Produced by longtime collaborator Phil Ramone, Paul Simon's So Beautiful or So What features guitarist Vincent Nguini, percussionist Steve Shehan, backing vocals from Simon's wife, Edie Brickell, and his daughter, Lulu, and a generous helping of the bluegrass group Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.
Number of discs
1
Reviews
Rolling Stone (p.71) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[F]ull of heavy business: life's meaning, beauty, brutality and brevity....It's his best album since 1990's THE RHYTHM OF THE SAINTS, and it also sums up much of what makes Simon great." Rolling Stone (p.68) - Ranked #3 in Rolling Stone's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "[Simon's] best album in more than 20 years..." Entertainment Weekly (p.86) - "[T]he GRACELAND-ic guitar figures still emphasize rhythm above all....Spirited spirituality is his goal these days.' -- Grade: B+ Uncut (p.32) - Ranked #29 in Uncut's '50 Best Albums Of 2011' -- "[A]n impeccably crafted, erudite and rueful collection of songs that tackled spirituality with both sureness and lightness of touch." Billboard (p.32) - "The album's songwriting and sound are deceptively complex, gradually revealing their intricacy with each listen. It's natural and earthy, with acoustic instrumentation and percussion to the fore."
