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Paul Simon
You're the One
(Warner Bros.)
The Music Box's #3 album for 2000
First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2001, Volume 8, #1
Written by John Metzger
After his Broadway debut failed to find an audience, Paul Simon picked up the pieces and salvaged
what he could for a mediocre album titled Songs from the Capeman. Rather than allow his
defeat to get the best of him, however, Simon returned to the recording studio to produce an
exquisite new batch of material that became You're the One, which
effectively puts the gifted singer-songwriter right back on course.
Once again, Simon has turned to the '50s styles that he tapped for The Capeman, but this
time around he merged them with the world-beat sounds he explored on Graceland and Rhythm
of the Saints. Given that he always has had a predisposition towards the early roots of rock 'n'
roll, You're the One also serves to touch upon and summarize the entirety of his solo career.
Consequently, the album doesn't break new ground so much as it offers a refreshing glimpse into the
mellifluent melting pot that has defined Simon's music.
A few of the tracks on You're the One, such as the Buddy Holly-like vamp of Old and
the rhythmically driven title track, are immediately infectious, but long ago, Simon gave up writing
simple pop songs. Instead, he prefers the challenge of crafting dynamic, rhythmic orchestrations
that merge a kaleidoscope of sounds into fluid sonic visions. While the percussion interludes are
more subdued than they were on Rhythm of the Saints, the grooves remain the driving force
behind Simon's compositions.
As with both Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints, the majority of the material on
You're the One requires frequent visits in order to adequately absorb the full scope of the
music, but those willing to invest the time certainly won't be disappointed. "Somewhere in a burst
of glory, sound becomes a song," Simon sings on the opening track That's Where I Belong,
offering a perfect description for his compositions. Throughout You're the One, the songs
softly flow and mutate, and their gentle melodies lovingly caress the ear while displaying their
complex inner beauty. The chime of a triangle, the smooth ascent of acoustic guitar, the flurry of
percussion, the tearful strains of a pedal steel, and the soothing whisper of a bamboo flute all
swirl together to form fanciful, rippling textures of rapturous aural ecstasy.
You're the One is unquestionably Simon at his best, making his already impressive catalog
of albums even stronger. One can only hope that in the future he will record with more regularity,
but if not, waiting a little longer between releases is well worth it if the result is as
magnificent as this.  ½
You're the One is available from Amazon.
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You're the One [DVD-Audio] is available from Amazon.com.
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2000
The Music Box
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