beautiful beautiful twelfth studio album american folk rock singer songwriter album reunited collaborator record producer having experimented rhythm based textures previous decades simon returned composing songs traditionally acoustic guitar songs augmented experimental recording practices studio album largely recorded small cottage simon home connecticut music beautiful features west african blues inspired guitar playing indian style percussion experimentation samples ranged excerpt sermon nighttime kenya songs recorded little bass large presence bells simon lyrics touch themes spirituality mortality simon said resulted naturally songwriting process album beautiful released april received widespread acclaim critics considered simon best work decades appeared year end critics lists year best records album highest chart debut reaching number charted countries recording production beautiful simon reunited record producer collaborator previously worked live album concert according simon reunion came told met beginning work new album lived town decided easy work simon recorded album small cottage connecticut recording sessions consisted solely simon engineer production record album engineers gradually upgrades space months designed smith employed software rid recordings extra noise oak tree home fell recordings keeping line experimental attitude simon decided record remarking sounds musical start listen occasionally simon record control room instead like simon output effort songs onward album recorded digitally time spent getting guitars sound simon preferred bit experimentation additional session players occurred simon edit compiling altogether songs recorded hand built cigar box guitar simon bought mississippi blues musician effects applied recording digitally mixes simple method inspired simon arranging songs smith burn simon compact disc evening day session return day notes recordings resulted mixes created album developed end process simon listened recordings driving noting need changes process lasted year additional recording took place simon summer home new_york long_island previous efforts home recording told sound sound shortly album release required certain discipline simon arrive morning recording nightfall percussion vocals overdubbed indian ensemble dazzling blue recorded new_york_city ensemble cut new_jersey studio simon wife teenage daughter contributed harmonies indie rock band contributed electronic drum parts album simon financed recording beautiful released year record contract recording sessions finished signed deal distribute album simon said best work years cover art titled dna designed visual artist nasa systems engineer music lyrics beautiful finds simon returning based compositions rhythm based spurred realized favorite song effort surprise love song contained chord progression found particularly interesting coming realization focused album ballads questions angels love hard times unlike previous rhythm based albums gain inspiration guitar parts pre recorded backing tracks simon took traditional approach building songs beautiful wrote songs home developing studio help natural click track percussion instrument tapping rhythm guitar overdubbed additional elements including additional guitar parts percussion simon began album songs written letting inform songwriting music beautiful inspired west african blues simon combined indian drumming strings harmony singing songs employ wide variety samples including older blues gospel recordings love eternal sacred light contains harmonica sample love lifts golden gate jubilee quartet simon want record ordinary studio album instead according wanted lots space lots atmosphere feeling hugely orchestrated ideas going example overtones bells comes specific fill space album music largely devoid heavy bass tracks actually guitar instead drums quiet reserved smith said percussion instruments including exotic bells ancient hand bells simon favorite record album bells augment sound simon certain guitar notes highlight sound wanted recordings devoid echo found bells created slight echo odd atmospheric tone preferred placed drums emphasize higher frequency instruments songs beautiful touch subjects love mortality faith terms songwriting simon approach new song theme instead let evolve naturally line compose simon plans pursue religious writing ended particularly strong album lyrics noted songs wrote touched themes god wondered theme tapping christian symbols imagery songs strongly evocative coincidence suggested album gospel influence inspired touch humor discussing dark subjects death getting ready christmas day album earliest completed songs contains sample sermon reverend sermon inspired song creation certain rhythmic tone interested simon heard sermon box set titled consists early 20th century came quicker songs simon recording guitar live track references nephew served multiple tours iraq war concerns man dying getting heaven waits line meet god filling forms waiting line catch glimpse divine line unsuccessfully hits woman finally meets god taken point song having questions god cease relevant confront god face face theoretical situation dazzling blue based relationship wife title references favorite color cat scan eye sees heart sang simon african indian wife born beneath star dazzling blue said song reminded work rewrite features segments recordings small digital recorder family trip kenya simon frustrated guitar tone song attached sound certain guitar note time occurred effort create interesting sound song contains nighttime recorded trip written burned vietnam veteran imagining rewrite life order happy ending love hard times love beginning song references god son visiting earth simon noted song thesis highest level track contains orchestral arrangement recorded wanted larger room record questions angels includes reference american rapper jay-z inspired billboard featuring present brooklyn bridge time simon mentioned pass way holding month long celebration music april simon included line create sharp transition angels heaven downtown brooklyn street beautiful contains simon admitted favorite rhythms song title references title question simon envisioned facing infinite song collaboration bob_dylan simon felt verses nice sent message mutual manager said liked song simon hear sufficient time album deadline release reception songs beautiful available forms release album rewrite love hard times appeared simon book lyrics questions angels included compilation better good lead single getting ready christmas day premiered november april beautiful available streaming album website week preceding official release released formats including digital download vinyl deluxe edition dvd featuring footage simon live performances hall rolling_stone held fans win collector edition box set released limited copies included dvd deluxe edition vinyl copy replica beautiful released united_states debuted number billboard sold copies week simon highest chart debut billboard october sold copies united_kingdom album debuted number british albums chart selling copies week simon ninth solo album beautiful received widespread acclaim critics metacritic assigns normalized rating reviews mainstream publications album received average score based reviews critics compared diverse influences simon style album review allmusic senior editor stephen_thomas_erlewine said music focused vivid vibrant current way simon peers managed achieve los_angeles_times writer praised landscape american folk influences album best rhythm saints new_york_times took note simon lyrics sketches individuals moments humor reflections times believed informed youthful enthusiasm wisdom old age guardian said simon finds answer song reviewers took note overt religious symbolism simon lyrics irish blogger called beautiful year best christian music album american evangelical journalist said significant record reflective music recent years writing robert_christgau found simon usual folk rock global colors sound natural guitar said lyrics gratitude wife love god disagreed simon view god nature independent critical found simon love age mortality trivial pitchfork_media critic said record emotions bit devoted motifs end beautiful voted 14th best album year village_voice annual poll american critics nationwide poll creator ranked 3rd year end list rolling_stone named year 3rd best record mojo ranked 15th track listing songs written getting ready christmas day dazzling blue rewrite love hard times love eternal sacred light questions angels love beautiful sample credits getting ready christmas day contains excerpts sermon reverend congregation love eternal sacred light contains excerpts train whistle blues love contains excerpts golden gate gospel train recorded golden gate jubilee quartet personnel credits adapted album liner notes charts release history
So Beautiful or So What