‘So Beautiful or So What’ Rated One Of Year’s Best – New York Times

The New York Times has ranked Paul Simon’s “So Beautiful or So What” album among the best of 2011! Critic Jon Pareles rated the album at #2 for the year and wrote: “Questions of mortality, faith and the meaning of life fill an album that’s never weighed down by its seriousness. Paul Simon …tucked his philosophical ruminations amid light-fingered guitars, deceptively casual vocals and intricately effervescent rhythms with global underpinnings.”

In a separate year-end list, critic Ben Ratliff ranked the album at #4 and wrote: “Not just his best record in a couple of decades but also a reminder of how resourceful he is as a composer — and a singer! — and how worthwhile his big thoughts can be.”

In addition, “Questions For The Angels” was named one of the top songs of the year by critic Nate Chinen.