Published on Apr 11, 2006
My first visit to Simon & Garfunkel town was a
rousing success, so I deemed a return trip necessary. After giving
the Essential collection a few spins, I decided to drop 30
bucks on the group’s live album from their reunion tour a few years
back. Live albums are notoriously hit or miss, so I was taking a
risk. Luckily, the risk paid off with a huge reward.
There are a few qualities that make or break a live
album. First, it has to sound good. Second, the material has to be
performed well. Third, the audience has to sound enthused — not
tacked-on studio applause, but genuine enthusiasm. The fourth
requirement is not necessarily needed, but is a welcome bonus; some
tracks that outstrip their studio counterparts. Old Friends has all
these qualities, and then some.
It is apparent from the first track, “Old Friends,”
that these people wanted to be there, listening to Simon &
Garfunkel, noted in the exclamations of “I love you” by some in the
audience. The pair then proceeds to deliver a pathos-filled, solemn
reading of “Old Friends/Bookends.” Lines like “How terribly strange
to be seventy…” take on a whole new meaning since their
inception, considering that Simon & Garfunkel were quite young
when they first sang them.
I wasn’t sure how the pair was going to go about
recreating their classics; they certainly had options. In the end,
a full band was brought along to add depth and authenticity to
songs like “Hazy Shade Of Winter” or “Cecilia.” Some might argue
these tracks are sterile, but let’s be honest; Simon &
Garfunkel never cranked it up to 11. These people wanted to hear
these songs they way they sounded, and in that regard mission
accomplished. Besides, there is just enough innovation to add
something special to the mix. The opening percussion solos to
“Cecilia,” the well-performed guitar solo on “America”…the list
goes on.
Of course, the success of Old Friends depended
solely on the performances of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. While
age has weakened their voices, there is still an undeniable
chemistry between the two that makes up for whatever shortcomings
their vocals may have. There are moments, such as “The Leaves Are
Green” or “My Little Town” where you’d be convinced it was the 60s
again. That being said, a few moments grated on me a just a
tad…the biggest being Simon’s ad-libbing on “Bridge Over Troubled
Water.” First off, the song is made by Garfunkel’s vocals and
always has been. If Mr. Simon wished to sing a verse, that’s fine,
but follow the damn melody that made your song so incredible. Don’t
screw around for the sake of screwing around.
Plenty of good moments abound here, so I’ll mention a
few standouts. The Everly Brothers cover of “Bye Bye Love” is a
nice nod to a band that inspired Simon & Garfunkel, while “Slip
Slidin’ Away” has always been a favorite Simon tune of mine, made
more powerful here with Garfunkel’s vocals. Finally, there is “The
Sound Of Silence,” and this performance is the best I’ve ever
heard. The opening intro of the melody is completely new, and the
pair’s vocals sound much more world-weary. The music itself is much
more elegiac than the original; in fact, the genius stroke is
letting it open and finish with just Simon and Garfunkel alone with
a guitar for the final verse. It is hard to explain, but there is a
power in the simplicity of the presentation that touched me
deeply.
I’m not ashamed to say that Old Friends is now
up there with my favorite live albums; it does what a good live
record should do. As far as musical relevance goes, I suppose this
was an unnecessary look at Simon & Garfunkel, but that doesn’t
stop it from being a damn good album.