To say that Eno has brought out the best of Paul Simon on "Surprise" would be incorrect. Simon will likely never top his 1986 release, "Graceland," the brilliant mixing of African rhythms and American pop that represents his musical pinnacle to date. Indeed, faced with choosing three albums to take with me to a deserted island, I would almost certainly choose "Graceland," whereas "Surprise" wouldn't even cross my mind. "Surprise" does not even match the follow up to "Graceland," "Rhythm of the Saints."
That being said, however, "Surprise" is a good, solid release that shows a new side of Simon. Six years since his last studio album, the lackluster "You're the One," Simon has emerged from the studio with new ideas and catchy tunes, augmented nicely by the guiding hand of Eno. With three songs written by Eno, and the inclusion of Bill Frisell and Herbie Hancock on a number of tracks, Simon has opened his studio to friends and come out the better for it. Although he doubts himself on "Sure Don't Feel Like Love," saying "maybe I'm wrong again...I could be wrong again," his faith in his ideas is not misplaced.
"Surprise" kicks off with one of its strongest tracks, "How Can You Live in the Northeast," an upbeat opener that puts forth a relaxed Simon who borders on resembling David Gray. This mood spans the album, with Simon sounding more like Peter Frampton and Phil Collins than the younger, livelier Paul Simon of old. The album finishes with "Father And Daughter," a re-release of the Oscar nominated track off of "The Wild Thornberrys Movie Soundtrack." A quiet declaration of undying fatherly love that offers a fresher (and more believable, given Simon's 3 marriages) take on the traditional love song. Sandwiched between these bookends are 9 tracks ranging from musings on religion and politics to frustration about songwriting and stories of love lost.
On "Outrageous," the most upbeat track on the album, Simon admits that he's tired from "900 sit-ups a day," and at times on the album he does sound subdued. Whether on purpose or not, "Surprise" is a slower, more reflective version of Simon than heard on "Graceland" or "Rhythm of the Saints." He's more introspective and analytical, mostly talking about stories rather than actually telling them.
Some songs, like "I Don't Believe" position themselves as ballads, but fall woefully short. Even Simon's usually brilliant songwriting leaves something to be desired on this unfortunate track, with lines like "I got a call from my broker/the broker informed me I'm broke." Other tracks, like "Another Galaxy" and "Wartime Prayers," are palatable, but don't add to the album. Highlights of the album include the aforementioned "Outrageous" and "How Can You Live in the Northeast" as well as "That's Me," the song that best captures Simon's energy and Eno's influence, while detailing Simon's journey through life. Songs such as "Everything About It Is A Love Song" and "Beautiful" contain flashes of brilliance, but don't follow through on their best ideas.
The fact remains, however, that Eno has taught Simon new tricks, and "Surprise" is, overall, an enjoyable album. It seems that after investigating African and Caribbean rhythms for his two best albums, Simon realized that he had not finished exploring American and British ideas, and returned for another shot. Simon doesn't shy away from the unknown, pushing his own limits and making stylistic changes late into his highly successful career. He asks on "Outrageous," "who's gonna love you when your looks are gone?" We'll still love you Paul, just keep moving forward.
