Bookends

Time to bust out your Kellogg's and your boysenberry for Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends, a record that might seem like bland noodling at first but actually has some solid folk merit. Who cares if there's recordings of old people and songs about English muffins? This came out of a country where most young men like these musicians could be set to the war-ridden jungles of Vietnam on any given day. Bookends showed me that you don't need to be flashy or complicated to produce some great music.

Review - looking this up and seeing it's held up with Bridge Over Troubled Water, then looking at the tracklisting... only song I really recognised was Hazy Shade Of Winter, which is a trash song. But actually there are a lot of great songs. America through Reprise are great (with the oddness of the When Harry Met Sally-esque Voices of Old People interlude in the mix). The second half is less strong, but obviously Mrs Robinson is great, and At The Zoo is a very strong closer. It's not Bridge Over Troubled Water but it's still a very good album. Just a shame to have a weaker half when it's not even half an hour long. Score - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES

Not my favorite album of theirs, but fine to listen to once in a while. I would skip over "Voices of Old People" though.

7.8

I just don’t know it’s so gay because it’s soft, or if it’s so soft that it’s so gay

Maybe closer to a 3.5 but still a good album, the first half is a but more mellow and boring but the second half was funky and just a cool sound. Just a classic Simon and Garfunkel album.

Knew it better than I thought I did.

Really enjoyed it, lot of variety for such a short album

I enjoyed this album a great deal. Four stars.

I’ve always loved the Vampire Weekend song Hannah Hunt. It's taken me this long to listen to properly listen to America for the first time and instantly draw comparison to it and make me appreciate it all the more. That said, it's obviously an utterly brilliant piece of songwriting in its own right, had to loop it twice the moment it finished. The opening two lines are poetic brilliance, tells you everything you need to know about these two broke lovers Interestingly the final scene of The Graduate (that S&G did the soundtrack for including Mrs Robinson) is almost a microcosm of this song, of a couple escaping their lives and running off together only to slowly realise it's not going to solve all their problems. Anyway, America aside, I really like the "Bookend" structure of side A starting and ending with Bookends Theme, then side B is a nice collection too, Mrs Robinson as mentioned earlier being a great tune and probably the definitive one vs the one used in The Graduate. But not enough great tunes for a 5 imo Also if we're off on a cinematic tangent, I can't look at the album cover now without thinking of Frances Mcdormand's character in Almost Famous saying they're clearly high, on the cover of some of the most harmless music ever recorded

Very strong start and finish but kinda weak middle

fuckass bixie

Very good album

Great storytelling. It plays really well. It's a cool folk record.

Fun fact:"Mrs. Robinson" was my parents' wedding song. This is a low 4

“All tracks are written by Paul Simon, except "Voices of Old People" by Art Garfunkel.”

I liked the album, but it doesn't really feel like an integrated whole. It feels like half an album with some extras tacked on. The standout tracks are "America" and "Mrs Robinson' and I particularly liked "Hazy Shade Of Winter." When these guys get together there is a lovely chemistry between the two.

is this SG’s weirdest album? i don’t really know, but it’s so, so good. the synth on”save the life of my child” sound truly shocking for them

Good album but not my style.

yeah this was pretty dope, Mrs Robinson, America, Hazy Shade of Winter, few of the heavy hitters

had never really listened to simon and garfunkel before this but was very pleasantly surprised. favorite songs: america, old friends, mrs. robinson

Old friends has stunning strings omg I especially like the transitions from track to tracks This was good! I liked the first half concept album part the best though the latter half did have some good tracks like A Hazy Shade of Winter. I only wish the whole thing was more related to the concept album, I feel like it could’ve been more fleshed out, especially since it was only 15mins of a 30 min album. But yeah I liked it and would listen again, 3.75/5

The cover makes it look like Simon is regular and Garfunkel is tall but they’re 5’2” and 5’9”

Album #143: Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel Genre (W): Folk rock Singles: Mrs. Robinson I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: I loved the production and Paul Simon’s songwriting the most! Side Two is amazing from track to track. I wish Side One had some more consistency however. Favorite tracks: Save the Life of a Child, America, Old Friends/Bookends Theme, Side Two

Pretty fun album, a lot of variety. I love a short album

This was real nice. (Although, I still think The Bangles Hazy Shade of Winter is superior).

Several absolute classics on this one, and most of the others are descent, too. But then there's a few tracks that make you just wonder what they were thinking. Overall not bad, but not a 5 star either. 3 1/2 stars.

.Save the life of my child - 8/10 .America - 2/10 (a week song that had a good start but became a little repetitive) .Overs - 9/10 ( a beautiful ballad especially in the second half of the song) .Voices of old people 4/10 (just people ranting a interesting intermission) .Old friends - 7/10 (love the violin, lyrics are a just not there but the end is beautiful) .Bookends them-reprise -5/10 (not to much a say to be honest) .Fakin' it - 6/10 ( a good rocker but a bit repetitive) .Punky's dilemma - 3/10 ( to much like early beach boys witch isn't bad just not my thing) .Mis. Robinson - 10/10 ( what more can i say its one of the best songs written and what is the guitar work just like music to my ears ;) .A hazy shade of winter - 10/10 (such a catchy riff and not the most technical song but works to well might be better then Mis. Robinson on this album) . At the zoo -2/10 (a really week ender of a really good album a shame to end it on this insted of A hazy shade of winter) .Conclusion -8.5/10 (song really great song on here but a couple let them down sadly but the great tracks really shine and the instrumentals have a certain something about them witch is special to this album

3,5 stars

I’ve always liked Simon and Garfunkel. Hadn’t heard this one in its entirety until now. A lot like the first three and I love the acoustic style, but not quite the height of Bridge Over Troubled Water. Bridge is a 5 for me, this a 3.5.

Not my favorite album from them but Mrs. Robinson is just soooo good (4/5)

It's Simon & Garfunkel, what else is there to say. Some classics, some great vocal harmonies

Probably some of their best work. It doesn't really do it for me as much as Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme though. The vocals aren't as creative and I feel like that's kinda their thing. But they almost make up for it with some much more interesting songwriting and production choices. Mrs. Robinson is such a banger. Hazy Shade of Winter is my favorite. It's fun to hear Simon and Garfunkel do some upbeat jams.

Rating: 8/10 I do believe Bridge Over Troubled Water might be the better Album as a complete work (I may have underrated this one by a point-it happens) but Bookends also did it for me as a solid entry to the S&G discography for some good straightforward folk with an oddball touch. Its problems, if you can call them that, are that it's short and sparse as an album, there are really only nine real tracks and a lot of them are quite short, but those tracks all retain a pretty high quality. Besides Overs and Punky's Dilemma, which I don't regard as highly, I overall enjoyed them. It makes it so the slightly lesser moments and interludes are few and far between an otherwise great work. Also these songs weren't even bad, just didn't enjoy them quite as much. I also don't really Get the concept it's going for. Makes for a very relaxing and soothing morning listen, I'm starting to become a fan. America sure is a good song

I have heard these songs many times. The additional voices and sounds of the album as a whole is something I hadn't noticed before during the few times listening to the album decades ago. A good one.

Hugljúf plata hjá strákunum. Þetta er classic for a reason. Afar góð tónsmíði og flottir textar. Folk music legends.

Hugljúft og fínt. Klassík.

It absolutely feels a little rushed, with all the new material being a 15 minute “concept album” on side A about the stages of life which means it’s actually like 4 songs of varying tone and quality, two small musical pieces and one two-minute track of old people talking, with side B then just being selected cuts from The Graduate soundtrack. But the thing is if you’re still pulling out stuff like America in a rush, and you can still pair it with stuff like Mrs Robinson and Hazy Shade of Winter and At The Zoo out of the catalogue, then you’re hardly suffering for material really even when the album is short and slight.

Artistic, fresh and worthwhile, slow section in the middle, maybe that gives the album a unique flow but it felt like a bit of a lull. The album's still good, though

Listened with James driving

Skön musik med några hits. 3,5 av 5 avrundar upp till 4.

Mysigt album från 1968.

Really great classic American album! I think underrated compared to other albums of its era and genre. I wish I had heard of it sooner - I fully enjoyed it. Mrs Robinson goated af

A solid one from the boys. A little weird than their others. I do tend to find their strength tends to be in the deep cuts/specific songs over album experiences but this has a generally good feel to it. Voices of Old People prevents this from being a five (not actually but sort of)

Can you call 15 mins a "concept" album? Idk, but Simon hitting his stride here as a songwriter. When the Moog hit, i had to check spotify that i was still listening to S&G. America, might be one of the most beautiful songs ever written and Mrs. Robinson deserving so - is a classic. It feels hard to truly call this an album and not collection of songs - but what timeless songs they are.

This album was really cool, all the acoustic guitars and pretty, charming lyrics were nice to listen to. A hazy shade of winter is one of my favorites. This album was a good one to start with, good energy to this one.

Wow! What a weird album! Never heard this album before. I’m super familiar with America, Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, of course. And yeah, whatever people want to say about Paul Simon, he’s amazing at song craft. So different from Dylan but so ubiquitous. Like Dylan, covered again and again, with covers of his songs often more famous than the originals. And I know Paul was a bit salty about Dylan. I mean he never faked who he was. He might have been inspired by the sounds around him in NY, the sounds of Muscle Shoals, etc, and he’s accused of cultural appropriation even in his early days, but he never tried to hide his Jewishness. As he said himself, Simon and Garfunkel sounds like a law firm or haberdashery. But Bob Dylan? Robert Zimmerman wanted to make himself out to be a beat poet hobo bard riding the rails of life with his harmonica and notebook. Not the similarly inspired/ culturally appropriating compatriot of Paul. And I have to say - I respect Paul Simon for being his weird self, wishing he was an English muffin, making the most of a toaster oven. 4 Boolean: True, absolutely- you can’t make this stuff up

4.4/5 - Pleasant. Nothing more to be said.

I basically liked every track.

The great songs are very great

Good album with soft and viscous sound. The conceptual environmental breaks were refreshing. It was pleasant to hear, but the album lacks overall variability - melodically too simple for my ears.

Number: 216 Familiarity: Moderate (3) Rating: 4 Before: ======= Hmm,  Psychedelic Rock? I don't think I'm familiar with that side of them. Of course I know the song Mrs. Robinson, but I don't recognize any of the other titles, except for maybe America, as apparently I have "liked" it. I'm sure I have skimmed through the album at least once before. During: ======= 3 Bookends Theme (Instrumental) 4 Save The Life Of My Child 4 America 3 Overs 3 Voices Of Old People 4 Old Friends 4 Bookends Theme 4 Fakin' It 4 Punky's Dilemma 5 Mrs. Robinson 3 A Hazy Shade Of Winter 4 At The Zoo After : ======= Surprisingly this was pretty good. Favorite track is still Mrs. Robinson Most surprising track: Save The Life Of My Child.

Back to our usual service. A good album - short and sweet (just like me). Favourite track: A Hazy Shade of Winter

Gaan we weer, nog een album uit de late jaren 60… Ik snap dat er toen veel WMvMLmuziek werd gemaakt… Maar kom op, er is toch meer dan enkel muziek uit dat era… Eerste paar liedjes voelt niet als Simon en Garfunkel, cool gedaan.

Aangenaam verrast door dit album. Het is niet zo zoetsappig als bridge over troubledwater en niet zo poppy als paul simon solo. In 1968 waren er veel artiesten die veel dingen overnamen van the beatles. Ze wouden een rock en roll band of hippies zijn, omdat het cool was. Wat simon en garfunkel hadden overgenomen is het gebruik van de studio als muziekinstrument op zichzelf. Daardoor voelt deze plaat veel meer experimenteel. Het gitaarspel van paul simon os fenomenaal op dit album. De harmoniën zijn fantastisch. De baslijn kon ik vaak ook echt van genieten. Zeker bij het album America. De teksten van Paul Simon zijn ook weer heel goed. Ze doen heel veel dingen eigenlijk precies goed. Ik vind dit een hoge 4 sterren.

Ik heb eerder op de dag Paul Simon geluisterd. Ik loop behoorlijk achter met mijn albums door de zomervakantie, maar het voordeel hiervan is dat ik bij het inhalen wat albums bij elkaar kan linken. Ik had verwacht dat Bookends wat gladder en "natter" zou zijn dan Simon solo, maar ik ben positief verrast. Muzikaal gezien is het best experimenteel en een stuk vreemder dan Bridge Over Troubled Water. Vooral de eerste helft voelt echt als een album en niet alleen als een verzameling mooie liedjes. De harmonieën vullen elkaar goed aan, maar ze passen op een goede manier toch niet helemaal bij elkaar. Het tegenwicht dat de engelstem van Garfunkel biedt, maakt het voor mij uiteindelijk niet gladder, maar juist gelaagder. Het geeft een interessant contrast met de melancholische en soms ongemakkelijke muziek en teksten van Simon. Dat contrast houdt mijn aandacht beter vast dan Simon solo.

I don't like the idea of "Best of" or "Greatest Hits" compilations. Ripping songs from their context usually seems like a cheap attempt to satisfy people who prioritize quick melodic payoffs over coherent artistic statements. But in the case of Simon & Garfunkel, the concept kinda makes sense. They have so many immortal songs, but - regrettably - not one perfect album. But if one album at least comes close to that category, it would be Bookends. It finds Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel at their most musically playful, inventive and outwardly "joyful" execution of their artistic vision. Just my two cents. Also, that black & white photo makes for an iconic cover artwork.

Enjoyed some of the lesser known tracks

Comfortable, mellow.

Interesting album - enjoyed it

I enjoyed this one. A couple of odd tracks but a few good ones.

Tracklist: A1 - Bookends Theme (Instrumental introduction) A2 - Save the Life of My Child A3 - America A4 - Overs A5 - Voices of Old People (A sound collage of audio field recordings from retirement homes created by Art Garfunkel) A6 - Old Friends A7 - Bookends Theme (Vocal reprise) B1 - Fakin' It B2 - Punky's Dilemma B3 - Mrs. Robinson (The massive #1 hit single from The Graduate soundtrack) B4 - A Hazy Shade of Winter B5 - At the Zoo Bookends is considered a landmark masterpiece because it captured both the peak of Simon & Garfunkel’s artistic collaboration and the turbulent sociological landscape of late-1960s America. The record is famously structured as a concept album on Side One, exploring a lifecycle journey from childhood to old age. Side Two consists largely of individual tracks, including songs initially intended for or used in Mike Nichols' classic 1967 film, The Graduate. Produced by Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and Roy Halee, the album hit No. 1 on both the US Billboard Pop Albums chart and the UK charts. It is widely considered one of the duo's definitive masterpieces, showcasing intricate acoustic fingerpicking, complex vocal harmonies, and ambitious studio experimentation. Though it was entertaining, it is really not my cup of tea.

There are a few odd choices on here, but I think it’s a beautiful album. It maybe doesn’t command a lot of attention, but I love the way their voices work together. There are a few songs on here I already knew very well, but some I didn’t. One that stood out to me was Overs which just felt like such a lovely sad song about a failing relationship. I thought the singing was gorgeous and the softness of it really added to the heartbreak of the song. I’m a big Paul Simon fan so I’m obviously biased, but I loved this album. I maybe wouldn’t listen to Voices of Old People again, but I can understand why it is there. If I’m being harsh, I think if you’re going for this journey from childhood to old age thing, then make the whole album about it. But I really like some of the songs on the second side so I’m not that mad about it. Fav song: America Least fav: Punky’s Dilemma – if I’m picking a full song. If not, Voices of Old People

The second side is definitely better than the first. I'm always disappointed when albums claim to be concept albums but don't put any effort into actually sticking to the concept. It's not as good as I was hoping from a Simon & Garfunkel album but I still really enjoyed it. Favourite song: Fakin' It Least: Old Friends

Bookends Theme - X/10. Save the Life of My Child - 5/10. Mix is off. Otherwise pretty solid. America - 9/10. Not my favorite version of this song (I like the Yes cover better), but it's still outstanding. the open harmony on the lyric "And the moon rose over an open field" has always given me goosebumps. Overs - 8/10. Very good. Voices of Old People - X/10. Skit, unrated. Old Friends - 8/10. Very good. Bookends Theme (Reprise) - 8/10. Sweet and simple. Fakin' It - 8/10. Really fun. We're all fakin' it, Paul. Punky's Dilemma - 7/10. Mrs. Robinson - 10/10. Awesome from beginning to end. Plastics?!? A Hazy Shade of Winter - 10/10. Very different in feel from the typical S&G song, but it's a great, high-tempo, change of pace that I fully support. At the Zoo - 8/10. Interesting effects. Fun, but not up to the two prior tracks. More of the simple, singer/songwriter vibe that we expect from S&G, though. Overall Rating - 4.05/5 (8.10/10). Other than the really awkward mixing on Save the Life of My Child, this is a great and well made album, typical of Simon and Garfunkel's Greenwich Village period, in the classic singer/songwriter style. Mrs. Robinson, America, and Hazy Shade of Winter are all straight bangers.

Great listen, the skits and sound effects throughout were unexpected. I like the album. I’m not sure I would listen frequently or often.

Really impressed with the variety on this album. And, sure, it's a little over-produced -- not something I would expect on a Simon & Garfunkel album. But I like good, interesting production even if it occasionally makes a routine out swinging for the fences. Really love that The Bangles saw the rocking potential inherent in "Hazy Shade of Winter."

Really enjoyed this...beautiful sound throughout

Not my favorite S&G but I love love love this album. “America” is the highlight for me. I will always prefer these two to any of Paul Simon’s solo work, which is probably what I said when we rolled Bridge Over Troubled Water

Sheeeeeeesh "America" is perfect.

Bookends is Simon & Garfunkel's most ambitious record and the one that pushes hardest against the ceiling the duo format consistently imposes. The first side functions as a genuine concept suite — the arc of life from youth to old age, bookended by a recurring theme that gives the whole thing a structural coherence their earlier records didn't attempt. "America" is the peak, a road trip song that expands what Simon was capable of as a writer into something genuinely cinematic, the kind of track that makes you understand why the solo fives were inevitable. "Mrs. Robinson" arrives with all its Graduate cultural weight and earns it, and Roy Halee's production throughout gives the record a sonic richness that distinguishes it from the more straightforward folk recordings that preceded it. The first side in particular holds together as a unified statement that justifies the concept without feeling forced. The second side is where the ambition loosens — tracks recorded separately from the main sessions that sit less comfortably against the first side's thematic arc. The ceiling is real and this is where it becomes audible. A strong four that the first side earns and the second side honestly limits. The two Paul Simon solo fives in this project suggest the constraint was always the partnership rather than the songwriter, which Bookends confirms without quite transcending.

Clearly influential on many albums that came after it in the Western rock scene. Really good melodies and some surprisingly interesting soundscapes at times, but never necessarily pushed the limits of songwriting. I giggled at Paul Simon declaring that he’d wanna be an English muffin though. I think I could come back to this record over & over again & never get turned off by it, albeit maybe with a little boredom after a while. Four stars! STAND-OUT SONG: “America” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Mrs. Robinson”, “Save The Life Of My Child”, “A Hazy Shade of Winter”

Hoo boy do S&G know how to write a good song. I will be returning to this!

Heaven Or Las Vegas Cocteau Twins

it's pretty damn good, have to give it up Will I listen to again: 90%

Solid album. Kind of sounded like the Beatles, and i don't hate that.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - This album shows S&G at their most progressive. The huge synth at the start of Save The Life Of My Child sounds like nothing else they ever did. The songs here are uniformly excellent. A very different prospect to what came before and after and yet one of the duo's finest moments.

I like the cycle of life segment on the first half or what would be side 1. A lot of the songs sound the same, however.

consistently good

7/10

Вери хорошая музыка

приятный, интересный альбом, до сих пор звучит свежо - 4

7.5/10

New to reviewing albums! So not totally sure what to list. Very beatles-inspired, but more gentle and folksy. Simple but iconic.

Good songs

Really enjoyed this, transports you back to 60's America

Real great, too short. Forgot how sick hazy shade of winter is. And save the life of my child was AMAZING!

While I don't think this hits the same highs that something like Bridge Over Troubled Water does, this is still a really consistently solid album. It's their shortest, but there's a lot of really great music packed into it. It's a shame that they can't really work together anymore, it would've been really interesting to see what they would've made later into their career. Favorites: Save the Life of My Child, Fakin' It, Mrs. Robinson

4/5

Hot fire. I love the vibes and their voice. Wonderful

Mér fannst hún bara rosa góð! Skil vel að þeir hafi verið vinsælir þeir félagar

Side A is a masterpiece, side B is uneven and ends with the limpest song in their discography.

It was like beatles

Harmonious

Album jest dość spokojny w porównaniu do poprzednich. Bardzo mi sie posoba użycie głosów starszych osób. Jest tam kilka piosenek które mi się podobają i są one dość spokojne. Coraz częściej zaczynam rozróżniać piosenki.

It's good. There's parts to it that I find weird and annoying (Old People Talking....wtf lol) but overall it has great songs. America was my fav song of the album. Save the Life of My Child and Fakin' It (my fav first listen) were my other highlights

FINALLY something i actually wanted to listen to. love "a hazy shade of winter".

A simultaneously soothing and moody album. Probably not their strongest, but a pretty inspired take on the realities on life's journeys.

Mainly for America, Mrs. Robinson, and Hazy Shade, but Save the Life of My Child and Fakin' It were fun, and new to me. Overall, tonally way more varied and interesting than I'd come to think of S&G. There's an unfortunate lull after America for several songs, but forgivable.

4/5 - Mrs Robinson and America are two of the best songs of this era. The rest is solid except for Voices of Old People. The songwriting here is really, really good.

Love : - theme - America - overs - old friends

I can’t describe the experience

Nice one, Art & Paul. Way to sing and strum it. And a surprise synth blast or two. Great stuff overall, but another group I never dug deeper into for whatever reason.

This is an easy 4, but: Simon and Garfunkel’s melodramatic angst does it for me less and less as I get older Voices of Old People is so indulgent and full of melodramatic angst Mrs Robinson is a good song, but I don’t think it’s that special Punky’s Dilemma is absolute horseshit. Maybe my least favorite song he’s ever written? I really think that Bridge Over troubled Water is leagues better than this album. Paul’s writing is way more sophisticated in that album.

very good

Simon et garfunkel c’est quand même quelque chose ! Je connaissais déjà Willow tree mais qui est d’un autre album (bcp plus doux et triste). C’est super bien construit : on a un début un milieu avec plusieurs actions et une fin, vraiment un album à écouter en une seule fois. C’est quand même un peu frustrant de par sa durée (30min)

Good album with some bangers. 7.4/10

8/10

Like this.

Chill, great songs

B side apologist

Great side B. Love these guys

strange but soft

An excellent and soothing listen

It is almost impossible to have not heard a few of Simon & Garfunkel. Unfortunately, most of what I heard or think about is sitting in a barber's chair as an eight year old and listening to classics radio with orchestral bits and the occasional tune like something from these guys. Turns out I was wrong. There are a few noisy pieces on here. Yes, there is also some of that sickly sweet stuff that makes lunch with the ladies easier but there are quite a few cutting lines elsewhere. Save the Life of My Child was one of those and strangely, speaking about old folks, Voices of Old People. In fact, the whole first part of this album which is basically a lifetime in less than half an hour, is largely lovely. I do love the original Hazy Shade of Winter but the Bangles bang it out too. Sure, those harmonies are nice but the other stuff is nicer. I'd give this a 4.

This is a tight little album. I can't quite give it a 5 due to the random track with the old people talking...but I really liked it. So, yeah, it drags a bit in the middle but the highs are outstanding, the harmonies are great, Hazy Shade of Winter slaps, America is outstanding and Old Friends is great, too.

Brilliant album, loses a star for this odd spoken word thing in the middle. Maybe I don't get it but utterly pointless. America is utterly superb though.

Simone and fuck knuckler

Full of classics, lovely chill morning vibes 4

ach.... milf anthem of the century

For as lauded as they are for their peerless work in the folk idiom, Simon and Garfunkel are underrated as a pop rock group. This album has bangers. Songs that are short, sharp and catchy as hell. This is overflowing with gorgeous melodies, wise and wry lyrics and, of course, those famous harmonies. The work of a seriously talented songwriter.

I’ll start by saying S&G are amongst the greatest singer songwriters of our time. (I guess really Simon). The first half of the record listens kinda like a book and feels cohesive (the songs between the Bookends Themes). It works as storytelling and America is an all time great. What a song. Voices of Old People is interesting interlude and, although not a song, it enhances the themes and storytelling. Then I’m not sure what happens. Fakin’ It and Punky’s Dilemma just plain suck. As does At the Zoo. WTF? Didn’t know they could write such crap (maybe those were Garfunkel songs? Haha). Of course Mrs. Robinson and a Hazy Shade of Winter are both phenomenal. So overall, mostly an excellent record, but one that loses its way here and there on the second side. Coulda been a contender for a 5, but the misses downgrade this one.

Today was another trip to my childhood. My dad loved this album. Every time we heard Mrs. Robinson I was once again reminded that their original name was ‘Tom & Jerry’ and that in the movie the graduate, “Mrs Robinson” Anne Bancroft was only six years older than Dustin Hoffman for whom she was the mother of his fiancé, among other facts. My older sister also loved the Bangles remake of “Hazy Shade” which prompted constant arguments and stereo battles between the generation as to who did the best version. I got to enjoy them both. There are some other classics on her such as America and Faking It. In my life this is a classic. That said, S&G also sound exhausted. The writing is admittedly weaker than the previous two albums, and their harmonies are not as rich, suggesting that fame, drugs, lifestyle and creative differences were beginning to take their toll. But they also had been friends for 15 years and contractually inseparable for the previous four years, having toured non stop to support a new album every year. It was understandable. Still a great album, just not my personal favorite.

Beautiful album. Gentle harmonies & lyrics, with the highlight being the poignant America (not Mrs Robinson). I think BOTW maybe better, but not by much, and they’re also beautiful back to back.

soundtrack to my rainy day

More goodness from S&G, I’ve enjoyed all their albums in a breezy, throwaway kind of way. They all have one song that justifiably has stood the test of time, and here it’s Mrs Robinson, banger.

Some of this stuff was kind of bleh, i.e Voices of Old People Talking, but for the most part I enjoyed this one; it's easy listening. I know A Hazy Shade of Winter is a cover, but I still enjoy this version and I don't know why, but I adore At the Zoo.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Some amazing songs in this one. The atmosphere of the album is solid and it is short. I’m digging it.

nice,

Me encantó igual en un momento pensé que eran canciones de iglesia

While I've never listened to this album before, I was familiar with several songs. The first side of the album was intended to be a concept album, and it definitely has some strange (with strange being a relative term for Simon & Garfunkel) stuff on it. The strange stuff didn't really seem to fit. I would have rather had some of their more traditional songs. For me personally, the album is worth listening to in order to get to the last three songs. Great album and after all the super long albums I've had this week, I appreciate the fact that this one clocks in at just under thirty minutes!

Short. Sweet. S&G.

Very good and calming S & G, but too short.

Great to listen to from the other room

Another concept album. This one mercifully short as yesterday's offering was The Wall. There does seem to be some irony in that an album reflecting on the cycle of life clocks in at a measly 29 minutes and still has some filler tracks. The album picks up momentum as it progresses and is much more solid/memorable on side two. A couple of all time classics in Hazy Shade and Mrs. Robinson surrounded by some meh. The "meh" wasn't necessarily unpleasant, it just didn't do much for me.

A legendary duo deliver a fairly legendary album. The hits that you know are as good as they've always been (Mrs. Robinson is an all-timer) and the rest make for a complete, if not a tad short, album.

We have had all three S&G albums in the last three weeks, could Admin take a look at the auto-scheduling algorithm please 😐 But yes, it's a class album obviously, although Voices Of Old People was a strange inclusion.

This is great, obviously because it's Simon and Garfunkel, but unfortunately we had Bridge Over Troubled Water just four days ago and of course this pales in comparison. Not to throw accusations but it feels a LITTLE like this album is only on this list to shoehorn Mrs Robinson in.

While you aren't going to get a lot of edge from a Simon and Garfunkel LP, you will get a pleasant folk record. Clocking in at under half hour, this record is somewhat of a concept album about the journey of life. The concept is abandoned on the second side and just features songs that were already recorded. Despite the concept of the record not having enough time to breathe, the songs here are gentle folk tunes that feature great harmonies. Not wanting to be left behind, some of the songs feature psychedelic elements and this caught me by surprise when I first heard the record. Outside of the track "Voices Of Old People" (which is exactly what it describes), this was a treat to listen to.

At the Zoo was my favorite

I didn't recognize this album from the name but recognized the art instantly. "America" is one of my favorite songs, but I don't think I knew any other songs here other than "Mrs. Robinson." The intro into "Save the Life of My Child" was a fun surprise. That song reminded me of "The Who."

Really enjoyable listen. Two very thoughtful songwriters doing what they do. This is another one that you have to live with and really listen to more than a few times to let it all sink in. Fits a lovely mood, listened twice and could have gone many more.

A confusing album - some incredible songs (Mrs Robinson, bookends, hazy shade of winter) and one terrible song (save the life of my child). Matt: goated but bloated

I see my boys Paul and Art and I am happy. This is definitely one of my less favorite albums of there's but it's still great.

Loved it

Best Track - "Mrs Robinson"

This was pretty decent, I thought I would know more tracks than I did. Got a bit too artsy for me in the middle, but Mrs Robinson and Hazy Shade of Winter are amazing songs. Overall 3.5/5

A lot of songs that I’ve liked and will probably keep in my rotation forever, my first Simon & Garfunkel album!!! Favorites: Overs Old friends

The first side is bad to ok with the exception of Save the Life of My Child which is more rock than I thought Simon and Garfunkel was capable of doing. The second half is great. The last 3 tracks (especially Mrs. Robinson, my favorite S&G song) save the album.

7.5/8, buen álbum. Muy variado las canciones, pero en líneas generales bueno. Mrs robinson la más conocida por lejos

America is good song

Classic folk rock. Favorite track: America other picks: mrs.robinson, old friends, punky's dilemma

Vibey

Great album! Very focused, the right vibe and well produced.

It was really good. All the songs were different some were slow, some were fast but they sounded like they belong together

Lovely album

Love it

4 de 5 Importante obra conceptual del folk-rock y ampliamente aclamado por su exploración del paso del tiempo, funcionando como un “sujetalibros”. Con letras introspectivas, armonías vocales y varios arreglos experimentales, hacen que Bookends se muestra como una obra fluida de principio a fin. A destacar: Track 2 - Save The Life Of My Child Track 4 - Overs Track 6 - Old Friends Track 9 - Punky's Dilemma Track 10 - Mrs. Robinson Track 12 - At The Zoo

Great relaxing album. Apparently I prefer Simon and Garfunkel quite alot against Paul Simon's solo efforts.

Simpatic Not a favorite, but enjoyed it A hazy shade of winter - fave

No way, they wrote "Mrs Robinson" as well as one of "The Bangles" songs! Yes a couple of the songs walk a tightrope between "delicate & insipid", but considering this list just subjected me to System of a Down, then its a 4 star with thanks to Simon and Mr Funk

I’ve listened to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel but this might be the first time I’ve listened to this album cover to cover. I enjoyed it driving with the windows down today.

Such an awkward album. Musically great, but super weird. Bridge Over Troubled Water clears this easily.

Very cohesive and lovely late night listening.

I really like Simon and Garfunkel generally and their catalog of hits as a group and as individuals is large. Large enough that every album has at least a few songs that sand out and this album show that clearly. Most of the songs are good but a few are great. Most I have heard before and the new songs I have already forgotten and the hits I will play on repeat.

"America" is such a great song. I was surprised at the depth of the entirety of the album. I guess there's a reason Simon & Garfunkel were such a phenomenon in their time.

Liked them more than I thought I would

some one offs but America is perfect

Strange album but the last half is so good!

4.5 stars.

Second half of this was much stronger than the first

Second time listening to this album, i actually like it alot more upon my second listen. "Fakin' it" and "A hazy shade of winter" are my new favs from this album.

Esses caras me lembram o Jack Antonoff e o Jared Leto mais novos. Só sei quem são por causa da Loira e Morena. O Theme me lembra aquela música Time of Inoccence. Legalzinho(não vou dar nota, porque vai ter a Reprise). Não me parece anos 60. Nossa, não é o que eu esperava. Save The Life of My Child me lembra o Bob Dylan no começo e tem um som mais anos 70, mas um pouco psicodélica. Me lembra do Bruce Springteen também. Uma música legalzinha que utiliza a produção para contar uma história. Parece bem mais recente. 7.7 de 10 America tem um som gosotosinho, é bem poética e também conta uma história. Acho mais encantadora que Save the Life. 8 de 10 Overs me lembra FRIENDS, tem um vocal muito legal. Gostei do verso final, me lembra Jesus. 8.5 de 10 Voices of Old People parece bem real. Old Friends me lembra o Benjamin Button. Uma letra igualmente real. 8.9 de 10(o final me lembra a Disney) TRANSIÇÃO Time of Inoccence é realmente deles!!! Bookends é calma é triste. Faz sentido com as outras duas faixas. 9 de 10 Fakin'it é bem anos 60 e quebra a melancolia das últimas três faixas. Tem um instruental bem bacana. Eles contam muitas histórias no álbum e essa é uma das mais legais. Pré-convertido. 9.5 de 10 Outra história em Punky´s, uma produção que ajuda a contar esse conto. 8 de 10 Mrs.Robison tem um som legal, tem versos sobre Jesus e adivinha??? Conta uma história! Me pergunto sobre o que é o filme, PESQUISEI E É O FILME QUE A SUMMER CHORA!!!!!!!8 de 10 A Hazy Shade é bem interessante de se ouvir(nada inovador), mas muito legalzinha. 8.5 de 10 At the Zoo é muito criativa. Gostei demais da letra. 9 de 10 Um álbum a frente do seu tempo, muito legal. Não foi psicodélico e contou histórias diferentes. 4.3

Some iconic and good songs but also songs that are not good. Enjoyed the album

A few great songs and a few really poor tracks/fillers, still I enjoyed listening to it.

Strong collection of songs

I actually enjoyed this one. Loved At the Zoo.

It was good, I really enjoyed the first part. Didn't know that Mrs Robinson was a son of them, really amazed about that!

I love these guys but this isn't my favorite from them

Incredible. Old people lol

At the Zoo is a metaphor for something but I don't know what

"Giraffes are insincere And the elephants are kindly, but they're dumb" Fuck you, Simon and/or Garfunkel. This was going to be a five.

As usual, fantastic harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" are all-time classics, and "Old Friends" is great. And did you know that Paul Simon wrote "A Hazy Shade of Winter"? I didn't! Good stuff all around.

I liked it, very sentimental at times. Some fluff and pretentiousness here and there.

Really great, I've never heard of them, i saved some songs from the album to put in my mp3!

Great harmony. Never disappointed with there music however not all are rated 5.

Great album. I love Paul Simon's poetry and guitar playing. The harmonies are, of course, legendary. I really dig the 60's folk rock feel of some tunes like Hazy Shade of Winter and Mrs. Robinson. Paul Simon's guitar playing is actually a pretty interesting mix of folk, classical, and jazz and worth noting how unique that is. It kind of gets overshadowed by the vocals and lyrics but very cool.

The first half of this album is so gentle and smoothly strung together, and the second half feels more like singles reminiscent of the era it was written and recorded in. I wish the whole album flowed like a river the way the first half did. There were one or two tracks where the used everyday occurrences (like a conversation in the living room) as part of the song, and those tracks made very good use of stereo. It made it feel more authentic like the listener themselves were sitting in the room as it was happening. Nothing really blew me away from this album, but I can understand and respect its reputation.

I loved this albummmm!!! Didnt expect to but every song has something I love. Whether it be the lyrics, the melody or just the general concept. I LOVE THIS

Mrs. Robinson is so good that it turned my opinion around completely waow Confession: my dad kept bringing them up and playing them for my "music education" (read: he really wanted his kids to have the same taste in music as him) so I always wrote off Simon and Garf as boring folk. But honestly, there's a lot of great energy. It's easy listening, but still has a great amount of depth. I was physiologically happier by the end of the album, and I can't say that about a lot of albums. It was the perfect length

Time it was and what a time it was. It was... a time of innocence. A time of confidences... I am wracking my brain to see if I can think of any American songwriters who wrote as powerfully and harmonized as well as Simon and Garfunkel. I am coming up empty. I love their music, I'll admit. I grew up listening to them, and then Paul Simon's solo work after. This album was their fourth studio album, featuring absolute classics Mrs. Robinson and America, as well as Bookends Reprise (quotes above). They only recorded one more studio album before splitting. Always wondered what coulda been... Listenable, easy to sing along with, and just plain enjoyable. I'm hovering around 3 1/2 but coo-coo cachoo, Mrs. Robinson, we're going 4.

Let me start off by saying Bridge Over Troubled Water is easily the greatest folk album of all time. Personally, I would put it in my top 10 albums ever created. That being said, despite my love for it, I've never listened to Simon and Garfunkel's other albums. I've obviously heard the hits like America and Mrs. Robinson, but I'm going in blind for everything else. And I know I shouldn't go in with high expectations, but it's hard not to. Anyways, it's half a concept album, half a collection of killer singles, a similar dynamic to The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" record. Funny enough, just like on that one, there is barely any filler on here. Paul Simon's songwriting is magnificent, songs like "Old Friends" have some of the best lyrics I've heard in a while. I'll say that this, to today's standards at least, is far from a grand concept album, but I really like how the first side depicts coming of age with each song dealing on topics relevant to an older age than the previous one. Cute record, I really like it. And honestly, the only thing holding it back is the fact that I know their best is yet to come.

sounds like harry styles definitely sampled this album in one way or another, but so joyful so light even if the meaning is darker and genuinely enjoyable.

That was very good, still not my taste

Sweet maybe a little saccharine for my personal taste. A few absolute gems.

me encanta cuando un album es tan visual que puedo ver cada cancion en mi cabeza. this feels like a musical. old friends me hizo llorar. a hazy shade of winter me hizo bailar de la felicidad. loved it.

Very close to a 5 but the misses are quite misses.

I be listened to this as a kid on lap, where it was easy enough to skip old people or even just go to side b which is killer. Normally this type of album would be a 3 but nostalgia plus Side b makes it a 4

Top tier s&g album, america, hazy, and Mrs robinson are my top three in that order. 4.5 rounded down because I wouldn't listen to the album as frequently as the rest of my 5s.

Lekkere nummertjes maar beetje apart album met de gesprekken er op. Mrs robbinson trekt hem toch naar de 4.

Amazing album

Amazing

Decent

Eh

what! Got this album the day after Lo got it as theirs! Fuck. Realizing the first time I heard America was likely the first time I watched Almost Famous. 20+ years ago? Now I just associated it with Bernie’s 2016 campaign and the last time I felt hope. God this album is fucking good. Old Friends. Bookends Theme Reprise. Fakin’ It! Mrs. Robinson! Wowowow Omg “wish I was an English muffin” Is it rude if I drop this from 5 to 4 stars because the voices of old people is too jarring and I’ll be annoyed every time I listen or skip? Remembering I missed seeing them at MSG in 2013(?) because I went to my first conference in New Orleans.

I enjoyed it, but not as much as Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Album relativement court, avec des interludes en plus, certaines chansons sont très bien écrites et l’aspect guitares sèches donne une vraie identité à l’album, Cependant si l’album a une identité, les musiques en elle même ne sont pas extrêmement remarquables (à part Mrs Robinson et America)

The 60s Simon & Garfunkel is always really nice to listen to. Well arranged and poetic. No exception here!

Full of experimental yearning Favourite track: Old Friends

What a delightful album! The soothing and increadibly beautiful vocal harmonies by Simon and Garfunkel are outstanding - that's what I've always known them for. But what I wasn't prepared for was the more experimental sounding bits and pieces ("Voices of old people" ...) and the quite powerful sound of "Safe the Life of my Child". All in all, a very interesting album showing more aspects of two musicians I've known for a while, although I never checked out most of their material...

Actually a well written and good sounding album. Pleasant from start to finish. 10 years later, this would be very vanilla, but in 1968, this is great.

Great rhythm changes between song, it gives me the beatles vibes, I didn't get to pay attention to the lyrics as much but overall loved the sound of it and it definitely is my type of music.

Muy nostálgico y bueno

So good. Elicits that melancholia that feels comforting, because you know others share the feeling. I want to curl up on a rainy day and drink this album out of a mug.

thank you mom for being a sound of silence head. also thank you paul simon.

very interesting topics for each song, and catchy lyrics. im not into the genre as much though so 6.5/10

Interesting! I never thought that S&G could sound so orchestrated and large. Fabulous recording... looked up the producer and apparently John Simon also recorded some other fab albums like Cohen's first album and Songs from the Big Pink. So that makes sense. Also, I had no idea that Hazy Shade of Winter was originally their song! I love it when that happens.

The Bookends theme instrumental is already beautiful. "Save the Life of My Child" the opening is so... interesting, but I kind of like the synth mixed with the guitar. I've only listened to the first four songs so far but they all feel as if they're singing about a distant memory that is a bit sad but a bit nice as well. I feel like I should be crying, and I feel like I'm going to cry. "Voices of Old People" and "Old Friends" back to back made me cry. "Old Friends" is a mistake, it's so beautiful, the violins! The reprise of the theme also made me cry, ugh.

Estuvo bueno, canciones memorables y bonitas. Me recordó a los primeros albums de los beatles

The blasting synths of Save the Life of my Child, and the talk samples of Voices of Old People are a mistake. But otherwise this delivers oodles of what we love Simon & Garfunkel for: Simon's perceptive lyrics, catchy acoustic hooks and Garfunkel's extraordinary voice.

Mrs. Robinson my beloved

Some unusual stuff among well known classics and standard beautiful s&g

It’s been a really long time since I last listened to this. Something I appreciate now is that it must have been pretty pioneering in really putting stereo to good use, sampled audio, and interstitial speaking segments.

Me gustó

Always surprised by these guys. Pretty good, had a few songs I will come back too. The project as a whole is pretty good too. 4/5

"Bookends" is an album of two distinct halves. Side A consists of a conceptual suite exploring the human life cycle from youth to old age, while Side B collects several high-profile singles and recordings originally intended for "The Graduate soundtrack". The record features three renowned tracks that justify their standing as five-star compositions: 'America': A narrative folk song detailing a literal and metaphorical journey across the United States. It follows two young lovers, Paul and Kathy, as they attempt to find the elusive "soul" of the country. 'Old Friends': A poignant piece from which the album derives its title. While the preceding track, "Voices of Old People", is often criticised, it functions best when heard as a single movement with "Old Friends". When approached this way, the field recordings feel less out of place, though modern listeners accustomed to listening to isolated tracks, one by one, may still find the transition jarring. 'Mrs. Robinson': An iconic recording that remains compelling and mysterious. It offers an ironic perspective on disillusionment as we get older. The live rendition from the "The Concert in Central Park" is also an excellent version of this piece. The production by Roy Halee is clean and precise, remaining remarkably fresh for an album that is now fifty-eight years old. Furthermore, the vocal performances throughout are exemplary. As a complete work, "Bookends" does not quite reach the five-star level, as the consistency fluctuates in a few places. However, it remains a very engaging listen - four stars. Finally, the striking black-and-white cover portrait was taken by the American photographer Richard Avedon. The image is notable for its starkness and simplicity. It is a favourite of mine. Side one 1 "Bookends Theme" (5/5) 2 "Save the Life of My Child" (4/5) 3 "America" (5/5) 4 "Overs" (4/5) 5 "Voices of Old People" (3/5) 6 "Old Friends" (5/5) 7 "Bookends Theme" (5/5) Side two 1 "Fakin' It" (3/5) 2 "Punky's Dilemma" (4/5) 3 "Mrs. Robinson" (from the motion picture The Graduate) (5/5) 4 "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (5/5) 5 "At the Zoo" (5/5) Total - 53 Average - 4.42 288/1001 153/288 albums reviewed were new to me

8.5/10

this hits for me. There are a handful of skips on here but when it’s good it’s really good. Love the layering, such a great sound overall. Feels sincere, soft, emotional. I loike it Mrs. Robinson is ofc the usual highlight, it’s just a victim of being overplayed for 60 years. I hadn’t heard Hazy Shade of Winter or Old Friends before and they are just beautiful and contemplative. Put on yer good time hat and hit play type album for me.

There is just something comfortable about listening to this music that’s hard to describe, while also being a bit inventive for its time.

Soft tunes and gentle vocals!

This album is really good. Definitely better than the other album by them we got earlier. The singles here are definitely the standouts. Not big on Voices Of Old People and Punky’s Dilemma, but every else here is pretty great. Favorites were America, Fakin’ It, Mrs Robinson, and A Hazy Shade Of Winter.

Great to hear the original version of America, one of my favourite songs (I first heard it on Paul Simon's live double album from his concert in Central Park), and of course Mrs. Robinson.

Relaxing

I'd never listened to this album--the hits, of course, but not the whole thing. There's a heavy dose of Sergeant Pepper's in this cauldron, which makes sense, as that was an inflection point album. Great songwriting, beautiful harmony as always, and an interesting space created by the production.

- simon and garfunkle my goats - hazy shade of winter... is this a gerard way reference guys - fun instrumentals and lyricism - the beatles if they chilled a little bit - favorite tracks: bookends theme, old friends, america, a hazy shade of winter - rating: 4/5

very good

I thought this was going to bore me but it was so much fun to listen to. Quick but interesting and not what I was expecting at all. Teetering on a 5 for a fist time listen but a solid 4

Start and end are great. Middle could take or leave. Lots of influence from the Beatles. The intro song could have been half an hour longer, loved it. Couple of classics on here too.

Pretty dang good. I love “America” so much. A perfect song to me

i liked it. it's another one of theirs that i was only familiar with their greatest hits and maybe a couple more. a pretty solid album.

Albeit, old people voices was a strange song. However, this was an excellent album as I would expect prior to listening to it. This is a top notch record. It’s probably a must have in a record collection.

Very good album!

I like how not only the lyrics talk about the stages from a kid to becoming old, but the melodies as well. It sort of represents the chaotic of youth, the hope and romanticism of young adulthood and the “ease” of elder life. Beautiful album. 9/10

Although this is a solid effort by the duo side 2 has previously recorded material. Despite that Mrs. Robinson reached #1. Smooth harmonies and melodic sound track.

If it wasnt for that bland slow one somewhere in the middle this would be 30 minutes of perfect pop. 4.5 rounded down to be harsh for no reason.

I for one loved the two minutes of old people talking in the middle that was mostly depressing, not musical and killed all momentum. Oh no wait, I hated it.

Solid — love the old people interludes. Nice catchy emotional pop.

I love this album and it's very nostalgic for me. Favorite song is probably America but Old friends is a close second. Well and also Mrs Robinson and Hazy shade of winter. Such a soothing album

4/5 awesome but not their best

Favorite Track: America

I loved America, of course, and the trio of tunes to close it out: Mrs. Robinson, Hazy Shade of Winter, At the Zoo. I have fond memories of a house filled with Simon & Garfunkel growing up.

Solid overall. The couple super slow songs downgraded my rating. Faves were America, Winter, and Zoo.

Yeah, this was great and I knew it would be.

love this !!

Knew & liked several songs on this album. It was much more experimental than I expected & less folksy.

Pretty solid little album by Simon, decent contribution from Garfunkel.

This was actually very good. I especially liked Old Friends.

Some really good songs on it. Pity you can't give half marks, so I've upped it to 4

- Concept album exploring time and aging, bookended by instrumental title tracks - Intricate harmonies and orchestral arrangements showcase artistic maturity - “Mrs. Robinson” is the standout pop moment - Introspective, lyrically sophisticated throughout - Balances commercial appeal with literacy artistry

Toe tapping good times

En weet je wat, ik geef dit gewoon 4 sterren, stop de Simon & Garfunkel slander

Ik heb hier gewoon een zwak voor, vind dit erg leuk. De vocals van Art Garfunkel zijn echt insane tbh

Primera cosa que me gusta tanto de estos dos, 4,5

Surprisingly excellent.

Like Bowie but if you replaced the pop with folk. I thought this group was old people music but this goes hard.

Some amazing tracks on here and some strange choices, but I like the album overall. As always, Simon's songwriting is fantastic.

It's interesting how, in the shadow of Sgt Pepper, even the folkies felt the need to make their albums have a concept, no matter how thin. That said, this is a good album but not as consistently great as Bridge Over Troubled Water

1/12 bekannt 7,5/10 Beste Songs: Mrs. Robinson, fakin‘ it, a hazy shade of winter

As I get older I realize that Paul Simon is one of America's greatest musical gifts to the world- and yes, I realize that that statement neglects half the band (who is rightfully due some major props as well, do not get me wrong). I love all of PS' stuff and find this record so well put-together. Sounds fresh, artful but not difficult, and most of all, with messages that still resound today. "Old Friends" is incredibly moving, especially with its extended tape-recorded intro factored in. Everyone knows and [hopefully] loves "Mrs. Robinson," a song that encompasses the guarded, tentative optimism of the late 1960s. Bottom line- the record is timeless and excellent- a classic.

Прикольно, но не мое

Really enjoyed the album. Not the most sonically advanced record, but something about their voices and lyrics hits me the right way.

A cool folk album, side 1 is a concept and has some great storytelling with great stripped down psych folk songs. Side 2 has some more upbeat pop-folk hits, starting with Fakin' It which I was not familiar with until now. Cool album only one song that I would have left out. Worth a listen

First listen. Thought provoking. Musically very pleasant. I enjoyed the acoustic guitar a lot, especially the way the music directs the tone. I like how the soft picking felt quite impactful through subtle changes. I enjoyed the variety of themes and topics. Hazy shade of winter was a favourite. Enjoyed America. It made me think about cultural issues in America at the time and how they are relevant now.

“Michigan seems like a dream to me now…” I adore this song. I once drove a friend from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Amherst, Massachusetts via Canada to visit her girlfriend. She was obsessed with Paul Simon, so we listened to all his albums on CDs on the way. America came on late that evening as we rounded a corner to reveal the view from the escarpment over Hamilton, Ontario. The city looked like it was on fire from the coal plant stacks. I didn’t know it then, but I would move to that city two years later for my PhD. I don’t really remember the non-famous songs from this album, but I enjoyed them a lot. I love the storytelling aspect of folk music, and S&G are masters of it. It’s probably sacrilege to say, but I prefer the Bangles’ version of Hazy Shade of Winter.

Very nice, soft and jazzy

Lovely.

Great sound. Wish this album was longer.

Some beautiful music and some distractions

Surprisingly experimental and fun, mkstly because it is so short so it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Actually kind of a wild album! Save the Life of My Child for example just like BAM after the peaceful opener, Voices of Old People interluding in there, Punky’s Dilemma going through the breakfast pantry. It’s all pretty nuts. But it’s also got some really lovely and cool moments like Hazy Shade and the funny little ending At the Zoo.

I put this on as a gentle Sunday morning listen and I was not disappointed. A Hazy Shade of Winter and At the Zoo were particular favourites.

4/5 This was lovely. Chill, but fun and very artistic.

4/5 Very nice album, I really can appreciate Simon and Garfunkel for keeping their albums both engaging, fun and chill. Always a lovely experience with them.

Bookends Theme - NOT RATED (Just a lil cute intro theme I'm not gonna rate that it's 30 seconds) Save the Life of My Child - 7.5/10 (That was very interesting, incredibly experimental for 1968 and I liked the "Hello darkness my old friend" in the middle of the song, that's fun) America - 9/10 (Just a really good folky song, I love this sound so for me this is amazing) Overs - 9/10 (I LOVEEEEE this sound, it's so peaceful, so calming, ugh it's great) Voices of Old People - NOT RATED (This is just old people talking, and fits surprisingly well into the album, it's oddly soothing) Old Friends - 9/10 Bookends Theme - Reprise - 8.5/10 (The transition from Old Friends into this was so good I didn't even realize it happened, this is so peaceful I LOVE ITTTT but I can't give it a 9 or higher because it's too shortttt) Fakin' It - 8.5/10 (The sound changed very abruptly from the past songs but this is still so great omg) Punky's Dilemma - 8/10 (Did he fall down the stairs near the end of the song what the hell, still such a fun track) Mrs. Robinson - 8.5/10 (I recognize this song, makes sense as it has a very high amount of streams, and yeah it's also great) A Hazy Shade of Winter - 8.5/10 (Very different compared to the rest of the album but it's still so good like I can't complain) At the Zoo - 8/10 (This song is just funny I love this why is this album so good??) That was so much better than I expected omg, like genuinely great, I loved that, on a re-listen I would probably give it a higher score, but as is I'm gonna leave it as a 4.4/5

I wasn’t aware of that Simon & Garfunkel had made a concept album. Of course I knew some of the songs already, but I had definetly not heard this full record earlier. I feel like it’s trying a little too much. Recording old people just talking for two minutes on a 29 minute long album is a waste of time. The album is saved a little by a few strong songs, but it feels very uneven. Favourite songs: Bookends Theme (reprise), America, Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade of Winter.

awesome, 4.5

Not sure about the taped conversation bits but you can’t really fault an alb that has America, Mrs Robinson and Hazy shade of winter

This was better than I thought it would be. I didn't hate it!

Hodgepodge - movie, singles Save the life of my child America Mrs. robinson

America - liked it a lot! Fun road trip vibes. The voices of old people broke stuff up, not loving it from a listening experience perspective, but "Old Friends" is a beautiful song. "I wish I was an English muffin, 'bout to make the most out of a toaster" - Maybe the best line I've ever heard in a song? Not sure what "Punky's Dilemma" was supposed to be about, but I loved it. "At the Zoo" was fun too! "Taking time to treat your friendly neighbors honestly" This was probably one of my favorite listening experiences thus far, I'm not sure what all of the songs are saying, nor do I think there's even a super huge point/message to a lot of them, but it's a fun album and the sound is cohesive but varied. Creates a fun vibe and is easy to listen to. There's also some songs that are actually quite profound in there despite the gentle and at times upbeat tone. Of note: I actually listened to this one through multiple times!

Must go to the zoo now

For me this album has always sat in the shadow of its follow-up, BOTW. But Bookends was a hugely successful album with some beautiful songwriting and performance, America and Mrs Robinson are my favourites here.

9 Do u know what is cute? Simon and Garfunkel. Do you know what is double cute?? Simon and garkfunkle singing about old people. Didn’t expect to be assaulted with this level of cuteness. I think it would be perfect but it just doesn’t really have enough shouting for me I don’t feel like I can give a perfect score unless there’s at least one shout at some point

Classics

I saw a tweet asking why Paul Simon doesn’t get the same respect as Bob Dylan. He’s just as fine a songwriter AND he can sing. I don’t disagree.

Stacked and sublime

This album has a soft spot in my heart. It's beautiful, melodic, and tight. Takes me right back to the day I discovered The Graduate in high school and went on a deep rabbit hole listening to all the Simon & Garfunkel my dad owned.

Easy listening

Mostly classic but just 🤏this much annoying boomer shit to keep it from my own personal top tier.

Rightly acknowledged as a classic album