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Easily their classiest album and such a great swansong too. Paul Simon was to go onto a remarkable solo career after this and that whole chapter is worth an entirely separate discussion. Here he and Garfunkel get together one last time and produce a masterpiece.The album from 1970 is so choc-a-bloc full of classics that it is hard to know where to begin. Well, with the title track of course. A gorgeous piano-based ballad with a tune to match and a truly uplifting lyric. Paul Simon has said he was forced into writing a third verse but it doesn’t show, in fact the build up towards themore… end of the song with rousing harmonies and then Garfunkel’s passionate closing vocal is just sublime. How many singers can reach those notes? No wonder you can count the cover versions of this classic on one hand. El Condor Pasa again carries an infectious and beautiful tune and uses the South American pipes nicely, something Simon would expolore more on his first solo album two years later.’Cecilia’ is a joyful romp with a levity which belies the sad lyric about infedility and loss. The next track ’Keep The Customer Satisfied’ is a minor masterpiece, with an amusing lyric and a fun tune. On any other album of theirs it would be a stand out. Here there so many classics (see how they shine!) that it’s a lot harder. The closing number on Side 1 (vinyl) is a remarkable tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright. It is beautiful. Garfunkel sings the lead perfectly and is perfectly complimented by Simon for the ’architects may come and architects may go’ section.Then we come to The Boxer which is a bona fide classic in anyone’s book. OK so maybe the lai le lai section goes on a tad too long? Controversial I know. ’Baby Driver’ and the cover of the Everlys’ ’Bye Bye Love’ are the only tracks which seem somewhat out of place on this album. Mainly because they both appear a bit trivial, especially when surrounded by such heavyweights. ’The Only Living Boy In New York’ is however is a lost gem of an album track with a melody up there with Simon’s very best and the lyric which is the closest Simon ever got to commenting on the split with Garfunkel. I didn’t even relaise this until a couple of years ago, mainly because he refers to his partner as Tom. But of course Tom And Jerry was a previous incarnation of Simon And Garfunkel. Before they realised that their own names were better than some stupid cartoon.And of course as with most great albums there is a great closing track. Here it is ’Song For The Asking’. Another top class ballad from Paul Simon. One might be tempted to think that he had put all his eggs in one basket and left his solo career lacking of a few more highlights, such is the majesty and incredible songwriting form displayed by Paul Simon on this wonderful album. Fortunately that was not the case and the first three solo albums were all five star classics. Exploring different moods, styles and more sparesely produced for the most part. But no less brilliant for that. But back to this album. Forget the compilations. This album practically reads like one and has the continuity of style and purpose that few Greatest Hits albums can ever hope to have. Just as The Beatles had done the year before with Abbey Road (1969) this partnership signed off whilst at the very top of their game. And if you want humour check out Garfunkels’s enormous moustache on the front cover.

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Info:

Category:

Music > Albums

Case Type:

CD

Release Type:

Retail

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Cover Info:

Title:

Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (2001) Retail CD

Part:

Inside

Dimensions:

1773 x 1376 px

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1,038 KB

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Report a Problem Wrong Cover Duplicate Image Bad Quality Wrong Info

02/02/08 by keine.ahnun…

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