○○○○○YEASAYER, Foals, Vampire Weekend - some of the coolest kids on the block have a deep debt owing to the 1986 album Graceland.
Paul Simon's classic creation fused perfectly crafted Western pop and a flavour of deep south Cajun music with swaths of African influences, making a continent's worth of music palatable for mass consumption.
Surely a lot of you will already know and love this record - it was a number one album in the UK after all - but if not, may I suggest bouncing into Graceland.
From the poetic Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - which launched bean-floggers Ladysmith Black Mambazo's career - to the invigorating You Can Call Me Al, Graceland is an album well worth revisiting.
Very much so! I love Paul Simon, from the Garfunkel days through Graceland and Rhythym of the Saints. That his influence was so openly acknowledged by Vampire Weekend convinced me to give them a try. Thanks for the excellent recommendation. I'll have to give Foals and Yeasayers a shot, as well.
ReplyDeleteYeasayer especially will appeal if you like Paul Simon, their album All Hour Cymbals is a fantastic listen.
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