Harper Simon, Salvador Santana Channel Famous Dads on New LPs

A pair of guys with some excellent genes are ready to release fresh music this fall. Check out the news on Paul Simon's son Harper and Carlos Santana's son Salvador below. And peruse more famous rock offspring here.

If Elliott Smith fronted an alt-country group, it'd sound a lot like Harper Simon, the son of Paul Simon. On his self-titled debut album (out October 13th), 36-year-old Simon surrounds himself with an ace team of backing musicians (including Charlie McCoy, Gene Chrisman, and Lloyd Green) and contemporary songwriters (including Elliott Smith's pal Aaron Espinoza from Earlimart) for an easy-going, wistful set of alt-country pop, full of sweet country-twang guitars and Simon's bright, clear tenor. Your move, Ryan Adams.

Carlos Santana's son Salvador cites Bob Marley, Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner as influences, but on debut cut "Keyboard City," he's in a mellow, baby-makin' mood. The 26-year-old Bay Area dude (who got into music playing drums with his dad as a three year old) cut this track with Beastie Boys' Money Mark. (Salvador has also recorded tracks with Del the Funky Homosapien.) On "Keyboard City," Sal and Mark layer reedy, synth atmospherics, icy-cool electronic keys and a smooth-as-butter beat underneath Sal's awesomely zonked-out Vocoder-heavy vocals.

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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