Surprise
Released
Surprise is one of Paul Simon’s most underrated albums, one on which he engages and addresses the most fundamental human questions about life, aging, parenthood, death, and afterlife — you know, all the standard pop music tropes. And he does so not only with his characteristic tunefulness and lyrical cleverness, but also with the help of producer Brian Eno, who creates an array of colorful, innovative, and funky settings for Simon’s songs. This is not a match that anyone would have predicted, but it pays off handsomely.