Paul Simon has a 'Surprise'

Edna Gundersen

Paul Simon, Surprise (* * * ½ out of four)

Paul Simon's first album since 2000's You're the One more than lives up to its name.

Rhymin' Simon's first album since 2000's You're the One coincides with the 20th anniversary of Graceland.

While lacking that landmark's global adventurism, Surprise packs a few surprises of its own, most notably in the verve of Simon's lucid melodies and the emotional and technical purity of his vocals, especially the upper range, where you'd expect some corrosion after 64 years.

Lyrics brim with poetic wisdom and sharp observations that continue to elevate Simon above pop's rank-and-file hitmakers. He can be hysterically smug (Sure Don't Feel Like Love) or comical (Outrageous) and equally convincing in romantic tunes or the anguished Wartime Prayers: "People hungry for the voice of God hear lunatics and liars."

Simon collaborated with electronic architect Brian Eno, known for frosty avant-garde soundscapes, yet the match yields warmth and charm, particularly in the mesmerizing How Can You Live in the Northeast.

No surprise, it's very Simonesque.