Title: Paul Simon, world music impresario
Product review: Tellingly, the tracks that I skip over most are the ones which have too much of Simon's stamp on them - 'Boy in the Bubble', 'Crazy Love', 'Myth of Fingerprints' (both of these latter tracks are frankly mediocre). It's in places where the musical setting is heavily borrowed that the album is excellent: the zydeco charm of 'That Was Your Mother', the heavy African flavour of 'I Know What I Know' and 'Homeless'. Lyrically, Simon has had better days, but he does creditably on tracks like 'Graceland' and 'You Can Call Me Al'. If there's one thing this album achieved, it was the opening of the ears of much of the world to sounds they had never heard before; and if bringing 'world music' (what an ugly term) into the mainstream was the saving grace of Graceland - well, that's not a bad achievement. I'd also recommend the less radio-friendly but equally strong 'Rhythm of the Saints'.
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