Still brilliant after all these years

In the liner notes to the new Paul Simon best-of, On My Way, Don't Know Where I'm Goin', writer David Wild credits Simon, along with Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Randy Newman, for taking American songwriting "to a deeper and more intelligent place."\nUnfortunately for him, Simon's career has been lower-key than those three. He isn't as weird or respected as Dylan. He isn't as funky, soulful or courageous as Wonder. He isn't as funny as Newman, nor does he have the Oscar telecast as an annual forum like Newman does. Furthermore, he hasn't embraced cheeseball arena-rock aspects as fully as Bruce Springsteen.\nSimon just is what he is, to be judged only on a boatload of great songs.\nThe listener notices the authenticity of his rhythmic influences right away. For "Mother and Child Reunion," Simon didn't just hire some experienced side musicians; instead, he recorded the song right in Kingston with musicians who could give him exactly what he wanted. The four cuts from the 1986 masterpiece Graceland deliver an African feel that's hard to reproduce, and the two songs from 1990's Rhythm of the Saints are loyal to Brazilian music, especially "Spirit Voices," with guest lyricist/vocalist Milton Nascimento.\nSimon's solo career suffered through two things out of his control. First, Simon's world-beat aesthetic never took off, and, as a result, much of it sounds dated. Second, people always compared his solo career to his incomparable work with Art Garfunkel. In fact, it's interesting to note that the Simon & Garfunkel album Live from New York City, 1967, released earlier this year, received much more hype than this solo Simon collection.\nSure, this record is missing "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog," but it also updates Simon's post-Graceland work, including the doo-wop tribute "Adios Hermanos" from the flop 1997 musical "Songs from the Capeman." And if there is any reason for the uninitiated to buy this album, people need to hear "Kodachrome" and "Slip Slidin' Away" again to be reminded of what a brilliant performer Simon is.