Bookends

A little mellow for my taste. But I can appreciate the song writing and singing talent.

I haven't listened to much Simon & Garfunkel besides the radio hits. This was a pleasant album and listening experience and I was impressed with how good the imagery was on the album, and how smooth the songs were when telling stories, instead of rhyming.

Every time I hear a complete Album by these soft-folky dudes I am totally astounded by their penchant for experiments. Very much inspiring but also easy to digest - this combined is so rare … 3.8

Favorite song: “Hazy Shade of Winter”. Otherwise, this album is fine but I don’t really have anything to say about it.

The first album was fucking awesome.

Gods of folk.

Pas grand chose à dire à part que l'un des deux est Simon tandis que l'autre semble davantage être Garfunkel.

Comme l'impression que Simon et son petit copain Garfunkel se sont foutus de ma gueule, et j'aime pas qu'on se foute de ma gueule.

this was very much an album experience. I like when they go hmmmhmmhmmm

The first 6 seconds of A Hazy Shade of Winter were pretty great. But the rest of the album is just an absolute masterclasses by the greats, Simon and Garfunkel. A masterclass of how not to make music. 2/5, tragic

I see what they were trying to do with the album them. I did like some of it but I don't think it clicked with me too much on a first listen. I can see a lot of the songs growing on me if I listened to it more

This pretty much confirms my suspicion that Paul Simon is really good. And im going to blame all the bad parts of the album on the fact that Art Garfunkel thinks hes smarter than he is Voices of old people is just stupid.

Punky's Dilemma and Mrs. Robinson are worthwhile listens, the rest I could do without.

A concept album that doesn't feel like a concept album.

Solid four stars, probably four and a half. Not flawless, but with a fistful of undying classics.

I've enjoyed Simon and Garfunkel my whole life, but I don't think I've ever played Bookends. This is an odd collection. There are amazing songs that I'm familiar with, then there are some awful songs. So Garfunkel gets writing credit for Voices of Old People? So odd. As an album, I don't think it holds together, and we really have to stop calling this a concept album. It doesn't succeed there, barely tries. The half dozen great songs make it worthwhile as a collection, but I don't think I'll ever play this bookend to bookend again.

Tog tid att komma över att ens föräldrar sjöng med till flera låtar. Men Mrs Robinson och Hazy Shade efter varann är ju bara mumma.

A little snoozy, but Mrs. Robinson is worth a star or two on its own.

Good but not their best album. I love the second half of it and Mrs. Robinson is so good!

Shoutout Mrs. Robinson from the Graduate

Interludes were weird. Mrs Robinson> America > Save the Life of My Child. Recorded really well, though sometimes I wish the rhythm guitar was a bit louder in the mix. Bet it would have been impressive to see these songs performed live.

Classic

A quick jaunt into a "concept" album. Some songs are surprisingly peppier than I would have thought for a Simon & Garfunkel record. I enjoy the lyrics and varied sounds used without. The first song sets the tone for a decent amount of art rock involved. I always really liked their use of what I imagine are sound effects, almost foley art. I enjoyed it but I also think it could benefit from a little more focus. 3/5

Funky Garfunkel and Folky Simon.

It was short. And it has Mrs Robinson and Hazy Shade.

Very enjoyable record. Instrumentation and vocals are both incredible with some unexpected, modern sounding techniques for the time it was recorded. Prefer the conceptual part/first half of the record as the second half sounds slightly mashed together with off cuts but still great songs

It is a good feeling to look at my daily generated album and see Simon & Garfunkel. I’ve had two albums by them so far, so I’m excited to hear what Bookends has to offer. Songs I already knew: Mrs Robinson, A Hazy Shade Of Winter Favourites: Mrs Robinson, America Firstly, this album was very familiar at times but also very alien at others. There is a track which is simply old people speaking their thoughts with no music at all, and Save The Life Of My Child is really trippy at times and made me feel quite uncomfortable. I’ve no doubt that this was the intention with the song, but it’s definitely worth noting. Overall, the majority of this album was very good, but the psychedelic side wasn’t quite to my taste.

I get what they're going for in the first half, and it's cool as a storytelling device similar to Lou Reed's Berlin, but that doesn't make it a very aesthetically pleasing experience. Excellent on the lyrics but somewhat dull on the instrumental (except for "America"), made up for only by their beautiful polyphonic singing. "Save the Life of My Child" has the opposite problem, trying to be really artsy but coming off messy. The compositions become much more melodically interesting in the second half, at the cost of its consistency. These are some of their best songs but suffers from being a bit all over the place other than their high-energy. I may be a bit too harsh considering only one track was insufferable (you know which one) and I actually did enjoy many of them, but the faults turn me off from liking it as an album experience.

First two... Kinda weird.

‘Voices of Old People’ sucks, but otherwise the first side is great, telling a life story. Seriously, though, ‘Old Friends’ is good enough for that to not be on the album. The second side is amazing, though; ‘Mrs. Robinson’, ‘A Hazy Shade of Winter’, and ‘At the Zoo’ are all classics.

Classic album, well deserved place on the list. Don’t know something missing for me for this to get the full 5 stars though.

A masterful album

The progression in this album is very interesting. At first, Mrs. Robinson sticks out, but it then sets up a much more lively ending than the beginning. Simon & Garfunkel have done it again. Favorite track: A Hazy Shade of Winter

Beautiful! Every song a classic! I never grow tired of these songs.

I should have this album in my vinyl collection but don't. S&G are nice for a casual listen while hanging out with the family. There are a few favorites "America" and "Hazy Shade...". I feel this album falls in the middle of the road. It has some interesting production ideas; some that work and others that are just weird. I like this album overall but nothing that stirs my soul.

America is one of my favorite songs ever and Mrs. Robinson is a classic. The album as a whole was disappointing. It didn’t really seem to flow and the peace with the old people talking was creepy.

This album points to greater aspirations for this duo in terms of themes and arrangements as compared to "Parsley, Sage..." The arrangements don't all work all the time, and the songwriting isn't as strong throughout, but this is another solid album from S&G, and the standouts ("America," Mrs. Robinson," and "Hazy Shade of Winter") are all-time classics.

Sigh. I really wanted to like this album, as I felt surprisingly letdown by Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. I like S&G. I think Simon is a fantastic and interesting songwriter. (Fantastic in that he has great melodies and lyrics, and interesting in that his songs often take quirky left turns.) And "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" are just perfect, 10/10 songs. But too often on this record the arrangements got in the way of the songs. Like on that "Save my child" song. Even "Hazy Shade of Winter," which is pretty restrained by this album's standards, doesn't quite connect the way The Bangles' version does. I guess they're more of a hits group, rather than an album group.

I mean, c'mon. Classic Americana. Groovy. While all the Beatles and hippies were definitely doing some real thangs, these two...all Class. Also this cover with their handsome eyes and black turtleneck jumpers. C'mon! If I had some form of time synesthesia, "Faking It" would be spring 1968 in New York with these two.

Some good tunes. Great melodies, Mrs Robinson all time classico. America nice tune, overs lovely as well. Decent album, slightly missing the 5 stars tho, better luck next time buddy

awesome

ok

I have always loved Simon & Garfunkel. This album is no exception. It was recorded the year I was born. One of my favorite plays is “The Graduate”. So I’ve always loved the song “Mrs. Robinson”. A few other favs such as “America” & “A Hazy Shade of Winter”.

This album is ok. I didn't like any of the songs in the first half of the album, but it suddenly picked up at Fakin' It and we much better afterwards. The first half is slow, weird, and kinda boring, while the back half is a lot faster tempo, louder, and more energetic. Overall, the album is just ok. 3/5 Favorite song: A Hazy Shade of Winter Worst song: Save the Life of My Child (Actual worst track is Voices of Old People, but that's not a song)

Some classic songs on here for sure, a few that didn;t quite fire.

It is bad

Magiskt. Under en halvtimme hinner jag känna mig vilsen, trygg, åldrande, äventyrlig, och sorgsen. Paul Simon och Art Garfunkels sedvanligt hemsökande harmonier och melodier har verkligen en alldeles säregen sårbarhet. Bookends bjuder utöver det på lite annorlunda kreativa grepp i form av spår som "Voices of Old People" som flyger oväntat högt och bryter upp albumet på ett bra sätt. När halvtimmens sista 10 minuter stundar är jag nästan matt av berg- och dalbanan. Men då första ackorden till Mrs. Robinson bränns av spritter det i benen och man vill instinktivt dra på smilbanden. Känslan som skivan förmedlar är som sagt mångfacetterad, men äventyret summeras bäst i den oerhört vackra textraden: "Kathy i'm lost, i said though i knew she was sleeping." Bäst: America

Paul and Art explore the journey from birth to death with their trademark sweet harmonies and Paul’s exquisitely crafted lyrics. And there’s some songs from The Graduate as a bonus!

Not a fan

Bij sommige albums ontdek je naast hitjes nog allerhande moois, maar in dit geval is het eigenlijk wel gewoon wachten op Mrs Robinson. Dit album viel me tegen. Maar ik denk dat dit op bepaalde zondagochtenden beter zou bevallen dan het nu doet. Daarnaast begin ik ook wel een beetje moe te worden van de vele conceptalbums. Ik heb liever steengoede muziek dan een steengoed concept.

I haven't listened to this album in very long time. Unfortunately, it hasn't passed the test of time. There are of course the big hits and minor hits that are classic S&G. It was common for artists to experiment with artsy stuff . Sometimes it works and sometimes it falls flat. For this album, all of the artsy stuff fell flat. In the end, I enjoyed listening to the classic songs. But as a whole (and I can't believe I'm saying this) the album was just OK. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Really enjoyed listening to the album. Lots of memorable songs like "Mrs Robinson".

Truely magical song writing chops. Not sure how they do it with such simple constraints. Gorgeous

Again, as with their last album I reviewed, it's mostly very gentle and folky. But once again, there's some really nice songs in here.

Boring, apart from Mrs Robinson.

Love this album (ignoring the Art Garfunkel field recording experiment). Was in constant rotation on my parent's car tape player when I was a kid.

It is impressive how impactful this record is when it comes in at just under a half hour. This blend of artistic experimentation and folk roots the album has not only several "big" songs ("Mrs. Robinson", "America") but also more gentle B-tracks like the "Bookends Theme". It's not the group's greatest effort, but it's a sign of what was to come and any band would welcome into their discography.

I absolutely loved it. Exactly my kinda album - interesting lyrics, great music, absolute raw talent! Definitely a keeper.

Voiko elokuvamusiikki olla hyvää.. Vangelis blade runner soundtrack... vitoskako.. ei.. heh.. kakkosta on elokuvamusiikki.. parhaimmillaan.. saa toivoa.. On niin helppo tehdä elokuvamusiikkia voi mitä tahansa tehdä, ihmiset, KRIITIKOT RAKASTAVAT ELOKUVA SOUNDTRACKKEJÄ.. 0 tähteä meikältä,,objektiivinen... virgin suicides halpaan.. ei mennä.. enää uudestaan..heh siis itsaria.. ei.. heh.. yks toinen albumi.. heh..MENI KOLME TÄHTEÄ SINNE.... Kuitenkin yhtä ei voi antaa.. Musiikki historian paras likki.. tässä albumissa... "Jheesus loves you more than you will know" Kolmas tähti tulee hyvästä musiikista..heh ei tule. Albumi on paskaa muuten. "Heaven holds a place for those who pray Hey, hey, hey" noh..... kakkosta..

Strong album.

poor child amazing songwriting and playing, just wow they've all come to look for America old people are old haaazy shaade of winterr at the zoo seems quite out of place here but idk mmmm vibess

Замечательный и чувственный альбом. Очень лёгкий, приятный и простой, но в то же время и глубоко трогательный и личный. Тексты воспринимаются вполне легко, а в купе с таким же лёгким, но детальным инструменталом всё сливается в одну цельную и красивую картину. (9)

They did produce some great harmonies together, but I can't help but think they did their greatest work after they split up

A legendary album, but a very few songs catch my attention. Might be the passive listening problem.

Take away the three hit singles and it's nothing special

3/5

Another good S&G album. This one had two very well known songs America and Mrs. Robinson. It was a short album and there was a track titled "Voices of Old People" and I am not sure why it was included. It is probably a 3.5 but I will round down.

Interesting use of recorded sound, not really one I plan to revisit, but I'm sure I'll never escape Mrs Robinson.

I like the harmonies of Paul and Art. Also a lot of unknown songs for me on this album, but I quite enjoyed this.

Love the multi voices going on all the time and Mrs Robinson is a brilliant song!

A few highlights but mostly boring

Very soothing

So, this is a 29 minute album. 2 minutes are taken up by a recording of old people talking (Voices of Old People), and another two minutes are taken up by the Bookends Theme and Bookends Theme - Reprise, which are basically just musical variations borrowed from Old Friends. That leaves 24 minutes of actual songs. Out of those 24 minutes, we have 2 absolute classics (America and Mrs. Robinson), 2 very good songs (A Hazy Shade of Winter and At the Zoo), and then a few, mostly pretentious, filler songs. So, what we have here is a very good HALF album. I'm not surprised to read in the Wikipedia entry that Paul Simon was having writer's block while trying to make this album. Even with all that, it's still a great (half) album. 4 stars.

The poetry of drugs and promiscuous sex. Honey, they're on pot.

Only knew mr robinson from this record and for me the only song that i really liked. Not my cup of tea but i can hear why others might like it.

Definitely of the moment. Some experimental tracks. Some are better than others. Okay.

Wonderful. Classic

nice

This was a strangely wonderful album -- the concept of the first half showing a journey of aging was a bit on the experimental side but done masterfully. Then to be followed by some powerhouse S&G songs on side B -- I thoroughly enjoyed this listen!

I really enjoyed this album. Relaxing to listen to and I just really enjoy Simon & Garfunkel's sound

As a whole this is an underwhelming and strange album by two very incredible artists.

The end of "fakin it" made me want to spin up rasputin, lol. I love "America" and "Mrs Robinson", the rest wasn't catchy enough to be memorable.

Okay

Tuntuis typerältä väittää S&G:tä miksikään muuksi kun hyväksi musiikiksi. Siitäkin huolimatta en listaisi juuri tätä levyä parhaimmistoon, vaan kaksi edeltävää. Mukiinmenevä levy toki tämäkin. 3/5

Tää tyyli on vähän liian kevyttä ollakseen mun juttu mut kylhän tää oli ihan miellyttävä.

Ei oikein aukene. Tykkään S&G:n hiteistä, mutta usein muu tuotanto tuntuu vaan kauhean siirappiselta.

Hyvää S&G-poppistahan tämä levy on. America on todella kova biisi. 4/5.

Nice sound, easy to listen and it has Mrs Robinson

"Mrs. Robinson" is one of S&G's best songs, but I found this album too folky for my taste. The first half was a real snoozefest, and I was set to give this two stars, but the last handful of songs has me rounding up to a generous three. The album held one surprise, though: I had no idea "A Hazy Shade of Winter" was an S&G song—I only knew the Bangles version before this (which I quite enjoy).

I'm realizing I've become a fan. Very much enjoyed the album & hope for more from this duo.

A little haunted Solid showing from S&G Liked it

I like this a lot. Its has an enduring innocence. The first half is a proto concept album. It has Moog on the first (proper) track. Bookends seems to be a bridge from the 60s to the 70. Sparseness and ingenuity. Its also chock full of tunes despite being under 30 mins long. What a rambling shitshow of a review. Just take the 4.

Feels like the troubled water under the bridge. Adventurous and risky. Best track: Mrs. Robinson

meh

good stuff, relax

notes - simon and garfunkel back again - this album is similar to their other releases in style - leans a little more into the experimental aspects - just like the other album, great melodies and chord progressions - pretty equal in terms of quality with the last one - i wish it was longer! but maybe thats a good thing, left me wanting more - loved that we heard more garfunkel too fav - fakin it - really cool song, great chorus least fav - a hazy shade of winter - i liked the song but had some mixing/recording issues imo 4.5/5

There's a couple of good tracks

Honestly not the strongest album, but I love the sound of S&G and there are at least three SLAPS on this album that hold weight to this day.

Not really into this

Kind of an eclectic album. I feel like I would have enjoyed it better if I was sitting at home in the 80's playing it on a record player. But at work it was hard to follow and enjoy

I would say average.

5/11, 45%

stand-outs: "Old Friends," "Hazy Shade of Winter"

Some nice tunes but its so brief, its barely there

Hazy shade of Winter & at the Zoo!!

Very good stuff but the whole album really kicks into 12th gear on the last 3 songs

Classic

Some great songs.

Great collection of classic songs!

This was weird, short, and confusing. Not in a bad way, just not what I was expecting. Still slaps.

alle 30 minuutin albumin....(VITTU OLEN KANSALLINEN TURVALLISUUSUHKA) halusi rankan työpäivän jälkeen ottaa pari kylmähköä vai mitä....(VENÄJÄN NUKKUVA AGENTTI)ei jaksettu tänään niitä musiikkihommia tehdä... (TEHTÄVÄNI HORJUUTTAA HALLITUSTA)pääasiassa aika lälly pälly albumi... (ASENTAA VENÄJÄMIELINEN JOHTO)pari hyvää biisiä ei tee albumista hyvää vaikka onkin saatanan lyhyt koko tuotos,(PERUSTUSLAKIEN KUMOAMINEN) älä anna huijjaa älä anna huijjaa.... mrs robinson... hei hei hei....

Good memories, but it is times gone by. Did not age that well. Of course a few mythical songs remain pleasant to listen to.

Trevligt litet folk album. Riktigt bra låtskrivande

2/3 tracks are true masterpieces, the others are still good but not so memorable. So it is a great record but not their best.

I was expecting big things on this album. I was pretty shocked how short it was. Mrs robinson is their best song. By far. At the zoo was a nice ender. I thought this album just didnt really get started until the middle and by then it was almost over. I needed some more. Solid 5/10

A perfect folk record in every way. Charming, subtle and full of life while contemplating the value of it. A record sure to continue standing the test of time and one modern acts surely use as influence.

emotivo

It's fine

time it was, and what a time it was...

No es su mejor disco, pero tiene "Mrs. Robinson", "A hazy shade of winter" y también "America". Así que le vamos a dar 3 estrellas.

Great album

none of their best songs are here 2.5

tykkään tästä levystä! Bookends themestä erityisesti. hyviä itsenäisiä kappaleita, jotka ehkä kolmea viimeistä lukuunottamatta ovat silti selkeösti yhtä (vikat jotenkin ilottelee liikaa?)

60-lukulainen melodisesti mauttomalla, vähän outoilevalla mutta samalla tuttavallisella tavalla. Kaikki tämä pätee myös Mrs. Robinsoniin kertosäettä lukuun ottamatta.

really slow album, finishes well with Mrs Robinson and Hazy shade of winter, not too bad if looking to chill out I gess

Not the worst thing I have ever listened to

These guys are a vibe

the twee boiz strike again. cute as shit.

Wonderful, just not wonderfullest.

Yeah, something else I just don't get. Simon & Garfunkel seem to make decent enough, pleasing enough music that for some reason is revered as being the best thing ever, ever, 4! despite never actually going beyond decent enough, pleasing enough. Paul Simon on his own is absolutely extraordinary. I can only conclude that Art Garfunkel acts as a brake on him.

I like S&G but some of the songs on this album were a bit weird, still a good listen

liked their other album better

Simon and Garfunkel are quintessential 60s folk music. They have such an interesting use of lyricism and instrumentals that make their albums fun and enjoyable. Mrs. Robinson is an amazing song and I’m not sure why. Everything about it is right. The rest of the album has interesting themes and lyrics. The instrumentals are pretty solid but nothing too complex. America and a hazy shade of winter are two other good songs on this album. 7.3/10

This is a lovely album. S&G of course have terrific vocal harmonies, that's their calling card. But the songs on Bookends just have a super-lush sound overall. The orchestral additions on e.g. "America" and "Old Friends" just give them real depth. And this CD is also really short and finishes super-strong with "Mrs. Robinson" and "Hazy Shade of Winter", both of which are tremendously catchy (although I think I prefer the Bangles version of the latter). Catchy, short, pretty fast-paced, interesting sound- this isn't generally my style musically, but that's a four.

Niet helemaal mijn ding, iets te langzaam, maar wel een album die je gehoord moet hebben

Some good songs but a lot of filler.

nope

"Bookends" by Simon & Garfunkel is a solid album and I can see why it helped rocket them to stardom. Out of all the songs, "Voices of Old People" followed by "Old Friends" I thought were a brilliant and unique addition that brought to life the album's theme of exploring a life journey. I guess what holds me back from giving the album a full five stars is I feel it should have been slightly longer. I feel there were stories left untold in covering the life journey.

4/5

A good album, my favourite so far! Not typically a Simon & Garfunkel fan but this was good all the same. Favourite was Mrs Robinson but shout-out to America and At The Zoo.

Name

A banger

The hits are great, the rest...less so

Pleasant

This was quote lovely, I was pleasantly surprised by the grandiosity of some of the music here, having only known these guys up until now from Sound of Silence, I was expecting something similarly minimal, and soft. And while I'm tempted to say this sounds like a soft-boy version of the Beatles, it is definitely not minimal. These guys really know how to tell a story, both in their lyrics and in their musical progression. Old Friends in particular was beautiful, hauntingly so, but pretty much every song was evocative and vivid. I've gained respect for these guys I never thought I'd have.

Pleasant to listen to, past that not much to say.

It's fitting that this album is called 'Bookends', except rather than bookending anything Simon and Garfunkel are responsible for, it seems to be bookending the end of The Beatle's golden era IMO (in sequence, sgt. peppers, Revolver, The white album, and abbey road) and the beginning of Pink Floyd's iconic sound development that begins with Atom Heart Mother in 1970. If you were to sequence these two iconic runs between two of the best bands of all time and inject a heavily folk infused lyricism in the space between, well... It's good, is what I'm saying. It's not perfect, but it falls in line with some fantastic company. 3.5/5

Loved it!

references to their own songs is always fun for me. I love America dearly, feels so nostalgic and grand and sad and informative. I've already had a simon and garfunkel album come up on this journey and mentioned that it reminds me of my mom and my childhood. maybe america is important due to the whole american dream correlation and association that i have with it. the transitions into each song are so great. albums don't sound as pure as this anymore. the lick in a hazy shade of winter goes hard. a great listen, short and sweet and magical

Very good album, with a subtle and striking sound. Some absolute classic songs.

Lovely sound, excellent harmonies and storytelling in the songwriting.

A very very good singles, but a lot of fluff. Simon & Garfunkel feel like one of those bands where a greatest hits will get you what you need instead of their albums. Maybe I'm just ignorant about it tho. 3.5

very good, love that its a story about life with bookends

Unfortunately this is the only of Simon & Garfunkel's studio albums I don't own on vinyl and it's the first of the three on this list that I have gotten. The second I see it in a record store I will certainly be buying it. This is not my favorite of their album, but it is still a 5 star album. "Bookends Theme" - A intro that is short and simple and sounds like a S&G instrumental track. (Reprise) - The way the note from the last song fades in. This is the instrumental at the start with the lyrics you'd expect to be there. Great way to do a reprise. "Save the Life of My Child" - This sounds like somebody covering a S&G song. By that I mean it feels like a S&G song in the lyrics and rhythm, but after that it sounds like a psych band got their hands on it. I like it but it throws me off every time how little it feels like it belongs. "America" - One of my favorite all time S&G tracks. Truly an all time classic and a example of perfect lyrical storytelling. I could write an essay on this song alone, but I will leave it simple and call it one of the most beautiful songs that has ever been written. "Overs" - Definitely a deep cut in the S&G discography, a good chill out song. The guitar drives the track in the most beautifully subtle way. "Voices of Old People" - Yeah....could have done without this one if I'm being honest. Just disconcerting. I could see this one being the reason it drops a star for some people. "Old Friends" - Wow! I don't know that I have listened to this song with as much focus before. The strings tell a story within a story. They start more elegant and in tune with the story and lyrics and as the song goes on they become more chaotic. I also love how that last high note fades into the Theme Reprise. "Fakin' It" - Another somewhat disconcerting start of a song. A bridge into the psychedelic folk world. It's a genre I as a folk head should like more than I do. I like psych music too which is why that confuses me even more. That aside it is still a good song. "Punky's Dilemma" - I too wish I was Kellogg's Cornflake Paul. Not sure about the English Muffin though. I love the bass on this track. A different type of deepcut still a good one. "Mrs. Robinson" - This song speaks for itself and is one of the greatest songs of all time. The guitar on this song is fantastic and I love trying to dissect it. Lyrically fantastic as well of course, no surprise there. "A Hazy Shade of Winter" - The one S&G song that I think you can argue the cover version is better. The Bangles made this song their own. This is still a great version of it and yes the original, but it belongs to The Bangles. "At the Zoo" - The walking bass line does a great job of driving the song from the background. There is so much going on that grabs your attention. The bass pokes through that haze but doesn't overpower any of it. An immaculate album indeed. Not their best, but contains some of their best songs. An all time classic and certainly a must hear.

Album gentile, per persone gentili, scritto da due tizi che gentili non erano affatto.

Album essenziale. Bookends contiene alcuni tra i pezzi più belli di Simon and Garfunkel: America, Fakin’ It, A Hazy Shade of Winter e, ovviamente, Mrs. Robinson.

Almost too artsy for me at most points in the album but some great tracks

good

First off, let me just say wow! I saw this one come up and felt so triumphant because FINALLY I'm being served a real heavy-hitter worthy of a critical listen that actually meets the key MUST HEAR criteria that is the reason for this list's existence. This is magnum opus stuff right here. This is the album that pushed Simon over the top creatively into musical genius and icon territory. I know he struggled with writer's block a lot throughout the recording, but he persevered and the end result is something truly spectacular. Voices of Old People is a track that can go suck an egg, and we're stuck with it to support the whole album concept, but otherwise, this is a flawless record from one of the greatest singer-songwriters to ever do the damn thing.

Got this one on vinyl already. It's strange because all I remember hearing of this band growing up was making fun of garfunkel but I think their sound together has always been much more interesting that Simon alone. Songwriting is phenomenal but without the harmonies sometimes PS can fall flat. Love this album and can always come back to it and enjoy it on repeat listens.

Goed

Really good album, well-known tracks like Hazy Shades of Winter and Mrs. Robinson are great, but album tracks like Save the Life of My Child are great, I love the bass synth work on it specifically. Didn't really care for the sound collage Voices of Old People as it broke up the album in an unpleasing way. Despite that I would happily return to this album again.

Brilliant. Timeless. As soon as “America” started playing, I knew it was going to be a classic.

enjoyed, but probably not going to be listening to a lot of it again.

Based on what information in the Wikipedia article, I would say that this album is best listened to on vinyl. There is a definite theme for the first half (side A) and a bunch of decent songs on the second half (side B). It is disjointed when listening on a stream as they don’t compliment each other at all. Having to flip a record would help provide a proper demarcation between the two concepts..

Phenomenal album but for SURE wasn’t in the mood for it

I didn't enjoy it as much as some other S and G albums. The spoken word bits are also pretty annoying

5 star

Non il mio genere

the good songs are great, but there's a reason I haven't heard the full album before

As much as I have always enjoyed Simon & Garfunkel, I have never listened to their albums. This one is great! So glad to listen to it several times today.

Another case of being familiar with compilation/best of albums, but not much more. Happy to be expanding my horizons . I really enjoyed this one!

Well, this album contains one of my favorite songs (America) with some of my favorite lyrics ("Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping. "I'm empty and aching and I don't know why."). So already that's a 5. But then there's also Mrs. Robinson, Save the Life of My Child, Old Friends, Hazy Shade, and At the Zoo. And more. So good. So very good.

Interesting album for sure! Nice conceptual theme on side one, and packed with great songs throughout. Mrs. Robinson is one of my favorite Simon & Garfunkel songs, and I love Hazy Share of Winter. Not to mention America. Save the Life of My Child is a great album opener too! Excellent!

classic 4/5

Don't have album, but 9 of the 12 tracks are on The Essential Simon & Garfunkel ("Overs" as a live version). Leaves me a bit cold - prefer cover versions of songs.

Listening to this, I felt quite underwhelmed by the music. Mrs. Robinson is a classic song, but the rest didn't grab my attention much. I will stick to their big hits, maybe give their other albums a try.

Best Song: A Hazy Shade of Winter. Refreshingly uptempo, shows that the duo can pull off more energetic songs than their typical ballads. Would love an album full of songs like this. Worst Song: Old Friends. Sounds much too much like a theatrical song from a stage play than a song I want to just listen to, on an album. Overall: Beautiful voices that are mostly under-utilized singing simple or uninteresting songs. Everything sounds "nice" and fresh and clean, but also a little sanitized.

Nice listening

Some classic tracks on here.

Good album, but I wasn't surprised by that after the previous S&G albums. 3.75/5

Eclectic and soothing folk music with great vocal harmonies. "Old Friends" into the reprise was a standout to me, beautiful.

As much as I adore Simon & Garfunkel (had a serious S&G phase during my first year of community college), this isn’t one of their best albums. I still like it a lot, though. But too much of it is spent on tracks meant to explore the themes that have little value on their own, and others sound like obvious Graduate leftovers (because they were). But the two sound so good together that it really doesn’t matter. And it’s brief, but full enough to feel perfectly concise. B+

4.8

relaxing

shorter than I thought. Favorite track was probably old friends. Will give it another listen one day. The subject matter of growing old was saddening to listen to, but beautiful instrumentals. The track about the kellogg's corn flake was really funny, but overall I kinda liked it. Will be giving more Simon & Garfunkel albums a try.

Enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would. Time to steal the vinyl from mom & dad.

5, very nice experience

Hard not to love this album

Meh, nogal boring

folk, it's ok

Another classic!

If anyone gets close to peak McCartney, is it Paul Simon in this period. Such a strange but wonderful album with some of the best songs they ever produced, and some very unusual other elements

Classic

Yet again Simon and Garfunkel made an album that is super easy and pleasant listening. Can't complain about any part of this album except that mrs. robinson got overplayed. fakin it and hazy shade of winter are the highlights

14/08/2022 Simon and Garfunkel – Bookends 5/5 I’m starting to become a fan of Simon and Garfunkel. I already listened to Sounds of Silence, with a more classical and even “old” music, this is a total step up in the quality of their sound and song writing. I love indie and pop folk, so there were no doubts I was going to love this album. Masterful acoustic guitar skills, and lovely vocal harmonies, accompanied by genius lyrics. However, I’m a bit more of a fan of the A side of the album (slower, more emotional) than the B side (upbeat, more pop). Bookends Theme / Save the Life of My Child --> 4/5 Great “experimental” song, very original for being from the 60’s-70’s. Love the bit with the “The Sound of Silence” sample. America --> 5/5 I firstly discovered this song thanks to the First Aid Kid cover, and I love it. I really like it both musically and its lyrics and rhyme, they create a very nostalgic and sentimental song. And it’s a great example of how Paul and Art voices complement each other and create wonderful melodies. Overs --> 5/5 Very simple slow and acoustic song, but its brilliance comes from that in my opinion. I’m a very simple man that loves simple guitar folky mawkish ballads. Voices of Old People --> ?/5 Voices of old people, just that. Old Friend/Bookends Theme (Reprise) --> 5/5 How can I not love this album with these songs? Very emotional, connecting with the theme of Voices of Old People. Great string arrangement that gives even more chills at the end. Fakin’ It --> 4/5 Here the B side of the album starts, with a more “upbeat” sound. Good song, with a more 60’s pop sound, maybe more commercial too. It lacks something, I don’t know what, for me to like it completely. Punky’s Dilemma --> 5/5 A very cheerful song, with some funny lyrics. Very catchy, and again, very simple, but no more is needed. Mrs. Robinson --> 5/5 Probably the most famous Simon and Garfunkel song (with permission of The Sound of Silence and the memes). Very catchy, and good. A Hazy Shade of Winter --> 4.5/5 Here comes the most rock-tinged song of the album. A surprise, but very well executed. At the Zoo --> 4/5 Again, a cheerful and original song, perfectly composed for the children's book they would later publish.

I'm a harsh judge, but when weighed up against other Simon and Garfunkel albums, this is the one I come back to least - yet still has three or so essential songs on it. It's just a bit too bleak this time round. Everything feels sadder.

Not my kinda music, but I don't hate it.

40 minutes worth of stuff as good as Save the Life of My Child, America, and Mrs Robinson and I'd be loading up the power washer with 5s and spraying them all over this thing. Even if it ended in a shitty zoo song. It's just so short that a few skippers makes this like when my wife trims the fat off the pork belly before she eats it. There's just not enough of a meal left behind to feel satisfied.

I have a bit of nostalgia for this thanks to my father being a huge fan of Simon & Garfunkel, but they have better albums or compilations I'd rather listen to. Some good tracks, but just not enough.

Legendary folk album. It seems to have like a story telling also.

Great folk album, with some top notch songwriting from Paul Simon favourites are Mrs Robinson and Old friends

I mean it’s got one of my all time favorite songs on it

Beautiful stuff. Really nice mini suite on the front half (minus Voices of Old People); a ton of great singles in the back half. Misses 5 just because it’s a bit disjointed as an album, but tons of good stuff

It’s okay.

Под настроение

meh

Começa como sendo uma tentativa de ser mais conceitual, mas o que fica marcado é o hit da trilha sonora.

It was alright.

Awful

4.5

I enjoyed this so much. Listened to it a few times. Depending on my mood, I could probably just listen on repeat all day.

Wonderful album, listened in full several times over the weekend. Favorite song: America

This was a good one. Complex but approachable. It flowed well from song to song, which I always enjoy.

I was excited to see this album pop up. I love Simon and Garfunkel.

Bookends isn't as good as BOTW from recent to this but it's better than PSRT and it's quite beautiful at its best. I adored Old Friends, that plus some classics get it to a really impressive 4/5. Brilliant song crafting, how this is all done in under half an hour is staggering.

This is some reasonably pretty but unexciting folksy music punctuated with a couple of brilliant songs. America is possibly my favourite S&G song, it's much closer to most of what they do than Bridge Over Troubled Water or Mrs Robinson, and it really shows off how good Paul Simon is at telling a story in song.  Then towards the end of the album the pace picks up, about thirty seconds into Mrs Robinson, that and Hazy Shade of Winter would've made a wonderful climax to the album, but they then inexplicably put a song about going to the zoo at the end  It's not awful, and would have fitted nicely a bit earlier in the album, but feels a bit jarring here. 3/5 for this one, really not far off of a 4 though.

Nice Little album. First half is tiny snippets of a life, while the second half is kinda just random songs (and very random at times). I at the least *mildly* enjoyed every song so looking forward to coming back to this. 7/10

Not their best, picks up second half

Toujours bien

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Not my style

two classics, one an all-timer, make the rest worth it

Have this in Vinyl and CD both. Listen to it 1 or 2 times a year since it was released. Many incredible songs on it beyond the overplayed ones.

Has some unexpected tunes. Feeling like a soundtrack

My day 1 was simon and Garfunkel… The album opens with the bookends theme It’s not great but brilliant for a short opener. After there is save the life of my child, an amazing song really ahead of it’s time ( sounds at lest late 70’s) also the throwback to the sound of silence works perfectly! America is more of what I imagined from this album it’s an amazingly written acoustic song yeah this could’ve went perfectly on bridge over troubled water with no problem which is what I love! Overs is alright, I don’t think that Simon and Garfunkel can write a bad song but this isn’t as good as the others. Voices of old people= self explanatory I like old friends it’s an innocent enough slow yet sad sounding folk tune; is it worth having the last track to introduce it ( no) but is it good ( yes). A longer reprise of bookends theme ends side one, literally what I said last time round but the lyrics are nice. Side two starts with faking it it’s one of the more typical s and g songs so far but it’s still great I love the exploding chorus also when the orchestral sounding bits come in it just fits perfectly. Punky’s dilemma is nice, breezy and childish, the lyrics are hilariously stupid but I like it still. If I were to take all of this group’s big hits ( Cecilia, the boxer, the sound of silence etc…) mrs Robinson would probably be my least favourite I mean I don’t hate it but I just don’t think it’s of that epic quality that even some random album tracks can beat. The album’s penultimate track a hazy shade of winter is short and more epic sounding, this is honestly the song I will take from this first listen! The album closes with the song at the zoo, ,I much prefer it to the something of nothing song for the asking, it’s slow but long and has this gravitas that can lack in this duo’s weaker songs, still great here! This makes me really wanna change my bridge over troubled water score to a 5, as this is definitely a 5 and I view them as very similar quality!!!

Fine

Fantastic record! Simon and Garfunkel at their finest.

Have always loved this album, even if they are on pot Mrs. Miller. I still love Bridge Over Troubled Water more but probably why I always listen to the greatest hits album as you get the best of both worlds. Bookends, America, Old Friends, but Save the Life of My Child always seems abrupt...nothing wrong with it but it's like a sharp slap after the nice intro from the title track. And Voices of Old People (no pun intended) has not aged well as a thematic piece. But America has always been one of those crazy magical tracks I listen to over and over and for that alone I would go 4 stars.

epic

Great acoustic tunes and classic songwriting. Not as cheesy as I thought it might be. Lush orchestration that’s not overdone.

I had no clue that ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’ was written and originally performed by S&G. Mind blown.

Really nice music, surprisingly progressive at times, wouldn't be surprised to hear some of the beats in modern music

A very chill album with a couple of stand-out familiar tracks. I liked that the album was less than 30 minutes. It enable me to get through it in one shot while walking the pup. Simon & Garfunkel are always a good option when you want to chill out and think of simpler times long gone.

A sinusoidal wave between nice and meh.

who let these white boys freak it?

I am a fan of Simon & Garfunkel, but I had never listened to Bookends before. There were a few familiar tracks, and I didn't know that the Bangles were doing a cover of "A Hazy Shade of Winter" from this album. The mix of kinds of music was surprising. Tracks like "Save the Life of My Child" included electronic sounds on top of the acoustic, and additional layers of voices and sound for the recording. Other tracks sounded like they could have been written by Burt Bacharach or Neil Diamond. "America" is one of my favorite tracks from Simon & Garfunkel. I like the storytelling, but I was first introduced to the song from the cover recorded by Yes. I could come back to this album.

Hazy Shade of Winter and America are great songs, but not enough to save the album for me.

Sounds like a visit to my Grandparents. Found the first half of the album fairly uninteresting. Then suddenly the energy seems to increase and grabbed my attention for the second half of the album. "Fakin' It" and "Mrs. Robinson"y favourite tracks.

I can see why everyone just listens to the greatest hits album

Lovely album that will be listened to for years to come

It's at least better than the kitschy mess that's A Bridge Over Troubled Water. The music is nothing special, but that's how I've always felt about S&G

Ja e störd på refrängen av mrs. Robinson de borde vara fyra upprepningar int två eller int upprepningar för dom säger int samma sak men liksom fyra gånger den där tunen istället för att sluta efter två med en liten trudelutt idk ja feelar att de sku vara bättre så men kanske de int sku vara så om man sku höra de så som ja vill

I love these lil fellas tbh

Grimon Warspunkel

This was a very surprising and calming listen. It's interesting to see how well everything sticks together despite different recording periods. That said, that sequencing and the throwaway tracks at the end really do keep it away from greatness for me. My positives are that each track individually is amazing and I will return to this when I can.

3, they good

Excellent, but short. Must of been one of the first recorded works by a major artist featuring a synthesiser.

Folk’in good.

pioneering synth-pop classic

As great a song as Mrs Robinson is, and as much as I love Bridge Over Troubled Waters, I was surprised by how much I did not enjoy this album. WTH is At the Zoo? America and Hazy Shade of Winter are good, otherwise a big no thank you to this. I mean I get it, I see what Paul was trying to do, I'm willing to stipulate that he accomplishes it, sure there's quality lyrics, harmonies, music, but still. Just not for me, at least not at this moment.

Better than expected, mellow and harmonic. But not all of it.

A heartfelt rumination on the very thought of comes with living in America, Bookends finds Simon & Garfunkel at their reflective, pensive and innovative best. Scouring many lifetimes in under half an hour, Bookends accomplished more at that timespan in tugging at the minds and heartstrings of those looking for meaning in where their futures lie. Favorites: Save the Life of My Child, America, Overs, Old Friends, Fakin' It, Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, At the Zoo.

yawn

the worlds most famous folk nonces are at it again. i think that sums the album up pretty aptly.

Garfunkel used to fuck my wife behind my back. She paid him $400 an hour for his huge pipe. That daily hot beef injection from young Art cost me a lot of money in the divorce. She had such a massive bucket cunt by then though. It was like throwing a hotdog down an alleyway, but with more genital warts.

Alvin, Simon, GARFUNKEL! Do, do, do, do, do, do

Noooooo... Paul Simon 2 days in a row?? WTF? But to be fair this album is way better than his solo shit from the 80s. Still a lot of folky 60s garbage I could really do without but the mega-hit, Mrs. Robinson, was welcome and there were a couple other tracks I enjoyed.

Clean, smooth, love the voices and guitars.

Not my favorite S & G album but it has Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade if Winter. Enuf said. 4 🌟

Fantastic songs, but I don't like the production. Paul Simon sounds way better without: a) Art Garfunkel b) Strings and various wacky sounds

Bookends is the fourth album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. This album was a breakthrough for the duo since it peaked at number one on the top albums charts in the US and UK, and had a number one single with "Mrs. Robinson". However, the duo was already well known because of their second album "Sounds of Silence". In the end this fourth album cemented them at the forefront of the cultural movement in the 1960's, and it's hard to decide whether this album or their fifth and final album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the best. This album is a blast from the past. The music will transport you back to the Summer of Love and bring back memories of the turbulent 60's. I was not born for another 25 years, but I can still appreciate this amazing album today. Everyone is aware of the album's single that became immensely popular around the world - "Mrs. Robinson" - but even the other tracks are a good listen and might be someone else's favorite from this album. Give this classic album a listen and soak in the bittersweet, nostalgic vibes it expels into the air as soundwaves!

8/10. Really picks up in the second half

Really good. 9/10

I expected to not love this album for being tweet and pretentious, not overthought and bombastic. Mrs. Robinson still slaps, but I continue my life’s work of not particularly loving S & G.

Save The life Of My Child has cool synth sounds. Really solid album. America and Mrs Robinson are classics of course. I liked At the Zoo. Didn't have much time for Voices of the Old People this time..

America, Mrs. Robinson, one random song called old people's voices.

Such a good album! Obviously a precursor to Bridge but Bookends holds its own.

Je suis jaloux des talents de compositeur de Paul Simon.

Preguiça.

Listened to on 4/5/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: Mrs. Robinson Odd combination of songs into one album with the theme song and movie soundtrack features. All in all very easy listening and would listen to it again

Relaxing and pleasant listen with the classic Mrs. Robinson on there.

Has some great songs, but it's a strange choice to insert vocal clips with such a short runtime.

Yndisleg plata.

It really is very good from start to finish. Solid 4/5. Standouts: Mrs. Robinson, At the Zoo, America, Fakin' it, A Hazy Shade of Winter, Old Friends.

One great song does not equate a great album.

Paul Simon is one of the all time greats and he really shines on this album. Beautiful poetic lyrics, wonderful acoustic guitar licks and picks with a nice mixture of experimentation - moog/horns/strings. It feels as accomplished as the best Beatles’ albums but pretty much all written by one genius.

4 well known classics in America, Old Friends, Mrs Robinson and Hazy shade. A few ok songs and some decidedly iffy filler. What were they thinking opening the album to such cacophony after the mutual gentle intro?! A low 3 - it’s clearly no Bridge or Sounds

Another classic 5 star album from Simon & Garfunkel except for "America", but that song is easily compensated by the other tracks.

I love how this album is split into two parts. There's the first side which gives a loose chronicle of life from childhood/adolescence, 20s love, middle-aged divorce, and the autumn years all bookended ;) by the title track. Then there's the second side which is a loose selection of quality singles and deep cuts dating back a year or two. I also like the emotional music balance of melancholy/despair (Old Friends/Bookends, Fakin It) and genuine feel good/happy too (Mrs Robinson, At The Zoo) throughout the album. Guess it helps having a talented songwriter like Paul Simon and having the angelic vocal talents of Art Garfunkel.

This album steps away from the folk revival aesthetic while sounding unmistakably like Simon & Garfunkel. Bookends centers thematically around a cycle of life exploring themes such as youth, old age, and insecurity. The album is grounded thematically by the Bookend Theme which quite literally bookends side one. The sound montages further set this album apart as a conceptual work, but it is still undergirded by Paul Simon's distinctive lyrics and the lush vocal harmonies for which Simon & Garfunkel became famous.

Twee, twaddly, pukishly tender. Paul ditching Art was as smart a move as Benjamin Braddock ditching Mrs Robinson. But it was even smarter when he ditched the librettos and started writing songs.

They did it again. 5

A very quiet album (well except Save the LIfe of my Child). Liked the theme track. Mrs. Robinson is of course a star but it's not this album introducing this song... hmmm.

Warm & wonderful. Wasn't bowled over by it, but thoroughly enjoyed listening.

I have been low on S&G, but this one is not bad at all :)

Brilliant. One of the finest songwriters ever.

A couple absolute gems on this one, but overall, not a great record.

Pop tranquilo y melodioso entre un dúo sincronizado clásico

Mrs. Robinson goes unreasonably hard

næsten ik set bedre

Fremragende folk-rock, god sangskrivning, harmosk guitar

simon got me garfunkin’ quite iconic

3/5 there are some good songs, but also some awful ones.

Two Simon and Garfunkel in a row. That's two more than I probably want to listen to. So, let's see how this goes... This record came out in 1968. Strange to think what happened to S&G in about five years. They went from being on the cutting edge of the youth counterculture movement. To being left in the dust while their proteges didn't bother looking back. In a bid for relevancy, there are certainly production tricks here. That's interesting guess. But it's still a couple of the least interesting icons I can imagine.

Simon > Simon & Garfunkel > Garfunkel. What does Garfunkel even do, anyway? :) On a serious note, this is a good album - deserving of being on the list. They had a unique sound and some deserving commercial success. Still - albums like this make me feel like I don't listen to music right. I always approach an album with a "how many good songs are on here?" attitude, which is - perhaps - unfair to albums like these that are build more like a soundtrack or a movement. It has old people talking and weird interludes in there that make it seem like a story is people told, but I don't know what it is. It's weird.

Big ups for a 29 minute album

I much prefer solo africa-inspired Paul to the duo (Sorry, Art), but this is still a pretty undeniable album. So many toe tappers!

Enjoyable listen. A couple of dud tracks but the rest was good.

Genre: Folk Pop 3/5 While I'm familiar with the duo, I had never done a deep dive in their discography as this sort of folk thing, while enjoyable to listen to, just never really did it for me. Some of their songs are timeless, but amongst the songs of their contemporaries, they're left mostly unremarkable in comparison. This album in particular does a good job of highlighting my issues with the genre. The songs are pretty and all serve their purpose in what is supposed to be a concept album (except for Garfunkel's Voices of Old People which seems like utter nonsense compared to the rest of the tracklist), but it's all together a bit uninteresting. Paul Simon does a nice job on this, with both singing and songwriting, as he was apt to do back in those days, but it's a little too formulaic. To quote a contemporary review of the time, it's nice enough, it's slick, but nothing too much happens.