Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
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Free Music Notes for Bridge Over Troubled Water
Free Music Review: Let it Shine
Hit: 5 Stars
In my opinion, there are no albums better than this one in pop music. This, everyone, is the limit. It is the only album I can think of where every single song is a joy. The worst, in my opinion, is "Bye bye love," and it is better than 95% of the songs out there anyway. The title song is a glorious, pure piece of loving artwork for Art Garfunkel to shine on, while Art also gives a moving performance in the beautiful "So long, Frank Lloyd Wright." Simon writes two slightly avant-garde but musically perfect songs, the Brazilian "El Condor Pasa" and percussion-driven, frantic romance "Cecilia." Two excellent soft-rock songs, "Baby Driver" and "Keep the Customer Satisfied" may be just for fun but they are fantastically written and incredibly catchy. "Why Don't You Write Me"'s enjoyable tune and sax solo make it more than worthwhile, while the serenade "SOng for the Asking" is touching and sweetly sung. The best of all of these (maybe tied with the title track) is the heartrending ballad, "The Boxer." Listen to the harmonies of the up-and-down guitars with the saxes and violins. This is an extraordinary cd, and the bonus tracks are interesting as a comparison.Free Music Review: So Good
Hit: 5 Stars
I already have memorized nearly every song on this album. It is one of my favorites of Simon and Garfunkel, the other being Bookends, which I own on record. This album is one you can't get tired of easily. Even though Frank Lloyd Wright is usually skipped over (by me) I love the title track, Keep the Customer Satisfied, and Baby Driver. Song For the Asking is a very nice song too, quiet and soothing. It's a wonderful album to listen to anytime, definitely one of the best Simon and Garfunkel albums of all time in my opinion.Free Music Review: No Wonder This Album Won Six Grammys!
Hit: 4 Stars
Unlike many people, I don't consider this to be their best album, that honor definitely goes to PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY AND THYME. But this album still has it's excellent moments.The title track is, no questions asked, the greatest ballad ever written. Small wonder that it was copied by everyone from Elvis to Aretha Franklin. Garfunkel sings with such passion and desperation that it never ceases to take my breath away. "When you're weary, feeling small...When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all". If you're feeling down, just put on this song and feel all of your troubles drifting away.
"El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" is also stunning, and very haunting. That flute playing (if it's a flute) is utterly hypnotic. And listen to the way Art sings "Away, I'd rather sail awaaaayyyyy". God, is that beautiful or what? "Keep The Customer Satisfied" and "Baby Driver" are both awesome, upbeat rockers that should be played loud. I love 'em both to death. "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" is a touching tribute from Art to Paul, as a way of saying goodbye to his brilliant colleague. And "The Only Living Boy In New York" is a tribute from Paul to Art, I guess he thought that he should return the favor!
But the rest of the songs are pretty lame. "Cecilia", "Why Don't You Write Me" and "Song For The Asking" are all boring, and far from the usually grandiose music that the boys made. And I never saw the big deal about "The Boxer". People rant and rave about it like it's a masterpiece or something, but I was rather disappointed when I first heard it. Sounds mediocre to me. And their cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love" is just alright. But the good songs more than make up for the bad ones, believe me. The title track is a celestial piece of work that will leave you speechless.
Oh, and the alternate version of "Bridge" is even better, if you ask me. It doesn't feature the orchestra and the weird percussion sound that ruined the original version.
Free Music Review: A Brilliant Swan Song
Hit: 5 Stars
The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel will always be tied to the 60's, being that both groups broke up in the opening year of the next decade. But whereas the Beatles went out with a bit of a whimper ("Let It Be"), S&G went out with a big bang. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is arguably Simon & Garfunkel's finest hour; a brilliantly written and performed collection of songs immacualtely produced.Although there is no concept here, the album contain a bit of a tension as the personality conflicts seep into the songs ("So Long Frank Lloyd Wright" - a farewell to an architect, and Garfunkel once being an architect student - and "The Only Living Boy in New York" being thinly veiled goodbyes). Plus, Simon takes control with this album, Garfunkel many times seemingly an afterthought. Conflicts aside, the performances are equal parts grand and majestic, low-key and fun.
Songwise, a great deal of ground is covered here. "The Boxer" is stunning in its Spector-like production and moving in its lyrics, yet never loses sight of its simplicity with the trademark S&G harmonies and acoustic guitar. Quite possibly the grandest song S&G ever did as a group. But the big production numbers are balanced by simple and fun ditties like "Cecilia", "Baby Driver" and "Why Don't You Write Me". "El Condor Pasa" is Simon's adaptation of a old Spanish traditional song, pre-dating his world music experiments of "Graceland" & especally "Rhythm of the Saints" by a decade and a half. A live take of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love" shows just where Simon & Garfunkel got their harmonies from. "Keep the Customer Satisfied" is a rocking little number with empassioned vocals and a goospimple-inducing horn coda at the end. And Simon offers up two of his most beautiful numbers ever with "The Only Living Boy in New York" (my personal fav by them) and the album closer "Song for the Asking"
But although Simon was in charge, Garfunkel gets his moments to shine, with a great vocal on the aforementioned (and ironc) "So Long...". And he quite possibly deliveres the greatest vocal performance ever recorded in history with the astounding title track. A beautiful song in its own right, Garfunkel's stunning interpretation sends it through the stratosphere.
Whereas "Bookends" may be the better album as a whole, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is their strongest and most accessable collection, and solidifies Simon & Garfunkel's legendary status. They went out at the absoulute top of their game. A must own album of epic proportions.
Free Music Review: Still great after all these years.
Hit: 5 Stars
I almost missed this great album. When it was released I recevied a card I was supposed to return to my record club and I forgot it and received this vinyl album. When I played it, I thought it was the best pop album I'd ever heard and up to this day I still believe that. I've had this on vinyl, 8 track (what's that???), cassette, cd and now remastered cd. This one has two bonus tracks including a demo version of 'Bridge'. It's almost like an unplugged version because Ernie Freemans' great orchestra is not featured. The lyrics are a little different. Historically it's a good cut but can't begin to compare with the finished version. The only sour note is the live version of 'Bye Bye Love'. Good remastering job and some nice surround effects. A must have for any pop collector.