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‘So Beautiful or So What’ Rated One Of Year’s Best – New York Times

The New York Times has ranked Paul Simon’s “So Beautiful or So What” album among the best of 2011! Critic Jon Pareles rated the album at #2 for the year and wrote: “Questions of mortality, faith and the meaning of life fill an album that’s never weighed down by its seriousness. Paul Simon …tucked his philosophical ruminations amid light-fingered guitars, deceptively casual vocals and intricately effervescent rhythms with global underpinnings.”

In a separate year-end list, critic Ben Ratliff ranked the album at #4 and wrote: “Not just his best record in a couple of decades but also a reminder of how resourceful he is as a composer — and a singer! — and how worthwhile his big thoughts can be.”

In addition, “Questions For The Angels” was named one of the top songs of the year by critic Nate Chinen.

So Beautiful or So What