Hearts and Bones [Bonus Tracks] [Digipak] [Remaster]

Rating

Album: Hearts and Bones [Bonus Tracks] [Digipak] [Remaster]
#	Song Title	Time
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 Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War
9)	Cars Are Cars
10)	Late Great Johnny Ace, The
11)	Shelter of Your Arms - (previously unreleased, work-in-progress)
12)	Train in the Distance - (previously unreleased, mixed, live, acoustic demo)
13)	Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War - (acoustic demo)
14)	Late Great Johnny Ace, The - (previously unreleased, acoustic demo)

Album: Hearts and Bones [Bonus Tracks] [Digipak] [Remaster]
#	Song Title	Time
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 Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War
9)	Cars Are Cars
10)	Late Great Johnny Ace, The
11)	Shelter of Your Arms - (previously unreleased, work-in-progress)
12)	Train in the Distance - (previously unreleased, mixed, live, acoustic demo)
13)	Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War - (acoustic demo)
14)	Late Great Johnny Ace, The - (previously unreleased, acoustic demo)

Tracks

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 Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War

9. Cars Are Cars

10. Late, Great Johnny Ace

11. Shelter Of Your Arms (Work In Progress)

12. Train In The Distance (Acoustic Demo)

13. Rene And Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War (Acou

14. Late, Great Johnny Ace (Acoustic Demo)

Performer Notes

Personnel: Paul Simon (vocals, guitar, drum programming); The Harptones (vocals); Dean Parks, Eric Gale , Al Di Meola, Nile Rodgers , Sid McGuiness (guitar); Marin Alsop (violin); Jill Jaffe (viola); Jesse Levy, Frederick Zlotkin (cello); Carol Wincenc (flute); George Marge (bass clarinet); Mark Rivera (alto saxophone); Peter Gordon (French horn); Greg Phillinganes, Richard Tee (Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Robert Sabino (keyboards, synthesizer); Rob Mounsey (synthesizer, vocoder); Michael Boddicker, Michael Riesman (synthesizer); David Nichtern (Synclavier, programming); Tom Coppola, Wells Christy (Synclavier); Mike Mainieri (vibraphone, marimba); Anthony Jackson (triple contra-bass); Marcus Miller, Bernard Edwards (bass guitar); Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd , Steve Ferrone (drums); Airto Moreira (percussion).
Casual listeners view GRACELAND as a comeback/rejuvenation for Simon, not realizing that throughout his recording career, he never stopped growing, with each album expanding on the artistic advances of the previous one. HEARTS AND BONES was the last link in the chain that led to the epiphany of GRACELAND, the adventurous bridge between that album and the poetic insights of ONE TRICK PONY. Simon hadn't yet given himself over to the impressionistic, non-linear lyrical style he would eventually pursue, but here he invests his more traditional story-telling lyrics with a high degree of poetic imagery.
The arrangements are equally imaginative. The moving title tune, which details the breakup of Simon's marriage to actress Carrie Fisher, moves from a folky, acoustic feel to a sensuous, swaying rhythm and back, seamlessly. The witty "Allergies" calls on the services of an unlikely guest, Al Dimeola, to provide guitar pyrotechnics that perfectly capture the song's claustrophobic panic. As always, there are several elegant, harmonically brilliant ballads, such as the evocative "Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War." Only Simon could attach such a beautiful tune to such a pretentious title. HEARTS AND BONES is a vital, criminally underlooked part of the Paul Simon catalog.

Professional Reviews

Highly Recommended