The Byrds - "The Columbia Singles '65-'67" 2xVinyl, Compilation, Mono, 2002 (Columbia/Sundazed Music)

As a kid (around 10-years old) I had the first Byrds album with "Mr. Tambourine Man" which was a huge radio hit in the Los Angeles area.   I liked it, but I never loved the record or song. Still, the presence of the 12-string lead guitar and the perfect harmonies of the band was and still is appealing to my ears.  I never took to the band full-on, and I think it's due to my prejudice against David Crosby.  I never liked his hair or his fashion sense.  Even to this day, I have a problem with him on the cover of this compilation.  His cape really bugs me.  The others in the band had a nice style, but Crosby seems to have the annoying talent of standing out.  In a sense like Brian Jones, but David is not Brian.  I tried to like him, and his songs.  And at times, I can bear his work, but his strength is within the Byrds format.   When he's singing vocals with Gene Clark or Jim (Roger) McGuinn it is really something of great beauty.  When he sings with Stills and Nash, I find his vocals really irritating.   Like a shadow-boxer, I come in and out of The Byrds world but never fall into the thought of their greatness.  Until hearing this compilation. 

This is a collection of singles from 1965 to 1967, all Mono.  In that singular format (both single and mono) is where their great strength lies.  I'm not a tech-head in the sense I can tell a difference between album cut and these recordings, but they all sound puncher and oddly enough more texture in sound.  Both A and B sides are here, and it tells a tale of the band at its best.  After Crosby and Gene Clark left the band, I stopped listening to them. I know there are fans of the later recordings, but at this time, I haven't investigated those albums/songs.   What I like about these recordings is the harshness of McGuinn's guitar against the sweet vocals that bring up the tension.  Noise/sweetness for me is a perfect cocktail, and the early Byrds captures that sense of fragile beauty very well.  Also, the excellent presence of Gene Clark, who is really the 'star' of the band, is quite magnificent in those years.   A superb collection and I think this would be the perfect introduction to The Byrds.  More so than their individual albums. 

Shirley Bassey - "The Fabulous Shirley Bassey" Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, UK, 1959 (Columbia)

Shirley Bassey, famous in the United States for her recording of "Goldfinger" is an exceptional British singer.  Born in Wales, "The Fabulous Shirley Bassey, released in 1959, was her second album.  Always a big voice, she strikes me as a powerful wind machine, and even the orchestration around her has to go from 8 to 10 in volume control.  Which sounds a bit much, but the fact is her voice has a lot of warmth, and on the "Fabulous" album there are classic songs.   "The Man Who Got Away," "Cry Me A River,"  "I've Got You Under My Skin," and others on this disc are superb pieces of contemporary music. 

As part of my obsession with British pop music before the Fab Four, Bassey is a key showbiz figure that expressed the grit and soiled nature of pop music at the time.  Hearing the recordings of that period it sounds light and fluffy, but I suspect it's aural candy to disguise the roughness of the post-war U.K. years.   Bassey is not a light singer, but a performer of great attitude and brings magnificence to the main meal.  When one digs up the beautiful landscape of a part of the world that suffered greatly, one can find great art.  Shirley Bassey is such a fine, and the "Fabulous Shirley Bassey" is an album full of polished gems, but there is a lot of grit within its textures. 

Bob Dylan - "Blood on the Tracks" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1975 (Columbia)

The great thing about Bob Dylan is that it's almost impossible to write or discuss him without losing the iconic stance he has on pop culture.  From day one it seems Dylan was made to be great, especially when he changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan.  In my world, Dylan is very much the pop entertainer and more in tune to someone like David Bowie than the 1960s Folk Music scene. He used the landscape, like Bowie using whatever he read or saw, but the truth is, both characters made themselves up to be what they are - not only great songwriters but a theatrical presentation as well. 

"Blood on the Tracks" is often seen as a personal work by Dylan.  Perhaps due to his divorce or the after-effects of the separation that took place at the time of the recordings.  One can fish into the words of these songs for a clue, but I suspect that Dylan doesn't think in that manner.  A bad incident or day for him is a springboard of imagination and various narrations, and at the end of the day, Dylan wants to tell a tale that will be enjoyed, and therefore he's more of a music hall performer than a raw rock n' roll soul.  Dylan is not a journalist, but more of a short story writer, with an incredible amount of details in his narratives.  "Blood on the Tracks" as an album, can probably be made into a film, or a narrative novel. 

Oddly enough, it was only a week ago that I heard this album as a whole piece.  Before that, it is just what I heard on the radio, and there are favorite songs here: "Tangled Up in Blue," Simple Twist of Fate," and of course, "Idiot Wind." Listening to side one of "Blood on the Tracks" is similar to listening to a greatest hits album.  It's interesting to hear this work as an album, instead of separate songs.  All stand by themselves, but the mood that runs through the collection is consistent, and there is no 'loose' cannon here, it all fits like a well-designed puzzle. 

"Idiot Wind" stands out because it is so angry, or I should say the character in the song is angry, yet, the humor is very tongue-in-cheek.  One can think it's a song from a psycho killer.   On the other hand, it may be my favorite Dylan vocal.  The way Dylan sings he reminds me of Lotte Lenya, in a very Bertolt Brecht method of separating the listener from the emotion, and one hears the intelligence behind the words. The character is angry, but the song itself is not furious.  There is a distance between the character in the song and what he's singing about.  His technique makes the words sting, because of its setting.  Dylan looks at his songs like a scientist looking at an object in a test tube.  There is a strong sense of objectivity, and for the listener, it's a subjective experience, as well as presuming that the character in the song is causally commenting on the 'facts.'

A very melodic record, and oddly enough it reminds me of the softer material on the  Rolling Stones' "Aftermath."  Only in texture, not in the style of songwriting, but one could imagine the Stones doing a version of "Idiot Wind."  There's real beauty between Dylan's voice and the strumming of the guitar, and the minimalist organ.   It's beautifully recorded by engineer veteran Phil Ramone, which brings to mind Sinatra's great ballad albums he made for Capitol Records in the 1950s.   Dylan takes from the past, and he manages to twist it in the fashion of a Teddy Boy using Edwardian design to say something new.   A great album. 

The Byrds -"Mr. Tambourine Man" Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, 1965 (Columbia)

I first heard this album when I was 10 or 11 years old.  Even as a child, and living in Los Angeles, one could not avoid The Byrds either on the radio, and it would have been odd if one didn't have a copy of "Mr. Tambourine Man" in their possession.   Still, even though I enjoyed this album, I never really loved it.  Over the years, I have lost my copy, but I keep seeing the record in its various formats for decades, and I wonder if I should re-entry this work, by purchasing it.   I was at Mono Records in Glendale/Eagle Rock, and without a thought, in my head, I picked up an used copy for $5, which is not an expensive ride to my distant past.

For decades I had a distant relationship to The Byrds.  Most, if not all of my friends think very highly of this band, but still, there is something off-putting, and I think it has to do with their musical relationship with Bob Dylan.   It sort of reminded me when someone like Pat Boone covered a rock n' roll classic.   It's water-down Dylan.   Or Dylan with a "better voice, and comfortable clothing.

On the other hand, the songwriting talents of The Byrds, especially Gene Clark is remarkable.   There is something about his voice that gets to the subject matter of a song, and he knows how to deliver the pathos to a listener.   Also noted, the old standard "We'll Meet Again" is not only a beautiful song but a perfect ending for an album.  I suspect this album is going to be on my mind throughout my life.  In that sense, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

Pink Floyd - "Masters of Rock" Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Netherlands, 1974 (Columbia)

Finding the songs that are not on, or never appeared on a regular Pink Floyd album is a consumer's game in trying to find the right record or fit for the listener.  For my taste, I love Pink Floyd's compilation "Masters of Rock," which is a series of compilations put out by Columbia Records in the 1970s.  For the Syd Barrett fanatic (which I border on in that category) there is "Apples and Oranges" and "Candy and A Current Bun."  "Apples" I believe was only officially released as a single, and I think "Candy, and A Current Bun" was a b-side to another Pink Floyd single.   That's the reason why I bought this album.  Also, it was nice to have both "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Layne" on one disc.  The rest of the Syd songs all come from the first Pink Floyd album, which of course is a masterpiece. 

The big surprise for me, and I have to let readers know that I pretty much don't know anything about post-Syd Floyd, are the songs "It Would Be So Nice" and "Paint Box," both by the keyboard player and sung by Richard Wright.  Incredibly solid and even if I may add fantastic pop songs.   Why wasn't "It Would Be So Nice" a huge hit at the time?  As I write, the chorus sticks to my brain like oatmeal to the guts.  The ultimate psych-pop tune that is authentically psychedelic.  "Paint Box" another fantastic tune, that is a song diary.  Wright, I think, at least at this period, is underrated as a songwriter. How did he lose his position in Pink Floyd to Roger Waters?  Who by the way also has a fantastic song "Julia Dream."  But still, I was shocked at how strong the songs are by Wright.  My question out there, are there other fantastic songs by Wright on later Pink Floyd albums?  Is his solo album any good?

The beauty of a compilation is not only getting the hits, but the undiscovered b-side or the 45 rpm single that didn't become a hit, yet, still, a fantastic record.    "Masters of Rock" is a mind-opener for me.   

The Byrds - "Turn! Turn! Turn!" b/w "Eight Miles High" 45 rpm Single, Vinyl, Reissue (Columbia)

Without a doubt, the Los Angeles band The Byrds are probably the most respected band in my small world of record fiends.  We had the first Byrds album when it first came out, and I have to presume that my dad bought it.  He didn't play it that much, but I listened to it a lot.   One couldn't avoid the presence of The Byrds in Los Angeles during 1965 and 1966.  For one, the connection they had with Bob Dylan was a serious relationship between those who followed Dylan's career at the time, and also radio stations like KRLA and KHJ played Byrds music a lot.   To this day I have told people I admired The Byrds, and one has to because of their ability to do certain types of musical styles throughout the years.  From folk to psychedelic to country, they seemed to adopt musical landscapes like one changing their kaftan in the morning to work clothes for the ranch by the afternoon.   It's strange for me to write this, but they are probably my most unfavorite Los Angeles band. 

I have admired their recordings, and I have purchased their albums to the point (in its original releases) up to "Younger Than Yesterday."  The truth is I never really cared for these albums.  Perfectly crafted pop songs and some are even beyond that, for instance, the great "Eight Miles High."  A brilliant melody, with incredible guitar work from McGuinn, it's a beautiful piece of music.  I have always taken the song at heart that it is about flying above the ground, and not drugs.  If it was about drugs, I feel that imagery would have cheapened the song.  I prefer the thought of someone reflecting on a flight, or about landing on the ground.  "Turn! Turn! Turn!" an older song by The Byrds, and adopted by Pete Seeger from the Book of Ecclesiastes, is lush and the perfect vocalization is a sound to admire.  My aesthetic is to crush that sort of beauty, and I preferred the sound of the rave-up of The Yardbirds.  To me, that was sound that I could identify with, due to my young angst at the time.  

For decades I have always had a problem with David Crosby.  I don't know him, but he still struck me as an annoying presence in the pop music world.  I never liked his clothing style or hair, nor do I like his voice that much.  The only thing I do like about him (artistically) is that he once made music with Les Baxter, during his exotica days.   Nor do I care for his solo recordings, or the songs he wrote for CSN&Y.   The songs he wrote for The Byrds were horrible.  Saying that I know there are at least three or four generations of music lovers who disagree with me.  I respect that and them as fans and music lovers.  Still, "Eight Miles High" is a work of perfection.  And for that reason alone, I hesitantly admire The Byrds for that single recording. 

Nick Mason - "Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1981 (Columbia)

Actuality, there are only two cool people in Pink Floyd.  Syd Barrett of course, and the other guy, who was their drummer, Nick Mason.  He's cool because he produced classic Robert Wyatt albums as well as The Damned's second album.   He's the kink in the well-oiled Pink Floyd machine.   Nothing against Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour.  Both good guys, but Mason I felt, investigated areas outside of the Pink Floyd world.  When you hear a Waters or Gilmour solo album, you pretty know what you're getting. On the other hand, what in the hell is a Nick Mason solo album? 

"Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports" is not really a solo album by Mason.  He co-produced, co-engineered, played the drums and I have to imagine he picked up the recording cost bill, but in its essence, it's an album by Jazz composer and pianist Carla Bley.  I'm not that familiar with Bley's music, except that her band is very much a big or enlarged jazz band. The one album I do know of is her work with Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra album which is excellent.  Haden's work has a strong left political context, but here, Bley's lyrics tend to be more on the side of absurdity, which serves the over-all humor of Nick Mason's album.  

The key reason why I bought this album is all due to Robert Wyatt.  He is the lead singer on this disc, and anything that has his magnificent voice is worth having.  Saying that, this is not really a Wyatt album, even though he has done many covers in his solo career, this still belongs to Bley.   If pushed to the corner and my back against the wall I would describe the music as big band jazz arrangements but with pop music overtures.   This is work that is very tightly arranged, and Wyatt, Mason and other great musicians that are in Bley's world, fits in like a great puzzle.   Basically, Mason lent his name and reputation to this project for Carla Bley.  Which again, makes him the coolest member of Pink Floyd. 

One also must give credit to Michael Mantler, who has done music with Bley for years, and her husband, the bassist Steve Swallow.  Dynamic horn section consisting of Gary Windo, Gary Valente, Howard Johnson and others.  Sharp guitar work by the fantastic Chris Spedding.   It's literally impossible for this group of musicians to make bad music together.  

Miles Davis - "Sketches of Spain" Vinyl, Album, Mono, LP, 1960 (Columbia)

This album was a big presence in my childhood, but not in my parent's house.  This is the one Miles album that they didn't like.  On the other hand,  the Preppy-set and architects adored Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain."  The album feels like a mid-century home.  Hi-fi world loves "Sketches of Spain."  For a Jazzier, the idea of the string section with Jazz is a no-no.  Which in theory is totally correct.  Then there is this album, which is not really a jazz or classical album  Maybe it's the combination of the two "Classjazz."  

The album is arranged and conducted by Gil Evans, and this is very much his album as well as Miles'.   The music is based on the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez."  I never heard the original so I can't comment on it, except that it's a score for guitar and orchestra.  Miles, of course,  removed the guitar for his trumpet.  Beyond that, it is a magnificent Gil Evans album.  In truth, both of them collaborated on the album.  Hand-in-hand they made this album.  Two sessions: first on November 20, 1959, and the other on March 10, 1960.  I wasn't kidding that this is an album made for and by the influence of mid-century design.  

The modernist approach is someone who keeps the eye on the present and stays alive for the future. The past is the past unless you can somehow control the imagery and power of the former.  Like the music of the late 1950s, "Sketches of Spain" has traces of exotica.  To my ears, it's not far off from Martin Denny's take on exotic islands.  Spain is a romantic image, especially for those who never visited that country.  "Sketches of Spain" by its very title admits that it is a work that doesn't go into Spain, but the observation of an outsider looking within a culture. 

Miles doing "Porgy and Bess" with Gil Evans was another trip through a different landscape. Most of the Miles' recordings are all placed in a location that is totally Milesville.  I think Paris, Manhattan, San Francisco as not as a foreign destination, but a home to Miles and his aesthetic. "Sketches of Spain" is a tourist visiting with a map in place, but then through the eyes of Miles/Evans, it becomes an adventure of sorts.  

The music is gorgeous and the arrangements strike me as perfection.  It's an album that is easy on the ears and the heart.  What is important to know is that once this music is done, Miles is going to travel without a map.  And that is what he did.  

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - "Masterpieces by Ellington" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1956 (Columbia)

My favorite Duke Ellington disc.   It's also an important statement about the 12" album format as well.    In the era of the 10" album or 78 rpm recordings, there was/is a time limit.  When the 12" album came out, I think one can have 20 minutes on each side of the record, and anything beyond that can affect the sound quality or mastering.    "Masterpieces by Ellington" is only four songs, but all in their original length the way Duke thought it out and played with his orchestra when they did live shows.   So in that sense, this format is the real meaning of the Ellington aesthetic. 

One of my all time favorite songs is "Mood Indigo."   I'm a huge fan of Frank Sinatra's version on his album "In the Wee Small Hours," but here on the Ellington album, I get goosebumps when I listen to this version.  The singer for the orchestra at this time, Yvonne Lanauze, gives a sexual presence to the smokey and seductive "Mood Indigo."   The long instrumental passage before the vocal just builds up and then - bingo!  There she is, and it's like a release after being teased for the first seven or however long the instrumental passage is.    The other three cuts here, "Sophisticated Lady," "The Tattooed Bride" (what a great title), and "Solitude" adds depth due to the natural length of the songs.  If you're an Ellington fan, more likely you have this album.  If you're not, or not have been introduced to this genius' work, then "Masterpieces by Ellington" is a great entrance way to Ellington & company's magic. 

Pablo Cassals -"Pablo Casals Conducts Bach: The Six Brandenburg Concertos; Orchestral Suites Nos. 2 and 3" 3 x Vinyl, LP, Album, 1965 (Columbia)

When I listen to this box set of Pablo Casals' recordings of the Six Brandenburg Concertos; Orchestral Suites Nos. 2 & 3, I think not of pictures, but shapes.  Bach's music is very circular, and one can enter and exit from that circle.  What I hear is not passion but an obsession of mathematical systems and the organized culture that is an orchestra or string section.  A perfect balance between the musicians and the give and take at a particular point in the music.

It's shocking to hear someone breathing or even singing along (Glenn Gould style) with the piano.  It's the series of moments where the human essence is felt and not the concept. This is the beauty of Bach's music performed.  It's a chemistry formula that has been tested through the ages and played well.   The other thing that comes to mind is that Bach's music is truly timeless. As I listen, I don't think of a specific age.  To me, it could have been written in the 21st century.   The precision of the idea and the practice of that craft makes Bach an essential experience.

Portsmouth Sinfonia - "Plays the Popular Classics" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1974 (Columbia)

I pity the poor vinyl seeker who picks up this album in the hopes that it's a typical collection of classical music pieces by some obscure Symphony.  On the other hand, it is a wonderful re-discovery of the classical pop hits, done by an orchestra that is not entirely sufficient in their instrumentation. Nevertheless part of the enjoyment of the journey I think is the motif of the Portsmouth Sinfonia.  It's not entirely off-kilter because one can recognize the works here.  

British composer Gavin Bryars started the orchestra, and not sure if it was done so for the purpose of going back to his roots, but I suspect to explore the music in a different light.  There is a Fluxus flavor to the concept of having an orchestra who can't play their instruments (properly) and performing classics by composers like Beethoven, Bach, Bizet, Holst, and others.   At first hearing, I took it as a joke, but I don't think that's the purpose here.  The selection of pieces they do on the album is very popular.  The average listener who may not know classical music, I would have imagined heard the compositions in their home or on the TV or some other medium.  The arrangements are close to the music sheet (as far as I know), but it's the skills of each musician that makes this album unique. 

In ways, an orchestra is a study of civilization at work where everyone has a role to play for the betterment of the composed work as well as the overall orchestrational sound.  The Portsmouth Sinfonia is chaos working as a group. It's a society that is struggling to make sounds that are actual music.  This is not an eccentric's work, but more of a statement on politics and culture and how one sees their role in the "orchestra."   Brian Eno produced this album and is one of the musicians in the orchestra.  He plays Clarinet, and Byars play the cello.  His original instrument I think is stand-up bass.  

The United States of America - "The United States of America" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1968 (Columbia_

It took me 49 years to really appreciate the album "United States of America" by the same name as this L.P.  There are certain artists that take years for me to feel comfortable with.  The other artist is Van Dyke Parks.  Both Parks and the United States of America gave me nothing but confusion.  The thing about this band is that they were one of the first electronic bands.  Not in the sense of Kraftwerk electronics, but their acoustic instruments being filtered through electronics or stuff like an electric violin, electric drums (whatever that means in 1968) and so forth.   I was a young teenager when I first heard this album, and it's clearly not meant for the teenies.  This is adult pop, but one with an edge. 

Joseph Byrd and band brings a cynical and bad mood that yells out New York City of that era.   I'm not sure if the band was from that part of the world or the West Coast, but for me, at least on vinyl, I hear NYC.  The music is sophisticated with a capital "S."   Dixie land meets small town brass meets something in a very dark part of the mind.  I suspect the entire band is college educated professionals or drop-outs.  Nevertheless, a smart bunch.  

Dorothy Moskowitz is the man singer and kind of have that 1960's folk-era voice but clearly trained.  There is something very academic in their approach to their music.  Not in a stuffy with jacket leather patch elbow type of music, but smart.   On the other hand, there is something disturbing about their overall aesthetic.  I can't really place my finger on it. Which explains why I keep coming back to this album for four decades.  The United States of America can remind one of Parks or the more experimental aspect of The Beach Boys or The Beatles - but the truth is, they're original. 

David Bowie - "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)/'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore 10" 45 rpm Vinyl (Columbia)

A 10" vinyl release with a retro cover.   David Bowie's packaging of this long player single as well as its music was the first gesture that changes will come within the Bowie world.  My first impression is that this is some long lost recording that Bowie did for ECM Records.  Big jazz band music that borders on the Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht side of life.  "Sue" is a theatrical tale of a murder that reminds me of Brecht's "Baal" which Bowie acted in a British TV version of this early play by the master.  Songs by Brecht in that theater piece deals with murder with a very detached language that's poetic and equally horrifying.  Bowie uses the same technique as Brecht here on this song.   The music is by Bob Bhamra, Paul Bateman, and Maria Schnieder.   At the time, this sounded like a one-off track, but now we know that this will lead to Bowie's last album "Blackstar." 

The b-side has my favorite Bowie song ever  - which is saying a lot because I love his music so much.  "Tis A Pity She Was A Whore" sounds like a demo recorded by Bowie by himself, but I'm not sure if that's the case.  The noise and electronics are a work of beauty.   Violence with an amount of grace mixed into this great cocktail of a record.  This too showed up on "Blackstar," and like the A-side a new or different recording.   I'm not sure which version I like more - both are very different although it's the same song, and the arrangement is similar.   The 10" single is a must to have, especially if one is a fan of "Blackstar."  Bowie was on a high aesthetic mode toward the end of his life.   May he live on in our hearts and minds.  

Liberace - "Liberace At Home" Vinyl, LP, 1956 (Columbia)

Liberace without orchestration or (I presume) costumes.  At home, with his grand piano, and a set of excellent songs.   Liberace without the presentation is very much like Liberace Unplugged.   What seems to be a kitsch type of record is actually a beautiful album.  "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is splendid, as well as "How Deep Is The Ocean."  One would think he may throw in a Chopin here in this set, but it's very much the Great American Songbook, done by the flamboyant pianist.  He's a good musician, and here he just turns off the visuals and showbiz galore, and it's just music for him and you, the listener. 

Simon & Garfunkel - "Bookends" (Vinyl) Columbia Records

Although the design is not the same, but I believe the same label in the United States, Sparks had their photograph done by Richard Avedon for their "Big Beat" album, who also took this iconic image of Simon and Garfunkel for "Bookends."  After that, the comparisons end.  Still, I never heard this album till I bought it yesterday at my fave record shop, Mono, bordering on Silver Lake/Echo Park.   To be honest, the only reason why I bought it was for the song "A Hazy Shade of Winter," which has an incredible sense of energetic pop.  Still, I know so many people who had this album in their home, yet, I totally ignore it when it came out.   Either the music was too sophisticated for me, or their image was totally bland.  Now, I find it quite interesting.  And this is the only Paul Simon item in my collection as of now.

The beauty of the album is the arrangements but also the songwriting skills of Simon and the blending of both their voices.  They must have used the studio as a laboratory of sorts.  For sure, there is a Beatle influence that runs through the album, especially Sgt. Pepper.  Side one is very much a concept narrative of childhood to old age - but so fragmented one can miss it.  And I think it's rather a poor side of songs, except for their classic "America," which is awesome.  Not as great as Bowie's live version of this song, it is still a work of mystery and yearning, that is very romantic.  I find it very sincere in its mixture of early 1960s American fiction in that Richard Yates notion - everything is good till the disappointment which will happen shortly.  You can sense it in that song. 

Side two is the hits side. "Mrs. Robinson," my beloved "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and "At The Zoo."  To hate "Mrs. Robinson is not really possible.  Any songs that have 'hey hey' in it, are always good, if not classic pop songwriting.   As this album was being recorded, somewhere within the five miles radius, Velvet Underground were making their second ("White Light White Heat") or third album.  In theory, and for some odd reason, I think of the Velvets when I hear "Bookends."   Lou Reed and Paul Simon are both hardcore New Yorkers, and both are observant songwriters.  So the territory is the same, but perhaps the people are different in that landscape.  But the time is the same, and I find that intriguing.   Simon & Garfunkel, at least on this album, is not smooth, there are rough edges in their music.  The arrangements have a lot of space - not everything is filled with sound.  "At The Zoo" reminds me of a sad Lou Reed tune.   At one time, they did share a record producer, the legendary and quite mysterious Tom Wilson.   "Bookends" is very much a New York 'pop' album.  Lovin' Spoonful, the Velvets - they cover the same territory - and it's fascinating how an artist portray that location and time. 

- Tosh Berman