I like this album of Paul's even if it wasn't a successful seller. I just wish that certain songs on this album didn't have anything to do with his relationship with his then-girlfriend-then-wife, [Carrie Fisher]. That relationship was tempestuous right from the start. It just wasn't meant to be.
The songs that I like are "Allergies", "When Numbers Get Serious", the ("b") version of "Think Too Much", and "Song About The Moon". All the other songs were great too. Even though the sales were so low, this album was still worth getting. Almost all recording artists wind up having an unsuccessful album once in a while. Even when that happened to Paul, he bounced right back up. He's still good at what he does.

I was lucky enough to see Carrie Fisher's play Wishful Drinking where she talks about her life in a humorous way. She plays part of Hearts and Bones and said it was about her and Simon's final breakup. She also said that Allergies was about her. I had heard many of the songs but didn't realize how much Simon was writing about Fisher.
Musically for the most part it works. I don't think all the songs are great but most of them are. What's important is that Simon keeps streching and expanding his musical style. Too many artists these days rely on tabloid exploits to sell themselves. This is the work of a true music master.

I always champion the overlooked and/or underrated, and this album certainly qualifies. Paul Simon's 'coded' messages to ex Carrie Fisher make for a fascinating album with Paul's somewhat ethereal lyrics and flawless guitar playing (and great production). I bought this CD some time ago for "Late Great Johnny Ace" which, for me, was a standout at S & G's Concert in Central Park, and what I got was a nearly flawless album. My original copy was pretty beat up after many years, and I just got this edition with the 4 bonus tracks, which are worth the price of admission alone. If anyone doubts Simon's genius, listen to the acoustic demos of 'Train In the Distance', 'Rene and Georgia Magritte...' and 'Late Great Johnny Ace'. If you are a guitar fan, listen to Al Dimeola's quicksilver solo on 'Allergies'. Any which way, you can't go wrong.

Six years after his release of "One Trick Pony", Paul Simon released what could be argued is his masterpiece (he had so many), "Hearts and Bones" in 1983. This wonderful melodic work of art has a calm, cool disposition due to the four best songs in particular.

"Hearts and Bones", all the while commanded by Simon's soothing guitar chords contemplates the arc of a love affair in a unique way that only Simon can create.

"Song About The Moon" has, as Simon lyricizes, a spiritual tunish quality about it that seems to perfectly accomodate his quiet wandering voice. This is definitely an underrated song that's simply relaxing. It is just what it claims to be, a song about the moon.

"Train In The Distance" almost seems to revisit Simon's story telling ground where he left off in "Hearts And Bones", but in a different way. Bass guitar and vibes feel their way smoothly through with the cool backup vocals making this one of Simon's most memorable ballads, and the second most played song on my MP3 player.

Following is "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War". This song is a wonderful compliment to the rest of the album. In it, the spaces between the notes are just as important as the notes themselves.

The rest of these songs are fantastic, most unusual being "Cars Are Cars" as you may have heard, but listen to it a few times and like me, it will grow on you. Accoustic and demo versions of 4 of the songs are included as bonus tracks, including previously unissued "Shelter Of Your Arms", a work-in-progress.
Certainly all of these songs work for this album as it paints a clear picture of Paul Simon's genius songwriting ability. He proves once again that he is an extraordinary individual.

commercially a flop album for paul. I personally rank it amongst his best work. Originally ment to be a simon and garfunkel album some of pauls best work is here. The late great johnny ace a song about violence in the usa links johnny ace jfk and john lennons deaths. Train in the distance is a classic simon song and hearts and bones is a great song about him and his then new wife carrie fisher. paul said after this album his career was so cold that no one paid any attention to his visits to south africa strange how things change his next album graceland became a best seller