Stranger to Stranger

Last updated
Stranger to Stranger
Stranger to Stranger cover.jpg
Studio album by
Paul Simon
ReleasedJune 3, 2016
RecordedSpring/Summer 2011 – April 2016
Studio
Genre Pop, [1] experimental [2]
Length36:50 (standard edition)
53:24 (deluxe edition) [3] [4]
Label Concord
Producer
Paul Simon chronology
The Ultimate Collection
(2015)		Stranger to Stranger
(2016)		 In the Blue Light
(2018)
Singles from Stranger to Stranger
  1. "Wristband"
    Released: April 7, 2016
  2. "Cool Papa Bell"
    Released: April 28, 2016
  3. "The Werewolf"
    Released: May 19, 2016

Stranger to Stranger is the thirteenth solo studio album by American folk rock singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Produced by Paul Simon and Roy Halee, it was released on June 3, 2016 through Concord Records. [5] Simon wrote the material over a period of several years, perfecting it and rewriting it to his liking. Its music is experimental, making use of custom-made instruments by composer and music theorist Harry Partch. Three of the songs on the album are collaborations with Italian electronic artist Clap! Clap!.

Contents

His first release in over five years, [6] Stranger to Stranger received wide critical acclaim. It represented Simon's highest-ever debut on the Billboard 200, at No. 3, and reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

The cover art is a detail of a portrait of Simon from 2011 by Chuck Close. Photo by Kerry Ryan McFate, courtesy Pace Gallery. [7] [8]

Background

Simon began writing new material shortly after releasing his twelfth studio album, So Beautiful or So What , in April 2011. Simon collaborates with the Italian electronic dance music artist Clap! Clap! on three songs—"The Werewolf", "Street Angel", and "Wristband". Simon was introduced to him by his son, Adrian, who was a fan of his work. The two met up in July 2011 when Simon was touring behind So Beautiful or So What in Milan, Italy. [2] He and Clap! Clap! worked together via email over the course of making the album. Simon also worked with longtime friend Roy Halee, who is listed as co-producer on the album. Halee, who had retired years earlier, was mostly recruited to advise on how to create natural echo. He was unfamiliar with Pro Tools, so Simon helped him with it. "I always liked working with him more than anyone else," Simon noted. [2]

Composition

Andy Greene of Rolling Stone dubbed Stranger to Stranger an "experimental album heavy on echo and rhythm that fuses electronic beats with African woodwind instruments, Peruvian drums, a gospel music quartet, horns and synthesizers." [2] The album makes use of custom-made instruments, such as the Cloud-Chamber Bowls and the Chromelodeon, which were created by music theorist Harry Partch in the mid-twentieth century. Simon briefly moved the sessions to Montclair State University, where the instruments are stored, in 2013 in order to employ them on the album. "Parch said there were 43 tones to an octave and not 12," Simon remarked in Rolling Stone. "He had a totally different approach to what music is and had to build his own instruments so he could compose on a microtonal scale. That microtonal thinking pervades this album." [2]

"The Werewolf" centers around a werewolf, also an angel of death, who is looking for victims. The song's origins came from Simon and his band experimenting with slowing down the tempo of a recording they made of the Peruvian percussion instrument Cajón, the Indian instrument gopichand, and hand claps. [2] "Wristband" creates a narrative around a rock musician unable to gain entry into his own concert because he lacks the wristband required. "The Riverbank" was inspired by a teacher that Simon personally knew who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012. It also takes root in a visit Simon made to wounded veterans at Walter Reed Hospital. [2] "Proof of Love" and "In the Garden of Edie", meanwhile, stand as tributes to Simon's wife, musician Edie Brickell. The album also has continuity, with characters reappearing in songs. "The idea of finishing one song and having the character appear in another song appeals to me. I don't see why characters shouldn't appear more than once," said Simon. The instrumentals "The Clock" and "In the Garden of Edie" function as interludes, designed to give listeners "space." The two tracks were originally composed for John Patrick Shanley's play Prodigal Son, but went unused. [2]

Release

Stranger to Stranger was first announced when Simon announced his tour dates in February 2016. [9] It was officially announced with the lead single "Wristband" premiering online on April 7, 2016. [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10 [11]
Metacritic 85/100 [12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Entertainment Weekly A− [14]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [15]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Pitchfork 7.2/10 [18]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [19]
Spin 6/10 [20]
USA Today Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [21]
Vice A− [22]

Stranger to Stranger received widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 25 reviews. [12] In Rolling Stone , Will Hermes said it was "as inviting, immaculately produced, jokey and unsettled a record as any he has ever made", [19] while The Guardian 's Jon Dennis found the album "as rewarding as anything" Simon had recorded before, showcasing a "tenacious pursuit of new sounds". [15] Jonathan Bernstein of Entertainment Weekly called Stranger to Stranger "one of his very boldest collections to date", an album "brimming with concepts and sounds that push Simon’s musical boundaries further than ever". [14]

Randy Lewis from the Los Angeles Times believed the record was "pop music at its most artful and relevant, a sentiment from a septuagenarian representative of rock’s old guard that's arguably as potent as anything from seemingly more streetwise artists one-third his age". [1] The Independent 's Andy Gill hailed it as Simon's "best in several years", [16] and Steve Smith of The Boston Globe considered it his "richest, most instantly appealing collection since Graceland (1986)". [23] Dan Weiss was somewhat less impressed in Spin , lamenting the music's "novelty electronics", which he said "make everything feel sillier than it is (not inherently a bad thing), but they also fail to get into a groove (which is)". [20]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeYearRankRef.
Billboard 10 Best Rock/Alternative Albums of 20162016
7
Entertainment Weekly The 50 Best Albums of 20162016
23
Mojo The 50 Best Albums of 20162016
8
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 20162016
46
Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 20162016
13

Commercial performance

The album debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 19,218 copies in its first week. At the age of 74, Paul Simon was the oldest male solo artist to chart at No. 1 in the UK. It is his first No. 1 studio album since 1990's The Rhythm of the Saints . [29] In the United States, Stranger to Stranger debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 68,000 units. The album was the overall best-selling album for the week based on pure album sales (67,000 copies). It is Simon's highest charting album in over 29 years, since Graceland (1986). [30] [31]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Paul Simon

Stranger to Stranger– Standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."The Werewolf"3:25
2."Wristband"3:17
3."The Clock"1:02
4."Street Angel"2:11
5."Stranger to Stranger"4:35
6."In a Parade"2:21
7."Proof of Love"5:44
8."In the Garden of Edie"1:48
9."The Riverbank"4:11
10."Cool Papa Bell"4:02
11."Insomniac's Lullaby"4:33
Stranger to Stranger– Deluxe edition [32]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Horace and Pete" 2:30
13."Duncan" (live from A Prairie Home Companion February 2016) 4:43
14."Wristband" (live from A Prairie Home Companion) 3:28
15."Guitar Piece 3" 1:10
16."New York Is My Home" (with Dion)
4:30

Personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Simon</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1941)

Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and his school friend Garfunkel, whom he met in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. Their blend of folk and rock, including hits such as "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America" and "The Boxer", served as a soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their final album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), is among the bestselling of all time.

<i>Songs in the Key of Life</i> 1976 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Songs in the Key of Life is the eighteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder. A double album, it was released on September 28, 1976, by Tamla Records, a division of Motown. It was recorded primarily at Crystal Sound studio in Hollywood, with some sessions recorded at the Record Plant in Hollywood, the Record Plant in Sausalito, and The Hit Factory in New York City; final mixing was conducted at Crystal Sound. The album has been regarded by music journalists as the culmination of Wonder's "classic period" of recording.

<i>Graceland</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Paul Simon

Graceland is the seventh solo studio album by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was produced by Simon, engineered by Roy Halee and released on August 25, 1986, by Warner Bros. Records. It incorporates genres including pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco, and South African styles such as isicathamiya and mbaqanga.

<i>Lean into It</i> 1991 studio album by Mr. Big

Lean into It is the second studio album by the American rock band Mr. Big, released on March 26, 1991. The band's breakthrough release, Lean into It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 charts, while the single "To Be with You" became the band's first and only song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up single, "Just Take My Heart", was a top-20 hit, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Youre the One</i> (Paul Simon album) 2000 studio album by Paul Simon

You're the One is the tenth solo studio album by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released in 2000 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2001, with Simon becoming the first artist to be nominated in that category in five consecutive decades (1960s–2000s)..

<i>Let It Rain</i> (Tracy Chapman album) 2002 studio album by Tracy Chapman

Let It Rain is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on October 15, 2002, by Elektra Records. The album was co-produced by John Parish. It produced two singles: "You're the One" and "Another Sun".

<i>Yeah!</i> (Def Leppard album) 2006 studio album by Def Leppard

Yeah! is the ninth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard. It is the first cover album by the band. It was originally intended to be released on 20 September 2005, but it was announced on 31 March 2006 that the album would be released on 23 May 2006. The album charted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and No. 52 on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Surprise</i> (Paul Simon album) 2006 studio album by Paul Simon

Surprise is the eleventh solo studio album by American musician Paul Simon, released on May 9, 2006. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and was his final studio album for long-time label Warner Bros. Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graceland (song)</span> 1986 single by Paul Simon

"Graceland" is the title song of the album Graceland, released in 1986 by Paul Simon. The song features vocals by The Everly Brothers. The lyrics follow the singer's thoughts during a road trip to Graceland after the failure of his marriage. Actress and author Carrie Fisher, Simon's ex-wife, said that the song referred in part to their relationship.

<i>Sheila E.</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Sheila E.

Sheila E. is the third solo album by Sheila E., released on Paisley Park Records/Warner Bros. Records in 1987.

<i>Angel Clare</i> 1973 studio album by Art Garfunkel

Angel Clare is the debut solo studio album by Art Garfunkel, released on September 11, 1973. It is his highest-charting solo album in the United States, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and includes his only US Top 10 hit as a solo artist, "All I Know". It also contained two other Top 40 hits, "Traveling Boy" and "I Shall Sing". It was produced by long-time Simon & Garfunkel producer Roy Halee, alongside Art Garfunkel.

<i>Bridge over Troubled Water</i> 1970 studio album by Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge over Troubled Water is the fifth and final studio album by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on January 26, 1970, by Columbia Records. Following the duo's soundtrack for The Graduate, Art Garfunkel took an acting role in the film Catch-22, while Paul Simon worked on the songs, writing all tracks except Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "Bye Bye Love".

<i>So Beautiful or So What</i> 2011 studio album by Paul Simon

So Beautiful or So What is the twelfth solo studio album by American folk rock singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was released on April 8, 2011, by Hear Music.

<i>Strut</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Lenny Kravitz

Strut is the tenth studio album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz. It was released on September 23, 2014 and was the first release on Kravitz's own Roxie Records, with distribution by Kobalt Label Services. The record also produced five singles released both in 2014 and 2015.

<i>The Who Hits 50!</i> (album) 2014 compilation album by the Who

The Who Hits 50! is a compilation of singles by the English rock band the Who, released on 27 October 2014 by Polydor Records. The two-disc set contains every single released by the band in the United Kingdom, with the exceptions of: "A Legal Matter" and "La-La-La-Lies" from 1966; and "Long Live Rock" and the remake of "I'm One" from 1979. At the same time it also contains every single by the band released in the United States throughout their career, with the exceptions of: "The Real Me" from 1974; the reissue of "Substitute" from 1976; and "Long Live Rock" from 1979. A condensed single-disc standard edition appeared as well, both versions in conjunction with the band's 50th anniversary and associated tour of the same name. The album is notable for containing singles generally not included on other compilation albums, such as the band's Rolling Stones cover "The Last Time" done as an act of solidarity while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were facing an incarceration period, along with other lesser-known singles "Dogs" and "Call Me Lightning".

<i>I Still Do</i> 2016 studio album by Eric Clapton

I Still Do is the twentieth solo studio album by English musician Eric Clapton. It was released in 2016 through the independent Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records label. The album is a combination of new material written by Clapton and classic songs, contemporary tunes, and influences interpreted in his own style.

"Wristband" is a song by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the first single from his album Stranger to Stranger (2016), released on Concord Records.

<i>Keep Me Singing</i> 2016 studio album by Van Morrison

Keep Me Singing is the 36th studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 30 September 2016 by Caroline Records. It is Morrison's highest-charting album in the US, and third US Top 10 album, following the success of Keep It Simple (2008) and Born to Sing: No Plan B (2012).

<i>In the Blue Light</i> 2018 studio album by Paul Simon

In the Blue Light is the fourteenth solo studio album by American folk rock singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Produced by Paul Simon and Roy Halee, it was released on September 7, 2018, through Legacy Recordings. The album consists of re-recordings of lesser-known songs from Simon's catalog, often altering their original arrangements, harmonic structures, and lyrics. The songs were recorded with guests including the instrumental ensemble yMusic, guitarist Bill Frisell, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and Bryce Dessner. The album's title is a reference to the lyrics in the song "How the Heart Approaches What It Yearns" from the 1980 album One-Trick Pony.

<i>On Sunset</i> 2020 studio album by Paul Weller

On Sunset is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was originally scheduled for release on 12 June 2020, but was delayed until 3 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. 1 2 Lewis, Randy (June 1, 2016). "Paul Simon returns with the exquisite 'Stranger to Stranger'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Andy Greene (April 7, 2016). "Inside Paul Simon's Genre-Bending New Album Stranger to Stranger". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Stranger To Stranger". Amazon.
  4. ↑ "Stranger To Stranger". Amazon.
  5. ↑ "Paul Simon's new album "Stranger to Stranger" set for release June 3rd". paulsimon.com. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  6. ↑ Greene, Andy (2016-02-22). "Paul Simon Plots Expansive Tour Ahead of New Album 'Stranger to Stranger'". Rolling Stone .
  7. ↑ "Color Chords: Chuck Close's Portraits of Musicians, Cahiers d'Art Institute Blog". 20 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Paul Simon says his new album is all about experimenting with sound. Hear first single "Wristband" now". Newsweek . 7 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Andy Greene (February 22, 2016). "Paul Simon Plots Expansive Tour Ahead of New Album Stranger to Stranger". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  10. ↑ Colin Stutz (April 7, 2016). "Paul Simon Announces New Album 'Stranger to Stranger;' Hear First Single, 'Wristband'". Billboard . Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Stranger To Stranger by Paul Simon reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Reviews for Stranger to Stranger by Paul Simon". Metacritic . Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon". AllMusic . Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Bernstein, Jonathan (June 3, 2016). "Paul Simon's Stranger to Stranger: EW Review". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Dennis, Jon (June 2, 2016). "Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger review – a five-star tour through new sounds". The Guardian . Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Gill, Andy (June 1, 2016). "Paul Simon – Stranger To Stranger, album review: Ruminations on inequality wrapped in a joyous album". The Independent . Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Breen, Joe (May 26, 2016). "Album of the Week: Paul Simon's Stranger to Stranger – profound and searching". The Irish Times . Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  18. ↑ Powell, Mike (June 9, 2016). "Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  19. 1 2 Hermes, Will (June 7, 2016). "Stranger to Stranger". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  20. 1 2 Weiss, Dan (June 8, 2016). "Review: Paul Simon Is Still Filling Out a (Corporeal) Form on 'Stranger to Stranger'". Spin . Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  21. ↑ Gardner, Elysa (June 4, 2016). "Review: Paul Simon embraces a troubled world on 'Stranger To Stranger'". USA Today . Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  22. ↑ Christgau, Robert (June 24, 2016). "Believe It or Not, Paul Simon Is Still Making Music: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice . Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  23. ↑ Smith, Steve (June 2, 2016). "New album is Paul Simon's best since 'Graceland'". The Boston Globe . Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  24. ↑ Payne, Chris (December 13, 2016). "10 Best Rock/Alternative Albums of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard . Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Billboard . December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  26. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Mojo . November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  27. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Paste . November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  28. ↑ "50 Best Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone . November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  29. ↑ Jones, Alan (10 June 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Paul Simon nets seventh No.1 album". Music Week . Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  30. ↑ which peaked at No. 3 in 1986 "Artist Chart History – Paul Simon". Billboard . Retrieved 2010-12-13.
  31. ↑ "Drake's 'Views' Album No. 1 for Sixth Week on Billboard 200, Paul Simon Debuts at No. 3". Billboard.
  32. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger [Deluxe Edition]". AllMusic. RhythmOne group. Release date: June 3, 2016
  33. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Paul Simon Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 23.Týden 2016 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  44. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 23, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Chart Track". Oricon. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Charts.nz – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  50. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  54. ↑ "Paul Simon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Paul Simon Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  56. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2016 Albums". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  57. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2016 Albums". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  58. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  59. ↑ "British album certifications – Paul Simon – Stranger to Stranger". British Phonographic Industry.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.