Reviews (page 7 of 13)
Way better than Bridge Over Troubled Water
First impression: "Boring. I don't get the hype." Yet, it got much better when listening on the headphones.
Loved the interludes
Really great album. A little short - I was surprised when it was over - but generally a very nice sound. America is a phenomenal song. High 4
ну здесь есть прям культовые вещи, а есть довольно нудные штуки за mrs robbinson ставлю 4
Great album. Awesome duo
Lovely album Hazy shade of winter! what a riff
More experimental than I thought it would be. I kinda assumed Simon and Garfunkel only wrote only mellow, folky stuff (....maybe because that's the most popular stuff?). Enjoyed
Acoustic led album. Some classics. Some nice sounds.
after i listened to the album i listened to "A Hazy Shade of Winter" like ten times looped, i cant get enough
We were driving with this on and the other person in the car made the observation that "this is later than that other album, yes?" (the herb album) And you can tell it is. And it's not quite got as much in the way of real S&G hit stuff on it: Mrs R, obviously, America, Old Friends, and A Hazy Shade of Winter, which on this version sounds like it could make an appearance on a Belle and Sebastian album (which, for me, is a Very Good Thing). Fakin' it was one I didn't know that might make the cut as well. Voice of Old People is clearly odd and I don't like it as much as 7 O'Clock News on the Herb Album. And I'm not 100% sure I'd have known that the first side was a concept, but that does at least explain the inclusion gf Voices. So, it's 3.5 stars. I guess it can have 4 because ultimately I would listen to it again.
Muy bonito. América.
I’m a sucker for Simon and Garfunkel, and this album has some really great songs on it. America has always been one of their best in my eyes, and Old Friends, A Hazy Shade of Winter, and the Bookends Theme are fantastic too.
The best S&G because it's the best balanced between tunefulness and depth. Any records with both "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" will be a strong one, of course.
classic album with the smooth soothing voices of art and paul and their unique take on folk music. highlights: “save the life of my child”, “mrs. robinson”, “a hazy shade of winter”.
Some of their best work.
Cool lyrically, singer songwriter duo I need not repeat what everyone else raves about them. Though personally I never really listened to their music much other than occasionally.
This is beautiful. I can’t believe I stayed off Si and the funk for so long! Awesome!
4.25
it's good, just like the other simon and garfunkel album, but it just didn't hit as hard. a little more forgettable.
this is weirder than expected, some punky dissonance and samples of codgers rambling accompanying the usual folky stuff. Y'all know the good bits backwards, esp. A Hazy Shade of Winter which is a total banger as good as the Bangles version. Generous 4
Pretty good
This is one of their best. Perhaps the height of their collaboration.
Somehow I never listened to this whole album before. It’s Simon & Garfunkel so it’s well written and well performed.
One of my dad's favourites, and the first time I've given it more than half a song of a listen. Some strong riffs, despite being more than 50 years old. When released, can see how would have been a breath of magic - still holds up fairly well.
Inte deras bästa platta men mycket väl godkänd.
7/10
Thought I was going to hate this, but it wasn't too bad. Hazy Shade of Winter is a great song and I honestly didn't even know it was Simon & Garfunkel who recorded it - I thought it was The Bangles. Some of the other songs were okay too. I was expecting a 1-2 star album, but this turned out to be a 3-4 star experience. I think there's definitely pleasure to be had listening to this again, so I'm going to give out a generous 4.
3.5/5 mostly good, has a lot of flaws
Lost one star for the “old people talking” song.
Chilled out vibe
thats one to shroom to
Délicat et ouvragé, mais grondant de révolte. Le point fort est les mélodies
Heard a lot of this before despite not having listened, they are fantastic together
Somehow have never listened to this album before. I knew and appreciated the hits, but the other songs are great too. Even the odd lyrics in songs like At The Zoo have a charm. And at 29mins, it doesn't overstay its welcome.
'Mrs Robinson' is a god-like song in popularity, and 'America' is a good song too.
While ‘Mrs. Robinson’ is the song everyone knows, it’s ‘America’ that’s the standout track for me. Other highlights include ‘Fakin’ It’ and ‘Hazy Shade Of Winter’, but there’s lots of other good stuff here to enjoy as well. A quite lovely album overall.
A large dose of Paul Simon is never a bad thing. But I’m in dire need of more Garfunkel after finishing Bookends. In many ways this could’ve been the first Paul Simon solo album.
Enjoyed the album, full of lovely song writing but just a bit too on the slow side for me.
day 30! I feel like this is once again another example of people labeling an album a concept album that is not really a concept album. On its surface I love the idea of an album progressing through the stages of life, but this is only half the album, and I don't feel like any songs really capture childhood/youth or even adolescence. It launches right into Save the Life of My Child, which is a great song, but it takes the viewpoint of adults looking at childhood (and heavy themes of suicide) rather than hearing from the child himself. Unless this is itself a commentary of how kids grow up too fast and we as adults are always looking elsewhere rather than listening to them, then I could see it .... to me, it still feels a little out of place with what is to come. as for the second half, I've never really loved Mrs. Robinson, and I rolled my eyes a bit at the heavy-handed breakfast food and zoo animal metaphors. Also felt like At the Zoo was a bit of a strange closer, it left an already short album feeling especially unfinished to me. despite these "complaints" I have, there are some really great songs on this album and I do love me some folk rock. It's a pleasant listen I could see myself coming back to, I just feel like there was a lot of potential here that wasn't fully realized. fave tracks- A Hazy Shade of Winter (A+), America, Overs, Fakin' It, Save the Life of My Child ... 3.5/5 rounded up to 4
Surprised by how varied and wonderfully odd this album gets, as well as occasional use of electronic texture and field recordings.
Quintessential Simon & Garfunkel but album is definitely not their best work. Hazy Shade of Winter and Mrs. Robinson are fantastic songs but everything else is rather forgettable.
Another pleasant walking album
Very good album with a really cool concept. Paul Simon is definitely one of my favorites. Rating: 3.8
I'm a sort of fan of S&G. Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of my favourite albums ever. I've never listened to this, though. I must admit the "concept" part of it didn't seem great to me. America is an astonishing song, but everything else that side left me a bit cold. The second side is far superior. And when it's good, it's really good.
A solid album that i wouldnt normally listen to
Old friends
Really great, and surprisingly riffy for acoustic guitar. Little experimental bits were unexpected but evocative.
Utvilsomt vakre tekster, med både ny og gammel kjærlighet. Musikken er gammel (1968) og høres ut deretter. Men det gjør ikke noe, det er behagelig å høre på. Det er utvilsomt musikk som passer bedre når du skal slappe av enn å gire deg opp for fest.
Not their best, but good.
This is a classic album. I always forget how unexpected and unobvious these compositions are. There is a lot more depth and darkness to them than one might expect. Really short and sweet as a whole, but a great and beautiful album to listen to.
Great album. I think that all S&G albums are a bit inconsistent but this one is my favorite of theirs.
Its highs are high
First time hearing the whole album, I was already a big fan of America and Ms Robinson but having heard the whole album I'm a fan of the complete experience as well, it does take you on a journey and I like where it led.
2023/04/10
I haven't listened to much Simon & Garfunkel besides the radio hits. This was a pleasant album and listening experience and I was impressed with how good the imagery was on the album, and how smooth the songs were when telling stories, instead of rhyming.
Every time I hear a complete Album by these soft-folky dudes I am totally astounded by their penchant for experiments. Very much inspiring but also easy to digest - this combined is so rare … 3.8
this was very much an album experience. I like when they go hmmmhmmhmmm
Solid four stars, probably four and a half. Not flawless, but with a fistful of undying classics.
I've enjoyed Simon and Garfunkel my whole life, but I don't think I've ever played Bookends. This is an odd collection. There are amazing songs that I'm familiar with, then there are some awful songs. So Garfunkel gets writing credit for Voices of Old People? So odd. As an album, I don't think it holds together, and we really have to stop calling this a concept album. It doesn't succeed there, barely tries. The half dozen great songs make it worthwhile as a collection, but I don't think I'll ever play this bookend to bookend again.
Good but not their best album. I love the second half of it and Mrs. Robinson is so good!
Shoutout Mrs. Robinson from the Graduate
Classic
Funky Garfunkel and Folky Simon.
It is a good feeling to look at my daily generated album and see Simon & Garfunkel. I’ve had two albums by them so far, so I’m excited to hear what Bookends has to offer. Songs I already knew: Mrs Robinson, A Hazy Shade Of Winter Favourites: Mrs Robinson, America Firstly, this album was very familiar at times but also very alien at others. There is a track which is simply old people speaking their thoughts with no music at all, and Save The Life Of My Child is really trippy at times and made me feel quite uncomfortable. I’ve no doubt that this was the intention with the song, but it’s definitely worth noting. Overall, the majority of this album was very good, but the psychedelic side wasn’t quite to my taste.
First two... Kinda weird.
Classic album, well deserved place on the list. Don’t know something missing for me for this to get the full 5 stars though.
The progression in this album is very interesting. At first, Mrs. Robinson sticks out, but it then sets up a much more lively ending than the beginning. Simon & Garfunkel have done it again. Favorite track: A Hazy Shade of Winter
This album points to greater aspirations for this duo in terms of themes and arrangements as compared to "Parsley, Sage..." The arrangements don't all work all the time, and the songwriting isn't as strong throughout, but this is another solid album from S&G, and the standouts ("America," Mrs. Robinson," and "Hazy Shade of Winter") are all-time classics.
I mean, c'mon. Classic Americana. Groovy. While all the Beatles and hippies were definitely doing some real thangs, these two...all Class. Also this cover with their handsome eyes and black turtleneck jumpers. C'mon! If I had some form of time synesthesia, "Faking It" would be spring 1968 in New York with these two.
Some good tunes. Great melodies, Mrs Robinson all time classico. America nice tune, overs lovely as well. Decent album, slightly missing the 5 stars tho, better luck next time buddy
ok
I have always loved Simon & Garfunkel. This album is no exception. It was recorded the year I was born. One of my favorite plays is “The Graduate”. So I’ve always loved the song “Mrs. Robinson”. A few other favs such as “America” & “A Hazy Shade of Winter”.
Paul and Art explore the journey from birth to death with their trademark sweet harmonies and Paul’s exquisitely crafted lyrics. And there’s some songs from The Graduate as a bonus!
Really enjoyed listening to the album. Lots of memorable songs like "Mrs Robinson".
It is impressive how impactful this record is when it comes in at just under a half hour. This blend of artistic experimentation and folk roots the album has not only several "big" songs ("Mrs. Robinson", "America") but also more gentle B-tracks like the "Bookends Theme". It's not the group's greatest effort, but it's a sign of what was to come and any band would welcome into their discography.
Strong album.
poor child amazing songwriting and playing, just wow they've all come to look for America old people are old haaazy shaade of winterr at the zoo seems quite out of place here but idk mmmm vibess
A legendary album, but a very few songs catch my attention. Might be the passive listening problem.
I like the harmonies of Paul and Art. Also a lot of unknown songs for me on this album, but I quite enjoyed this.
Love the multi voices going on all the time and Mrs Robinson is a brilliant song!
Very soothing
So, this is a 29 minute album. 2 minutes are taken up by a recording of old people talking (Voices of Old People), and another two minutes are taken up by the Bookends Theme and Bookends Theme - Reprise, which are basically just musical variations borrowed from Old Friends. That leaves 24 minutes of actual songs. Out of those 24 minutes, we have 2 absolute classics (America and Mrs. Robinson), 2 very good songs (A Hazy Shade of Winter and At the Zoo), and then a few, mostly pretentious, filler songs. So, what we have here is a very good HALF album. I'm not surprised to read in the Wikipedia entry that Paul Simon was having writer's block while trying to make this album. Even with all that, it's still a great (half) album. 4 stars.
The poetry of drugs and promiscuous sex. Honey, they're on pot.
Wonderful. Classic
This was a strangely wonderful album -- the concept of the first half showing a journey of aging was a bit on the experimental side but done masterfully. Then to be followed by some powerhouse S&G songs on side B -- I thoroughly enjoyed this listen!
I really enjoyed this album. Relaxing to listen to and I just really enjoy Simon & Garfunkel's sound
Hyvää S&G-poppistahan tämä levy on. America on todella kova biisi. 4/5.
A little haunted Solid showing from S&G Liked it
I like this a lot. Its has an enduring innocence. The first half is a proto concept album. It has Moog on the first (proper) track. Bookends seems to be a bridge from the 60s to the 70. Sparseness and ingenuity. Its also chock full of tunes despite being under 30 mins long. What a rambling shitshow of a review. Just take the 4.
good stuff, relax
notes - simon and garfunkel back again - this album is similar to their other releases in style - leans a little more into the experimental aspects - just like the other album, great melodies and chord progressions - pretty equal in terms of quality with the last one - i wish it was longer! but maybe thats a good thing, left me wanting more - loved that we heard more garfunkel too fav - fakin it - really cool song, great chorus least fav - a hazy shade of winter - i liked the song but had some mixing/recording issues imo 4.5/5
Honestly not the strongest album, but I love the sound of S&G and there are at least three SLAPS on this album that hold weight to this day.
5/11, 45%
Hazy shade of Winter & at the Zoo!!
Very good stuff but the whole album really kicks into 12th gear on the last 3 songs
Some great songs.
Great collection of classic songs!
This was weird, short, and confusing. Not in a bad way, just not what I was expecting. Still slaps.
Trevligt litet folk album. Riktigt bra låtskrivande
2/3 tracks are true masterpieces, the others are still good but not so memorable. So it is a great record but not their best.
emotivo
tykkään tästä levystä! Bookends themestä erityisesti. hyviä itsenäisiä kappaleita, jotka ehkä kolmea viimeistä lukuunottamatta ovat silti selkeösti yhtä (vikat jotenkin ilottelee liikaa?)
These guys are a vibe
the twee boiz strike again. cute as shit.
Wonderful, just not wonderfullest.
liked their other album better
This is a lovely album. S&G of course have terrific vocal harmonies, that's their calling card. But the songs on Bookends just have a super-lush sound overall. The orchestral additions on e.g. "America" and "Old Friends" just give them real depth. And this CD is also really short and finishes super-strong with "Mrs. Robinson" and "Hazy Shade of Winter", both of which are tremendously catchy (although I think I prefer the Bangles version of the latter). Catchy, short, pretty fast-paced, interesting sound- this isn't generally my style musically, but that's a four.
Niet helemaal mijn ding, iets te langzaam, maar wel een album die je gehoord moet hebben
"Bookends" by Simon & Garfunkel is a solid album and I can see why it helped rocket them to stardom. Out of all the songs, "Voices of Old People" followed by "Old Friends" I thought were a brilliant and unique addition that brought to life the album's theme of exploring a life journey. I guess what holds me back from giving the album a full five stars is I feel it should have been slightly longer. I feel there were stories left untold in covering the life journey.
A good album, my favourite so far! Not typically a Simon & Garfunkel fan but this was good all the same. Favourite was Mrs Robinson but shout-out to America and At The Zoo.
A banger
Pleasant
It's fitting that this album is called 'Bookends', except rather than bookending anything Simon and Garfunkel are responsible for, it seems to be bookending the end of The Beatle's golden era IMO (in sequence, sgt. peppers, Revolver, The white album, and abbey road) and the beginning of Pink Floyd's iconic sound development that begins with Atom Heart Mother in 1970. If you were to sequence these two iconic runs between two of the best bands of all time and inject a heavily folk infused lyricism in the space between, well... It's good, is what I'm saying. It's not perfect, but it falls in line with some fantastic company. 3.5/5
Lovely sound, excellent harmonies and storytelling in the songwriting.
very good, love that its a story about life with bookends
Album gentile, per persone gentili, scritto da due tizi che gentili non erano affatto.
Got this one on vinyl already. It's strange because all I remember hearing of this band growing up was making fun of garfunkel but I think their sound together has always been much more interesting that Simon alone. Songwriting is phenomenal but without the harmonies sometimes PS can fall flat. Love this album and can always come back to it and enjoy it on repeat listens.
Goed
Really good album, well-known tracks like Hazy Shades of Winter and Mrs. Robinson are great, but album tracks like Save the Life of My Child are great, I love the bass synth work on it specifically. Didn't really care for the sound collage Voices of Old People as it broke up the album in an unpleasing way. Despite that I would happily return to this album again.
Phenomenal album but for SURE wasn’t in the mood for it
classic 4/5
Nice listening
Some classic tracks on here.
Good album, but I wasn't surprised by that after the previous S&G albums. 3.75/5
Eclectic and soothing folk music with great vocal harmonies. "Old Friends" into the reprise was a standout to me, beautiful.
As much as I adore Simon & Garfunkel (had a serious S&G phase during my first year of community college), this isn’t one of their best albums. I still like it a lot, though. But too much of it is spent on tracks meant to explore the themes that have little value on their own, and others sound like obvious Graduate leftovers (because they were). But the two sound so good together that it really doesn’t matter. And it’s brief, but full enough to feel perfectly concise. B+
relaxing
Enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would. Time to steal the vinyl from mom & dad.
folk, it's ok
Yet again Simon and Garfunkel made an album that is super easy and pleasant listening. Can't complain about any part of this album except that mrs. robinson got overplayed. fakin it and hazy shade of winter are the highlights
I'm a harsh judge, but when weighed up against other Simon and Garfunkel albums, this is the one I come back to least - yet still has three or so essential songs on it. It's just a bit too bleak this time round. Everything feels sadder.
Legendary folk album. It seems to have like a story telling also.
Great folk album, with some top notch songwriting from Paul Simon favourites are Mrs Robinson and Old friends
I mean it’s got one of my all time favorite songs on it
Beautiful stuff. Really nice mini suite on the front half (minus Voices of Old People); a ton of great singles in the back half. Misses 5 just because it’s a bit disjointed as an album, but tons of good stuff
It was alright.
4.5
I enjoyed this so much. Listened to it a few times. Depending on my mood, I could probably just listen on repeat all day.
This was a good one. Complex but approachable. It flowed well from song to song, which I always enjoy.
Bookends isn't as good as BOTW from recent to this but it's better than PSRT and it's quite beautiful at its best. I adored Old Friends, that plus some classics get it to a really impressive 4/5. Brilliant song crafting, how this is all done in under half an hour is staggering.
Nice Little album. First half is tiny snippets of a life, while the second half is kinda just random songs (and very random at times). I at the least *mildly* enjoyed every song so looking forward to coming back to this. 7/10
Toujours bien
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
two classics, one an all-timer, make the rest worth it
Have this in Vinyl and CD both. Listen to it 1 or 2 times a year since it was released. Many incredible songs on it beyond the overplayed ones.
Have always loved this album, even if they are on pot Mrs. Miller. I still love Bridge Over Troubled Water more but probably why I always listen to the greatest hits album as you get the best of both worlds. Bookends, America, Old Friends, but Save the Life of My Child always seems abrupt...nothing wrong with it but it's like a sharp slap after the nice intro from the title track. And Voices of Old People (no pun intended) has not aged well as a thematic piece. But America has always been one of those crazy magical tracks I listen to over and over and for that alone I would go 4 stars.
Really nice music, surprisingly progressive at times, wouldn't be surprised to hear some of the beats in modern music
who let these white boys freak it?
I am a fan of Simon & Garfunkel, but I had never listened to Bookends before. There were a few familiar tracks, and I didn't know that the Bangles were doing a cover of "A Hazy Shade of Winter" from this album. The mix of kinds of music was surprising. Tracks like "Save the Life of My Child" included electronic sounds on top of the acoustic, and additional layers of voices and sound for the recording. Other tracks sounded like they could have been written by Burt Bacharach or Neil Diamond. "America" is one of my favorite tracks from Simon & Garfunkel. I like the storytelling, but I was first introduced to the song from the cover recorded by Yes. I could come back to this album.
Lovely album that will be listened to for years to come
Ja e störd på refrängen av mrs. Robinson de borde vara fyra upprepningar int två eller int upprepningar för dom säger int samma sak men liksom fyra gånger den där tunen istället för att sluta efter två med en liten trudelutt idk ja feelar att de sku vara bättre så men kanske de int sku vara så om man sku höra de så som ja vill
I love these lil fellas tbh
This was a very surprising and calming listen. It's interesting to see how well everything sticks together despite different recording periods. That said, that sequencing and the throwaway tracks at the end really do keep it away from greatness for me. My positives are that each track individually is amazing and I will return to this when I can.
Excellent, but short. Must of been one of the first recorded works by a major artist featuring a synthesiser.
pioneering synth-pop classic
A heartfelt rumination on the very thought of comes with living in America, Bookends finds Simon & Garfunkel at their reflective, pensive and innovative best. Scouring many lifetimes in under half an hour, Bookends accomplished more at that timespan in tugging at the minds and heartstrings of those looking for meaning in where their futures lie. Favorites: Save the Life of My Child, America, Overs, Old Friends, Fakin' It, Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, At the Zoo.
Clean, smooth, love the voices and guitars.
Not my favorite S & G album but it has Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade if Winter. Enuf said. 4 🌟
Fantastic songs, but I don't like the production. Paul Simon sounds way better without: a) Art Garfunkel b) Strings and various wacky sounds
8/10. Really picks up in the second half
Save The life Of My Child has cool synth sounds. Really solid album. America and Mrs Robinson are classics of course. I liked At the Zoo. Didn't have much time for Voices of the Old People this time..
America, Mrs. Robinson, one random song called old people's voices.
Preguiça.
Listened to on 4/5/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: Mrs. Robinson Odd combination of songs into one album with the theme song and movie soundtrack features. All in all very easy listening and would listen to it again
Has some great songs, but it's a strange choice to insert vocal clips with such a short runtime.
Yndisleg plata.
It really is very good from start to finish. Solid 4/5. Standouts: Mrs. Robinson, At the Zoo, America, Fakin' it, A Hazy Shade of Winter, Old Friends.
A very quiet album (well except Save the LIfe of my Child). Liked the theme track. Mrs. Robinson is of course a star but it's not this album introducing this song... hmmm.
Warm & wonderful. Wasn't bowled over by it, but thoroughly enjoyed listening.
I have been low on S&G, but this one is not bad at all :)
Brilliant. One of the finest songwriters ever.
Mrs. Robinson goes unreasonably hard
Fremragende folk-rock, god sangskrivning, harmosk guitar
simon got me garfunkin’ quite iconic
I much prefer solo africa-inspired Paul to the duo (Sorry, Art), but this is still a pretty undeniable album. So many toe tappers!
Paul Simon 2 days in a row. This came out the year I was born Many great songs. Not my favorite bit still good
Probably my least favorite S&G album but still very good. 8/10
Album que tem Mrs Robinson e America. Melhor música: Overs
This was a blast from the past. Definitely had some good sounds and songs. A couple songs had some really strange sound quality but I imagine that's because of the decade it was released.
Pretty cool soft sound. Enjoyed it a lot but the beginning was a bit out-there for me.
Comforting. Complete. Thoughtful themes. Could be a Sunday roast background for all ages?
Jaaaaag bli så ledsen men det är bra
Klockren, ren njutning. Konstig ljudmix inledningsvis men annars ap-mysig platta som osar behag
Very short, but full of good songs. Pretty much what I expected from them, although "At the zoo" was a lot more whimsical than I thought. That song, hazy shade of winter, America, and Save the life of My Child were my favourites, along with Mrs Robinson
An ashtray of cigarette butts. The splatter of slushy, dirty snow from a passing bus. A decrepit scrapbook. There’s a very unique sound on certain songs from the mid to late sixties, like 'California Dreamin,' by the Mamas and the Papas, or 'Get Together,' by the Youngbloods. And I heard it the minute the opening and title track of Bookends began to play. It’s the silent sound behind the music- a whisper of a hiss?, but not really- and it takes me right back to the latter half of the 1960s. I was 9 years old when this recording was released, still innocent, many confidences. Not looking back yet, as I would many years later, on my memories, preserved, ‘all that’s left of you.’ This is hardly an LP for a 9 year old kid. Nor is it completely for a 19 year old. Paul Simon himself was only in his mid-20s when it was released, somehow possessing a wisdom far beyond his years. I can understand how a 20 something in 1968 can write a song like 'America': ‘Kathy, I’m lost,’ I said. Though I knew she was asleep. ‘I’m empty and aching and I don’t know why.’ But how does the same age write and sing songs like 'Overs' and 'Old Friends'? By the way, this is only a review of the first side of Bookends. The second side contains unrelated and mostly unused material intended for the film, The Graduate. It’s fine. Paul Simon’s lessers are still better than a lot of song writer’s best. But the first side, conceptual in intent, is the real deal. Paul’s guitar playing often is overshadowed by his lyrics, but listen to 'Overs,' in particular. I wish I could play like that! And the arrangements throughout are splendid, including several surprising, dramatic changes in melody and tempo, not to mention the complete absence of any music at all on' Voices Of Old People' (the only ‘composition’ attributed to Art Garfunkel). But where that other concept LP from the same period, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, is described as ‘sonically colorful,’ Bookends is ‘starkly contrasted by moody black and white and gray sounds.’ I’ve always been a sucker for the minor keys. Night is falling here in Denver, CO, following a large snow storm. We are most definitely in a hazy shade in winter around here. And I’m now 62, more than familiar with disillusionment, loss, failure, bewilderment, despair, sorrow. The right age to receive what Paul has to share. I’m giving the first side 5 stars, the second side a 3, which still leaves an impressive 4. But I would’ve been just as satisfied to stop at the end of side one after a mere 15 minutes. A time it was…
Pire journée de ma vie mais l'album était bien Prefs: America, Old Friends, Bookends Theme - Reprise, Fakin' It, Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, At The Zoo Moins Pref: Overs
So nice
I liked most the accoustict.
Feel like a monochromatic hippie with my acoustic guitar selling incense nearby a retirement house
Great album... Holds up well from 1968
Bookends comes in near the end of Simon & Garfunkel's career. Throughout the 60's, they would put out classics such as "Homeward Bound", "Scarborough Fair", and "The Sounds of Silence" (the last of which you can hear in "Save the Life of My Child"). Truly, Simon & Garfunkel had left their fingerprint in the folk world of music and beyond by this point. Being a concept album that explores a life from beginning to end, you would think that "Bookends" would also bookend their career as a duo, but as we would find out two years later, it's not quite so. Regardless, they would once again knock it out of the park with this record. Putting the odd "Voices of Old People" aside, this is a wonderful folk listen. Simon & Garfunkel harmonize so beautifully, so naturally, you'd think they were born to do it. Here, they are accompanied by occasional strings and brass, subtle in their ways that it enhances the song, instead of detracts. This album is deceptively short though, not even a full 30 minutes of songs on here. That can be forgiven though, given how nice the songs are. And how could I forget the bouncy Mrs. Robinson? Great song. I liked the album enough, but never get too excited or invested in it apart from Mrs. Robinson. Not bad at all, just not my cup of tea.
A great, weird, brief little album that includes a couple of their greatest songs, one of which is one of the great rock and roll songs of the 20th century, as well as the underappreciated gem that is Save the Life of My Child.
One of their best. Has a bit of filler though.
Known this album for years. Oft overlooked is Paul Simon's textural guitar playing.
Not quite a concept album, but there's a common emotion woven throughout. Wonderfully melancholic. 4.5/5
the zoo song rules. overall pretty good, but weirder and fewer jams that i expected
A lot less sleepy than I was expecting. Great tunes!
Bit of a revelation this - shows what I know - not a whole lot!!
A long time since I last heard this album all the way through. The song writing is strong and there is a degree of experimentation in the music. Overall an impressive piece of work.
Too happy.
Everybody always talks about "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" from this one, but this time listening the best song was "Hazy Shade of Winter" -- the lyrics, the changing rhythms, the exciting music. Also "At The Zoo" made me think of certain days in high school that I haven't thought about in years, and that was god.
Really enjoyed this. Mrs Robinson still sounds fresh. Was not expecting synths!
Interesting to learn about the history
Done 4 out of 5
Great album, haven't listened start to finish in so long, great album
Good but also generic.
Save The Life Of A Child is a cool way to start off. The production quality gives the album this sheen. Great dynamics on Old Friends. Punkys Dilemma gets overshadowed by the meteoric hit that is Mrs Robinson. a Hazy Shade of Winter has the sounds of a single that never took off.
4/5
While this is still definitively a S&G album, the wealth of influences it incorporates within their iconic sound pushes it well beyond their past output. The brash synths, upbeat orchestrations, and more sinister compositions here all build into an album that changes face with every track but maintains a coherent throughline.
Okayish. Probably worthy of a second listen with more attention to lyrics.
Mooi rustig album
Very good!
Classics \"America\" and \"Mrs. Robinson\". Hallmark of the hippy era.
It’s a quirky album with some of Simon & Garfunkel's best songs. It starts w a short bookends teaser that segues into a very loud song, by Simon & Garfunkel standards. Old Friends is a beautiful song but I prefer the live versions without the orchestration. I find the orchestration added to that song is like putting a racing stripe on a Ferrari. I’m a little surprised that Paul Simon didn't write much over the years that had a political message or social undertone. America has a little of that with the theme that the old America is gone but the message is very subtle and diluted. Voices of Old People is a little bizarre. It’s like he felt he needed to make it painfully obvious to the listeners that there was a theme to Side 1 so put this "song" before Old Friends to be sure everyone would realize there was a connection between the songs. In a way it's similar to when the play Glengarry Glen Ross was made into a movie and the director invented an additional character (played by Alec Baldwin) to make sure the average movie going knucklehead would get what the plot was. Side 2 has one major gem in Mrs. Robinson. I've liked this song for a long time but never realized it contained the words "put it in your pantry with your cupcakes." Trust me, I'm gonna start sliding that line into casual conversation. Side 2 is strong albeit most songs aren't well known. Songs like Old Friends, Bookends, America and Mrs. Robinson are so well known they simply sound like Simon & Garfunkel songs more than sounding like songs from a particular time. Songs like A Hazy Shade of Winter and other Side 2 Songs besides Mrs. R sound like 60s songs - good 60s songs. The combo of hits and fun less known 60s songs makes this album a winner.
These guys invented chill.
Ja, ich mag Simon & Garfunkel!
First track really nice. Second not so great. Then some good tracks. They're all pleasant to listen to, though maybe some somewhat repetitive.
Fun album, although not all the songs are winners for me. Favourite songs: Mrs. Robinson; Fakin' it; A Hazy Shade of Winter; At The Zoo.
Nunca he sido gran fan de Simon & Garfunkel, pero sí conocía (y me gusta mucho) Mrs. Robinson. Dado que todo el álbum tiene la misma energía que esa canción, me agradó bastante. El estilo es sesentero hippie, pero sin exagerar, y con un ligero toque de folk o country. Me atrevería a decir que incluso tiene un toque de Beatlesco en algunas canciones, como precisamente Mrs. Robinson.
Es un disco lleno de buenas canciones (individualmente) pero que de alguna manera no siento tan cohesivas como Paul Simon las trata de vender. O sea, se me hace difícil que un tipo de 25 años logre escribir un disco conceptual acerca de qué es la vida, ser viejo, amistades largas, etc. Eso no quita que sean melodías muy muy buenas, letras que con todo y todo tienen algo de sentido y arreglos musicales que van más allá del folk que inicialmente trataba de vender. Casi cualquiera de las rolas, con excepción de las que son frases grabadas, podría gustarme para tener en mi librería musical, por eso: 4 estrellas.
Not my favorite S & G album but it has Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade if Winter. Enuf said. 4 🌟
Fun album, I realized I actually enjoy Simon & Garfunkel's music. Can't miss an opportunity to hear a song from The Graduate soundtrack also. "Voices of Old People" threw me off a little bit.
love these dudes. album felt short, but I guess that means it didnt overstay its welcome.
I can't get enough of Simon and Garfunkel. Great stuff. Not a single bad track.
I’m not sure I initially liked this album as much as Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, but the more I’ve thought about it the more it strikes me that this album is just so well crafted and has such good songs on it and is just so *interesting* that I’m going to rate it just as high even if I wouldn’t just pick it up and listen to it whenever.
Think I've drunk the kool-aid on this one
This album was good. Solid album from start to finish, although most of it didn't really stand out for me. 3.5-4/5 stars.
Obviously has some all time great songs on it; the interludes on an album that's barely half an hour seem kind of strange to me.
Some are good, some meh
Nevjerojatno kako je album kliknuo nakon drugog slušanja. Jednostavno album za tmurnije, kišne dane kao što je 13.04.21' bio, jesenski album, gdje je hladnije vrijeme i strijepiš kad ćeš doć svom toplom domu. Sve pjesme su dobre, drugi dio album je bolji za nijansu, ali da moram bar jednu pjesmu izbaciti to bi definitivno bila "Voices of Old People". Možda ima tu neku smisao, al jednostavno mi je nepotrebna tbh. 4.22/5, zaista fin album. Ne bih se čudio da album nabavim na vinylu u skorašnje vrijeme.
Best song: Save The Life Of My Child Worst “song”: voices of old people
Has a couple of classics and some dross.
pretty good, enjoyed Hazy shade of winter and America
Great. Not my favourite Simon & Garfunkel album though.
Great album!
I love me a good concept album, and the A side delivered handily. The B-side was a little more hit-or-miss, but all of it likeable. Ultimately a quite good album, but not the greatest I have heard from either of the duo.
Not what I was expecting, a really nice range of songs with some lovely instruments
While obviously very familiar w/ some of the songs here, I’ve never actually listened to this whole album. I plan explore it in greater depth as time goes on. There are definitely some surprises here for me based upon my previous knwoldfe of Simon & Garfunkel. This is an easy 4, probably hewing closer to 4.3 or so
Experimental, pesimistic tone combined with uplifting lyrics. Interesting album.
A classic, but they have better albums
4/5, really good album that has great song writing, creative music and deep lyrics. My favorite songs were Fakin It and A Hazy Shade of Winter. Most known song was definitely the Graduates "Mrs. Robinson", which I really need to see sometime
Toffe nummers met fakin' it als uitschieter.
Niet zo gevarieerd album, maar wel aangenaam om naar te luisteren
Classic folk rock. Paul Simon steps up as a song writer. Best Tracks: America, Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter
This one reminds me of what my older sisters were listening to when I was a kid
Rennon miellyttävää kuunneltavaa, vaikka minulle kappaleet oli Mrs. Robinsonia lukuunottamatta tuntemattomia. Sen verran lyhyt levy, että taisi neljäkin kertaa pyörähtää läpi. Toisaalta nelonen on paljon levylle, miltä ei tarttunut itselle mukaan kuin hitti Mrs. Robinson, minkä olisi voinut jo kuuntelematta lisätä.
Klassieker! Ik vind dit echt heel tof, met als hoogtepunt mijn all time favorite 'America'!
Sound of silence ja mrs Robinson tiesin heiltä entuudestaan. Levy oli yllättävän hyvä. Huolella tehtyä musiikkia ja vaikka ei voi välttyä hippifiiliksiltä, niin ei tämä haittaa. Levyä tuli kuunneltua useamman kerran.
Simon ja Garfunkel ja harmoniat, toimii! Näiden biisejä päässyt kuorovetoina vetämään, toimii myös siellä. Mukavaa settiä niin erikseen kuunneltavaksi kuin taustalle.
Nyt muistolles Urho Kekkonen / vielä yhden humpan vedämme / je-je-je / näin muistelee kerho ukkojen / juoden ampuen ja humpaten ja tanssaten! Tällä levyllä oli yllättävä englanninkielinen cover Eläkeläisten "Muistolles Urho Kekkosesta"! Muutenkin oli yllättävän hyvä levy, olin aina kuvitellut Simon & Garfunkelin mummojen ja pappojen lällärikamaksi, mutta eihän tää ollutkaan sellaista. Vai onko musta tullut lälläri-pappa? Puolen tunnin levyllä se parin minuutin puheraita oli vähän yllättävä veto.
nice, liked most of the stuff
4.4 - The epitome of short and sweet. A well-conceived New York timepiece, with tender attention to detail. Some luscious tracks, notably "America", "Old Friends", "At the Zoo." There's also the eponymous "Mrs. Robinson." Terrific as a concept album and just a wonderfully positive listen.
Sounds like Simon & Garfunkel. Short album.
Done JAN 15 2021
No ha sido muy moñas para ser de Simon & Garfunkel...
This is the first album by Simon & Garfunkel that I've ever listened to and it is also the shortest album rated so far on this list at just 29min. The sentimental counterculture movement of the late 60s can be felt within the semi-surreal lyrics that float on the confident melodies of these tracks. The duets and harmonies between Simon and Garfunkel pair well with the chord progressions and accoustic guitar riffs in each song as well as the occasional chorus or string arrangement. Add to this the fact that "Mrs. Robinson" is an undeniable classic in American psychadelic rock and the album sits comfortably within the 4-star category. Perfect for a cloudy afternoon trip or a quiet car ride. I look forward to listening to more of this group's work after hearing this album.
Große Songs
I liked it! Some stuff was a lil too spoken word for me but overall not bad.
4
great album, absolute classic
Concept portion was kinda neat as a concept but I don’t need to hear it again. America is good the others totally forgettable. Side B has fun. I had no idea Hazy Shade of Winter was theirs, I only know the Bangles version.
Just really well done. Full of stories
Very spacious.
obviously mrs robinson is a highlight but a few other good tracks in there
Zulke bunker goed muziek, vooral het nummer "mrs. robinson"
I remember Bookends (the theme), but the intro into a synth thing at 2nd track was quite a surprise. I know a lot of these tracks, and I find them some of the better Simon & Garfunkel tracks, there is a tender-sadness to them that I can appreciate. Things flow well into each other as well, it is definitely an "album".
When Paul Simon lost his mind, in the most glorious possible way. Conceptually rich, but not trite or pompous in the way that some concept albums can be. I'm not sure anyone has a command of melody quite like Paul Simon.
Just a great album. And you can hear them trying to find their next stage.
For at the zoo.
Legendary folk album. Why does it appear twice on my list?
This album was great, and then Mrs. Robinson one of the best songs ever, just shows up near the end. And then Hazy Shade of Winter? What a double-punch of great tracks. I also really loved America as well.
Solid album. Some so so songs but some great ones as well
Chill classic
Nice
It was good thank you Simon and also Garfield
Good album but not their most famous man. I like „sounds of silence“ better. But this music always puts me in a good mood.
Better than Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Otrolig avslutning på albumet med Mrs Robinson -> A Hazy Shade Of Winter -> At The Zoo
Man, I really wanted to like this more than I did. Outside of America and Mrs. Robinson, I did not care for this album.
No pude escucharlo con mucha atención, así que solo puedo decir que me gustó.
The intro is fine but I love the transition to the next song. Life of My Child is catchy and that bass is fun. America is great musically, especially the drums. The lyrics are nice as well that work great with Paul’s voice. I can’t believe Lil Wayne stole the intro to Overs. The next track has the most accurate of titles. The strings are wicked on Old Friends. And the closer for side A adds lyrics to the theme at the beginning. Fakin’ It has some nice vocal harmonies and a lively instrumental that has strings and horns with clapping and stomping. Punky lays a thick bass line throughout. It even has parts that seem a little trippy. Mrs. Robinson is a banger that is just awesome. The guitar is so great and the lyrics hit hard as fuck. It is followed by Hazy Shade of Winter which has a great horn section at times but it’s mostly guitar and drums, or maybe tambourines. And that closer is fire.
Movie soundtrack I suppose. Interesting.
This is a mellow, easy listening, slightly folky album. For such a comparatively short album it has three really big hits on it "America", "Mrs Robinson" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter". The last two often covered by indie rock bands. Its all goes a bit strange with "Voices of Old People" in the middle. But overall a nice album. Not one for the small speakers, as I found out trying to listen to it whilst I was having a shower at a campsite. The more subtle parts of the tracks get lost. (3.125)
It's alright. Not like the most incredible listen, but they do know how to write songs.
I don't have too much to say about this. Neither good nor bad, it's definitely not my style but at the same time I can't imagine anyone finding this too offensive A very small 3, maybe it should have been a large 2 but I'm in a generous mood today apparently 2.8
Very easygoing and catchy , a few dud songs but overall a good album
I thought I’d love this album, and some of the songs are their biggest hits. But the stuff between songs felt random and it seemed like the album was a bit of a patchwork.
Good album near 4 but there were a few too many skips. Maybe the previous simon and garfunkel should have been a 4. Need to revisit that ine
We would listen to a small collection of cassettes on family trips back in the day and Simon and Garfunkel was played fairly regularly. This album was not on the playlist. Definitely includes some S&G essentials and a few I’ve never heard before. I can’t hear America without thinking about the movie Almost Famous. I wasn’t prepared for the ominous synth introduction on Save The Life of My Child. Seems out of place for their particular style and the era it was created. I wasn’t aware that Hazy Shade of Winter was a S&G original. Overall, I’m fully on board with 1/4 of the album and the rest just works out to nice background music for me. Nothing I dislike and I appreciate the rest as filler.
A couple of good songs
Old people voices was very strange, but this album holds Hazy Shade of Winter and Mrs Robinson, so it makes it worth it. 7/10
Definitely not my favorite by them. It’s a half and half album.
Can't stp laughing at that album cover. It evelvates this one from a 2.5 to a 3.
Men den är mysig, Simon &Garfunkel. Ja men er gillar jag
This was fine. I didn't know they wrote Hazy Shade of Winter, so that was fun to hear.
Album 238. Bookends (https://open.spotify.com/album/3bzgbgiytguTDnwzflAZr2?si=aNQg09mqSEu6B-TO_wT5_Q) — Simon & Garfunkel (1968) Solid album. Worse for me than Bridge Over Troubled Water 3/5 Liked: — America — Fakin' It — A Hazy Shade of Winter
Pretty good 60s rock and roll album. I'm not a huge fan but bookends was okay-ish for me. Will listen to once in a while.
As with every one of their albums, they come off as quiet and timid, so you have to jack up the volume to hear anything. After the volume increase, this is as pleasant and album as one could make. It's as if they're trying not to offend you with their new-fangled musical stylings, but this is par for the course for them. They always have well composed songs and they mostly keep a similar sound, so it's hard to hate this. The highlights for me are Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade of Winter, which I never knew was where the Bangles got their hit single. There's nothing bad here and it's a pleasurable journey. I wish I was an english muffin too.
Nesten bare eksemplarer i dette albumet. Et eldgammelt album med rolige, melankolske og oppmuntrende sanger framhevet av flott guitar Spilling. Simon og Garfunkel oppmuntrer for en åpen tankegang, som, uansett hvor viktig det var i 60-taller, er viktigere no. Albumet er tidløs, men er usikker hvor streng jeg er med stjerner, derfor blir det en 4 selv om den kanskje fortjener 5.