Pop/Adult - It's somewhat amusing to read the various writeups on Harper Simon. Just how long do you have to go before you get to the proverbial kicker -- "hey, this is Paul Simon's kid." Finally delivering his superlative self-titled debut solo album on October 13 after working on some band projects (and one with "step-mom" Edie Brickell, the fine Heavy Circles), it's obvious early on that the 36-year-old Simon clearly has inherited a substantial quantity of knockout songwriter genes from his iconic tunesmith dad. Also at work: a special affinity for the art form known fondly as THE ALBUM, something he "pays homage to" here. “The long playing album is not just ten songs thrown together randomly," Harper philosophizes. "It has an arc. It has a structure. It is the attempt to make ten songs that are all as good as each other, and fit together in a seamless whole."

To not only capture that special album feel but also the sound of some of the classic music he grew up on he did the only thing that made sense -- Simon found many studio players, most living now in Nashville, who helped make some of the classic albums of the 60's and 70's as well as legendary Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen producer Bob Johnston . He also brought in a number of talented contemporaries such as Inara George (of Bird and Bee), Eleni Mandel, Joan Wasser (AKA Joan as Policewoman), Sean Lennon. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello) and many more. And the result? An astonishingly great album of modern adult pop, a brilliant amalgam of retro production flourishes, superb melodic structures and a sharp, contemporary wherewithal. Close your eyes and listen to tracks like "Wishes and Stars" and you'll wonder what decade this magical music was created. Highly recommended.

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Harper Simon - "Wishes and Stars" (from the album Harper Simon)

Harper Simon - "The Audit " (from the album Harper Simon)