My fourth favorite album of 1972 is Paul Simon’s self-titled solo debut.

Hard as it is to imagine now, there were serious doubts in the early 70s over Simon’s prospects as a solo artist once Art Garfunkel left the band to pursue his movie career.

One reviewer of this album, quoted on Wikipedia, wrote “”I gather…this album is merely Simon’s way of keeping his hand in while Garfunkel makes movies….I’m now wondering if Garfunkel’s arranging work doesn’t include sending Simon back to rewrite some of his songs before recording them.”

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