and I'm surprised by how much I like them. The lyrics are a bit flat and poetry-by-numbers in places, but the whole thing works fairly well if you imagine it as a followup to Hearts and Bones. I also like the over-the-top self-referentialism and blog-speak ramble of some of the lyrics, eg - "Thing about the second line - You know, 'Felt like a fool'?" It's kind of an earnest and wanky direction for him, but it beats spinning his wheels and frankly, we Paul Simon fans sort of want him to be earnest and wanky, it's part of what appreciating his whole career is about.

I don't know if I'll buy it, because nothing is REALLY sinking its teeth into me and there are a few wince-worthy moments, but I'm far more interested than I ever was in either of his last two records.

"I don't pretend that I'm a mastermind with a genius marketing plan."

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 6 May 2006 14:10 (twenty years ago)

i heard one song on the radio and it was pretty meh.

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 6 May 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

Allmusic is quite enthusiastic:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:jtk9ikxfbb39

anyone else heard it?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 13:16 (twenty years ago)

Simon was on NPR yesterday-

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5388038

― a serious fellow, Tuesday, 9 May 2006 13:50 (twenty years ago)

oh hey, this is out? cool.
oh hey, this is really good? cool.

― sixteen sergeants, Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:16 (twenty years ago)

actually this is basically exactly as good as I imagined it. rock on, everyone involved.

― sixteen sergeants, Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:20 (twenty years ago)

It's very much a modern Brian Eno production job in line with Laurie Anderson's Bright Red/Tightrope. Very clean, strongly defined contours, oddball touches thrown into the mix. It's got more backbone than I expected. I like it... hard to say if I'll be listening to it in six months, but it's good. Some of the lyrics are a bit on the dubious side, but credit given for producing something even this listenable after forty-odd years.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 20:39 (twenty years ago)

I want babcock to berate Simon re: violating the UN's cultural boycott 20 years ago!

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 20:50 (twenty years ago)

I want babcock to berate Simon re: violating the UN's cultural boycott 20 years ago!

Marc Anthony Thompson did a pretty good job on "Monkeytime":

I taped the black man, so let me be
South Africa been so good to me

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 21:00 (twenty years ago)

Hey, 'Hearts and Bones' s a great song

Yes, it was. Like the rest of the album.
Philip Glass and Rodgers/Edwards contributed nil to that one song though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 21:23 (twenty years ago)

Wednesday, May 10, 2006; Washington Post Page C05 -- Chris Richards
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/AR2006050901615.html
SURPRISE

Paul Simon
Excerpt from the review--

" Call him Al, Rhymin' Simon, a rock, an island, whatever . Just don't call it a comeback. Paul Simon's latest disc, "Surprise," is a confused exercise, sorely lacking focus and melody. In other words, it's a dud, Bud. . . ."

― curmudgeon (DC Steve), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 10:32 (twenty years ago)

The new 45, 'Father & Daughter' (?), is tremendous - sparkling, sly, sprightly. I was quite bowled over by it. That was before I heard that Brian Eno was involved.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 12:37 (twenty years ago)

Very impressed with the audio on Simon's site. Production reminded me of all those 'comeback' Daniel Lanois productions (Oh Mercy, that Robbie Robertson one) but is better, I think.

Only thing I could have done without is 'Wartime Prayers', but even then Eno knows what a cliche a full choir is and does some nice flange on it.

Simon is in excellent vocal form on this one, and the unexpected changes on the melodies are nice.

I love brian eno and all, for who he is and some of his music . . . but what has he done recently musically that's worthwhile?

I think the last few ambient records are great, but they didn't exactly get a wide release. The last solo record wasn't bad, but including a ten-year-old song on it was pretty lame.

― Brakhage (brakhage), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 23:07 (twenty years ago)

Just don't call it a comeback.

ugh! stop!

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 23:10 (twenty years ago)

I heard Father & Daughter driving into work this morning, it reminded me a lot of 'Hearts And Bones'.

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Thursday, 11 May 2006 11:12 (twenty years ago)

Though Father and Daughter is the only track that wasn't an Eno collab. it was from the Wild Thornberry's soundtrack

― mms (mms), Thursday, 11 May 2006 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Pitchfork is pissed that Simon continues to write songs even though his craft doesn't seem as dazzling as it did when they were children

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Thursday, 11 May 2006 12:27 (twenty years ago)

I think my favorite part of the Pitchfork review is the notion that there's something new about Simon's lyrics being profoundly self-focused. Has he ever even written a song without "I" in it, except maybe "Mrs. Robinson"? Presumably the idea is that you either follow along with him and relate to whatever journey he's on - youthful alienation, 70s wanderings, divorce, raising children, settling down into comfortable but restless optimism - or you don't and find it indulgent. I'm a fan and usually can dig it.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 11 May 2006 16:16 (twenty years ago)

"It appears Simon is still narcissistic after all these years. While that's not inherently bad, here it's ill-advised."

Surely the above passage from my review communicates the opposite notion: that Simon's lyrics have always been profoundly self-focused, but here it doesn't work. No?

― marc h. (marc h.), Thursday, 11 May 2006 17:24 (twenty years ago)

initially i'd say "interesting" production, although it's not really that interesting in actuality. i'm hoping the songs will be growers - i'd love another good PS album - but i'm not expecting anything. i'm not yet convinced there's anything inherently bad about these lyrics, it's just that the tunes aren't there.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Thursday, 11 May 2006 19:28 (twenty years ago)

Surely the above passage from my review communicates the opposite notion: that Simon's lyrics have always been profoundly self-focused, but here it doesn't work. No?

Yeah, well, uh....I never said I could read or anything.

Mea culpa. I'm still hesitant, though, just because I feel like what's at issue here isn't Simon's ability to lyrically convey where he's at in life, but the position he's at itself. I think he's dead-on with a lot of the stuff on this record - it's just that he's dead-on in capturing being a sort of bland, over the hill guy with some spiritual yearnings left in him. I mean, pull out Hearts and Bones, which has plenty of frankly inept lyrics strewn throughout its greatness, but since he was writing about loneliness, divorce, desperation, murder, etc., it has a lot more drama and is more apt to seem arresting. I imagine the dad-rock audience will find plenty to relate to here.

Of course, that's not really Pitchfork's audience and I'm not really demanding that you heap praises on MOR adult singer-songwriterism, but I do feel like the deck is somewhat stacked against him - no matter how much skill he applies to his narcissism at this point in time, it won't "work" because we're not in his demographic.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 11 May 2006 20:49 (twenty years ago)

I'm getting bored of reading about Eno's "dated" production. Whip out Hearts & Bones or, better yet, Still Crazy After All These Years and you'll hear awkward manipulations of Synclavier technology on the former and plinky cocktail electric-piano on the latter. Another thing: when did everyone run out and buy HAB? Seems like everyone refers to it as their Favorite Underrated Simon Album these days...

After several listens I'm convinced that the sequence running up to "Wartime Prayers" are the best bunch of songs Simon's assembled since The Rhythm of the Saints. The middle does drag though.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 11 May 2006 20:57 (twenty years ago)

Well, since you must know, I bought Hearts and Bones at the consignment record warehouse in Athens sometime in 2001 or 2002. So did everybody else, actually. It was on sale.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 12 May 2006 15:27 (twenty years ago)

All of his solo CDs were re-issued last year with bonus tracks - Hearts and Bones has a solo-acoustic demo of "Train In The Distance" that's just beautiful. (The reissues seem to be running about $18.99 in stores, but the bonus tracks are for sale on iTunes.)

― Eazy (Eazy), Friday, 12 May 2006 15:40 (twenty years ago)

I think he gets to the universal through the specific - so it can seem narcissistic, but it seems like he's doing what Robert Hass and Sharon Olds do as poets - taking mundane daily details as a starting point, ending up at lines like

What is the point of this story?
What information pertains?
The idea that life could be better
is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains.

― Eazy (Eazy), Friday, 12 May 2006 15:43 (twenty years ago)

I was just underwhelmed by the first performance on SNL.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 14 May 2006 03:12 (twenty years ago)

But I did enjoy seeing what appeared to be one of Superman's molemen in one of the sketches.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 14 May 2006 03:48 (twenty years ago)

But now he's back, and the antics of the G.E Smith wannabe guitar player standing stage left are gonna give me nightmares.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 14 May 2006 03:53 (twenty years ago)

>>G.E Smith wannabe guitar player standing stage left are gonna give me nightmares

― blaine, Sunday, 14 May 2006 07:01 (twenty years ago)

Don't let the thigh-hugging crimson stirrup pants, massive ginger fright wig and glue-on lambchops fool you. That was GE Smith. He was actually banned from SNL by Lorne Michaels in '99 and so had to wear this elaborate disguise to get back on the show. (Dude also put on a lot of face weight!) The smarmy mugging was a dead giveaway--guy can't help himself. Word is, GE and Eno cherry-picked Paul's current backing band. Did you check the sessile 9-string bass player? Classic. Also, that _was_ a bearded--and greatly thinned-down!-- Dennis Farina hitting the skins. Now that Law & Order has wrapped for the season, he's officially on tour with PS. Little-known factoid: Farina was the original drummer for Sonic Youth; he was replaced by Richard Edson right before SY recorded their eponymous EP with Wharton Tiers. Supposedly Farina passed the baton when he thought he was up for a recurring role on Miami Vice as a violent Cuban drug dealer (alas, that was not to be).

― blaine, Sunday, 14 May 2006 07:20 (twenty years ago)

You know, I like Eno a lot, but I just don't think I want to see him do a record with Paul Simon. Sorry.

― honorary joy division roadie (Bimble...), Sunday, 14 May 2006 08:07 (twenty years ago)

haha best post ever

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 14 May 2006 08:19 (twenty years ago)

It's still early days, but I think I might end up liking this album a lot. It's sort of unfortunate that the last track is on there, because it's undeniably more immediate, and that can give the impression that the rest of the album is too dense or vague. But in fact I'm just loving the general atmosphere of the whole thing...it feels crisp, and definite, and yes, probably more like Hearts And Bones than anything since. I think since Rhythm Of The Saints, Simon's been wallowing in a slight aural mush, production wise. And while it's a lovely and comforting aural mush, it's still nice to hear him come out of it. His voice sits well in Eno's spaces, I don't think it feels forced.

I haven't even started to get a handle on it lyrically yet though.

Which song(s) was/were the SNL ones? Don't suppose there's a youtube knocking about anywhere?

And which track has Herbie Hancock on it? I've not spotted him yet.

― JimD (JimD), Sunday, 14 May 2006 09:24 (twenty years ago)

Hey guess what guys? This is a good record.

― sinful caesar sipped his snifter (kenan), Monday, 15 May 2006 04:38 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000F0UV1S.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

FUCK YOU

― Dave Depper (Dave Depper), Friday, 15 September 2006 22:53 (nineteen years ago)

How many doors did Graceland open for black performers? eg. Ladysmith Black Mambazo being relatively huge.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

How is this song in the synthesizer department? Simon's writing never fell off, IMO, but when he uses synthesizers it just doesn't sound right.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

There ain't a lot of synths on this record. Have you heard it?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 16 September 2006 01:27 (nineteen years ago)

the album is okay but not as good as it should be.

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 16 September 2006 03:53 (nineteen years ago)

but probably better than i expected

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 16 September 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

"How is this song in the synthesizer department"

should read "How is this ALBUM..." unfortunately I have not heard it yet.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Monday, 18 September 2006 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

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