Simon & Garfunkel

Very pretty, delicate, and poetic music written by two sensitive boys.

Information: The Simon & Garfunkel Official Site
Suggested first purchase: The Sounds of Silence
Suggested best of: The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

Wednesday Morning, 3 AM (1964) -- It's got "The Sounds of Silence," some other good originals, and then some folk traditionals that almost sound like they're making fun of them, though I imagine they're not. It's all pretty stuff, regardless of what it is. Don't read Art Garfunkel's "listener's guide" if you're like me and don't like it when people think they're smarter than they are. B

The Sounds of Silence (1966) -- Even though this was the "breakthrough smash," I actually don't like this as much as I liked the first one, cause this one seems more dated in the 60s, wheras the last one has just a timeless folk quality. But it's pretty great, of course, with the new version of "The Sounds of Silence," the pretty "Kathy's Song" and "April Come She Will," and of course "I Am a Rock." B

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme (1966) -- All the annoyingness of college kids who talk about poetry too much is here on this album, so much that it interferes with the prettiness of the songs. Where "I Am a Rock" (from the previous album) had a perfect irony that allowed you to enjoy it on both an ironic and literal level, the irony on this album is just annoying--most especially their "Silent Night" in which a pefectly-good arrangement of the song is screwed up by the volume on a news broadcast about war and other bad stuff getting louder and louder. Yeah, I get it, and it's stupid. Other songs like "The Dangling Conversation" have the same effect. But what about the greatness of the album? Yeah, it's here too. "Homeward Bound," "Feelin' Groovy," and some others are perfectly wonderful. B

Bookends (1968) -- Less annoying (though they did feel the need to include two minutes of old people talking on a musical album, and though Simon and Garfunkel always seem to want to be both Dylan and The Beatles at the same time) and just as pretty, though maybe not even as interesting. Lots of great songs here: "America," "Fakin' It," "Mrs. Robinson," and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" among probably all the others. I make fun of S&G, but I like them a lot. B

Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) -- Perhaps the best? Just a good well-rounded outing? It's got "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Cecilia," "Keep the Customer Satisfied," "The Boxer," and "The Only Living Boy in New York." B

Greatest Hits (1972) -- A not-so-great early collection, mostly because live tracks are included instead of studio ones and because so much is missing. The Best of Simon and Garfunkel is the better collection. C