Joseph's face was as black as the night...
I just finished listening to Paul Simon - Graceland on vinyl this morning, what an outstanding album.
When I first was exposed to this album I remember listening to it on cassette with my family. In particular I remember a vacation where we listened to it over and over on repeat. We could sing along with all the songs.
I didn't know at the time what made the sounds so vibrant and interesting. But now I really appreciate how Simon experimented on this and included the South African sounds of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and cajun zydeco music. I don't think I have read the list of featured performers until now but I notice that Linda Ronstadt, The Everly Brothers, and Los Lobos are also featured on the album. It really turns out to be a perfect melting pot of sounds and rhytmns. I can see how it would be hard to maintain the focus and flow in an album with that much of a variety but it is successful. It reminds me of another great about that is all over the place as far as influnces but still holds together as a entire masterpiece, The Beatles - White Album.
I think I'm going to give it another spin right now.