Definitive Simon And Garfunkel, The - Simon & Garfunkel > Reviews > The Definitive (Paul) Simon & (Art) Garfunkel

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	A definite classic from the 1960s
Disadvantages:	Disadvantages?  Are you crazy  !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

THE DEFINITIVE SIMON & GARFUNKEL - CD - £14.99 new, but you can purchase used versions on amazon and other internet sites for as little as £3.49

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are pure musicians who have left an everlasting mark on popular music. The album of 20 songs, carefullly selected by Art for this compilation completey epitomise what the duo were all about ... acoustic harmonies, soulful and haunting lyrics ... not what you would term as typical rock and roll, in an era dominated by such music. In fact, a more apt desription of their music would be "folk", which is where the duo's early influences lay, particularly from Bob Dylan and the Everley Brothers.

The album sleeve is simple with a picture of the duo whilst recording, with the inner sleeve providing three pages of text, detailing some very interesting facts, such as, the fact the duo dominated the American album charts in 1968 ... "... in a manner unparalleled since The Beatles four years before." I was actually unaware that there had been over 200 cover versions of the classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water", which will go down in musical history as one of the best songs of all time. Here, the vocal is absolutely flawless ... angels have descended from heaven to sing this one ... it's pure magic.

The duo have both enjoyed very successful solo careers with quite different styles, so you there are clearly different influences involved when they team up as a duo.

The album consists of 20 songs, which are all harmonious, but range between slower, more poignant haunting tracks such as, For Emily, Kathy's Song (In Concert), Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Whenever I May Find Her, and the very well known hymn "Silent Night", which is interestingly intertwined with "seven O'Clock News", to more up-temp tracks such as, "A Hazy Shade of Winter", "The 59th Street Bridge Song", and the infamous classic from the film The Graduate ... "Mrs Robinson".

FULL TRACK LISTING:

1. Wednesday Morning, 3.am
2. The Sound of Silence
3. Homeward Bound
4. Kathy's Song (In Concert)
5. I Am A Rock
6. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (In Concert)
7. Scarborough Fair/Canticle
8. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
9. Seven O'Clock News/Silent Night
10. A Hazy Shade Of Winter
11. El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
12. Mrs Robinson
13. Amercia
14. At The Zoo
15. Old Friends
16. Bookends Theme
17. Cecilia
18. The Boxer
19. Bridge Over Troubled Water
20. Song For The Asking

Total running time - approx. 55 minutes

I wholly recommend purchasing this album, if you are into this kind of music ... it is a piece of musical history.