未知なるリズム、ハーモニーを欲している限り、きっと人は老けないのだろう。今年75歳になるポール・サイモンの、やたらとスリリングで何ともモンドな新作を聴きながら、つくづくそう思った。サイモン&ガーファンクル時代より付き合いのあるロイ・ハリーを引っ張り出し、共同プロデュースを任せたこの通算13枚目となるアルバム。近代西洋の音律から逸脱して原始的な響きを追い求めた米国前衛音楽の父、ハリー・パーチが影響源にあったということで、冒険的／実験的な色彩を帯びざるを得なかったようだが、それにしても奇異なる音色をここまで大胆に散りばめてくるとは。例えば、自身のバンドの打楽器奏者とフラメンコ・グループのセッションをクラップ!クラップ!が料理したエキゾ・ベース“The Werewolf”。ノイジーな成分を混ぜたカオティックな音像に、手を叩いて喜びたくなる。まさしく集大成にして新境地。読み解くのにたっぷり時間がかかりそうな傑作だ。
[English Translation]
As long as your thirst for unknown rhythm and harmony remains unquenchable, your spirit will never get old. That is what I deeply thought while I was listening to a thrilling, uncanny, new piece by Paul Simon, 75 this year. This is his 13th album where he reunites and co-produces with longtime friend Roy Halee, who has worked with him since his Simon & Garfunkel-era and had been retired for recent years. It is reportedly influenced by Harry Partch, a father of American avant-garde music who went beyond the confines of Western tuning to explore a corporeal sound, naturally taking on an adventurous, experimental hue. Be that as it may, the result is still surprisingly bold, adorned with quirky timbre. Take the exotic bass of "The Werewolf," a collaboration piece with Clap! Clap! which sees the percussionist from Simon's band jamming with a flamenco group. You'll find yourself frantically clapping to its frenetic texture blended with noisy materials. This is exactly the culmination of his Simon's career that pushes back his musical frontier, making for a puzzling gem you could have a whale of time interpreting.
