Aided by Italian electronic musician Cristiano Crisci (aka Clap! Clap!), Simon mixes Afro-pop grooves with celebratory samba, gospel and fingerstyle acoustic guitar.
Underpinned by his compositional grasp, assured yet playful, Stranger To Stranger offers a smorgasbord of lyrical flourishes as the erstwhile troubadour ranges from witty, insightful tales of suburban murder, to nightclub gatekeepers, to ruminations on time.
• Paul Simon. Stranger To Stranger. Concord Records.
• Four and a half stars (out of five)
Single download: Cool Papa Bell
For those who like: Warren Zevon, Randy Newman
- Shane Gilchrist
