Reviews (page 5 of 14)
I love Simon and Garfunkel - while this isn’t my ultimate favourite album of theirs it is a joy to listen to.
Total classic :) from start to finish - this is a classic album
Loved this album ever since I heard it as a kid in the car going on holiday. There are some great individual songs but as an album it flows beautifully and only really lets up when it gets to "Why don't you write me" and the cover of "Bye Bye Love"
I had forgotten how good this album is!
every song sublime
Quite possibly this duo’s best album and certainly contains some of my favorites.
Another nearly perfect album. This was S&G at their best, both in Simon’s songwriting and in Garfunkel’s tender voice. Even though they broke up right afterwards, this album shows their greatest congruence, tenderness, and even love for each other. Paul Simon wrote “The Only Living Boy in New York” about his loneliness when Garfunkel was out of town for an extended time filming a movie. Really the only song that feels out of place on the album is the live version of “Bye Bye Love”, which is a fine cover but just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the pieces here. The duo recorded a number of songs which didn’t make it to the album, and this one got picked instead. This is a shame, because bootleg and demo recordings of songs like “Feuilles-O” are brilliant and would have flowed beautifully with the rest of the album. Even though this album is a notch below perfect, it’s still one of my all time favorites.
Another surprisingly good album. "The Boxer" will always be my favourite from Simon and Garfunkel. What a great way to start the 70s. A few songs miss the mark a bit but that doesn't matter. I've still got many albums to review. 5 stars from me.
A classic!
This record was always on in my house when I was growing up, the first song was my parents song 🎶❤️
Classic from childhood
I had heard the popular stuff like cecilia and the title track and the boxer and whatnot. But every single song on this album could have been the most famous and i wouldn’t have batted an eye. this is just gorgeous front to back and the first truly skipless one i have encountered yet
Legend
First off, I love how Paul Simon's fringe looks like Art Garfunkel has a handlebar moustache on the cover photo. Then to the album itself. Brilliant.
Love them and this album!!
The song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" still stands as one of the greatest vocal performances of all time. Art Garfunkel makes Paul Simon's song his own for all time. Simon, of course, puts his songwriting craftsmanship on full display. Just a wonderful storyteller. Cecilia, and The Boxer are standouts. Even the secondary tracks like Baby Driver and Keep the Customer Satisfied are standouts. The Only Living Boy in New York elicits a mood that cannot be described; melancholy, subdued yet looking forward...
Последний альбом этой группы, очень нежный и трогательный, звучит будто колыбельная
no comment
This album is excellent. They explore new genres and use the strings well for dramatic effect on top of the top-tier harmonies they've always had. The title song might be the most famous from the album but it is far from the best. I like The Boxer and The Only Living Boy in New York more, and other tracks are at least as good. It's a shame this was their last album together.
Nothing else to say. Love this album
So great
Wow. What a last album. Or in some ways, is this really the first solo album of Mr. Simone's storied solo career 🤔? It sure feels like it. I don't hold a whole lot of knowledge when it comes to Simone or Garfunkle. But it was nice to put track names to so many songs I've heard before. And to put them into context. This is just sublime.
The album where songwriter Paul Simon goes on a motherfucking tear!! Every song is INCREDIBLE. The writing is right up there with the best Lennon/McCartney, and you can just feel the competitive New York edginess here. I've always felt like this feels like a Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits record more than an actual album, because any cohesiveness or continuity of the album is dwarfed by the sheer quantity of AMAZING hit songs. Released January 1970, but this is the last album of the 1960's, as far as I'm concerned. Ring in the bell of the new decade. Hard to pick a favorite song... if Paul Simon didn't go on to have a terrific career after this, this would be rightfully seen as a songwriter and duo at the height of their creative powers. They manage to do everything right, in a language they built for themselves and perfected, and just sum up everything there is to love and cherish about the folk period of the 60's. What an incredible album. 5/5
This is by far one of the greatest albums ever made. Bridge Over Troubled Water is so exceptionally beautiful. LOVE SIMON & GARFUNKEL.
This customer was satisfied. This is S&G at their best. Paul shed most of his collegiate pretensions that made some of their earlier stuff cringey. He’s settled into being a beautiful songwriter and poet. Not just showing off how smart and cool he is to impress chicks.
What else to say? Cecilia, The Boxer, The Only Living Boy in New York. Wonderful songs here. (I'm not even a big fan of the title track, but probably only because we've all heard it a million times.)
Previously rated: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme (4/5) ********************************************* When I was younger, I though S&G were lame and boring with a couple of exceptions, so it feels weird to enjoy this so much now. There's a good mix of slow and up-tempo and different styles. Their voices and unique and mesh well together. I like it a bit more than the previous album. Favorite track: I've always liked "Cecilia."
Hoo boy, this was excellent. Some great bops and some all-time sad songs to cry to. An incredible, diverse album that has permeated popular culture in countless ways, and with very good reason. Loved it. Already loved it, of course, but it went so far beyond holding up. I liked this more than I've ever liked it before.
Perfect
What a great album. I even like the tracks I had never listened to, especially liked Keep the Customer Satisfied. The Boxer is an all-timer and I just read that they spent hundreds of hours recording and producing that song. There is only the single drum part which was recorded in the lobby of the record company building. Paul Simon is a musical genius and Art Garfunkel was a great friend. But seriously Art owns Bridge Over Troubled Water. Amazing song. Love this.
Perfect.
Easy 5/5 Every song is amazing…except the live track at the end -Horrible . Just doesn’t fit with the flow of the album at all.
Giants of folk rock at the peak (and soon to be the end) of their career as a duo. Paul Simon is the sole songwriter here and he gets the opportunity to shine. Despite the two drifting apart, their collaboration still works here. There are so many great songs. This is one of the best selling albums in history and it still sounds timeless today.
Hell yes this album was my introduction to S&G after a family friend gave me her vinyl copy back in high school. I've listened to all of their albums since then, I'm a big fan. The duo really runs the gamut with this one: dramatic ballads (title track, "The Boxer"), super fun folk-pop jams ("Cecilia," "Baby Driver"), more stripped-down low-key cuts ("So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright," "Song for the Asking"), and more instrumentally diverse bops ("El Condor Pasa," "Keep the Customer Satisfied"). This album is S&G's final form. After starting out with stripped-down acoustic folk on their first album, they evolved quite a bit up until this album, where they really show their skills as a pop powerhouse with a much expanded musical palate. Favorite Songs: All of them
this one is very good 9.7/10
An absolute classic!
Classic - three of my favorite songs on this album: Cecilia, The Boxer & El Condor Pasa
Love it. El Condor Pasa is a personal fave, but really every song here shines.
Love, Love, Love this album. I still love their greatest hits more…but that’s not really fair. I could listen to this album anytime and enjoy every moment of it.
A classic album with not one mediocre song on it.
A near perfect album, just a shame I have an ex called Celia!
There are very few albums which I have entirely liked on Spotify. I think it’s Led Zep IV, Rumours, and this one. Bridge Over Troubled Water really is perfect
It's worth 5 stars just for the Boxer. The last verse of which is one of the best verses ever written. I'd never listened to this entire album, just half of it from the Greatest Hits album. All killer, no filler.
Loved The Boxer!
I enjoyed this very much. Especially the songs that never had air play.
One of the rare albums you could play for pretty much anyone and the worst response you would get is "yeah, that's nice". If you aren't pulled in by the opener then I just don't understand you, nevermind the multiple other classics like 'Boxer', 'Cecelia', and 'New York'.
This is a classic and I love it!
Bridge Over Troubled Water - 5 El Condor Pasa - 5 Cecilia - 5 Keep the customer Satisfied - 4.5 So Long Frank Loyd Wright - 4.5 The Boxer - 5 Baby Driver - 5 The Only Living Boy in New York - 5 Why Don't You Write Me - 4 Bye Bye Love - 4 Song For The Asking - 4.5 Average - 4.68⭐ Reviewing this after Scott 4 by Scott Walker is like being shown the baseline and then the exception. Great album all throughout 👍
Sublime, beautiful. I never realised how beautiful and delicate the title track is, until listening on headphones (instead of people signing along with a rousing chorus). And the the whole album is amazing.
When I started this album I had to replay 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' several times before I actually started the album. Such a beautiful opening.
Es una locura. Una canción memorable, y otra, y otra. 5/5.
Love. Soothing, lyrically interesting. Enjoyed the use of stereo
A great album! Loved this one since it came out when I was but a wee lad
Smooth, great listening, would listen again
Great Album. So much ambiance and good craftmanship. Paul Simon is a genius. 5 stars
Loved it!
One of my favorite albums
Pure Gold
so good!! i have this on vinyl but my aux cord broke so streamed it rip. 5/5
Classic
Would listen again and again. Love the whole album
Classic after classic on this one. Spectacular vocal performance by Artie. The songwriting by Paul hints at the twists and turns in his stellar solo career.
This is the best!
This is possibly the greatest folk album I've ever heard. I got a little nervous in the first couple of tracks that this album wasn't going to live up to the hype, but it really came alive down the stretch. I've heard instrumentation that I've never heard in folk before and it sounds truly innovative even sixty years later. A masterclass of the genre.
favourite song: the boxer just so good isnt it
Bridge Over Troubled Water BOTW - have heard so many times and so familiar. Even though sometimes the recording can feel a little OTT, really listening to it, what a magical song. Uplifting, comforting and full of beautiful moments, ‘Sail on, silver girl…’ in particular. Always loved El Condor Pasa, particularly the intro. Keep the Customer Satisfied I also love. Good example of Paul Simon’s wry sardonic storytelling. It took a while for me to see that So Long, Frank Lloyd Wight was a good song. It’s a lovely little melody with a skipping rhythm and I like the little fiddle string low in the mix The Boxer - what a song. Sounds brilliant every time I hear it. Might be my favourite S&G song. Baby Driver, similar to Customer. I do like these quirky upbeat songs he does , a bit like Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard from Paul Simon’s ‘first’ solo album. Kind of upbeat folky Motown with unusual rhyme patterns I LOVE The Only Living Boy in New York. Just love it, the bass, the feel, everything. Why Don’t You Write Me. I feel like this is the only down note on the album. Feels like an arrangement looking for a song and the whole thing doesn’t quite convince. I’m never quite sure why Bye Bye Love is on here too. It’s a good version of a great song, but it’s always stuck out as a bit odd. Not necessarily bad but seems out of place. Song For the Asking. I really enjoy the low key nature of this, a nice contrast to the ‘big’ opening of the title song. Lovely track. I do love this album, I go back and forth between this and Bookends as my favourite S&G album, but they are both great. For such a great act it’s always surprising how it feels like they only really have two ‘proper’ albums. They have written some of the greatest songs though and I suppose that’s why any greatest hits of theirs is so good. Even though it’s not quite perfect and does feel uneven towards the end with Why Don’t You Write Me and Bye Bye Love , before the lovely Song for the Asking I think this has to be a 5, it’s got two of the greatest songs ever and some of their best non ‘big’ songs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A beautiful and highly polished send-off. Sometimes upbeat, mostly reflective, always fully realized. The title song is and probably always will be one of my all-time favorites. Best song: Bridge Over Troubled Water
Impeccable. The high watermark of their career. This album is a triumph, a masterpiece, a magnum opus. It is a must-have staple for any record collection. I’m utterly delighted I got to have it for my 900th album!
Really really good. Beautiful songs. Super enjoyable listen. 5/5 :)
Clearly a masterpiece from start to finish, this album features a handful of hits accompanied by several lesser-known songs that are just as good. The title song builds beautifully (I'm a big fan of these songs that gradually become extravagant and orchestral), setting a perfect tone for the rest of the album. I'd never heard this whole S&G album before until now, but it might be their best.
Perfect. My childhood. Parents played this album constantly. Only good memories for me.
Classic album reminds me so much of Billy and Carl. Great memmys. The boxer. El condor pasa and the only living boy in new york. 5 stars is the only answer.
I can't listen to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" without crying - I heard that song in the car right after my aunt's funeral, and no song described her better. The other songs, while not as powerful personally, are still great. 5/5
beautiful album, very raw and consistent, title track was absolutely phenomenal too. not a single bad song i’d say, really enjoyed it, would definitely be listening to it again.
One of the all time greats 5
Great harmonies
Love it, spin it all the time.
These are such great songs
I’ve never been a huge fan of the American folk music of the 60s, which Simon & Garfunkel have been associated with. However, this is anything but your standard folk album. Their harmonies are classic, but there are so many other musical influences permeating the composition of these songs. Really enjoyable. I would gladly listen to any of the songs on this album anytime.
I bought this album when it was released. Bought it again when life moved to CDs. It's been on my streaming playlist for years now. One of the greatest duo groups of all time and this album is the culmination of their prodigious talent both individually and together. The poetry of Paul Simon's writing and the diversity of the song genres is classic. A great album by artists at their prime!!
Liked this one a lot. Very chill vibes. Something I would listen to on a lazy afternoon with nothing to do. Favorite songs: Cecilia, The Boxer, The Only Living Boy In New York
I was not expecting that brassy section in Keep the Customer Satisfied.
Classic
A welcome break from all the Smashing Pumpkins. Right off the bat, banger, banger, banger. Bold move to start off with such a slow, emotional song, but it worked well. Favorite tracks: El Condor Pasa, Cecilia, The Boxer, Baby Driver
heavenly omg
Masterpiece, fantastic.
I love this album. Bridge over troubled water and the boxer are incredible timeless songs.
I can't separate my thoughts about this album from the number of times I listened to it as a kid. At that age, I don't think I fully appreciated how unusual a lyric like "architects may come and architects may go and never change your point of view" is in pop music.
Garfunkel and Oates have forever made it impossible for me to remember this band's name. Not generally the music I choose to listen to, but a fun listen. And Cecilia is a bop, though they guy saying "pick it up" sounded like he was behind me in real life and legitimately scared me.
Classic for a reason, an entire catalog of masterpieces
Absolute classic Love it
I find it hard to put into words how much and why I love this album. It’s perfect.
AMAZING!!
Liked it A lot more than I thought I would
fave track: song for the asking final thoughts: just gorgeous !
Some all time bangers. Cool instrumentation, bomb ast percussion on cecilia specifically. Basic? Perhaps but still so consistently good. Bolivia represents
masterpiece 5
Classic
I could see Paul McCartney being envious of this album. This is what his first solo album should’ve sounded like. This album’s production is beautiful, thanks to the newly developed 16 track recorder. But this albums’ long legacy is due to Paul Simon’s melodies, and for the fact that not many albums from 1970 sounds like this. ‘The Boxer’ easily rivals Sounds of Silence as the best Simon & Garfunkel song. Only Paul Simon could write the riff of ‘Baby Driver’, which should be as iconic as ‘I Feel Fine’. There are only two middle of the road songs on this album. ‘So Long, Frank Llyod Wright’ which could’ve easily been on Bookends and didn’t develop the sound of this project. The other is ‘Why Don’t You Write Me’, which could’ve been a Kinks song off of ‘Face to Face’ but didn’t fully embrace the quirkiness that Ray Davies would’ve. The album ends very solid on a cover of the Everly Brother, ‘Bye Bye Love’, which fits the themes of love lost, and then the short poem ‘Song for the Asking’. I’m leaning more towards a 4.5 but I’ll give it a solid 5
Loved
Great set of songs
I had this album in 1970 and listened to it often. Art Garfunkel singing bridge over troubled water still gives me chills
A perfect album.
One of my favorite albums. It does not get old. Simon & Garfunkel at their best.
This is definitely my first listen of this album but it feels like I've already heard it before. Maybe because of interpolation and samples from newer songs? Idk. But I love the album! I enjoyed listening to it. Will be adding this on my playlists.
There might not be any records from the 1970s more about the 1960s than this one. “Bridge” looks back but it definitely moves forward too. It sounds like it’s Simon and Garfunkel reaching the next level, it’s so full of great performances and memorable songs. But there would be no more levels for them, only memories, and a Paul Simon solo career for the ages. They would have one more triumph together if you count the Central Park Concert reunion but really this record is it—the culmination of an incredible partnership. “Bridge” as a title track is at once a tour de force and a heartbreaking signal flare shot above our heads telling us that this duo is done. It has always existed and it is eternal. Simon makes the case on the title track (and throughout the record) that he is a songwriter worthy of a place in the pantheon and Garfunkel steals the show with angel tier level vocal performance right off the bat. It’s an incredibly masterful opening track and it would’ve justified this album’s existence by itself. Of course, there’s also the ageless “El Condor Pasa” and the infectious singalong “Cecilia” which both hint at Simon’s ballooning passion for World Music. “The Only Living Boy in New York” might be the most depressing song on the record, but it’s the immortally mournful “The Boxer” that strikes the saddest chord. Those “lie la-lies” speak louder than any of the actual lyrics about the depths of isolation and defeat, and that’s saying something on a record that’s essentially a Swan Song. That their final record together is probably their best is a lovely coda and a fitting capstone for one of the most celebrated duos of the ‘60s and beyond. “Ask me and I will play/All the love that I hold inside.” Well, we did ask and you delivered. We couldn’t ask for more.
I could listen to this one over and over…
Love it
love
Superb and timeless. This album is musical melancholy with diverse styles of instrumental compositions that are few and far between in most of todays modern popular music releases.
Amazing to be reminded how great Paul Simon's songwriting talent really is. Even the smallest songs are so well crafted.... what a gift. Also great to listen to him when he started to use his own voice for his songs, rather than just provide harmony. He is a legend whose every song is worth listening to, both for wonderful lyrics and for fantastic guitar skills. And then he brings in the world music ....! 👏👏👏
I mean, this is top 5 best albums of all time.
un super clásico "if i could" de toda la vida me gusta mucho
Classic ... such an effortless blend of different of genres and styles into their folk sound, all with a calm and relaxing feel throughout.
Classic in every way. Some of these songs just get better every time. Opening track/title track is probably my least favorite, but listening to this album again gave me a renewed respect for S&G.
4.5 One of the best musical duos of all time at their absolute best. Beautiful, vivid storytelling. Near perfect album.
This album slaps so fucking hard. This is a childhood and adulthood favorite.
Really nice album with lots of variety. Though there are some extremes, with a few songs being amazing classics and the others unfortunately being quite forgettable.
Perfection.
Ah, the emo-music of the 70s
I LOVED THIS ALBUM. I felt like i was in the crowd at a music festival while I was puttering around doing chores. Cheerful and energetic.
Timeless classic from a legendary duo.
Nostalgic
God I love Paul Simon. Listening to this album yesterday morning made my day. Baby Driver? Cecilia? Keep the Customer Satisfied?? And the slow ones were good too lol
Great classic! S&G at their finest!
Solid all around, love The Boxer especially.
This duo was definitely a favorite of many and I became a fan. They clearly sang songs with meaningful lyrics that pulled at the heart strings of those who listened. I was familiar with all these songs and listening to some many times didn’t bother me.
It was good
Great album! Love S &G
3rd album I've gotten of theirs. Masters of folky harmonic rock. Favorite song: The Boxer. The faster songs have a feel-good peppiness to them, while the slow songs are emotionally evocative.
Simon and Garfunkel made the first music I fell in love with - Sounds of Silence; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.....what's not brilliant about this album? Lyrics, vocals, orchestration, arrangement, command of diverse genres, heart and edge. Has it all.
Some of the greatest songs written and performed - Only Living Boy being the stand out. It’s only let down by a vanilla cover of a song that already had a definitive version. That’s probably churlish though so I’ll skip and ignore.
Been a while since I've listened to this entire album. Quality work - lyrics, harmonies, and memories tie together in my mind.
Exquisite
An ambitious, tangled conglomeration of songs, many of which defined their catalog and era
Perfect trip down Memory Lane!
What a surprise! Two returning artists in a row was not something I was expecting, but it is definitely something that I am more than okay with. Anyways, Bridge Over Troubled Water is really good. I thought that Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme was good, but nothing spectacular. I knew that there had to be something better in Simon and Garfunkel's catalogue. Fortunately, the iconic duo went out with this, which is widely considered to be their best album. Despite the fact that I haven't heard their other albums besides the two that I've gotten for this list so far, I would probably agree. The songwriting on this album is top-notch. It's very personal at times in regards to the then soon-to-end relationship between Simon and Garfunkel themselves. The sound on this thing is also great. I like the variety between each songs and their influences. The pacing is also quite good. It doesn't drag on or end too soon. Overall, this album absolutely deserves to be on this list for its quality and cultural significance. 5/5.
The last of the great folk albums of the 1960s (yes, it's from 1970 but it's a holdover from the 60s) and likely the best Simon and Garfunkel album. The songs are some of their best including the title track, The Boxer, El Condor Pasa. As a child, my parents had this album, and my siblings and I loved Cecilia. There is even a movie named after The Only Living Boy in New York. While most songs are duets, it's Art Garfunkel's voice that shines on the opening title track while Paul Simon is the only one who should ever sing The Boxer. Sadly, this was their last studio album together.
Angelic harmonies tell the stories of the dreary, the daring, and the determined souls roaming the streets of New York. The production of the album is revolutionary, so much warmth, the kind of album that begs for the highest fidelity. It is also meticulously crafted, but still feels effortless given the mix of serious and lighthearted songs. Classic.
"Gee, but it's great to be back home." Back to reality, back to fuller album reviews. I really have meant to get more into Simon & Garfunkel, which seems to be a common thing for me to be saying in this project, which is probably why I'm enjoying it so much. I already recognize the first three songs -- all BANGERS. Wow, Celcilia especially is really benefitting from a close listen, I know the song from mostly in passing but I LOVE the percussion, the vocals, the instrumentation, just everything. The Horn sounds in "Keep the Customer Satisfied" -- wow.
Spectacular. Ten great compositions, executed beautifully. Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, El Condor Pasa, Baby Driver... goshdarn Cecilia. Earworms in the best way possible. The harmonies are S&G's signature, and they really shine in most of these tracks. Simon's solo vocal is always playful and conversational, which really draws the listener into the music. "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" is the only odd one out; there's something just a little unsatisfying about it, like an incomplete souvenir shoved into the middle of the album to increase runtime. Still, it's not bad, and the consistent flow of the album manages to work with the variety of moods and styles. For its time, this music is phenomenally fun and creative. This customer has been kept satisfied. 9/10
Not much for me to say about this one that others haven’t said. So I’ll just say So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright sounds like an Elliott Smith and I absolutely love it. Has those haunting major to minor chord changes
Always worth going back to since I bought it 53 years ago
Really hit the spot, what an incredible record. By the time the opening track swelled to a climax I was totally on board. Also worth noting, absolute masterclass in songwriting talent from Paul Simon. Top tracks: Bridge Over Troubled Water, El Condor Pasa, Keep The Customer Satisfied, The Boxer, Baby Driver
Good album alert
Beautiful project by the two prettiest boys in the bussiness
One of my Top 10 albums!
Супер крутой фолк альбом очень понравился Треки разнообразные душевные и крутые 5 звезд!!!
Banger
A great mix of some slower folk and fun, upbeat stuff. Not every song was amazing but I honestly can't think of anything bad to say about this one.
Sensational folk pop and rock swan song with killer arrangements.
Paul Simon is a genius. There are a few tracks on here that I'd skip after a while, but the masterpieces on here are some of his finest songs and lyrics. 4.5 rounded up to 5.
Great
Can you get any better than S&G?
A lesser band's greatest hits
I love Simon and Garfunkel! This album is perfect.
One of my absolute favorite albums
Outstanding!
Outstanding, every track is superb.
5/5 This was great.
I mean, come on.
Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of my favorite albums of all time, period. Simon & Garfunkel speak straight to your heart in Bridge Over Troubled Water (the track) - it's got to be one of the greatest songs of the 70s. I don't know what else to say. The Only Living Boy in New York has a special place in my heart since I've heard it for my whole life. My parents played it, The Boxer, and Cecilia all the time when I grew up and I have many fond memories of these tracks. Really, the whole album is extraordinarily well produced. One of the easiest 5/5s of my life.
I like this Album overall much more than I thought I would. So many good songs, with Bridge over troubled water, the boxer, baby driver, and The only living boy in New York being some of the top highlights.
Grew up on this record, and then gained even greater appreciation after listening to the season of The Opus podcast about it.
Amazing. Love it
Enjoyed this a lot.
Bridge Over Troubled Water Cecilia The Boxer Baby Driver The Only Living Boy in New York
Love!!!!
It's just an incredible album with such incredible song writing and performances. Whilst it's not a daily listen for me any more (I certainly listened to it a lot in my earlier days of music-discovery), it deserves all the recognition and legendary status it has achieved. I am reserving 5 star ratings for albums that are not only amazing but ALSO fit neatly into my everyday listening, so this one loses out on that front.. although I'm certainly torn as I could listent to this anytime - ah, dammit, I'll give it a five. Wonderful, magical, unique album. How can I not.
Very 1970
A couple interesting tidbits from Roy Halee, sound engineer, for Paul’s recent audio book Miracle and Wonder: The drum crash in The Boxer is a snare played in an elevator shaft. The aahhhhhs on The Only Living Boy in New York were recorded in an echo chamber (small room with speakers and a mic to add reverb) at the studio, but he put Paul and Art IN the chamber instead of just piping the recording through the speakers in the chamber.
Classic. Great album all round
a rough, unfinished album in a lot of ways, but Simon's skill and their companionship bring the essential things together perfectly.
Bridge Over Troubled Water. El Condor Pasa. The Boxer. Only Living Boy In New York. I grew up with all of these songs, my parents playing this album over and over again (as well as the Central Park concert album) and I stole a copy of the CD and squirreled it away up to my room. Later, when I was in college, this album came back again with Garden State. There's no need to go into the backlash, the backlash to the backlash, the backlash to the backlash to the backlash, etc etc ad infinitum about that movie, but the soundtrack really was a big deal for me. Did The Shins change my life? Who knows, but I do know that ever since I've *loved* The Only Living Boy in New York. The music of Cecilia is great, the lyrics though....yikes.
Listening to this reminded me of listening to this CD on a road trip when I was little. I love the songwriting on this album and the way their voices meld together. Plus, the live performance of "Bye Bye Love" was fun. This is my first 5/5 album!
If I could give a higher rating I would, I love Simon and Garfunkel and have so many good memories of listening to them. Ultimate everday music 5/5
As close to perfection as an album could get, at least in this world. I’d argue that some of the songs here are perfect, period: the title track (what a voice, what lyrics), El Condor Pasa, Cecilia, The Boxer, The Only Living Boy in New York… and it’s not like the rest of them are inferior. I often wonder what would have happened if Simon & Garfunkel persevered. Not that I’m complaining at Paul Simon’s output as a solo performer.
Omg sito jau klausyciausi, nice
9/11, 82%
Dug. Classic
Chill af
Good old Simon & Garfunkel. No complaints here. I never know which one is Simon and which one is Garfunkel. Are both first names? Will tomorrow be a female artist?
Brilliant. Incredible. Stunning. Beautiful. The harmonies are breathtaking. The music is soothing. The lyrics are amazing.
It’s a classic. With it for Cecelia and the Boxer alone!
4.5/5 classic album with so many hits. listened 2x+
Classic Favorite I’ve loved a long time.
What a juggernaut of a record.
Yes it’s near perfection for its time and place.
Loved it- so many great songs!
A classic
Fue un excelente viaje, super recomendable
Amazing
Liked this one more than Bookends. It’s close between this and Graceland. Haven’t heard Paul Simon I don’t like so far. Rating: 4.5
They just keep those bangers coming on this one. Hell yeah.
What an absolute friggin classic
I often Find Simon & Garfunkel a bit too soft and easy on the ears. Often resulting in finding out an album is finished long after the fact. The Garfunkel moustache album is an exception. It has a lot of great songs and also great lyrics. It "Keeps the Customer Satisfied" (too bad that is the weakest track). And I can stare at the album cover for hours.
Having had the chance to see Wu Tang, Nas & De La Soul this week, it’s time for a slightly different New York State of Mind Even though this is technically the 1st time hearing this record, I was more than familiar with 6/11 tracks since they were in The Best of Simon and Garfunkel. They’re aight, the title track & “The Boxer” are just some of my favourite moments in pop music, so we don’t need to dwell on them. How bout that brass in “Keep the Customer Satisfied” & “Why Don’t You Write Me”? Or “So Long Frank Lloyd Wright”, which I found a bit slight on 1st listen but ended up being won over by its interesting jazziness & slightly dissonant melody. I think when the nadir is a perfectly serviceable Everly Brothers cover, we have a real winner here. HL: "The Boxer", title track, "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)", "Cecilia", "Keep the Customer Satisfied", "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright", "The Only Living Boy in New York" October 11, 2023, one of the best autumn albums I could hope for, cover & all
Simon & Garfunkel- Bridge Over Troubled Water 01. Bridge Over Troubled Water (5/5) 02. El Condor Pass (If I Could) (4/5) 03. Cecilia (5/5) 04. Keep the Customer Satisfied (5/5) 05. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright (4/4) 06. The Boxer (5/5) 07. Baby Driver (4/4) 08. The Only Living Boy in New York (4/4) 09. Why Don't You Write Me (4/4) 10. Bye Bye Love (4/4) 11. Song for the Asking (4/4) 49/49 100% 5/5
An amazing album,almost all the tracks are amazing,especially the title track and the boxer.Simon and Garfunkel’s voices mesh so well.It’s such a comfy album.I love it.
Really great album, particularly love If I Could. A wonderful mix of sounds while all staying true to the Folk Rock core. Love how far away the vocals sound while still being clear.
This album is catching me off guard. I'm familiar with a few of these songs (specifically the ones on the Greatest Hits album which features Paul Simon suggestively caressing a shiny chrome egg cup on the album cover). Those few songs set expectations which have been greatly exceeded by the rest of the album. Sonically, it's less dated sounding than I thought it would be. Very lush, satisfying listen.
Great the whole way through.
Another classic
Great music
Really enjoyed listening to this
The Boxer is the pinnacle of 1960s folk-pop. Cecilia and Bridge are also classic rock. Even The Only Living Boy in New York has iconic status. I’m not a folk aficionado, but this album slaps.
If you were a teenager or older in the 1970s you probably have a copy of this album. A classic album with so many great tracks. The epic title track was such a powerful song of love and hope, and still is, even today. Then there's "The Boxer", another great song, plus "Cecilia" and "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)"; all of these songs were part of the soundtrack for anyone living through the 1970s.
Folk at its best.
Some classic tracks here including 2 of my all time favourites in The Boxer and El Condor Pasa.
This is my first listen to this. Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of the greatest songs I have ever heard, period. They’re not a single miss on this album. I love this album. Straight to the playlist!
Alfa harmonies. The Boxer and Baby Driver are great. Ezzzzz 5.
Sail on, silver girl x
Opener should be the last track
My memory says 5 star and after listening again … it’s a five star classic! We all know the tunes, great singalong. Catchy as hell and some beautiful singing, melodies and light orchestration. Beautiful, thoughtful, then upbeat, world beat, rock’n’roll. There are few albums deserving all the accolades and this is one. Should be in everyone’s collection.
When I first heard this album, I didn't like it as much as Simon and Garfunkel's other albums. I was into Dylan and liked S&G's folky tunes more. Something like "Cecilia" did not appeal to me. I wanted more "Sounds of Silence". I have come around and accepted that Paul Simon is more of a pop musician than folk rock. And that's okay. In fact, he's very good at it (ref: Graceland). And you begin to see that more on this album. Listening to this album without my previous bias: 5 stars.
Near perfection
The sound of a complicated friendship reaching its bittersweet end. Even looking past the lyrical metatext that adds an emotional weight to this album, it is still the finest collection of tunes by Simon & Garfunkel, and the production is pristine. A special shout-out to "The Only Living Boy in New York", one of my favourite songs. But I love everything here; songs like "The Boxer" and the title track are among some of the most beautiful songs ever put to tape. Perfection.
Classic after classic. Forgot that they cover "Bye Bye Love" at the end of the album.
The first album I ever brought. The title songs remains imperious & renders nearly all subsequent re-issue risible in comparison. And there's so much more as well. Timeless.
Very Tasty 👍
Paul Simon's songwriting skills are legendary for a reason. While not every song on this album is a brilliant folk rock masterpiece (looking at you Baby Driver), the album is nonetheless filled with both introspective and emotional ballads and leg-thumping folk flavor. While it's far from a "happy" album, even during the somber emotional moments I can't help but wear a smile on my face while listening to Bridge Over Troubled Water. Very few albums have the capacity to move that this one does.
Amazing album!
Simon & Garfunkel went out on top. In terms of mixing genres, evocative lyrics and memorable songs, this is their best album. While most people wanted more from them, it's hard to argue they didn't go out on top. "The Boxer" is an absolute classic that I never get tired of hearing. The fact Garfunkel was away for a lot of the writing process empowered Paul Simon to think he could do a lot of this music thing himself without having to worry about someone else's opinion. He was obviously inspired and this album is the great result.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkels finest work, such a classic album.
Lovely album with great production, brilliant songs, great voices. One of my favourites
With their final album, Simon & Garfunkel put a definitive end to the 60s with a beautiful, melancholic statement on isolation and human longing for connection. It's not a perfect album, but the heights reached on this are some of the finest recordings ever. 'The Boxer' is monumental, and 'The Only Living Boy in New York' is hauntingly beautiful with some of the purest vocals ever put to tape. That is, of course, excluding Garfunkel's ethereal vocals on the title track. Iconic and 100% guaranteed to induce goosebumps every single time. What a way to start an album and end a duo.
This is one way to end the 60’s, kick off the 70’s and simultaneously end a duo. There are a few tracks I don’t care that much for along the way, but when you open an album with “Bridge Over Troubled Water” only for that to only be the best second song on the album… What else could you wish for?
Phenomenal. Blown away. Not a dud moment and banger after banger. Tempted to listen through a second time right away.
It's Simon & Garfunkel! Legendary duo, and this is a legendary album full of incredible tracks. Their lyricism and knack for making things catchy is really on show here, and it's just remarkable how relevant and timeless it feels. The care and attention to detail in their songs matches that of the Beatles IMO.
This is the first time they've given me an album I've heard before, and also my first 5. It wouldn't be entirely honest to call this one of my "old favourites," though, because I only discovered it this year (I'm young and trying to discover classic music, which is why I signed up for this site). But it was definitely a favourite before this. The title track touches me in a way that not many songs do. The rest of the album falls short compared to it, and I love the rest of the album. The whole track list is solid, with several other classic songs. However, even if the rest of the track list was terrible, this album still deserves 5 stars just for "Bridge Over Troubled Water." One of the greatest songs ever written. Favourite tracks: Bridge Over Troubled Water (obviously), El Condor Pasa, The Boxer
So many iconic tracks on this album! Love the beautiful harmonies these guys had while singing.
The Only Living Boy in New York made me cry
Such a lovely album.
What an amazing album. This is fantastic fantastic fantastic. Another great road trip album, too, along with Graham Nash's.
Art Garfunkel's angelic voice in "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The horns in in "Keep The Customer Satisfied". The harmonies in "The Boxer". The choral sections in "Only Living Boy in New York". All five star moments, from an unimpeachable album.
an album i already loved. crazy to have bridge over troubled water, so long frank lloyd wright, the boxer, AND the only living boy in new york all on the same album
i'm relieved this isn't the album with sound of silence, because i hate that song. i've never listened to any other simon and garfunkel. this was a good first taste, i found it soothing and gentle on the ears and overall charming. on the edge of four and five because i'm not mad about it, but there's something about it that just feels right. five stars.
Masterpiece
Classic Grew up listening to this on cassette along with a few others. I assumed this was the norm for an album. It turns out that it was a gold standard. And the reviewer who questioned Frank Lloyd Wright….. mmm I’m an Architect and think it’s excellent
This is so so good! - LOVE Keep the Customer Satisfied, Baby Driver, The Only Living Boy in New York (in addition to the classics - Cecilia and The Boxer are great) - The very slow ballads don't get me that much - So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright is pretty bleh. But Bridge Over Troubled Water kinda rips when it kicks in. Beautiful.
Beautiful songwriting 5/5
Based on what I thought about Paul Simon's album earlier in this list, I was expecting to not be wowed here. But WOW. There's something about each song that's comforting and upbeat and enjoyable.
Super easy 5. Multiple of my favorite songs here, and a bunch of other classics.
Tranquil
As grandiose as folk rock gets. Even if it does contain a ballad dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright.
Don’t need to listen, been listening to this since I was 14 years old and still bloody love it.
The title track is amazing and the other tracks did not disappoint. Amazing how Cecilia and Keep The Customer Satisfied is lively then it changes the mood with So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright and The Boxer, then it builds up the tension again like absolute geniuses. Almost all the songs were great, but I enjoyed So Long, and Bye Bye Love the most. 8.5/10
Great album, classic folk, classic songs. Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Cecilia, The Boxer, and Bye Bye Love, all great hits
I play this regularly as I rotate trough my vinyls.
Its opening is heavenly. The lyrics are so well crafted, whether they're simple and profound, or steeped in metaphor. I love the vocal effects, the harmonies, and the sounds in this album; everything is so clear. The 60s sound so good, this album aged so well.
Wow, this was great. Had only heard the 2 big radio songs before but this was stacked start to finish, outside of the weird longing for an architect.
great classical album. tracks added: 4 fav track: el condor pasa 9/10
Yay! Yay! Yay! This is the best! Five plus plus plus plus plus!
A delightful album! These two young men can really put a tune together!
Wonderful. An absolute treat.
This was part of my family’s cassette tape collection from my earliest memory. It was always on my short list of tapes to play on family road trips whenever I got to pick a cassette. Not long after leaving home I added it to my own personal collection. It’s one of those albums that has always been near at hand. The Boxer is one of my favorite songs ever. So beautiful and emotional. El Condor Pasa is right up there with it, too, opening with a quivering guitar building an opening moment of perfect tension. The title track never wears on me even though I’ve no doubt heard it thousands of times. That the rest of the album holds up next to these masterpieces speaks to how incredible this album is. I enjoyed this album as much today as I ever have.
Finns bara ett betyg på denna klassiker.
flawless
A clear and easy 5, what a fantastic album. I'd never sat down and listened to this in full before, but was pretty familiar with most tracks on this, and the ones I hadn't heard still impressed. Several all-time folk bangers on here, definite classic.
This is a very nice album, like it very much.
Ultimate classic that never dates
Many years ago I had the opportunity to go traveling out of my country for a while. I brought little with me, but this album was one of 3 cassettes I brought to accompany my travels (yes, cassettes, it was that long ago). Easily one of the most influential albums in my life. Curiously, on this re-listen, I have found a new appreciation for So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright - the one song on the album that never thrilled me before.
One of the most influential folk rock records. This and Sound Of Silence easily inspires you to simple pick up an acoustic guitar and jam out. Or to write simple lyrics inspired by their style. I love these album and would probably give it a 9.5/10 only due to just not every tack being a 10
One of those albums where you expect to be, like, “boooooring!” And then its actually, like, great
Beautiful ❤️
Talk about going out on top. By turns soaring, playful, gentle, wistful, Simon and Garfunkel remind us one more time why they are masters of their craft.
Behind CSNY, lots of Simon & Garfunkel got played in young ImTheOceans house and the 70's socal hippie church we attended. That being said, I find most of their albums have great singles and some overpretentious filler. While the same can be said here, even the weaker tracks have great moments. The horn section on Keep The Customer Satisfied, Garfunkels vocals on the title track, The Boxer all make this 5/5.
Simon & Garfunkel are part of my musical DNA. My Grandfather and Mother talk about seeing them in Cameron Stadium when my Grandfather was a Duke Divinity student. Half of my full studio album discography on vinyl once belonged to my mother, including this album. While Cecilia, The Boxer, and Baby Driver were favorite songs, I did not hold this album in very high esteem until I listened to the 2020 season of The Opus on the album. I spent quite a bit of time with the album when I listened to that season in 2021. I came to love it during that period and it is probably my favorite album by them now. Part of it was probably a reaction to overhearing the title song (especially covers, Jesus, like Hallelujah, I could go the rest of my life without hearing a new version and they should set the songwriting royalties at such an exorbitant rate as to discourage people from singing it). But as I came to really understand the album and its place in time, I even over came that hurdle to love that song once again as I had as a youth. The album is like a minibiography of the band taking you from their humble beginnings with Bye Bye Love to foretelling Simon's solo stardom with The Only Living Boy in New York. It is nigh perfect by one of the greatest of singer songwriting teams. It's a beautiful swan song and probably should have been left as their last testament as opposed to numerous attempts to rekindle the flame rather through artistic desire, nostalgia, or money.
Remains as brilliant as ever The title track and the boxer are amongst the most quintessentially classic songs ever recorded. The rest is pretty close behind Frank Lloyd Wright is a peculiar curio that lacks the melody of the rest of the album but we’ll forgive that one misstep when the rest is so great
A classic of the Folk Rock genre. They were a good team with those harmonies and the songwriting structure.
Simon & Garfunkel are just perfection. So many huge hits on this album. I loved listening to this.
Clown Hair and Tiny knock it out of the park.
My parents were big Simon & Garfunkel fans when I was a kid, owning copies of their greatest hits and The Concert In Central Park on vinyl. They loved The Graduate as well, which I made the mistake of watching with them when I was in high school, an experience that was made even more awkward by the fact that my dad had an affair with one of his married high school teachers when he was in his early twenties, but before he met my mom (there's so much more about that story that I wish I could share, but it's sadly irrelevant to the topic at hand). This was my first time listening to an entire album of theirs, and I absolutely loved it. The title track is wonderful, and stands as a sad analogy for the duo's tense relationship, and eventual dissolution after the release of this album. 'The Boxer' is fantastic too, with its sad lyrics of self reflection and haunting chorus of 'lie-la-lie's.' I had completely forgotten about 'Cecilia,' and I was delighted to see it on this record; it's one of those songs that you can't help but smile to as you sing along and sway in time with the beat. The inclusion of their live cover of "Bye Bye Love" is fantastic as well, and Simon & Garfunkel really put their own unique spin on it with their fantastic harmonies and folksy guitar sounds. "Keep the Customer Satisfied" with its great bass line, and the addition of some powerful brass instruments. This whole album is just fantastic from start to finish: the highs are high, the lows are low, the vocals are amazing, every note of every instrument is perfectly placed, and the production is immaculate. I had completely forgotten just how big Simon & Garfunkel were at the height of their career. I mean, good grief, a half a million people showed up for their concert in Central Park. A half a million people went to see two guys who hadn't put out any music in over a decade. I hate that I hadn't listened to this album sooner. This album will be firmly in my regular rotation. I can't wait to get assigned Graceland, and if that's not on this list, I will riot.
Schon gehört fantastisch. Eins der besten Folk alben aller Zeiten. Light 9/10
Every song is great, and the title track is always astonishing. Paul at his peak, Art going beyond jaw-dropping.
Masterpiece!
Fajne
4.6
Wow, what a fucking great album. First half of the album is particularly strong, it struck how fresh this sounds over five decades on.
All around classic. Everything about this album is right.
Everyone talks about the first track but The Only Living Boy in New York is also pure bliss and generated some of my favorite covers ever.
Masterpiece of pop-folk
One of the best albums ever produced
A classic.
I did a little dance for joy when this one came up - it was like going on a blind date, turning up to the venue to discover it was an old friend. Neither of you are romantically interested in each other, but both relish the impromptu opportunity to hang out again. Not a disappointing or wasted evening at all, and served to remind you how much fun you have together and you should do it again soon.
As the 1970s began, it was clear that all good things had to come to an end. The Aquarian Dream, free love, hippiedom, Beatlemania, you name it. Another good thing that came to an end was the recording career of Simon & Garfunkel, although you wouldn't have known it with this masterpiece of an album. Bridge Over Troubled Water, with its ambitious blend of gospel, folk, rock and roll and future explorations of music from various continents, can very well be considered the duo's finest hour. Looking ahead to the future as they are on the cover, this as much of a farewell as it is a see-you-soon. They couldn't have done a better job in regards to their swan song, perhaps the finest of this decade and, depends on how you see it, the year of its release. A continually enduring album.
Fantastic album. There's so much variety between the songs and the production is really good. The songs are great and many of them classics.
Mikähän tässä S&G-kombossa on, kun onnistuvat musiikillaan niin koskettamaan. Kauniisti ja mielenkiintoisesti sovitettuja kappaleita, ja sanoissakin riittää pohtimista. 5/5
Wauw! The title track alone is worth 5 stars, what an opening to an album. After that the beautiful tracks keep coming, one after another. 5/5
Classic!
A favorite
amazing. a classic. 11/10.
When I first Rach, I remember her telling me some of her favourite music was by Simon & Garfunkel. I thought that was really cool, so I thought I just might stick around. We’ve been together 11 years now. Songs I already knew: Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Bye Bye Love Favourites: Cecilia, Keep The Customer Satisfied, The Boxer I love when an album can take me on a journey, and this certainly did. There are the highs of Keep The Customer Satisfied which is immediately followed by the bittersweet lows of So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright. Throughout, there is exceptional guitar playing - almost Spanish sounding, but not quite - as well as perfect harmonies and brilliant compositions. The build in the title track into the final chorus gave me goosebumps all over my body which doesn’t happen often. Overall, as dramatic as it might sound, I felt this album is a perfect example of a masterpiece.
Unexpected, and I love it. I was looking for genuine folk, and they gave me that but with lots of blues and some good guitars. "Baby Driver" is awesome, and the whole album shines!
A classic album!
Excellent
Einfach überragend; der Zusammenklang der beiden Stimmen, die Klavierarbeit; das ist mit Sicherheit ein Jahrhundert Oeuvre.
Really solid work. They were at the top of their game here.
Love the whole album. Right up my alley.
11/10, would rate it higher if possible. AMAZING.