every once in a while i'll be posting musical influences and discoveries on this blog, recorded from my turntable into my laptop (if you're interested in hearing more like this, check out my blog the thickness of the ghost).in the modern re-writing of music history by critics and bloggers Paul Simon is all too often passed over or glossed over, too big to see clearly with his massive catalog of hits. however, there's a period of Paul Simon's creative history that i feel goes musically and lyrically deeper than any other, and that's the three albums he made right after parting ways with Garfunkel. the best of those three is his first solo album ever, his self-titled "Paul Simon".
on "Paul Simon" he strips himself down, using minimal or no percussion, and despite bringing in some interesting instruments (bass harmonica? what the heck?) he relies mainly on his acoustic guitar, crafting beautifully intimate songs about the struggles of current relationships, drugs, and just living life. this track, "Peace Like A River", is one of my favorites. the guitar solo in it's off-kilter rhythm and classical style is unmatched, and the simpleness of the lyrics and melody work as good as anything he's ever done. sorry about the scratchiness - i've listened to this album probably more than a few hundred times:
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