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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Well, S&G is S&G..., May 11 1999
...but frankly, I'd rather stick with the Collected Works set; it's more focused, and I don't really feel I need the obscurities--plus, some songs from their albums are excluded. How cool is that?
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Collector's Item, April 19 2004
I am not really one for compilations generally unless they are comprehensive like the "Message In a Box" compilation for The Police, but this one is just something else. Not only are pretty much all of the best songs by S&G included in the album (at least all my favourites are here so I am happy) there is a clutch of unreleased and previosuly unheard stuff like "Hey Schoolgirl" form their 'Tom and Jerry' days (although a later live version), the original cut of "Sound of Silence" without the drums and the electric guitars added on (which sounds ethereal).On top of the superb selection of songs and the lovely packaging, there is the fact that the soudn quality is superlative. The songs have been taken off the original tapes and that gives the sound a clarity and vibrance which is sometimes missing form many S&G recordings floating around. And oh yes it has "We Got a Groovy Thing Going Baby"!!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Music on a Somewhat Flawed Compilation, Nov 21 2002
I could gush for hours about the merits of Simon and Garfunkel, but if you wanted that you could just read any of my other reviews. The music on here is [OF COURSE] wonderful, and sounds clearer than ever. But there is one big flaw, although it may not bother people who are not as generally as anti-compilation as I am. As I see it, compilations are great for the casual fan who wants to hear the big hits. However, THIS compilation includes the big hits, some smaller hits, and a good number of UNRELEASED TRACKS. Who's going to buy a set that's primary attraction is is unreleased tracks? The crazy fan who adores them and wants to hear EVERYTHING, probably not the casual listener who kinda remembers S&G fondly from his or her childhood. But here's the issue: the crazy-fans who want all these extras will probably already HAVE all the albums, thus will already have all the previously released tracks which make up the majority of the set. Following this?? Go back and read it again, I THiNk it makes sense so far... OK, so if you already have all these released songs, it may feel like a waste to buy an expensive set that is mainly comprised of what you already have, simply for the fabulous unreleased tracks. See the problem? Everything would be perfect if they had included ALL of S&G's previously released tracks (like my favorite compilation ever, "Collected Works", which is just all 5 S&G albums on 3 dics), but they left out several important songs from the albums. So you can't buy this as the complete S&G with extras, which would have been perfect I think. Quite a little conundrum. Hope that made sense. In short, I wish they had gone with all or nothing: ALL S&G previously released songs with extras, OR nothing previously released and all unreleased goodies. But since they didn't let's have a chat about the actual music. I needn't talk about the familiar songs, wonderful though they are, but simply the unfamiliar highlights. Disc One: I love this version of Bleeker Street, even more sincere-feeling than on Wed Morn 3AM...*gasp* how could it possible get more moving?! Blues Run the Game is also great to hear, very different from anything else but he has managed to put a characteristic spin on it! Disc Two: It's great to here Art talking about the history of A Poem on the Underground Wall, and a nice live version too...Red Rubber Ball! Who forgot that Paul wrote that song?! haha. And now, MY FAVORITE: BLESSED. This is a harrowing, ulra-raw-sounding live recording that you've just got to hear. Oh, and there are two beautiful Christmas demos, which are harmonized perfectly and are interesting to hear from S&G! Disc Three: I think the main highlight here is Hey Schoolgirl/Black Slacks, that minor hit from 1957 they had when they were known as Tom and Jerry. UNFORTUNATELY, I was disappointed to hear that it was a live recording from 1969, not the '57 recording...but oh well, the search countinues. It's still quite entertaining to hear them on this really early '50s style hit. Ooh, and Feuilles-O is a wonderful treatment of a traditional tune. So that's about it, decide for yourself if you'd like to invest in this compilation for the unreleased tracks and as a pretty good though not complete representation of S&G. Oh, and just as a note I can't really give this an accurate rating, becuase the music is perfect but the format bothers me...probably should be 3 1/2 stars...I don't know...BUT whatever you do, enjoy the music!
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