2011's “So Beautiful or So What” was the first album by singer-songwriter Paul Simon since 2006's “Surprise.”
Released on April 8, 2011, So Beautiful or So What became Paul Simon's twelfth solo studio album. The five-year gap followed Surprise, a collaborative 2006 project produced with Brian Eno that incorporated electronic textures and global influences.
For the 2011 record, Simon reunited with producer Phil Ramone and returned to a more traditional songwriting approach, often beginning with acoustic guitar. The album was recorded partly in a small cottage at Simon's home in New Canaan, Connecticut, though its arrangements still draw on African, Brazilian, and other international musical colors.
A common mix-up is confusing the album with a Simon & Garfunkel release. Simon's work after the duo's breakup includes several solo albums, including Graceland and The Rhythm of the Saints; So Beautiful or So What is specifically a solo Paul Simon album. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200.