After Graceland, Simon decided to extend his roots with the Brazilian music-flavored THE RHYTHM OF THE SAINTS. Sessions for the album began in December 1989, and took place in Rio de Janeiro and New York, featuring guitarist J. J. Cale, many Brazilian and African musicians. The tone of the album was more introspective and relatively low-key compared to the mostly upbeat numbers of Graceland. Released on October 1990, the album received excellent critical reviews and achieved very respectable sales, peaking at #4 in the U.S. and #1 in the UK. The lead single, ‘The Obvious Child’, featuring the Grupo Cultural Olodum, was a Top 20 hit in the UK and appeared near the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100. Although not as successful as Graceland, The Rhythm of the Saints was received as a competent successor and consistent complement on Simon’s attempts to explore (and popularise) world music, and also received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.

SO BEAUTIFUL OR SO WHAT retraces some of the diverse cultural steps Simon has taken over his long 50+ year career. ‘Get Ready For Christmas Day’ is a combination of South American and African rhythms with Simon’s characteristic powerful melody and excellent, thoughtful lyrics. ‘The Afterlife’ is a brief song dominated by wafting guitars and very few words - rather like a session interlude laced with fine wines. ‘Dazzling Blue’ is one of several album highlights with its Indian instruments and opening ethnic vocal burst. The song swings high and low with great harmonies, another strong melody and more of those distinctive guitar sounds from previous albums.

‘Rewrite’ is a funky, beats-driven song with interludes of gospel preaching and reminders of the American involvement in Iraq which has touched Simon personally. It’s another highlight on this lovely album.’Love And Hard Times’ is a blues-tinged tune and trad-styled backing vocals while ‘Love Is Eternal Light’ is a gently flowing slice of wistful pop balladry. ‘Amulet’ is a restless river of sad tales describing the loss of innocent lives; of man’s inhumanity to man.

Simon sounds as good as he always had and on this album offers a diversity of sounds and pace, with lyrics that are unmistakably of today’s desperate times, of which there is no better example than closing title track ‘So Beautiful So What’. This album must go down as one of Paul Simon’s best and 50 years on that’s something that few will ever achieve.

4.5/5

UK Tour Dates 

Jun 23 Nottingham Royal Centre, Nottingham
�
Jun 24 Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Jun 27 Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth

Jun 28 HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London

Jun 30 NIA Academy Birmingham, Birmingham
�
Jul 3 O2 Apollo Manchester, Manchester