'Morrissey 25: Live' DVD arrives next month

This just in: Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Morrissey 25: Live on Oct. 22 on DVD, Blu-ray and Visual Digital Formats.

Bonus features include four exclusive tracks recorded in a studio session: “The Kid’s A Looker;” “Scandinavia;” “Action Is My Middle Name” and “People Are The Same Everywhere.”

There’s also a mini “Behind The Scenes At Hollywood High” feature, plus a segment titled “Grissle Bandage Present Lord Mudslide” with features actor/comedian Russell Brand’s introduction to the Hollywood High School show.

Here's my review of the recent theatrical release...

Los Angeles is among Morrissey's largest fan bases in the world and primarily serves as his adoptive home. So it made perfect sense to shoot the former Smiths singer's first official concert film since 2005's Who Put the M in Manchester there last March.

Still playing in select cinemas across America, Morrissey 25: Live From Hollywood High provides a good primer on why the outspoken Brit continues to draw extreme fan devotion a quarter century after launching a solo career.

The main concert runs 92 minutes and starts with various backstage scenes as Moz (his affectionate moniker) performs at the sold out Staples Center right before a far more intimate, Hollywood High School Auditorium (capacity: 1700) gig.

All tickets were snapped up for the latter in less than a minute. Fans are shown sporting their tribute tats and speaking about the effect his music has had on their lives.

"Viva Mexico. I'll never forget my alma mater," says the singer, before launching a great 19-song set, with (what else?) "Alma Matters" and other tunes he doesn't play too often.

"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" is driven by Jesse Tobias' careering guitar lines, while the slow building rocker "Irish Blood, English Heart" and "November Spawned a Monster" come across as intense as ever here.

Morrissey reaches out to shake hands with concertgoers (including a 9-year-old boy, who eventually gets onstage and is held by him) throughout and gives the microphone over a few times to them.

Crowd shots are ample, but the focus is primarily on the top notch band, including longtime guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Boz Boorer. A constant back and forth between a fish eye camera angle that frames Moz from below is only a minor distraction.

The dramatically elegant take on The Smiths' "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want," utilizing mainly soft electric guitar and piano, is simply breathtaking and worth the film ticket price alone. His version of Frankie Valli's "To Give (The Reason I Live)" is also touching.

Elsewhere, "Still Ill," "You're The One For Me, Fatty" (where Moz shakes maracas), the austere grandeur of "Everyday is Like Sunday," the disturbing "Meat is Murder" (the singer kneels down on the floor) and "Speedway" are among the other highlights.

Finally, the singer strips off his shirt and tosses it to fans amid show closer "Let Me Kiss You" and the usual stage crashers break through on "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side."

See the official Morrissey 25: Live From Hollywood High trailer here: 
http://youtu.be/iFRGfOVjN0g 
Get theater listings and ticket information here: www.morrissey25live.com.

Full show/DVD Track Listing:

1) Alma Matters
2) Ouija Board, Ouija Board
3) Irish Blood, English Heart
4) You Have Killed Me
5) November Spawned A Monster
6) Maladjusted
7) You’re The One For Me Fatty
8) Still Ill
9) People Are The Same Everywhere
10) Speedway
11) That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
12) To Give Is The Reason I Live
13) Meat Is Murder
14) Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
15) Action Is My Middle Name
16) Everyday Is Like Sunday
17) I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
18) Let Me Kiss You
19) The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

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The latest on Paul McCartney

photo by Mary McCartney

This just came through my in box...

Today, Paul McCartney has made some New music available. It's available from here: http://smarturl.it/PMnewiTunes

Speaking about the New track, Paul said: "We can do what we want, we can live as we choose."

This new track hints at things to come from Paul's forthcoming New album, set for release on Oct. 14 in the UK (Oct. 15 in the US). This will be his first album of brand New solo material in six years.

Paul's New album will include 12 new songs, which he worked on with new collaborators.

Paul's New song is produced by Mark Ronson. More new details to follow in the coming weeks.

@paulmccartney

#whatsnew

www.paulmccartney.com

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/paulmccartney/paulmccartney_new

YouTube:

http://youtu.be/pE_1V0phMW8

Noah And The Whale news

 











This is one of my most anticipated CDs of 2013. Their last was my #1 pick of the year...

Noah And The Whale will release their fourth studio album, Heart Of Nowhere, on Sept. 24 via Caroline Records. The English band's fourth record in five years, it follows 2011's UK platinum-selling Last Night On Earth. They will be touring North America beginning in late September.

Tour Dates

Sep 27 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
Sep 28 - Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Sep 29 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Oct 01 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Oct 02 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Oct 03 - Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon
Oct 06 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
Oct 08 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
Oct 09 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
Oct 10 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Oct 12 - Austin, TX @ ACL Official After Show
Oct 13 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
Oct 15 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Oct 16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Oct 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
Oct 19 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
Oct 21 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Oct 22 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

The long awaited return of Dexys (Midnight Runners)

Kevin Rowland and Dexys have announced the US release of their new album, One Day I'm Going To Soar, in September via Slimstyle Records. Featuring the new sleek and shortened name (formerly Dexys Midnight Runners), this is their first release in almost three decades.

"I think I was in some ways a prisoner of my past," say Rowland. "I didn't just want to put out any old album, just for the sake of making an album. It had to be right." Dexys Midnight Runners, who originally formed in 1978, began gaining popularity with their single "Geno" off their debut album Searching For The Young Soul Rebels in 1980.

They later became an international phenomenon with the 1982 release of Too-Rye-Ay, which featured the #1 international classic "Come On Eileen." With two additional Dexys albums, two solo albums and a series of successful UK tours, Rowland & Co. are opening the curtain to the second act of their career in grand style.

Initially released in the UK, the new album has received rave reviews there. The album was helmed by co-producers Mick Talbot (Dexys, Style Council) and Pete Schweir and made BBC Music's Top 25 Albums of 2012. The album's first single is "Incapable of Love," while "Lost" was co-written with Blur's Alex James.

Toad the Wet Sprocket, Grant Lee Buffalo concert review: Santa Ana, Calif.

photo by Miguel Vasconcellos

A version of my review originally appeared at ocregister.com. 

 

Before Toad the Wet Sprocket started insanely catchy current single “New Constellation” on Sunday night at The Observatory, singer/guitarist Glen Phillips wondered whether anyone in the audience had obtained the upcoming companion album early through Kickstarter.

Several hands went up. Then he asked, “was it worth it?” to many cheers.  

The popular Santa Barbara rock band used the crowd funding site for New Constellation, their first all-original studio effort since 1997. Fans’ pent-up demand for fresh music helped surpass the goal amount (over 500 percent) in a mere 20 hours.

All four musicians began touring again on a semi-regular basis in ‘06. A few years later, bassist Dean Dinning told me everyone was raring to make music again, but were waiting for Phillips’ availability.   

Eventually the right time arrived; New Constellation is due out Oct. 15 via Toad’s own Abe's Records. Easily one of their strongest albums to date – not to mention 2013 - the songs mix finely crafted adult rock and burnished folk sounds with some of the same compelling pop smarts that made fear and Dulcinea platinum-sellers during the height of Nineties grunge.  

During a highly satisfying 100-minute set in Santa Ana, the barefoot Phillips’ easygoing manner and humorous asides almost made this feel as if you were witnessing a living room performance. And most fans at the just over half-filled venue were enraptured. The front man even joked at one point, “this is like one of those quiet Japanese audiences.”

Bolstered by tour member Jonathan Kingham’s fine lap steel, mandolin and keyboard work, the songs ranged from sublime to mildly rocking. Older tunes even benefitted from added sonic textures.

Toad the Wet Sprocket opened with the Crowded House-esque “The Moment.” Revolving around life’s possibilities, it was the first of four new songs performed. “Good Intentions,” the beautiful “Crowing” and lead guitarist Todd Nichols’ solo vocal spotlight “Crazy Life” all benefitted from prominent organ.

Phillips emphasized his enunciation and really belted out some of his vocals, particularly on the seething rocker “Fall Down” and cerebral “The Eye” (containing self-described “geeky references”). Big hit “All I Want” was dispatched relatively early, while the rich harmonies of the band’s other major charter “Walk on the Ocean” was saved for the final encore.

Other high points of the evening included “Fly from Heaven” (where Phillips goofed on the lyric), the ebullient “Brother,” “Nightingale Song” (Dinning and Nichols’ backing vocals really stood out), the aggressive “Come Down” and ringing guitars during “I’ll Bet on You.”

Although Phillips sheepishly apologized for the band’s inability to rock out, the reality was just the opposite: Toad did so whenever needed, particularly on a surprising encore cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.” The singer invited opener Grant-Lee Phillips (no relation) onstage to trade verses and stood back in awe as his guest proceeded.

 

Glen even praised the current venue owner, saying it was good to finally have someone running the place that gave a damn.

photo by Miguel Vasconcellos

Grant-Lee Phillips and his group Grant Lee Buffalo enjoyed minor success during the mid-1990s with their dreamy Americana rock and notched two top 20 modern rock hits. They broke up in ’98, like Toad, but the original lineup reunited in 2011 for select shows.

This past spring, “Live at the Royal Festival Hall” - recorded in London amid that initial return jaunt - was released as a digital album.  

In O.C., Grant Lee Buffalo launched the solid hour-long set with a frantic “The Shining Hour.” Phillips’ falsetto was still in glorious form, bassist Paul Kimble played like a man possessed and drummer Joey Peters seemed to be having a blast throughout the dozen songs.

Back in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Grant-Lee Phillips was known for his acclaimed freewheeling solo shows at the old Largo in L.A. Getting amazing tones from a hybrid guitar, he was just as enjoyable here.

 

The trio excelled during the dramatic “Jupiter and Teardrop,” mid-period U2-ish “Demon Called Deception,” sinister “Drag.” Glen Phillips joined his fellow Largo compatriot during an enchanting “Honey, Don’t Think” and bantered about Phil Collins.

Grant-Lee Phillips wryly introduced the stunning hit “Mockingbirds” by saying “I want to play a sad and melancholy song, but we only have satanic numbers. This was recorded in the ‘90s. You remember [MTV personality] Tabatha Soren?”

Later, a cake was brought out in honor of the front man’s 50th birthday on Sunday and everyone sang. All told, a welcome return by both acts.

 

Toad the Wet Sprocket at Observatory, Santa Ana, Aug. 26, 2013

Main set:The Moment/Woodburning/Good Intentions/Crowing/Windmills/New Constellation/Fly From Heaven/All I Want/Whatever I Fear/Come Back Down/Nightingale Song/Something’s Always Wrong/The Eye/Crazy Life/Jam/California Wasted/Brother/Fall Down

Encore:Come Down/I’ll Bet on You/Ziggy Stadust (David Bowie cover)/Walk on the Ocean

The Civil Wars fave Matthew Mayfield puts out EP, on tour

On Aug. 30, Matthew Mayfield will launch a solo acoustic tour in support of his new EP, Irons In The Fire. See below for itinerary or http://matthewmayfield.com/tour/. The video for "In Or Out," one of the tracks off the EP, is available for viewing now.

Irons In The Fire features four new originals, including "Miles & Miles," which can be heard now at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxOvepM-Zts&feature=youtu.be.

It also includes an acoustic-and-strings take on "Miles & Miles," remastered versions of "Fire Escape" and "Tonight," which Mayfield penned with The Civil Wars' John Paul White for 2011's Now You're Free, and Catherine Marks' remix of "Fire Escape," which features White on vocals.

"Fire Escape" was awarded Second Place in the International Songwriting Competition 'Performance' category from a field of over 20,000 entries.

Paul Moak (Mat Kearney) produced Irons In The Fire, which recently went to Triple A/Non-Comm radio. It is the third independent project that Matthew has launched with the help of his fans via PledgeMusic.

The Birmingham, Alabama native has a devoted legion of fans, including The Civil Wars, who tweeted, "his voice is incredibly haunting. Mayfield's music has been licensed by television shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Hart of Dixie" and "Ringer," and he has toured with Pete Yorn, Switchfoot and Blue October. Mayfield is the latest artist to be featured in Sauce Hockey's Music Exploration series. You can check out Matthew's exclusive Sauce Hockey performance at http://www.saucehockey.com.

Solo Acoustic Tour Dates

8/30 - Chattanooga, TN @ Camp House
8/31 - Charlotte, NC @ Evening Muse
9/2 - Raleigh, NC @ Pour House
9/3 - Vienna, VA @ venue TBA
9/4 - Boston, MA @ Johnny D's
9/5 - Worcester, MA @ Tammany Hall
9/6 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tin Angel
9/7 - New York, NY @ Living Room
9/8 - Hamden, CT @ Space
9/10 - Pittsburgh PA @ Club Cafe
9/11 - Cleveland, OH @ Mahalls
9/12 - Youngstown, OH @ Youngstown State University
9/13 - Evanston, IL @ Space
9/14 - Indianapolis, IN @ venue TBA
9/15 - St. Louis, MO @ Ciceros

David Bowie’s “Sound and Vision” heard anew

Parlophone Records UK will release a new mix of David Bowie’s single “Sound and Vision” on Oct. 8.

“Sound and Vision 2013” is by remixer Sonjay Prabhakar. Stripping away much of the original instrumentation to just leave Roy Young’s plaintive piano, Mary Hopkin’s backing vocal and the lead vocal, the song takes on a new reflective resonance.

The remix was commissioned to soundtrack director Tarsem Singh’s advertising campaign for Sony’s Xperia Z smartphone. Known for his trademark color-saturated and vibrant visual style, Singh began his career in music video, making his name with his award-winning video to R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” going on to make his film directorial debut with the visually striking The Cell (2000) as well as The Fall (2006), Immortals (2011), and most recently Mirror Mirror (2012).

“Sound and Vision” originally appeared on Bowie’s groundbreaking album Low (1977). The single is considered one of Bowie’s best pop songs. “Sound and Vision 2013” and the original “Sound and Vision” will both be available for digital download on Oct. 8.

Following the success of the “Life On Mars?” 40th anniversary 7” picture disc, Parlophone Records UK will release a 40th anniversary 7” picture disc of “Sorrow” on October 15. Originally released in October 1973, “Sorrow” was Bowie’s inimitable take on The Mersey’s version of the song (originally released by The McCoys). The single appeared on Bowie’s 1973 covers album, Pin Ups.

It will be available as a double A-side single, backed with a rare live version of the song recorded at the Pacific National Coliseum, Vancouver, from Bowie’s hugely successful Serious Moonlight Tour on September 12, 1983. The single was mastered by Ray Staff at AIR Mastering.

New Model Army return with new music in September

UK post punk band New Model Army will release their new studio album, Between Dog And Wolf on Sept. 30 via earMusic / Eagle Rock Entertainment. 

 

Originally as a three piece, New Model Army were formed in Bradford, UK in 1980 by Justin Sullivan. With songs like “51st State” and “Vagabonds,” New Model Army built a reputation for dealing with challenging topics in their lyrics such as justice, the meaning of life, nature or grievances in society. The band was led by the distinctive voice of Justin Sullivan.

 

Between Dog And Wolf features the current line-up of Sullivan, Michael Dean on drums, Dean White on keyboards, Marshall Gill on guitar and new bass player, Ceri Monger. 

 

The self-produced set was finished earlier this year. 

 

“After a series of purist ‘rock-band-in-a-room’ albums over the last eight years, we felt it was time to do something a bit different,” states Sullivan. “Sonically this is the best album we’ve ever made. The title comes from a medieval French expression for dusk – when it’s hard to distinguish between dog and wolf, friend or foe. That sense of contradiction represents the band very well and there’s also something of this sense of transformation in the album. It has been a stormy four years since the release of the last album. With the sudden death of our manager, the loss of our studio in a fire, subsequent theft of remaining equipment and our old bass player Nelson’s departure, we, in essence, lost everything. We used this to make a new beginning and part of the change was effected with the arrival of Ceri and the refreshing energy and musical influences he brought.  We are very excited about the new album and what the future holds for the band.”

 

Ceri adds  “I have loved New Model Army’s music for many years and am chuffed to be a part of this incredible album.  I think the record is pretty unique and I look forward to hearing what people think when they hear it.”

 

The album’s artwork is based around a painting by long time artistic collaborator Joolz.

 

Said Joolz, ”I always hear the albums being created from the first acoustic strum onwards and it quickly became obvious that this album was going to be different in sound from previous records.  Early on Justin saw some artwork I had designed originally for a tattoo client of mine, an image of Herne the Hunter and the Herlathing, and the primitive tribal paganism of the picture really symbolized to him the heavy pounding drum rhythms and passions that are at the heart of this album.”

 

Track Listing

 

1. Horsemen

2. March In September

3. Seven Times

4. Did You Make It Safe?

5. I Need More Time

6. Pull The Sun

7. Lean Back And Fall

8. Knievel

9. Stormclouds

10. Between Dog And Wolf

11. Qasr El Nil Bridge

12. Tomorrow Came

13. Summer Moors

14. Ghosts

Hellogoodbye band news

Hellogoodbye will release Everything is Debatable, their new studio album, on Oct. 29 via Old Friends Records. The album's producers include Joe Chiccarelli (My Morning Jacket) and Hellogoodbye frontman Forrest Kline.

It follows self-released digital live album Did It Kill You? and 2010 effort Would It Kill You? To mark the album’s release, Hellogoodbye will tour with Paramore and Metric this fall.

Full tour routing is below.
 
TOUR DATES
with Metric and Paramore

October 15 Seattle, WA Key Arena
October 18 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
October 19 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
October 22 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
October 16 Vancouver, BC Pacific Coliseum
October 23 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena
October 26 Dallas, TX Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
October 27 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
October 29 Kansas City, MO Independence Events Center
October 30 St. Louis, MO Fabulous Fox Theater
November 1 Austin, TX Austin 360 Amphitheater
November 4 Fort Lauderdale, FL BB&T Center
November 5 Orlando, FL UCF Convocation Center
November 8 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
November 9 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
November 11 Behtlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center
November 13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena
November 15 Worcester, MA DCU Center
November 17 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
November 18 Montreal, QC Bell Centre Theatre
November 20 Toronto, ON Theatre at Air Canada Centre
November 21 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills
November 23 St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium
November 24 Chicago, IL UIC Pavilion
November 26 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
November 27 Duluth, GA The Arena at Gwinnett Center

Album track listing 

1. And Everything Becomes a Blur
2. (Everything Is) Debatable
3. The Magic Hour is Now
4. Swear You're in Love
5. Summer of the Lily Pond
6. Just Don't Let Go, Just Don't 
7. I Don't Worry (As Much As I Should)
8. How Wrong I Can Be
9. An External Force
10. Die Young, Die Dumb; Not Soon
11. A Near Death Experience

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffstake on more covers

photo by Drew Reynolds/Shout Factory!

Their interpretations on the last two volumes were great. This one promises to be too... 

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs have announced that Under The Covers Vol. 3 will be released on Shout! Factory on Nov. 12.

Having celebrated the ’60s and ’70s with Under The Covers Vol. 1 and 2, the duo has now selected some of their favorite tracks from the 1980’s to give the Sid and Susie treatment. Under The Covers Vol. 3 was produced by Sweet and Hoffs, who also provided liner notes.

Fourteen songs have been recaptured on Under the Covers Vol. 3—plucked from the discographies of Tom Petty, the Pretenders, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Smiths, Roxy Music, the Go-Go’s, the English Beat, the dB’s and more.

A deluxe version available on iTunes will feature 3 additional tracks, the Clash’s “Train in Vain,” Marshall Crenshaw’s “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time” and Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U.”
The album was recorded in Sweet’s Lolina Green studio in Los Angeles, with Hoffs recording most of her vocals in her home studio. Playing alongside Ric Menck (drums), Dennis Taylor (guitars and some bass) and Andrew Brassell (12-string electric on two tracks), Sweet and Hoffs let their exuberance shine through. They aren’t just vividly recapturing the nuances of the original recordings, they’re channeling the wide-eyed exhilaration they felt the first time they heard them on the radio or on precious 45s.

Sweet says, “I was in high school during the first three years of the ’80s, so the stuff I listened to as a teenager was mostly during those three years. Some of it was music from the late ’70s, like Elvis Costello and XTC, which I’d listened to from junior high onward. So some of the songs that show up on this record were real touchstones for me—in particular the R.E.M. song “Sitting Still,” which was on the B-side of their Hib-Tone 45.”

Hoffs adds, “We did get experimental and veer from the original arrangements on some songs, but for me it was also being able to look at the ’80s and have a different sense of that time period. As someone who was into the’60s, I had a weird resistance to what was going on during the ’80s and for years beyond it. But when Matthew and I were crafting the list, we immediately gravitated to R.E.M. and all the guitar-driven indie rock and pop, that part of the ’80s. So we started there and then expanded out.”

Under The Covers Vol. 3 Track Listing:

1. Sitting Still (R.E.M.)
2. Girls Talk (Dave Edmunds, written by Elvis Costello)
3. Big Brown Eyes (The dB's)
4. Kid (Pretenders)
5. Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty)
6. Save It For Later (The English Beat)
7. They Don’t Know (Kirsty MacColl)
8. The Bulrushes (The Bongos)
9. Our Lips Are Sealed (The Go-Go’s)
10. How Soon Is Now (The Smiths)
11. More Than This (Roxy Music)
12. Towers of London (XTC)
13. Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen)
14. Trouble (Lindsey Buckingham)

 iTunes Deluxe Version: Exclusive Tracks
* Train in Vain (the Clash)
* You’re My Favorite Waste of Time (Marshall Crenshaw)
* I Would Die 4 U (Prince)

All of Paul Simon's albums - together

Legacy Recordings/Sony Music helps celebrate Paul Simon's birthday October 13, with the release of the career-spanning 15-disc Paul Simon - The Complete Albums Collection available as a physical and digital release on Oct. 15.

 

Paul Simon - The Complete Albums Collection brings together, in a deluxe library box with magnetic closure, all 12 studio albums and two full-length live concert recordings.

 

Included are the artist's solo recordings from the 1960s (The Paul Simon Songbook), the 1970s (Paul Simon, There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin', Still Crazy After All These Years), the 1980s (One-Trick Pony, Hearts and Bones, Graceland), the 1990s (The Rhythm of the Saints, Paul Simon's Concert In The Park - August 15, 1991, Songs from The Capeman), the 2000s (You're The One, Surprise) and the 2010s (So Beautiful or So What).

 

Each of the titles include the original album in entirety, plus reissue bonus material not appearing on the original 12" vinyl releases (37 bonus tracks in all). The 15-disc collection includes a 56-page book full of photos and new liner notes penned by American music historian Ashley Kahn.

The deluxe complete set includes The Paul Simon Songbook, an acoustic album--recorded in 1965--showcasing solo versions of many songs that would become central to the Simon & Garfunkel repertoire. 

 

During the period covered (1965-2011) in Paul Simon - The Complete Albums Collection, Paul Simon continually expanded his musical vocabulary, each new album taking the artist beyond six-string acoustic accompaniment into whole new worlds of sound, while remaining consistent and true to the crafts of writing and recording.

In the 1970s, he explored reggae, progressive jazz and Latin music. By the 1980s and 1990s, Simon was creating new music steeped in Louisiana zydeco and South African jive, Brazilian street samba and Puerto Rican salsa.  On 2011's So Beautiful or So What, he channeled Indian ragas, Delta blues, and West African kora music, even sampling Reverend J.M. Gates' 1941 recording for "Getting Ready for Christmas Day."

 

PAUL SIMON

THE COMPLETE ALBUMS COLLECTION

 

The Paul Simon Song Book (1965)

1. I Am A Rock

2. Leaves That Are Green

3. A Church Is Burning

4. April Come She Will

5. The Sound Of Silence

6. A Most Peculiar Man

7. He Was My Brother

8. Kathy's Song

9. The Side Of A Hill

10. A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission)

11. Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall

12. Patterns

13. I Am A Rock (alternate version) *

14. A Church Is Burning (alternate version) *

 

Paul Simon (1972)

1. Mother And Child Reunion

2. Duncan

3. Everything Put Together Falls Apart

4. Run That Body Down

5. Armistice Day

6. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard

7. Peace Like A River

8. Papa Hobo

9. Hobo's Blues

10. Paranoia Blues

11. Congratulations

12. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard (Demo - San Francisco 2/71) *

13. Duncan (Demo - San Francisco 2/71) *

14. Paranoia Blues (Unreleased Version) *

 

There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)

1. Kodachrome

2. Tenderness

3. Take Me To The Mardi Gras

4. Something So Right

5. One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor

6. American Tune

7. Was A Sunny Day

8. Learn How To Fall

9. St. Judy's Comet

10. Loves Me Like a Rock

11. Let Me Live In Your City (Work In Progress) *

12. Take Me To The Mardi Gras (Acoustic Demo) *

13. American Tune (Unfinished Demo) *

14. Loves Me Like A Rock (Acoustic Demo) *

 

Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin' (1974)

1. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard 

2. Homeward Bound 

3. American Tune 

4. El Condor Pasa (If I Could) 

5. Duncan 

6. The Boxer 

7. Mother And Child Reunion 

8. The Sound Of Silence 

9. Jesus Is The Answer 

10. Bridge Over Troubled Water 

11. Loves Me Like A Rock 

12. America 

13. Kodachrome (Alternate Version) *

14. Something So Right (Alternate Version) *

 

Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)

1. Still Crazy After All These Years

2. My Little Town

3. I'd Do It For Your Love

4. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

5. Night Game

6. Gone At Last

7. Some Folks' Lives Roll Easy

8. Have A Good Time

9. You're Kind

10. Silent Eyes

11. Slip Slidin' Away (Demo) *

12. Gone At Last (Original Demo w/The Jessy Dixon Singers) *

 

One-Trick Pony (1980)

1. Late In The Evening

2. That's Why God Made The Movies

3. One-Trick Pony

4. How The Heart Approaches What It Yearns

5. Oh, Marion

6. Ace In The Hole

7. Nobody

8. Jonah

9. God Bless The Absentee

10. Long, Long Day

11. Soft Parachutes (Unreleased Soundtrack Recording) *

12. All Because Of You (Outtake) *

13. Spiral Highway (Unreleased Soundtrack Recording) *

14. Stranded In A Limousine *

 

Hearts and Bones (1983)

1. Allergies

2. Hearts And Bones

3. When Numbers Get Serious

4. Think Too Much (b)

5. Song About The Moon

6. Think Too Much (a)

7. Train In The Distance

8. Rene And George Magritte with Their Dog After The War

9. Cars Are Cars

10. The Late Great Johnny Ace

11. Shelter Of Your Arms (Unreleased Work-In-Progress) (Bonus Track) *

12. Train In The Distance (Original Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track)  *

13. Rene And George Magritte with Their Dog After The War (Original Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track) *

14. The Late Great Johnny Ace (Original Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track) *

 

Graceland (1986)

1. The Boy In The Bubble

2. Graceland

3. I Know What I Know

4. Gumboots

5. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes

6. You Can Call Me Al

7. Under African Skies

8. Homeless

9. Crazy Love, Vol. II

10. That Was Your Mother

11. All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints

12. Homeless (Demo) (Bonus Track) *

13. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (Unreleased Version) (Bonus Track) *

14. All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints (Early Version) (Bonus Track) *

15. You Can Call Me Al (Demo) *

16. Crazy Love (Demo) *

17. The Story of "Graceland" (As told by Paul Simon, Recorded January 2012) *

 

The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)

1. The Obvious Child

2. Can't Run But

3. The Coast

4. Proof

5. Further To Fly

6. She Moves On

7. Born At The Right Time

8. The Cool, Cool River

9. Spirit Voices

10. The Rhythm Of The Saints

11. Born At The Right Time (Original Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track) *

12. Thelma (Bonus Track) *

13. The Coast (Work-In-Progress) (Bonus Track) *

14. Spirit Voices (Work-In-Progress) (Bonus Track) *

 

Paul Simon's Concert in the Park (1991)

Disc 1

1. The Obvious Child

2. The Boy in the Bubble

3. She Moves On

4. Kodachrome

5. Born at the Right Time

6. Train in the Distance

7. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

8. I Know What I Know

9. The Cool, Cool River

10. Bridge Over Troubled Water

11. Proof

 

Disc 2

1. The Coast

2. Graceland

3. You Can Call Me Al

4. Still Crazy After All These Years

5. Loves Me Like a Rock

6. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

7. Hearts and Bones

8. Late in the Evening

9. America

10. The Boxer

11. Cecilia

12. The Sound of Silence

 

Songs From the Capeman (1997)

1. Adios Hermanos

2. Born in Puerto Rico

3. Satin Summer Nights

4. Bernadette

5. The Vampires

6. Quality

7. Can I Forgive Him

8. Sunday Afternoon

9. Killer Wants to Go to College

10. Time Is an Ocean

11. Virgil

12. Killer Wants to Go to College II

13. Trailways Bus

14. Shoplifting Clothes *

15. Born in Puerto Rico (Demo with José Feliciano) *

16. Can I Forgive Him (Original Demo Recorded March 1993) *

 

You're The One (2000)

1. That's Where I Belong

2. Darling Lorraine

3. Old

4. You're the One

5. The Teacher

6. Look at That

7. Señorita with a Necklace of Tears

8. Love

9. Pigs, Sheep and Wolves

10. Hurricane Eye

11. Quiet

12. That's Where I Belong (Live) *

13. Old (Live) *

14. Hurricane Eye (Live) *

 

Surprise (2006)

1. How Can You Live in the Northeast?

2. Everything About It Is a Love Song

3. Outrageous

4. Sure Don't Feel like Love

5. Wartime Prayers

6. Beautiful

7. I Don't Believe

8. Another Galaxy

9. Once Upon a Time There Was an Ocean

10. That's Me

11. Father and Daughter

 

So Beautiful or So What (2011)

1. Getting Ready for Christmas Day

2. The Afterlife

3. Dazzling Blue

4. Rewrite

5. Love and Hard Times

6. Love Is Eternal Sacred Light

7. Amulet

8. Questions for the Angels

9. Love and Blessings

10. So Beautiful or So What

 

* Expanded CD reissues contain 37 bonus tracks (previously released)