This just in, the Library of Congress has a music award! In fact, it has been instituted this year and it's called the Gershwin Award (I'm hoping it'll soon be termed the "Gershie" among the informal circles). Paste reports that Paul Simon will be the award's first recipient.
Simon has an extensive body of work, and much of it is both musically and literarily gorgeous. There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Simon's second solo project, is a fantastic way to get a sense of his impact on the American musical (and literary) landscape. "American Tune," a world-weary ode to a nation adrift from its ideological core, repeatedly reduces me to contemplative silence. While the inspirational "Love Me Like a Rock" and upbeat "Kodachrome" inspire me to look beyond myself and consider optimism, one of the more potent effects of listening to quality songcraft. And the soulful, finger-picked jazz chords (a Simon staple, jazz-inspired chords and quirky progressions) of "Something So Right" fills space like the warmest blanket on a frosty night. So, go, give a listen, and remember (or perhaps, discover) why Simon is one of our nation's finest tunesmiths and poets.
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