Paul Simon will release Stranger to Stranger, his 13th solo album on June 3rd, 2016 via Concord Records. Listen to the album’s first single, “Wristband” below. Produced by Simon and his longtime musical partner Roy Halee, Stranger to Stranger‘s adventurous sonic spirit is abundantly clear right from the darkly humorous first two songs, “The Werewolf” and “Wristband.”
“It’s about getting you to actually hear something in a new way. It’s about making music that sounds old and new at the same time; music with a sense of mystery,” Simon explains of his and Halee’s experimentation on the album.
The first song written for the album, “Insomniac’s Lullaby,” led Simon to the musical possibilities first suggested by Harry Partch – the 20th century American composer and theorist who created custom-made instruments in microtonal tunings. To capture the sounds of Partch’s unusual instruments such as Cloud-Chamber Bowls and the Chromelodeon, Simon took his equipment to the laboratory at Montclair State University in New Jersey, where the original Harry Partch instrument collection was being curated.
An experimental session with the percussionist in Simon’s band and a group of Flamenco musicians provided the initial rhythmic premise for Stranger to Stranger and supplied the grooves that were the basis for four songs on the album – “The Riverbank,” “The Werewolf,” “Wristband” and “Stranger to Stranger.” Stranger to Stranger‘s collage of sound also includes the Italian electronic dance music artist Clap! Clap!, whose album Tayi Bebba, blending African field recordings and EDM, Simon admired. Clap! Clap!’s sound can be heard on three tracks: “The Werewolf,” “Wristband” and “Street Angel.” “Sound is the theme of this album as much as it’s about the subjects of the individual songs. If people get that, I’ll be pleased,” explains Simon. “The right song at the right time can live for generations. A beautiful sound, well that’s forever.”
Stranger to Stranger – Track List:
1. The Werewolf
2. Wristband
3. The Clock
4. Street Angel
5. Stranger to Stranger
6. In a Parade
7. Proof of Love
8. In the Garden of Edie
9. The Riverbank
10. Cool Papa Bell
11. Insomniac’s Lullaby
Paul Simon Tour Dates:
April 29 – New Orleans, LA @ Jazz Fest
May 1 – Memphis, TN @ Beale Street Music Festival
May 3 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
May 4 – Birmingham, AL @ BJCC Concert Hall
May 6 – Tulsa, OK @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – The Joint
May 7 – Thackerville, OK @ WinStar Casino
May 8 – Dallas, TX @ AT&T Performing Arts Center
May 10 – Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
May 11 – Austin, TX @ Bass Concert hall
May 14 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
May 15 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
May 18 – Des Moines, IA @ Civic Center
May 19 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinewood Bowl Theater
May 20 – Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre
May 22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Maverick Center
May 23 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden
May 25 – Portland, OR @ Schnitzer Concert Hall
May 26 – Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
May 28 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle
May 29 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle
June 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
June 3 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
June 4 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
June 5 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
June 11 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight
June 12 – St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theatre
June 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
June 15 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
June 18 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival Pavilion
June 19 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook
June 21 – Toronto, ON @ Sony Centre
June 22 – Montreal, QC @ Place Des Arts
June 24 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
June 25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for the Performing Arts
June 27 – Vienna, VA @ Filene Center (Wolf Trap Summer Series)
June 28 – Vienna, VA @ Filene Center (Wolf Trap Summer Series)
June 30 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Tennis Stadium
July 1 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Tennis Stadium