Paul Simon's 2000s was by some measure the most underwhelming period of his career. Even in comparison to the 90s that had the spectacular failure of The Capeman and its accompanying album, he at least opened the decade with the truly brilliant The Rhythm of the Saints. Simon's 2000s was spent putting out what is by some measure the most ho-hum of his projects, first with the unambitious but still somewhat lovely You're the One, and then the Brian Eno-produced Surprise six years later that failed to do much outside of thoroughly underwhelm. After this, though, Simon took his typical multi-year break, and in that time he returned to his original songwriting process in the 70s - less based on rhythm, written on guitar, and focused on melody. When Simon returned in the new decade with So Beautiful or So What, it was the true and proper comeback from Simon that critics and fans alike awaited. So Beautiful or So What is Simon's best record in two decades, filled with memorable melodies, interesting and varied production, and a brilliant running theme of spirituality and death. Paul Simon at the age of 70 was still pushing the barrier of his own music, and the results on this album are his best since Rhythm of the Saints.
Usually, the best of Simon's work comes from his ever-present desire to experiment with new sounds and ideas - even from the beginning with his flawless '72 debut, he was toying with genres and sounds that reached beyond his folk palette. So Beautiful or So What continues in this tradition, and I find much of it to be his most daring record since Graceland in '86. Simon's admiration for West African music has never died, and while we still get flavors here, there's plenty of other influences from outside places - hints of folktronica permeate the album's ethos at many points, and unlike Surprise which often sounded painfully lifeless, So Beautiful or So What is bubbling with energy and flavor. Paul Simon even samples some audio recordings throughout the album, and it's done remarkably well on songs like the opening track "Getting Ready for Christmas Day" or the mysterious "Love and Blessings". Much of So Beautiful or So What is the proper way to bring Simon into the modern age, and Phil Ramone's brilliantly clean production does wonders throughout the album.
Lyrically, So Beautiful or So What not only is his finest in decades, but its thematic consistency and themes borders on concept album - there's consistent lyricism about spirituality, humanity, and the afterlife on the album, and it makes for a fairly emotional experience at points - "Questions for the Angels" is one of Paul Simon's most beautiful tracks in his lengthy and powerful career with some of his most philosophical reflections on love, life, and the mystery of life - it's a very moving moment amidst what is already a deeply profound album. Few writers can perfectly picture the working class struggle and "money matters weighing" on someone like on album opener "Getting Ready for Christmas Day", which is a cynical and yet incredibly catchy song; just don't expect it to inspire any yuletide joy. "The Afterlife" begins many of the album's themes proper, and Simon's cynical depiction of a bureaucratic heaven is incredibly palpable somehow - "You got to fill out a form first, and then you wait in a line." The brilliant pairing dichotomy of "Love and Hard Times" is not only one of Simon's best written love songs, but it contains a powerful reflection on God's relationship with man in the first verse. Many other subtle cases of religion and humanity flavor the album, from the prayer on "Rewrite" to the acknowledgement that "life is what you make of it" on the title track. It's a brilliantly written album through and through, showing yet another hallmark of Simon's creativity.
At the time of its release, people were quick to acclaim So Beautiful or So What as his best since Graceland, and in many ways So Beautiful or So What may be. It's a thematically brilliant and poignant album that contains some of Simon's most daring work in decades, as well as a beautiful evaluation on life and what comes afterwards throughout. Simon's 2010s is off to a proper start with yet another brilliant album - if his legacy hadn't been secured by now, So Beautiful or So What should do the job. It's a late-stage masterstroke from one of the greatest songwriters ever.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to So Beautiful or So What.
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