Seven Psalms

Seven Psalms by Paul Simon is a brilliant album, the songwriter’s latest. While there are some traditional Paul Simon elements in the piece (one thirty-three-minute song in seven parts) in terms of guitar style and lyrics, the album shows an artist who continues to evolve just as he did when he wrote Graceland. He breaks new ground here both musically and thematically.Simon has said in many interviews that he received the music and lyrics for Seven Psalms in a series of dreams that began in 2019 and continued through the Covid lockdown, which allowed him to explore the concept and the information that kept coming between 3:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. At the beginning, the first dream told him that he would be working on an album called “seven psalms.” After consulting a Bible to look at the Book of Psalms, he decided that he couldn’t write a piece in that exact format or tone. Still, the piece has a structure that qualifies the work as a dialogue about God or “the Lord,” the latter being the name of the opening section.Simon has explained in other interviews that he was doing what many artists have done through the millennia, which is to be the vehicle for what wants to be expressed. It’s interesting that he doesn’t claim that these are messages in any kind of orthodox or denominational sense, and they’re certainly not. They do, however, have a spiritual flavor, and he has stated that perhaps he’s having an argument with himself on the nature of God or the Divine. At heart, though, what pulled this listener into buying and listening to the CD is that he felt certain that the lyrics and music were coming from someone or something that he didn’t fully understand. I was already a Paul Simon fan, but this was the hook that I couldn’t resist.Simon is on record as stating that the final step in a song is what the listener brings to it, which may or may not represent his original intention or meaning. In fact, it may have a twist that is just as relevant or salient. So my take on Seven Psalms is just that: my interpretation and impressions. But I do know that the album deserves multiple hearings because it is a layered work that will bring something new to the forefront each time someone listens to it.The work is narratively rendered in the first person, although “Your Forgiveness” is in the second grammatical person and appears to be addressed to the Lord. This is but one of many aspects of the piece that I find intriguing, for the album in its entirety seems to be both a question and an answer, certainty and doubt, descriptions of the good and the bad, hope and a few glances back at the narrator’s hesitations (“The Lord is a puff of smoke, That disappears when the wind blows, The Lord is my personal joke, My reflection in the window”).These balancing and sometimes opposing forces reminded me of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. The world is a tiger; the world is a lamb. In the case of Seven Psalms, “The Covid virus is the lord, The Lord is the ocean rising, The Lord is a terrible swift sword ….” versus “The Lord is a meal for the poorest of the poor, A welcome door to the stranger.” This juxtaposition of opposites is, in some ways, reminiscent of Eastern spirituality and its emphasis on yin and yang and complimentarity. During some listenings, I felt I was perceiving a grand unification of ideas and the connectedness of all things.That may or may not be there intentionally, and I don’t think Seven Psalms is a hoorah for Eastern belief systems. That’s the beauty of it. It transcends being categorized into this or that, yes or no, up or down. Perhaps that is also why there is versatility among the sections of the piece. “My Professional Opinion” is a bluesy number that contains trademark Simon humor, while “The Sacred Harp” is a more linear narrative about a pickup truck picking up two hitchhikers.The end of “The Sacred Harp” expresses a longing for the sound of the harp that David played in the Book of Psalms so that hearts might be set ablaze. This sets the stage for the final piece, “Wait,” which employs a more Western spiritual vernacular and expresses an optimism and hope after the belief-doubt dialogue in the previous sections. We hear the words “Children! get ready, It’s time to come home,” which echoes the earlier “Dip your hand in heaven’s waters.” The album ends with a traditional “Amen.” I felt that this one-word ending was saying, “This is the way I received it, and this is the way I’m passing it along. I’m finished now.”Seven Psalms is perhaps a meditation, but above all it is a mystery. Indeed, Simon sings towards the end “I want you here by my side, My beautiful mystery guide.” It’s a note of confidence and trust that brings the other pieces together and provides a focus for the entire album. The mystery isn’t completely solved, of course, but there’s now hope on the spiritual path.I really loved this album. The music is innovative and moving, and Simon’s vocals—at times plaintive, evocative, and even assertive—are strong. I’m glad he shared his continuing journey, and I hope there will be new insights and songs in the future.

The way I came to hear about this album may show how God works to bring awareness to what he wants people to pay attention to. First a friend told me to go watch a video and I decided to do that. Then while I was watching the video I was listening and then went to write some emails. Then I suddenly heard a different voice speaking and it sounded familiar.So I stopped writing emails and went to watch and listen to Paul Simon telling an interviewer that his latest album came to him in dreams of words. Since God is known for sending dreams to people I found this all very intriguing. So I decided to get the album and see if I could figure out what God was saying or at least how Paul Simon was interpreting the messages.I truly believe God still speaks to us and is trying to get our attention if we will listen. That is why I recommend this CD of heartfelt songs. It seems Paul Simon's inner wisdom and God's messages to him created an album that is very meaningful and profound.Some of the lyrics which seemed especially true include:"All that really mattersIs the one who became us.""Life is a meteorLet your eyes roamHeaven is beautifulIt's almost like home"There is only one track so you can't listen to a particular song without listening to everything from the beginning. This is not a problem really as the music is supposed to be listened to from start to finish with familiar choruses sung here and there to connect the songs as a whole.The lyrics are almost hypnotic with the beauty of the acoustic guitar and Paul Simon's soul vibrating in his voice. These songs demand your full attention and speak of a soul grappling with eternal truths, even with a dose of humor.Some of the issues these songs deal with include forgiveness, humility, doubt, belief, heaven and death. Each song seems to blend into the next creating a continuation of soothing melodies with unique instruments. Bells, gongs, drums, flute and cello make this spiritually beautiful. The harmonies with Edie Brickell are truly comforting.The booklet has no issues except the word "time" was left out at the end of Trail of Volcanoes. It is fun to read along so you catch all the rhymes. Paul Simon sings at his own pace and some of the songs feel like stories from his life.I can recommend this highly knowing the music will affect you deeply and may it help to transform you into who you are becoming. Be ready to experience something truly unique in the world of music CDs.~The Rebecca Review

Love Paul Simon and have enjoyed his albums for years. So glad he is still very productive even with age. ~30 min continuous music without breaks, intended to be listened to as a whole. The first listen through I wasn't sure but then I really listened to whole thing without other distractions and loved it. This is a mature Paul Simon with a more aged voice. Guitar is lush and beautiful, lyrics are mostly great and I love that it is almost all acoustic and not over produced. Several of the songs just stick in your head (The Lord--which also pops up several times between other songs like a bridge, The Sacred Harp). The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that when I put it in my car cd player the cd itself is labeled "Chris Cardell, Essential Profit Strategies".... that's the name that comes up on the computer screen. I bought a 2nd cd hoping it would have correct name but, alas, name is same thing. Oh well, saved it to my in-car music collection anyway and I know it is actually Paul Simon. Love this CD. Listen to it often. Thanks Paul!

Perhaps the final work of its genius author. A must for any Simon lover.