Bookends

Masterpiece.

That was very good, still not my taste

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

Never heard this album, expected to like it, since it's got some real classics, but the stuff I hadn't heard was really not good. All those concept album strings are groaning. It's ok, but I'd rather hear all its best songs in a Greatest Hits sequence then here.

Experimental, folk. No exactamente lo mío pero lo usaría para algún corto / proyecto audiovisual COOL! Quizás para mirar la lluvia caer a través de la ventana en algún momento nostálgico muy específico, me hace recuerdo a la escena de Toy Story cuando Jessie canta When She Loved Me

otros beatles. siguente album

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.

Another from the category "omg I know this song". Music was good but I'm not a big fan of the vocals and some sound effect or intermissions.

Why are they looking at me like that?

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.

Has a couple goofy 60s moments but is one of the best albums from one of the best groups of the time. "America", "Old Friends", "Mrs. Robinson" are among some of the best S&G songs and the cover/vibe is iconic. As a lover of Paul Simon, I gotta go 5.

Very calm and nice acoustic guitar which I personally like but some people dont like which is fine the lyrics were okay but I dont really pay attention to the lyrics that much but overall it was okay could've been better

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

Amazing album

Amazing

THIS ALBUM IS PRETTY GOOD! I loved the old friends song, while it’s not my style completely I can admire some of the lines and guitar in it!

Decent

fakin'it, mrs robinsoon, at the zoo, a hazy shade of winter

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.

fav songs: overs mrs. robinson delicate, detached, restrained 50/100

Honestly I was a little disappointed.

not my kind of rodeo these guys

I was never gonna like this, really, but I was a bit surprised by the cool tape effect stuff on "Save the Life..." And "Voices of Old People" was kind of a cool idea if Rob Reiner hadn't stolen it for When Harry Met Sally. "Mrs Robinson" is a kinda cool song, as is "Hazy Shade," though The Bangles made it better.

A very influential singer/songwriter album

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

I'm not the biggest fan of Simon & Garfunkel, but this album has some of their best work I'd say. A couple songs caught my eye, but most were skippable. I doubt I'll come back to the album anytime soon, but it's good for sure.

This was good, as expected, but I wasn’t in love with it. Half the songs blended together, as it’s mostly just guitar plinking and soft folk-style singing. The final 4 or 5 songs on the album were the best ones, including the ever-popular ‘Mrs. Robinson’. A solid 3/5, wasn’t good enough in my ears to warrant more than than.

Je ne connaissais pas du tout mise à part Mrs Robinson. Bon album dans l'ensemble, avec parfois un côté un peu spécial voir expérimental auquel je n'ai pas forcément accroché, mais de bons éléments agréables. Certaines musiques sont bien et je pourrais tout à fait les écouter individuellement.

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!

Mrs. Robinson is iconic, and I loved Hazy shade of winter, but most of the rest was kinda blah. Why did Garfunkel go around recording "old people"? Really strange

Full of experimental yearning Favourite track: Old Friends

This one takes me back to my youth. My mom had this one playing a lot when I was growing up. Great album!

I mean, everyone says that the album was kind of trashy, which I totally agree on. I got kinda bored and then stopped listening to it and after a few hours I decided to keep listening it even if it was pretty boring, I guess the only song that I liked was Mrs. Robinson but that doesn’t make the album any better.

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...

Meh?

first time listening and i've worked out who ruined music

Oh it's just beautiful

OK album

banco, me gusto muchoo

The great songs can’t save this one.

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.

The songs here are really the same thing again and again I still really enjoyed “Old Friends”, the rest were just boring. What was with the english muffins and the old people talking? I wouldn't listen to the album again, I could only fall asleep to it.

Muy nostálgico y bueno

3/5 Nett

troche smetne ngl ale spoko

I don’t HATE it but it’s not awful

Masterpiece. Everything just works together in a perfect way. The themes, the lyrics, the compositions, the sound effects… it’s a journey not to be missed. It’s very thought provoking, and at times profound. Like the “Voices of Old People” track. This is from an actual nursing home and these people were “old” in 1968. Imagine their lives, the things they saw, their triumphs and struggles. All the life stories. Then the realization comes that none of those people are around anymore. This is an album that sticks with you.

The vocals are nice and convey very well the nostalgic or melancholic feelings of the story the first half of the album is telling. Overall that story is ... endearing? I can at least say that I liked Voices of Old People. In terms of music, or instrumental music, it was really simple, and I was not satisfied or impacted by what the songs were trying to say. Idk if it's just not my style, that what I'm looking for can't be found in this type of music, or if maybe it was really that weak of an album.

A Good album

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.

Un tema muy mítico

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

No puc

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.

One of my all time favourites, actually

meh not my drill

It’s not anything to make a big deal about. It’s good, but it’s not good good. The second half carried that first. The album is just kinda boring, and shallow. Favorite song: Mrs. Robinson

I was surprised by how little I got out of this.

Oh, man, a favorite. It’s interesting to return to it after many years, and after listening to a lot of Paul Simon’s solo albums.

Great album, love this music genre.

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

Oui bah voila un énorme classique après je suis pas si fan de ces gars la

Meh

This one was...fine. I'm a fan of a couple other S&G records but hadn't heard this one (save "Mrs. Robinson" which slaps). The part with the voices of old people seemed like it could have been omitted. It brought to mind skits on rap albums for some reason, but not quite as fun. Clearly a lot of effort put into the songs and a pleasant enough listen. So 2.5 rounded to 3.

Just a fantastically beautiful album. America is simply one of the great songs.

Very quiet record overall. At the start of 'Save The Life Of My Child' I thought we were on to some really crazy stuff, but it turned kosher quite fast. 'Mrs. Robinson' is a nice track, but other than that it wasn't really for me. The vocals and the guitar playing is nice, but I find some of arrangements a too uneventful. I definitely appreciate this having its place in music history though.

I’m all for short albums, but this one still managed to leave me a bit bored despite its length. The first half, the “concept album” portion, leans into the more pretentious side of Simon and Garfunkel, and it just didn’t work for me. Luckily, the second half is much stronger, with consistently decent tracks throughout. It’s more upbeat and simply better, in my opinion. The first half is a 2 and the second half is a 4, so I’m settling on a strong 3 overall.

It was alright

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.

Pretty cool, I had heard Mrs. Robinson before, but everything else was first time. Favorite song was At the Zoo, very fun. Close second was Old Friends, really liked the sound of it. Was not expecting Voices of Old People, it was interesting though.

Most enjoyed songs: America Overs Fakin it Love the woodwind instruments and acoustic guitar throughout the whole album Probably wouldn’t listen to again but enjoyed it for sure

Mrs. Robinson my beloved

An interesting album. I knew not of its existence. Almost a time capsule, really. The interludes and recordings of people speaking, like in Voices of Old People, give a real feel for the time and place. This is a strength of Simon & Garfunkel's music. You can almost feel a place and a culture in listening to it. America and Mrs. Robinson are, of course, classics.

Chill. Otra época donde la poesía no daba cringe.

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.

When Save the Child of my Life started I thought it was a different Band, strange sound for Simon & Garfunkel A few of my favorite Simon & Garfunkel songs are on this album… America Old Friends Loved Punky’s Dillema, funny song

Me gustó

Feels like it was a fair way before it's time well that's spoken word stuff even felt like shadows album

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

Surprised to have found brilliant lyrics such as “wish I was an English muffin” haven’t give s&g a real go and look prob won’t again

Punky's Dilemma

8.5/10

Niet mijn smaak. Aparte skits zitten in dit album, vaak keek ik om me heen afvragend wat ik hoorde.

2.5 out of 5 it has a couple of good songs but overall it doesn’t do a lot for me.

A somewhat frustrating album because it does have some good songs. I like "America" well enough but to be honest the entire album is held up by "Mrs. Robinson". Every other track sort of fades into obscurity. It wasn't unenjoyable, just bland.

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.

bueno, pero no es lo que escucho

A few great songs and a lot of boring songs. Mrs Robinson is one of the greatest songs but can't carry this album enough

I dunno, weird. Mrs. Robinson good

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

I like some songs from both sides of this record, but I think the album suffers from the second half being not of the concept, so it feels like 2 totally differebt albums.

Ta bueno. Tranquilón y 70oso. Vines beatelescas

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

not really a huge fan because im not too into this kind of old music but actually not as bad as expected :)

Classic album ... [list of great songs you know well] ... So, then the question is: what does listening to the full album yield that we would not get from the career-spanning compilation? Very little. Plus, quite odd. (Feature / bug -- ? ) Excellent example of a noteworthy album that .... you really don't need to listen to.

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.

Blah.

Many of the songs on this album are great songs. Their presentation here is less than ideal. I would say that most, in fact probably all, of the enjoyable songs on this record are far more enjoyable in cover versions and/or live versions recorded years later. It surprised me how much I disliked the production on this LP. And also how grating I found Art Garfunkel's presence. Listening to the album I just kept thinking how much better Paul sounds on his own. The bonus track "At the Zoo" was my favorite, maybe because I wasn't familiar with it so it felt fresh.

Pleasant but rather unremarkable. 3/5

- 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

she's cute. cute and pleasant. nothing to write home about in either direction. 3/5

something weirdly experimental here but doesn't feel altogether cohesive definitely a work i can admire, but not completely enjoy maybe have to relisten down the line for smth new to hit me notable: save the life of my child, america 3/5

I'm not a big Simon & Garfunkel (or even just Paul Simon) fan, and I don't choose to listen to it "on my own time." However, I can't deny their songwriting and especially the "hits" on this album. It is really well written, produced, and performed.

very good

Yeah, I don't know. It was all over the place. Every time I heard something that I liked, they changed it up immediately. Not for me.

beautiful

Legendary smooth as silk

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.

It was pretty good

With all due respect to every great album they put out this my is my favorite. The song writing & performance on is incredible but it's also the production & the way it's recorded. It's a very New York album.

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.

I struggled through this one. Everything that made their previous album so amazing seems to be missing here and all you are left with is what feels like stuff that didn't make their previous album. There's a fine line between experimentation and craftsmanship, and this just feels like experimentation. Nothing really memorable and I found myself zoning out during a lot of the songs.

One of my favorite alblums. The "Non popular" tracks are a good as the ones on the radio. I can't remember the last time I heard Old Friends and Old people Voices. Listening brought a smile to my face.

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.

my best friend is a big Paul Simon fan - she'll come up again when we get to his solo work here - and i remember her playing America a lot the summer before our senior year of college. it was hot as hell, and we were kind of almost adults, and both our futures and the country in which we figured they'd take place seemed complicated and romantic and grand. now i live thousands of miles, a continent, a hemisphere away, and America just makes me feel sick. as a place, it seems flat, and small, and mean, and so does a lot of the rest of the world, and i'm completely unable to conjure up the romantic grandeur of what's undoubtedly the best track on this record the rest is just...a bit odd? lovely little vignette-y songs, often wistful, occasionally way too cute, sometimes jarringly experimental, though that bar is low for these guys. i really admire them both as songwriters, and love Simon as a singer, but the ping-ponging of this record between something more conceptual and songs about how it would be nice to go to the zoo (sure) or be a cornflake (what?) doesn't work for me all too well. this was a (very pleasant, very listenable) bit of a miss, and i'm looking forward to work by the duo that's maybe a bit more central between the poles of being labored and carefree

I remember listening to this prior to here because I really liked the songs "America" and "Mrs Robinson." I vehemently understood then why just because an album has some killer singles does not mean the rest is great and this is a exceptional example. Just mind numbing material, that's what it is. A 30 minute album dragging hard is completely crazy to me but It can happen I suppose. I also think Simon & Garfunkel stuff isn't for me, just to add to the negativity train. My reasoning is that because this album and the critically-acclaimed Bridge Over Troubled Water was miss. Some positive things to leave on a semi-good note is that, the aforementioned "America" Is a god-tier song. I first listened to that song from the Yes cover, which I didn't like, I then stumbled across the original not knowing at first it was the same song, and fell in love with it. Oh and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" isn't half-bad I s'pose. AND last but not least of the note-worthy songs is "Mrs. Robinson" which I don't need to state how good that classic is because it's just THAT good. Highlight Song/s: "America" and "Mrs Robinson"

The blaring synth chords on the second track caught me off guard. Experimental and different is cool, but does not equal good necessarily.

ehh not really my vibe,

Very good album!

It's just some classic folk music that is some easy singing with some strummy electric guitar and light drums. Easy listening but nothing I'd really listen to on purpose. Probably a 3 for me dog.

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

They don't hate each other enough yet

Немного не то настроение и настрой чтоб расходится кучей слов, но скажу что альбом мне понравился. Особенно первая сторона вполне себе ощущается концептуальной, там авторы этого точно придерживались. Есть запоминающиеся мелодии, хорошие текста, другие работы от Simon & Garfunkel я также обязательно заценю. Обложка отличная, такие фото никогда не устаревают, недавно даже натыкался на подражание ей от какого-то современного исполнителя, что уже о многом говорит.

21. Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends (1968) Вывод: молодость уходит и память становится единственным багажом У меня особое отношение к этому дуэту, они заставляют погрузиться в глубокие раздумия, хоть и периодически очень острые. Этот альбом как неприятное напоминание про неумолимое течение времени. С этой группы, кстати, я начала любить фолк и понимать Дилана. Альбом делится на две части, один почти замерший во времени черно-белый фильм, прошлое наследие. И вот, вторая часть это современное понимание - в предпоследней песне это новое понимание. Даже когда наступила зима твоей жизни (метафора старости) сделай вид, что это ещё весна. Надежда и юность не умирают в душе, несмотря на изменения. Встреть старого друга, сходи с ума по женщине, завидуй простой жизни хлопьев и джема. Будь глупым, странным, искренним и тогда не пожалеешь о своей прошедшей жизни.

Not really a fan. Wanted to like it but found it kind of boring. Favorites: old friends, fakin it, Mrs Robinson. Good harmonies, guitar playing, song dynamics (I liked when old friends built and reached a climax). Glad I listened but just didn't love it

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.

Not for me.

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.

This album sure feels like an odd mix that doesn't go together. Which is weird, because half of it is a 'concept' (which I never grasped onto), so you'd think it'd flow better. I don't know how to rate this. On one hand, you have some fantastic tracks like "America", "Mrs. Robinson", and "Hazy Shade of Winter". And then theres "Save The Life Of My Child", which is a odd sounding experiment mixing folk with Moog synthesizers and a vocal choir. Or, "Voices Of Old People", which is literally just that, which has no real redeeming relistening value. Despite the great songs, as an album, it's a mess, and not that great as a whole.

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

It feels physically wrong to give this album anything less than a 5, Simon and Garfunkel are way too formative to my music tastes for me to do that. They get away with things I would never tolerate in another artist simply because they are that good. Are their songs sometimes a tad maudlin? Are their lyrics sometimes a bit goofy? Yeah, but I don't care, they're fucking Simon and Garfunkel, they can sing about being cornflakes if they want. Save The Life Of My Child and America is one of the greatest one-two punches you can have on an album, but all of the songs here would've been the highlight of most other artists' careers.

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

The boyssssss

4/5 awesome but not their best

Favorite Track: America

Some songs were good, Mrs. Robinson is a classic, of course, but the old people stuff was a bit out of place. I get it, but I don't.

I like the idea of an album covering the span of a human lifetime, but from a simple listening POV I would’ve enjoyed it more if all 12 songs were Mrs. Robinsons. And wtf is “Old people talking” hah.

bookends is a charming collection of songs. i was surprised by the varied selection of sounds and styles in this album, somehow i was expecting them all to sound like mrs robinson or other simon and garfunkel-y tunes. especially enjoyed the whimsy little guitar moments. will be listening to again

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.

Classics. Beautiful, calming, joyful. Love it.

Not what I expected … in between 5-star singles

I liked this okay.

Me aburrió y lo saque

Pas mon style d’écoute quotidienne, j’ai l’impression d’entendre un prémice des Beatles Fakin’ it est très cool

Jamais écouté avant. Top : A Hazy Shade of Winter Flop : Voices of Old People

This would be the best folk album of all time if Joni Mitchell didn’t exist. The lyrics in each song are colorful and describe so much in such few words. America is truly one of the best stories ever told through a song and the album itself blends together so seamlessly. A hazy shade of winter was a nice surprise for me because I’ve never heard it before but it is my new favorite off the album. The album is experimental while remaining true to traditional folk tunes. Just perfect

Ya gotta love an album from a band that’s hitting their stride of being one of the greatest bands of all time.

America is just one of the best songs of all time, even considering I'm not American. It displays a yearning for something more that just resonates even 60 years later. Mrs robinson is of course also a classic, but means less to me personally. All in all a great album. Easy 5.

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

3/13/26 - Listened at the computer. It was honestly a bit of a disappointment as I do not know that much about Simon and Garfunkel and wanted it to be better. Also, learning that the second half is a collection of outtakes from the movie made this choice even more surprising. Top Song - Voices of Old People

There are too many men on this list. Self important drivel.

3.5

Overall not my thing but Punky’s Dilemma is the cutest song I’ve ever heard 😭😭😭😭

A very pretty album. I was surprised by the sampled audio, and without knowing all the history I suppose this is quite innovative in that way.

Simon & Garfunkel igjen, med deres ikoniske folk-sound. Dette er albumet med Mrs. Robinson. Et album jeg har lyttet til før. Noen høydepunkter, men jevnt over litt for kjedelig. Top 3: America, A Hazy Shade of Winter, Mrs. Robinson

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

Beginning was fun it was like I was just starting a journey. what the hell where they thinking on track 4. Transition from 7 to 8 is like a smack in. The face. Middle was very good and upbeat 10s good but the lemon heads version is better. The end finishes greatly i might have multiple favorites. Favorite(s): at the zoo Least: voices of old people

I'm learning on this albums generator that I'm not really a big Simon and Garfunkel fan. It's not hard to admit the duo are a solid representation of talent, and considering the age of this effort the mixing is actually really cool. Speaking of the mixing, Voices of Old People has to be the most interesting skit I've heard. I like how the album ties in together, and how my ears are constantly tickled by well expressed lyrics and beautiful acoustics. I do love The Graduate, so hearing the theme and seeing how it works so well on this studio effort was a lovely surprise. I guess my problem is the length and the style of it. I'd rather listen to Silvio Rodríguez, which I guess means I'm influenced by my culture when choosing my talented acoustics over tender vocals. 3.2/5

Better than expected.

love this !!

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

nice album

there’s a reason this album gets pulled into every documentary and period piece reaching for the soul of the 1960s…it captures a specific American restlessness that feels less like a snapshot of an era and more like its emotional blueprint. it doesn’t just belong in the cultural zeitgeist - it defined the architecture of it.​​​​​​​​​​

Favourite tracks: Old Friends, A Hazy Shade of Winter A really interesting album with a range of different tracks. Of course, personally, I didn't favour the slow and moodier tracks but I did quite enjoy the orchestral elements in 'Old Friends'. While it might not be one of my favourites, 'Save the Life of My Child' is a track that it took me a couple listens to like. At first it was a bit jarring but after focusing on the lyrics a bit I enjoy the exploration of this scene of a kid about to jump. All in all, I don't think this album is for me. I know it's supposed to explore the theme of life and growing old but it just didn't click with me. The varying vibe of each track really didn't work. Maybe if the track order was done a bit better with the upbeat tracks at the start and the moodier tracks at the end then I would've like it. 2.5/5

Well, there's nothing wrong but I just did not like it that much.

There is a reason the casual listener prefers a greatest hits album on the classics. I like these guys, the album was ok, Mrs. Robinson pushes it over the edge for me to something I would take time to listen to the album again.

This was an alright listen on my way to work. It got saved by 2 or 3 songs for me. Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, and I think Fakin' it were my favorites. Weird beginning, solid ending to the album. I don't think I will go searching to play this again, but would let it ride if it came on randomly. 5.2/10

Very average album. I like S&G but not this one. Highlights... Mrs Robinson America 4.5/10

4.5

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

Kruder & Dorfmeister are better than Simon & Garfunkel, that's all I've got to say on this one.

It's ok

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

Not really an album, just some half thought out knurdling. Mrs Robinson is good though.

Sub 30 mins should mean an automatic 2 star rating as a baseline. Turns out there are also some quite good tunes on this album.

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

Floored by this, the creative production, the story telling but most importantly the bangers… outstanding. Lovely stuff

One of my favorite albums. Special tracks: America and Overs.

- 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

Too cute for moi. I like Hazy Shade of Winter.

Good folk album, but definitely not S&G's best work. "Mrs. Robinson" is the definite highlight here, but the rest didn't hit that much to be fair. 7 / 10

I can appreciate the song writing but a little too boring/lacking substance for me

so similar to the psicodelic beatle moment

In the background.

I would have liked to dismiss the album quickly as completely boring. In the end, however, there were three tracks on it that I have cherished since my youth. It's nice to have been reminded of them again. I'll gladly listen to those tracks again, but probably not the album. 3/5

Cute, fun, interesting. Overall a pretty good album. Very short

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

Hallo, het is ik met wat ongevraagde Simon & Garfunkel slander. Van tevoren was ik bang voor 30 minuten aan gezapige Sound of Silence-achtige jankplaten. Het was... minder gezapig dan ik vreesde, maar vrolijk heeft het me niet gemaakt. De groot redder in nood komt pas helemaal achter in de tracklist: Mrs. Robinson is een absolute all-timer. Daarna is het gelukkig snel voorbij.

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

I feel it packs more of an album into 29 minutes than any of the 75 minute albums that this list has made me listen to.

Surprisingly excellent.

Eh some good songs but a lot of just mediocre stuff

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.

Short, interesting, but I kind of didn't want to listen through a second time. The lifespan concept seems incomplete, so overall the album's composition felt a little messy and unfinished to me. Some nice songs (I really liked A Hazy Shade of Winter), but the album as a whole wasn't my favorite.

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

как обычно, всё что я знала затмило всё новое (кроме "я булочка, я хочу в тостер"). ну приятные песни и сама букендз/олд френдз тема красивая, мне нравится. но пение для меня слишком инфантильное

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.

Not my favorite album by them, but I wouldn’t kick it out of bed for eating crackers.

Прикольно, но не мое

Was not looking forward to starting this since last time I started with PSR+T and found it crazy boring. Folk isn’t my thing. The good parts were better than I expected. The lyrics were strange and too folk-y for my taste at times. Under a half hour? That’s almost enough for 5 stars alone.

This album reminds me of my Mother and the Saturday morning clean ups we did as a child. Golden light streaming through windows with dust motes hanging in the air. My favorite song on here is America. It always reminded me of the 1977 bicentennial celebration and brought a tear to my eye, but mix in the loss of my parents and the state of our country and now it brings a host of them. Thankfully it is a song of hope.

Easy on the ears at moderate to low volume. 1 major hit. The rest fluctuates between bearable and pleasant

Первая после интро и последняя - норм, остальное - скукота

Love Paul Simon, just a genius

Ah, Mrs. Robinson! Another middle/lower middle of the road album for me. probs a 2.5. but I'll round up to 3.

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

Pretty forgettable, outside of Mrs Robinson. Pleasant enough. 6/10 Pretty Good

Excited for S&G, then curious to listen to this one in its entirety here. Harmonies as expected. Some hits, some unknowns. Including Garfinkel's recording of old people is just odd... ⭐⭐⭐

Way too mellow for me. Had to skip Voices of Old People.

Definitely music for me

This is not very good. Even Mrs. Robinson, which is the only one from the album that I knew, isn't that good. I honestly thought I'd enjoy Simon & Garfunkel since I do love Sound of Silence, but this is nowhere close to it. Or Sound of Silence isn't as good as I actually remember. That being said, it's not bad, so giving it 2 stars.

They’re poets, sometimes when they shouldn’t be.

I tried - so many times. It's just not my jam. Sorry, S&G!

Too slow for my taste

had listened to all the songs before but not in order - hadn't realised S&G had a concept album

Save the Life of the Child - Wow what a song, the bass line is so flipping god, the production and all is crazy as well for 1968. Gives the same vibes as a Queen or Bowie song. Queer coded? most probably i think America- ok maybe if i was american ts would make me feel patriorchal or smth, but in general look for america, acc to me, can be seen as the 'ideal american behaviour' which is friendly, and peacefull, which is not at all the america today. Again, great production and stuff duh Overs - Feels like the end of a happy relationship. 'how long can i delay' but its like they are holding on to the happy memories, even though those don't occur anymore. The stop was my favourite part of the song, ahead of its time Old Friends - This song is a poem backed with amazing instrumentals. Graduating and this is exactly how i feel about my current friends one day being seen as 'old friends' Can you imagine us years from today Sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange to be 70 I've definetly had this convo with my friends, hits hard. Also weird to think that even in the late 60s, i can relate to what their singing abt so much Fakin' It- the switch up from the slow old friends to this song is amazing icl like wow. An amazing song in general, the happier version of 'fake plastic trees' by radiohead if u think about it. This song sounds like the one that would be popular and hit the billboard charts and play on the radio lol. Punkys Dillema- not rly my fav, maybe need to understand the lyrics more idk Mrs. Robinson - Feels like a satrical christian song, need to search the lyrics or something. Hazy Shade of Winter - A beatles type song, but lowk i feel like this song if it was released tdy would do good asw, not my favourte song def At the zoo - good jolly 'ol song, very 60s esque, idk, is the zoo a metaphor to the earth in general? maybe? from the surfface level it feels like theyre just very passionate abt the zoo lol Rate: 7/10 Overall thoughts: This album, maybe even this grp feels like the middle between the Beatles era and the Queen/Bowie era. You can hear it as well, how the music world is changing, but ofcourse theres still traces of the past. I think i just analused all the lyrics at a very surface level, theres bound to be more to these lyrics as well, but instrumentally a very good album.

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

I don’t care. Maybe not a five. Art has the voice of an angel; Paul is an amazing guitar player-weird chords, expertise picking. Three stone cold classics.

I liked this more this time than I did on previous listens. I still think its carried by Mrs. Robinson and A Hazy Shade of Winter.

Loved finally listening to this one

Mrs Robinson made me think of someone who hadn't crossed my mind for a long time - if that isn't a great piece of music, then I don't know what is. Unexpectedly adventurous with the production, expectedly effective with the songwriting! Favourite tracks: America, Old Friends, Mrs Robinson

Bookends Theme 3 Save the Life of My Child 3.1 America 4 Overs 3.3 Voices of Old People n/a Old Friends 3.2 Bookends Theme 3 Fakin' It 3.4 Punky's Dilemma 3.1 Mrs. Robinson 4.3 A Hazy Shade of Winter 3.6 At the Zoo 3.7 Score: 3.427272727

Dienstag, 10.03.2026 ~ Mittags bis nachts ~ Auf dem Weg zum Sport, in der Verkehrsschule am Wassertorplatz beim Wegräumen der Fahrräder, nachts in meinem Bett.

Mittwoch 11.03.2026 In der Philologischen Bibliothek der FU Berlin beim exzerpieren und lesen von W. Benjamin: Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit

Only heard of Simon & Garfunkel by name alone, but couldn't put a song to them before this. Unfortunately, it's on another day that I am not able to break down each song individually. Besides, this album is making it tough; it's like nothing I've ever heard before, especially with the synths on "Save the life of my Child"... in 1968! Stand out tracks for me were "Punky's Dilemma" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter". These guys are really fun. The whole thing was such a wonderful and quirky departure from almost everything else I've heard on this journey, it's been a joy from beginning to end. I understand that this is a Concept Album too, which I wasn't exactly clear on what that was until today; turns out I love these things, as The Wall and Good Kid, m.A.A.D City are some of my favourites of all time.

Meh

Nice haircut nerd. Also a lot of filler shit. I get it, its for the album. But liked the bass they used in saved the life of my child. Other than that its the Beatles with two guys. 50% 3/12

A couple classics. Some really weird production. But overall enjoyed it.

If I had to saw my brother’s foot off in the mountains of Korea because it had turned completely black from frostbite, then carry him down those mountains alone while he screamed and cursed at me after the rest of our platoon was killed or taken prisoner in an ambush, only to receive a handshake, a medal, and a kick in the ass back to America, and then years later, after a long shift at the local grocery store where my boss, who’s 20 years younger than me, makes me stay late to finish inventory because he has a date at the drive-in, I walk through the door to a pot of Hamburger Helper, a nagging wife, and a nancy son with long hair, and from his room I hear some hippie singing bullshit about how he wishes he was a Kellogg’s Cornflake, I’d put a gun in his hand and ship him off to the jungles of Vietnam. Overall, good album. Pretty cool sampling.

Wow that album was short. Good things come in small packages.

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.

Some surprising sounds I can see why this stuff was groundbreaking in its time

its not my favourite genre

Bookends feels very nostalgic and carefully put together. I like the acoustic guitar sound, and there’s something warm and reflective about the whole album. The short spoken pieces make it feel more like a connected work than just a collection of songs, which I find interesting. Still, listening to it on a streaming app feels different from how it was probably meant to be experienced. “Mrs. Robinson” and “A Hazy Shade of Winter” stand out because they bring more energy and momentum. Overall, I respect the album, even if I don’t fully connect with it from start to finish.

Great

What in the world was "Voices of Old People"?

Great song writing as always from these two. America is one of my favorite songs of all time

There are some great moments, but I didn’t realize the history of unnecessary skits and sound effects went back this far.

heard they were “best friends” (gay). cute. not cute enough tho. 2.

This a 3 but it started annoying me so Im bumping it to a 2

Very nice, soft and jazzy

I'm surprised how underwhelming this album is, as I do like S&G quite a bit. Since this is a concept album, I'm judging it as a unified piece of work, and as such, it's a complete failure. Some individual songs are great, but as a cohesive piece of work this is not a good one. The concept drags in some bad songs and awkward sections that simply degrade the experience. The conept gives absolutely no favors to the listener. Too bad.

10/10 - soft, antena 1 feelings

Lovely.

Good album, but I prefer Simon as a solo artist.

Great sound. Wish this album was longer.

Pre-listen - my favorite S&G album. Gonna be a 5 for sure

Bof, pas mon truc ces années là

Some beautiful music and some distractions

simon and garfunkel are the best musicians from the 60s. argue with a wall.

Absolute nothingburger for me.

im just a sucker for this type of music

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.

Not my cup of tea

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

Pros: short, 4/10 (excluding bookends theme/reprise) are amazing songs… Cons: the rest seems like a mishmash of noises and half baked ideas. This was a tough one to rate.

beautiful, often very experimental sounds

3.5/5

Excellent listen. Spacious layered sound and vocals. Timeless folk sound that will never grow old 5/5

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.

Pretty good.

awesome, 4.5

wouldn't say it's my favorite of theirs but i still enjoy it

I'm not going to give this lower than a 3 because I am sick so they might have just been pissing me off but I still do think this is probably the weakest of their last four albums, just too much dicking around .

Very disappointing album. Slow, boring and only a couple of songs that were decent.

10/10, NO NOTES.

That is not for me

Very meh. One good famous song.

6/10 Decent little beach boys esque album Fav track: Hazy Shade of Winter Least fav: Mrs. Robinson

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!

Classic. Chill sound

Fun

Decent

This one was hit or miss for me. It didn’t seem to flow well.

没有印象