Bookends [Extra tracks]
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Track for track, this is Simon & Garfunkel's best album. By 1968, Simon had shed his more precious tendencies as a songsmith. Meanwhile, the duo and coproducer/engineer Roy Halee had become adept studio technicians. "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" displayed the kind of sonic breadth that would flower even more fully two years later with "The Boxer" and "Bridge over Troubled Water." Bits of whimsy ("Punky's Dilemma," "At the Zoo") and melancholy ("Old Friends," "A Hazy Shade of Winter") complete this autumnal album. (The 2001 reissue adds two bonus tracks, including a demo of "Old Friends.") --Steven Stolder
Bookends, Music, Simon & Garfunkel, Folk-Pop, Folk-Rock, Pop, Popular Music, Rock, Rock/Pop, Singer/Songwriter, United States of America
Average customer rating:
- The quintessential Simon & Garfunkel album
- A Classic
- Awesome!!! A Darker Simon and Garfunkel Album.. Serious Folk Rock!!! Great Wall of Sound production!!!
- Short but sweet
- Response to previous reviews
|
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
- Sounds of Silence
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
- There Goes Rhymin' Simon
ASIN: B00005NKKY
Release Date: 2001-08-21 |
Tracks:
- Bookends Theme
- Save The Life Of My Child
- America
- Overs
- Voices Of Old People
- Old Friends
- Bookends Theme
- Fakin' It
- Punky's Dilemma
- Mrs. Robinson
- A Hazy Shade Of Winter
- At The Zoo
- You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies
- Old Friends
Amazon.com essential recording
Track for track, this is Simon & Garfunkel's best album. By 1968, Simon had shed his more precious tendencies as a songsmith. Meanwhile, the duo and coproducer/engineer Roy Halee had become adept studio technicians. "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" displayed the kind of sonic breadth that would flower even more fully two years later with "The Boxer" and "Bridge over Troubled Water." Bits of whimsy ("Punky's Dilemma," "At the Zoo") and melancholy ("Old Friends," "A Hazy Shade of Winter") complete this autumnal album. (The 2001 reissue adds two bonus tracks, including a demo of "Old Friends.") --Steven Stolder
Customer Reviews:
The quintessential Simon & Garfunkel album.......2006-09-21
"Bookends" shows a leap in creativity for Simon & Garfunkel, having been allowed more studio time by their record company, Columbia to really harness their craft and the end result is truly a work of art. Their first album, "Wednesday Morning 3AM" showed Paul and Art in a purely 1960's folk music light, while their next two albums, "Sounds of Silence" and "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" saw the duo enhance a "folk rock" style with some wonderful, sometimes whimsical melodies and beautifully poetic lyrics. Here on "Bookends" though, it feels as though Simon & Garfunkel have grown up. There's a more mature approach to the songwriting, the performances and to the production. They sound like young men with old heads on their shoulders, which could be seen as ironic as this album's theme (or at least side one of it) is one of aging. Paul and Art chose to start the album somewhat up tempo, moving to songs of reflection and ending with something slower and simpler, all in all to reflect the growing up and growing old in life while bookending the songs with a "Bookends" theme.
Following the short "Bookends" theme intro, the album bursts open with the vibrant "Save The Life Of My Child" before settling down with "America". The imagery created by the lyrics in this song is made all the more vivid by the soft tones Paul Simon sings it in before Simon & Garfunkel's unfailing harmonies crescendo to lead the song into an instrumental fade. The song is such a wonderful tale of a young, innocent, naive couple, clearly in love and looking for adventure with no real direction, while at the same time looking for themselves. You can really imagine the sense of fun and excitement the couple are having on the Greyhound bus they boarded in Pittsburgh when Paul sings, "Laughing on the bus playing games with the faces. She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy. I said be careful his bowtie is really a camera". Towards the end of the song it feels as though the fun has subsided as something unpretentious makes Paul sing, "Cathy I'm lost I said though I knew she was sleeping. I'm empty and aching and I don't know why". Cathy was the name of Paul Simon's girlfriend at the time, so the song at that point really seems "first person" in narrative, perhaps based on a real life experience. It's a fascinating song whatever. "Overs" is a very simplistic song of dilemma. Simon feels his relationship with his girlfriend/wife has run its course after a long period of time ("We're just a habit, like saccharin", he sings), but each time he feels he has gained enough courage to break off the relationship he stops and reconsiders. Why he reconsiders is not clear. Perhaps after being in the relationship so long he's actually more afraid of being alone. The album's theme of growing older is addressed here with Art Garfunkel's beautiful bridge where he sings, "Time is tapping on my forehead, Hanging from my mirror, Rattling the teacups." "Voices Of Old People" is literally just that, with some quite strange comments made by the elderly voices recorded. This leads into "Old Friends" which is a perfect musical metaphor for slowing down, reflecting on life and now finding it "terribly strange to be 70". We all hope to reach 70 some day, but at the same time we can't really imagine ourselves being that age.
With the album's linking theme completed on Side One, Side Two continues with a very similar style in songwriting and sound. "Fakin' It" tells of Paul Simon's distrust of the 1960's "flower power" movement with the line, "And a walk in the garden wears me down". It has an infectious drum track at the end and features an interesting break in the song where, from out of nowhere, a girl with a Lancashire accent (from northwest England) is heard supposedly entering a shop and says, "Good Morning, Mr. Leech. Have you had a busy day?". "Punky's Dilemma" is a fun song and unavoidably comes across as such with lyrics like, "Wish I was an English muffin, 'Bout to make the most out of a toaster. I'd ease myself down, Comin' up brown". The album concludes with three very recognizable songs from the Simon & Garfunkel songbook - one of their biggest hits, "Mrs. Robinson" from the soundtrack to the hit movie, "The Graduate", along with "A Hazy Shade Of Winter" and "At The Zoo."
"Bookends" tends to get overshadowed by its follow-up, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which went on to become one of the most successful and biggest-selling albums of all time and the winner of five Grammy awards. Whilst it deserved every bit of success and acclaim, the only minor criticism Paul Simon later leant to the "Troubled Water" album was that it might have been slightly overproduced. Compared to "Bookends" this does ring true and as a consequence it feels a little more "serious" in its approach. "Bookends" at least adopts more of an air of looseness and fun, despite not sounding as instantly commercial as the "Troubled Water" album. For me, "Bookends" is the quintessential Simon & Garfunkel album with the duo on peak form before their personal and professional differences interfered with their relationship. In 1968 they were riding the wave of their success through a collection of classic songs that perfectly reflect the time in which they were composed and recorded.
A Classic.......2006-08-15
My wife just bought me a new record player...yeah, you read that right. I don't need some crazy ipod that holds 3,000 of my favorite songs...just give me something simple...something uncomplicated...something that puts me in touch with my soul and I'm quite the happy guy.
This album is free from all pretenses. It's sad and yet it's beautiful. It's alive and yet it feels like death is its closest companion. I'm not being maudlin, here, that's the way it is. We go through so many mini-deaths during one lifetime. We make friends. We lose friends. We're riding high one moment and the next we're flat on our backs. But it's all part of the whole. Black and white with a million shades of gray in-between.
I put on this album that I've had since the fourth grade. The record cracks and creaks, it moans and groans...it's a lot like me...but just like this record, I'm always ready to start from the beginning and be me. Who else could I possibly be?
I'm tempted to buy a brand new version of this classic on CD, but I wait until the feelings pass and cling to something I've owned for the last thirty years. I don't have much left from those days gone by. But again, that's life.
This is probably the best album that Simon & Garfunkle put out. It caught them at a time when they, too, were going through changes and transistions, endings and new beginnings.
Life's a trip...pack accordingly.
Awesome!!! A Darker Simon and Garfunkel Album.. Serious Folk Rock!!! Great Wall of Sound production!!!.......2006-04-22
From the opening tip off, the listener can hear that this is a different Simon and Garfunkel sound... "Save the Life of My Child" is a creative rock song with gospel infusion that makes use of fantastic reverberation.. then, the track crossfades into "America", one of the most hauntingly beautiful folk/rock songs ever to hit the rock spectrum..
This is a nostalgic album... it's got a lot of east coast rock dating back from the time... in contrast to the west coast surfer sound (i.e. The Beach Boys, Mommas and the Poppas..) this is serious east coast conceptual stuff.. I love the east coast NYC flavor..
.. one beautiful moment is when Garfunkel comes sailing in toward the end of "Overs" like an angel from heaven...
This is definetely the beginning of the late Simon and Garfunkel sound you'll hear only one more time on Bridge Over Troubled Water
Short but sweet.......2006-04-14
This brief album, clocking in at just around 30 minutes, includes some great performances. There are a couple of clunkers, but fantastic tunes like "Fakin' It" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" and classics like "Mrs. Robinson" and "America" more than make up for them.
Response to previous reviews.......2006-04-14
It's a mere half-hour in length (bonus tracks notwithstanding) - but this is a loaded half-hour.
Most important thing to say about it - it marks Simon's first peak as a composer/arranger. He hasn't created nany masterpieces - the follow-up BRIDGE... was a retrograde step, and for all his tentative experimentation with non-western forms, he's only challenged himself and his audience, and done so successfully, on two further occasions - GRACELAND and the under-appreciated CAPEMAN.
Anyone who hasn't heard the album before will either be pleasantly surprised or shocked, not only by the lyrics but the sonic detail built into:
"Save The Life Of My Child" (the synthesizer, the self-sampling, the cynical asides, that ghostly gospel choir)
"Overs" (the in-yer-face recording quality, the cigarette lighter, the way those startlingly honest lyrics are divided between the vocalists)
"Old Friends/Bookends II" (that famously dissonant string interlude that links the songs surely is a representation of death, or the feelings of a person realising they are dying)
"Fakin' It" (words fail me! a frighteningly self-critical song given an incredibly clever arrangement - and the curio value of Beverley Martyn's interjection)
Finally, I ask myself: why do so many people have a problem with "You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies"? True, even with its unlikely modulation and tempo-change mid-song, it's hardly an extraordinary composition - but neither is it "repulsive". (And it's a song from a woman's perspective - in the post-rock-'n'-roll-era, not many male songwriters even attempt that!)
Average customer rating:
- Preserve your memories-- they're all that's left you
- Definitely Their Best
- Much more than just Mrs. Robinson to be discovered here...
- How can you NOT rate this 5 Stars?
- Some Good Moments But Quite Bleak and Bare
|
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
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Pop Rock
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Folk Rock
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General
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Similar Items:
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
- Sounds of Silence
- Tea for the Tillerman
- Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
ASIN: B0000024TQ
Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Bookends Theme
- Save The Life Of My Child
- America
- Overs
- Voices Of Old People
- Old Friends
- Bookends Theme
- Fakin' It
- Punky's Dilemma
- Mrs. Robinson
- A Hazy Shade Of Winter
- At The Zoo
Amazon.com essential recording
Track for track, this is Simon & Garfunkel's best album. By 1968, Simon had shed his more precious tendencies as a songsmith. Meanwhile, the duo and coproducer/engineer Roy Halee had become adept studio technicians. "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" displayed the kind of sonic breadth that would flower even more fully two years later with "The Boxer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Bits of whimsy ("Punky's Dilemma," "At the Zoo") and melancholy ("Old Friends," "A Hazy Shade of Winter") complete this autumnal album. --Steve Stolder
Customer Reviews:
Preserve your memories-- they're all that's left you.......2006-12-26
As has been stated repeatedly here, BOOKENDS (released in 1968) is the greatest of all Simon & Garfunkel albums, and one of the best records made in the 1960s.
Tonight, Christmas night, I've been thinking about Christmas of 1968-- I was 14 then. That was an awful year to live through for anyone, especially a kid. The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle.
The song "Save The Life Of My Child" from BOOKENDS was in my head all throughout 1968. I identified with that frightened boy standing on the ledge, while a crowd below urged him to jump. His final thought as "he flew away" was "...I got no hiding place." That was exactly how I felt in those days.
What a powerful and unforgettable way to begin an album. The moods of BOOKENDS reflect so well the troubled times of the late '60s, with its anti-war sentiments (Punky's Dilemma), and its tales of love and love lost (America, Overs). The original first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. But this bittersweet song has a deeper message. These old men were survivors-- if they were supposed to be elderly in 1968, then they made it through the Depression, and two world wars, and if they were the youth of 1968 projected into the future, well they too made it through trials by fire.
And so have I made it through! I'm in my 50s now and headed for that park bench one day. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains:
As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth." It was a peaceful and hopeful ending to a terrible year.
Very few albums truly encapsulate a moment in time. Even fewer connect deeply with listeners in ways they may not realize until decades into the future. Simon & Garfunkel's BOOKENDS is one of those rare examples. It is paradoxically timeless and a reflection of its time.
Definitely Their Best.......2006-10-28
I agree with Mr. Flaherty that this is a better album than Bridge. I got this album around the time it came out. I also got Bridge when it came out. I don't own Bridge any more but now have this one on cd. While Bridge had some good songs, I grew tired of it. Not so with Bookends. Just this morning, I listened to this cd and really got into it as I was commuting. At different times, certain songs on this cd appeal to me. This morning it was At the Zoo. I think PS's song comments on a lot of things. One, in particular is how we anthropomorphize animals with all sorts of human inventions: "Monkeys stand for honesty, Giraffes are insincere ... Zebras are reactionary, Antelopes are missionaries ... Hamsters turn on frequently." Yes, it's a gas.
Much more than just Mrs. Robinson to be discovered here..........2005-05-08
I have a couple of confessions here. My familiarity with Simon and Garfunkel has been incredibly shallow, first through their greatest hits album and then their placement of 'America' in Cameron Crowe's film 'Almost Famous' which sets the tone of the movie. I know The Bangles' version of 'Hazy Shade of Winter' from the soundtrack to 'Less Than Zero' (one of the principle films of my generation) and didn't realize until years later that it was an S&G song. My loss.
I picked up this album on vinyl in my local Goodwill to give it a listen. I had no idea these guys were so radical. While not overtly political, they were quite subversive and spoke out what people were genuinely feeling during the late 60s. We all think of the song 'Mrs. Robinson' from the film 'The Graduate' but we often miss the social jabs laced throughout. 'Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio?' is a profoundly disturbing question.
Long before Pink Floyd threw in their sound effects and voices on their albums, Simon and Garfunkel were experimenting with the same. Who ever heard of recordings of old people put right smack dab in the middle of an album? You'll realize just how outspoken they truly were, something easy to miss with Simon's beautiful guitar work and Garfunkel's harmonies.
The social commentary is not pretty and underneath the beauty of the songs is a sorrow, a deep longing for meaning and understanding from among the chaos. We often think of others of that era, from Bob Dylan to Marvin Gaye and other such troubadours, but for those who miss out on the deeper cuts of some of Simon and Garfunkel's work, it's to their loss. To get an understanding of the turmoil of this era, this album is a necessity. This is one of the best albums I've heard in a long, long time.
How can you NOT rate this 5 Stars?.......2004-09-29
This is definately one of the great pop albums of all time. To compare this album (a concept album) to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is a joke. "Bookends" defines Simon & Garfunkel's career. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was a great song, arguably their best, but the album falls short of "Bookends". This album has been hailed by some as the greatest pop album of all time. It's definately in the Top 10 - SOLID.
Some Good Moments But Quite Bleak and Bare.......2002-10-18
Don't get me wrong. There are several strong songs on Bookends such as Mrs Robinson, Fakin' It, Hazy Shade of Winter, America, and At The Zoo. However, the tone does not vary too much. And the pace is oh so slow. Good for introspective moods indeed.
However, such number like Overs, Old Friends, and especially Voices of Old People are mostly good for skipping over. Dull, dull, dull this three song sequence. They are just too depressing for me. The Bookends theme is pleasant but its just way too short and to repeat it later in the record just takes up space.
In general this collection is Ok, not harmful or anything. However, I clearly prefer Bridge Over Troubled Water, Parsley, Sage, and Sounds of Silence to this bland batch.
Average customer rating:
|
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B000RG1DD0
Release Date: 2007-08-20 |
Tracks:
- Bookends Theme
- Save the Life of My Child
- America
- Overs
- Voices of Old People
- Old Friends
- Bookends Theme
- Fakin' It
- Punky's Dilemma
- Mrs. Robinson
- Hazy Shade of Winter
- At the Zoo
Album Details
Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.
Average customer rating:
- Preserve your memories-- they're all that's left you
- Definitely Their Best
- Much more than just Mrs. Robinson to be discovered here...
- How can you NOT rate this 5 Stars?
- Some Good Moments But Quite Bleak and Bare
|
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Manufacturer: Mobile Fidelity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
- Sounds of Silence
- Tea for the Tillerman
- Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
ASIN: B00000BIHD
Release Date: 1998-09-15 |
Tracks:
- Bookends Theme (Instrumental)
- Save The Life Of My Child
- America
- Overs
- Voices Of Old People
- Old Friends
- Booksends Theme
- Fakin' It
- Punky's Dilemma
- Mrs. Robinson
- A Hazy Shade Of Winter
- At The Zoo
Amazon.com essential recording
Track for track, this is Simon & Garfunkel's best album. By 1968, Simon had shed his more precious tendencies as a songsmith. Meanwhile, the duo and coproducer and engineer Roy Halee had become adept studio technicians. "America" and "Mrs. Robinson" displayed the kind of sonic breadth that would flower even more fully two years later with "The Boxer" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Bits of whimsy ("Punky's Dilemma," "At the Zoo") and melancholy ("Old Friends," "A Hazy Shade of Winter") complete this autumnal album. Ultradisc's 24-karat-gold version of this title offers superior sound quality for a higher price than the standard-issue CD. --Steven Stolder
Customer Reviews:
Preserve your memories-- they're all that's left you.......2006-12-26
As has been stated repeatedly here, BOOKENDS (released in 1968) is the greatest of all Simon & Garfunkel albums, and one of the best records made in the 1960s.
Tonight, Christmas night, I've been thinking about Christmas of 1968-- I was 14 then. That was an awful year to live through for anyone, especially a kid. The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle.
The song "Save The Life Of My Child" from BOOKENDS was in my head all throughout 1968. I identified with that frightened boy standing on the ledge, while a crowd below urged him to jump. His final thought as "he flew away" was "...I got no hiding place." That was exactly how I felt in those days.
What a powerful and unforgettable way to begin an album. The moods of BOOKENDS reflect so well the troubled times of the late '60s, with its anti-war sentiments (Punky's Dilemma), and its tales of love and love lost (America, Overs). The original first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. But this bittersweet song has a deeper message. These old men were survivors-- if they were supposed to be elderly in 1968, then they made it through the Depression, and two world wars, and if they were the youth of 1968 projected into the future, well they too made it through trials by fire.
And so have I made it through! I'm in my 50s now and headed for that park bench one day. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains:
As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth." It was a peaceful and hopeful ending to a terrible year.
Very few albums truly encapsulate a moment in time. Even fewer connect deeply with listeners in ways they may not realize until decades into the future. Simon & Garfunkel's BOOKENDS is one of those rare examples. It is paradoxically timeless and a reflection of its time.
Definitely Their Best.......2006-10-28
I agree with Mr. Flaherty that this is a better album than Bridge. I got this album around the time it came out. I also got Bridge when it came out. I don't own Bridge any more but now have this one on cd. While Bridge had some good songs, I grew tired of it. Not so with Bookends. Just this morning, I listened to this cd and really got into it as I was commuting. At different times, certain songs on this cd appeal to me. This morning it was At the Zoo. I think PS's song comments on a lot of things. One, in particular is how we anthropomorphize animals with all sorts of human inventions: "Monkeys stand for honesty, Giraffes are insincere ... Zebras are reactionary, Antelopes are missionaries ... Hamsters turn on frequently." Yes, it's a gas.
Much more than just Mrs. Robinson to be discovered here..........2005-05-08
I have a couple of confessions here. My familiarity with Simon and Garfunkel has been incredibly shallow, first through their greatest hits album and then their placement of 'America' in Cameron Crowe's film 'Almost Famous' which sets the tone of the movie. I know The Bangles' version of 'Hazy Shade of Winter' from the soundtrack to 'Less Than Zero' (one of the principle films of my generation) and didn't realize until years later that it was an S&G song. My loss.
I picked up this album on vinyl in my local Goodwill to give it a listen. I had no idea these guys were so radical. While not overtly political, they were quite subversive and spoke out what people were genuinely feeling during the late 60s. We all think of the song 'Mrs. Robinson' from the film 'The Graduate' but we often miss the social jabs laced throughout. 'Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio?' is a profoundly disturbing question.
Long before Pink Floyd threw in their sound effects and voices on their albums, Simon and Garfunkel were experimenting with the same. Who ever heard of recordings of old people put right smack dab in the middle of an album? You'll realize just how outspoken they truly were, something easy to miss with Simon's beautiful guitar work and Garfunkel's harmonies.
The social commentary is not pretty and underneath the beauty of the songs is a sorrow, a deep longing for meaning and understanding from among the chaos. We often think of others of that era, from Bob Dylan to Marvin Gaye and other such troubadours, but for those who miss out on the deeper cuts of some of Simon and Garfunkel's work, it's to their loss. To get an understanding of the turmoil of this era, this album is a necessity. This is one of the best albums I've heard in a long, long time.
How can you NOT rate this 5 Stars?.......2004-09-29
This is definately one of the great pop albums of all time. To compare this album (a concept album) to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is a joke. "Bookends" defines Simon & Garfunkel's career. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was a great song, arguably their best, but the album falls short of "Bookends". This album has been hailed by some as the greatest pop album of all time. It's definately in the Top 10 - SOLID.
Some Good Moments But Quite Bleak and Bare.......2002-10-18
Don't get me wrong. There are several strong songs on Bookends such as Mrs Robinson, Fakin' It, Hazy Shade of Winter, America, and At The Zoo. However, the tone does not vary too much. And the pace is oh so slow. Good for introspective moods indeed.
However, such number like Overs, Old Friends, and especially Voices of Old People are mostly good for skipping over. Dull, dull, dull this three song sequence. They are just too depressing for me. The Bookends theme is pleasant but its just way too short and to repeat it later in the record just takes up space.
In general this collection is Ok, not harmful or anything. However, I clearly prefer Bridge Over Troubled Water, Parsley, Sage, and Sounds of Silence to this bland batch.
Average customer rating:
- A classical guitarist who can play other music great!
- Excellent interpretation of Jazz into Guita tune
|
Sometime Ago
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Corea, Armando Chick
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ASIN: B000002SKO
Release Date: 1994-05-24 |
Tracks:
- Old Friends Children's Songs
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Twenty
- Sometime Ago
- Koln Concert Pt l lc
- Serenade
- Music For Bill & Me
- Sonata In Ishartum
- Air
- Round
- Bookends
Customer Reviews:
A classical guitarist who can play other music great!.......1999-08-30
Manuel Barrueco is the best classical guitarist in the world today. He is technically superior and has created a gold standard with his recordings. Known as one of the few guitarists who can play an entire concert without a mistake, even with very difficult music, he maintains a strong lyrical sense and is simply a joy to listen to. In fact, you wonder if this is somehow contrived because it is SO GOOD, but if you have ever heard him in person, as I have, then you know that it is the way he plays. The excursion into music by Chick Corea and Paul Simon is very successful because he maintains his musicality while still being technically perfect. I have never heard a guitarist play better, including John Williams. They should lock him away like Glen Gould and let him record albums because they will still be the standard a thousand years from now!
Excellent interpretation of Jazz into Guita tune.......1999-04-19
I'm glad to be a first writer about this album. Barrueco is famous as an emperor of guitarists. His relieving and economic playing technique seems to make jazz what it is.
The Jarnet's Koln Concert is written for a piano, Manuel played a PtIIc by the guitar. In his playing I felt the things the piano can not express, but the guitar do. Of course Jarnet's piece is good, and Manuel's playing is another.
To Whomever loves jazz or guitar I recommend.
Average customer rating:
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Bookends
Manufacturer: hatOLOGY
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Jazz
| Styles
| Music
Jazz
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B00007LIA8
Release Date: 2007-01-30 |
Average customer rating:
- Bookmark THIS!!!
- Bookends
- Top of The Line
- Bookends THE BEST!!!
- A really good CD
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Bookends
Paul Beatty
Manufacturer: Request Music & New Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Jazz
| Styles
| Music
Smooth Jazz
| Jazz
| Styles
| Music
General
| New Age
| Styles
| Music
General
| Jazz
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
General
| New Age
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B00004TKM1
Release Date: 2000-05-12 |
Tracks:
- 2000
- IN-TWO-ITION
- IF I FELL (Featuring vocals by Russell Targove)
- ETERNITY
- ENCHANTMENT
- SUZY !
- FOR ALWAYS (Featuring vocals by Russell Targove
- BEYOND REASON (Main Title Theme)
- SECOND TO NONE
- BLUE EYES
- REMEMBER ME
- BOOKENDS
Album Description
'Bookends', Paul's recent professional solo release, is sure to catch the attention of the Jazz and New Age society... and beyond... This 12 track follow-up to his successful 1996 'Dinner For One' release offers an equally refreshing program. From the electrifying opener, '2000', right through to the smooth title track finale, Beatty approaches each composition with sensitivity and precision. You'll soar to new heights with the effervescent 'Eternity' and be restored to tranquility with 'Remember Me'. For variety, he collaborates with vocalist Russell Targove to produce two catchy pop tracks, 'If I Fell' & 'For Always'. And if you really wanna move, the up-tempo rhythms of 'Second To None' will not disappoint. So put your books down & give 'BOOKENDS' a listen...
Customer Reviews:
Bookmark THIS!!!.......2001-03-24
Believe me, "book" some time and take a listen to the latest outing by musician Paul Beatty. This CD has got it all, and this is coming from a devout rock n' roller. Some of my favorite tunes include "2000", "Eternity", "For Always" (can someone tell me why this song is not being played on the radio?), "Beyond Reason" and "Second to None". With Paul's exceptional music talent and range, "Bookends" literally speaks volumes! Your millennium can never truly be complete without experiencing it! The millennium begins - with "Bookends"!
Bookends.......2001-01-07
I enjoyed "bookends" very much and would recommend this cd to anyone who likes jazz.I also have "Dinner for One" Paul's first release and look forward to future cd's from this talented artist
Top of The Line.......2000-08-02
This Artist, Paul Beatty, is bar none, awesome. You can feel the depth of emotion he puts into each and every title. The music takes you into a world of serenity as well as the power of strength it gives from within the depths of one's soul. He is a true musical artist and I look forward to his next album with as much anticipation as I have this one. His first one, "Dinner for One" is a must have as well. Thanks Paul, your talent is above the rest
Bookends THE BEST!!!.......2000-07-22
It's just a great CD!!! The best, my favorite... "Eternity" (number 5). you must to have it!!
A really good CD.......2000-07-04
Bookends is a strong CD with his creativity and power showing in the music. I especially like the 3rd cut "If I fell". Russell's vocals bring a new twist to Pauls creativity. This one should be loved by all.
Average customer rating:
- What an amazing underground CD!!
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Songs from a Van
Sebastian Clark
Manufacturer: Sebastian Clark
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000CA9CWA
Release Date: 2005-11-01 |
Tracks:
- Home
- What If I Told You?
- All of My Love
- Slippin' Through the Cracks
- Okay, Goodnight
- One Year Later
- Glassy Eyes
- Change
- One Step Ahead
- Slow Down
- Hummingbird
- Baby (Let's Start Over)
Customer Reviews:
What an amazing underground CD!!.......2007-01-10
This CD was all recorded in a van. You will not believe this when you hear it. The quality is excellent. The music is like a drug for depression. I like to call Sebastian Clark the Bob Ross of music, because throughout this CD he paints happy little trees of lyric and beautiful landscapes of music.
On a sad note, the "VAN" this CD was recorded in and the artist lived in burned to the ground and in it were the masters to this amazing CD. The CDs that are out there are all there will ever be. If you do not own this, but love some good folk music with a modern pop influence buy this now and be happy you did. You will thank me later.
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Triple Love Bookends
Mark Buerschaper
Manufacturer: 24 Hour Burn
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
Electric Blues Guitar
| Blues
| Styles
| Music
General
| Alternative Rock
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
General
| Folk
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B00006ED6X
Release Date: 2002-07-11 |
Tracks:
- What Kind of Man?
- Life of the Party
- Yet, the Children Play
- Crossed the Line
- Can't Count on You
- Mysterious Eyes
- U.S. Law
- Second Shift Blues
- Sugar & Spice
- Gaelic Frolic
- Quiet Sunday
Album Description
An eclectic assortment of tunes. Heavily leaning on topics of love, spouse abuse, child murder, occupational blues, longing for home and love. Musically featuring tasty mandolin, superb resonator slide guitar, gritty electric leads and smoothly flowing penny whistle.
Average customer rating:
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Acoustical Bookends
Manufacturer: The Grab Brothers
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000CA3FQO
Release Date: 2005-01-25 |
Music Review:
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