Paul Simon - "Surprise"

By Steven Israel

Here's the problem with "Surprise:" It's bursting with some of the most original musical and lyrical details in recent pop music. But after you listen to it a couple of times, you may not want to listen to it again.

First, the good news. "Surprise" is a sonic delight, featuring Paul Simon's most innovative music since "Graceland." That's thanks mostly to Brian Eno, who's credited with creating the album's "Sonic Landscape."

Eno, who's worked with everyone from Talking Heads to his old band Roxy Music, has created a sparse but dense electronic sound that highlights Simon's lyrics.

And what lyrics they are, some of the most sophisticated in pop music. They're powerfully descriptive: "Weak as the winter sun, we enter life on earth," he sings on "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" "Early December, and brown as a sparrow," he sings on "Everything About It is a Love Song." The lyrics are even profound: "Prayers offered in times of peace are silent conversations. Appeals for love, or love's release. In private invocations. But all that is changed now. Gone like a memory from before the fires."

But the problem with "Surprise" is that unlike past Simon albums like "Graceland," it hardly features any memorable melodies or musical hooks. Instead, with the exception of the buoyant "Outrageous," most of tunes aren't shapely or strong enough to stick with you. And that means you don't want to listen to "Surprise" again.