Now, it should be noted that I believe 80s syndrome plagues a lot of records - keep in mind, this album came out in the year of Pipes of Peace, so the cheese would be easy to add on. Even still, Simon's work maintains some semblance of taste and humanity, save for the incredibly cheesy "Cars are Cars" that serves as the penultimate track - maybe I just don't get it. Simon still bravely wears a lot of different colors of music on himself throughout Hearts and Bones, from his typical folk rock stylings and influences to dashes of calypso ("Think Too Much (b)"), sophisti-pop ("Train in the Distance"), and even new wave ("Think Too Much (a)"). You would think that it all sounds like someone trying to keep up with the times, but Paul Simon swaps between genres so earnestly and effortlessly that it plays like a genuine attempt to do new things - many of these moments even point at what's to come for Paul Simon in a few years, although that's a review for another time. Simon's musicality and love of other music has never been something he's turned away from, and on Hearts and Bones he's as varied and bouncy as he was on his '72 album - no doubt high praise.
Lyrically, Hearts and Bones is his sharpest since Paul Simon, and there's very little doubt in my mind. In the wake of marriage problems with Carrie Fisher, the result is an album that is deeply personal, reflective, and in many ways poetic. The opening "Allergies" immediately ropes you in with some of the albums more depressed themes - "My heart is allergic to the woman I love and it's changing the shape of my face." Many of the songs play off a certain acknowledgement of the marriage, including the brilliant title track or the gentle "Train in the Distance." Other moments are more light-hearted, like the cheery "Song About the Moon" showcasing Paul give a little tip to all you budding songwriters - write a song about the moon. The best moments hang with a certain nostalgia, though, such as the story-telling of "Train in the Distance," the John Lennon tribute in "The Late Great Johnny Ace," and "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War," the latter of which may very well be Paul Simon's greatest musical accomplishment - a simply beautiful song that captures a scene and emotion so pure and human that it serves as the greatest display of his talents. Beautiful.
If it weren't for one serious low-point, I would wager that Hearts and Bones is one of Simon's absolute best, and it is still his finest work since he kicked off the last decade with his '72 self-titled album. Simon's inventiveness and bravery to explore other genres is infused back into him, along with a narrative brilliance and poeticism that hasn't been seen since that '72 self-titled album. Would it have been better as Think Too Much with Garfunkel? Well, we'll never know, although some recordings still exist with Garfunkel - those are worth seeking out and hearing, if only out of curiosity of what could've been. Still, Hearts and Bones is a brilliant and proper beginning to the decade, and showcases hints of what is to immediately follow - Simon is going to Johannesburg.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to Hearts and Bones.
Comments
Post a Comment