Iam sitting at arailway station got a ticket for my destination,on a tour of one night stands my suitcase and guitar in hand and every stop is neatly planned for a poet and a oneman band.
Revolver. Not just because it is possibly my favourite album ever but because BOTW does not deserve to have got this far in the process. It's not only a long way short of being one of the four best albums of all time, it's not even among the best albums by Simon & Garfunkel. Slated at the time of its release as their sell-out album for its lapses into commercial pop, BOTW nevertheless has some fine moments, including the title track. But it is an eclectic mix (some might say, mishmash) of styles and influences produced at a time when Paul Simon admitted that he was suffering from writer's block and when the partnership was on the wane. It also suffered from being the follow-up album to the immense Bookends, which as a concept and a coherent collection of brilliant songs, was a very tough act to follow. An album featuring a remake of an old Everley Brothers hit and second rate songs like Cecilia and Keep The Customer Satisfied is just not in the same league. I realise, however, that this is all about Lifers' favourite albums and not necessarily the best albums, so each to their own. And my own is Revolver every time.
I listened to large chunks of both again on a plane flight this morning. I had lost my headphones so bought some BOSE noise cancelling ones in the airport (not very impressed with them, too much bass and tin out at high volume)
My dad owned both albums and I’ve listened to them since I was about 6. I’ve always listened more to BOTW.
I voted Revolver because when you listen to it there is so much innovation on there, stereo switches, complex Indian drumming g in a morenor less pop song. But I found today me skipping a few tracks with yellow submarine being the start of a trend.
BOTW though I wanted to hear every track. So I’m changing my mind, as a complete album that you can listen to back to back, it’s BOTW.
Bose are usually quite good, but overrated. If you want a decent pair of headphones (and can afford them after splashing out on some Bose!) then I recommend Audio Technica ATH-SR5BT which are great for £149, though there's a slightly hard edge on proper belting vocals, and a couple of people think the mids are a little synthetic/soulless. (I disagree - they work absolutely fine.)
Revolver. Not just because it is possibly my favourite album ever but because BOTW does not deserve to have got this far in the process. It's not only a long way short of being one of the four best albums of all time, it's not even among the best albums by Simon & Garfunkel. Slated at the time of its release as their sell-out album for its lapses into commercial pop, BOTW nevertheless has some fine moments, including the title track. But it is an eclectic mix (some might say, mishmash) of styles and influences produced at a time when Paul Simon admitted that he was suffering from writer's block and when the partnership was on the wane. It also suffered from being the follow-up album to the immense Bookends, which as a concept and a coherent collection of brilliant songs, was a very tough act to follow. An album featuring a remake of an old Everley Brothers hit and second rate songs like Cecilia and Keep The Customer Satisfied is just not in the same league. I realise, however, that this is all about Lifers' favourite albums and not necessarily the best albums, so each to their own. And my own is Revolver every time.
This might be controversial, or it might be incredibly straightforward, but my two favorite stand-alone tracks between the two albums are "The Boxer" and "The Only Living Boy in New York."
And I'd say Revolver doesn't have any songs that would make it into my Top 10 (maybe even Top 20) favorite Beatles songs.
And yet, I'm going for Revolver because as an album, a wholistic work, it's so, so good.
This might be controversial, or it might be incredibly straightforward, but my two favorite stand-alone tracks between the two albums are "The Boxer" and "The Only Living Boy in New York."
And I'd say Revolver doesn't have any songs that would make it into my Top 10 (maybe even Top 20) favorite Beatles songs.
And yet, I'm going for Revolver because as an album, a wholistic work, it's so, so good.
I’m glad I'm not the only one who took the word album to heart!
This might be controversial, or it might be incredibly straightforward, but my two favorite stand-alone tracks between the two albums are "The Boxer" and "The Only Living Boy in New York."
And I'd say Revolver doesn't have any songs that would make it into my Top 10 (maybe even Top 20) favorite Beatles songs.
And yet, I'm going for Revolver because as an album, a wholistic work, it's so, so good.
Have another listen to that lovely bass line in the 'Only Living Boy in New York' SD ... and then correct your final vote
This might be controversial, or it might be incredibly straightforward, but my two favorite stand-alone tracks between the two albums are "The Boxer" and "The Only Living Boy in New York."
And I'd say Revolver doesn't have any songs that would make it into my Top 10 (maybe even Top 20) favorite Beatles songs.
And yet, I'm going for Revolver because as an album, a wholistic work, it's so, so good.
Have another listen to that lovely bass line in the 'Only Living Boy in New York' SD ... and then correct your final vote
Oh that bass line is so, so good. So good. But again I have to go for the wholistic rather than the individual songs.
Revolver. Not just because it is possibly my favourite album ever but because BOTW does not deserve to have got this far in the process. It's not only a long way short of being one of the four best albums of all time, it's not even among the best albums by Simon & Garfunkel. Slated at the time of its release as their sell-out album for its lapses into commercial pop, BOTW nevertheless has some fine moments, including the title track. But it is an eclectic mix (some might say, mishmash) of styles and influences produced at a time when Paul Simon admitted that he was suffering from writer's block and when the partnership was on the wane. It also suffered from being the follow-up album to the immense Bookends, which as a concept and a coherent collection of brilliant songs, was a very tough act to follow. An album featuring a remake of an old Everley Brothers hit and second rate songs like Cecilia and Keep The Customer Satisfied is just not in the same league. I realise, however, that this is all about Lifers' favourite albums and not necessarily the best albums, so each to their own. And my own is Revolver every time.
I never really got "Bookends". Always seemed really bitty and disjointed to me. Maybe I should give it another listen. TBH I always thought of S&G as a high quality pop group anyway...
Revolver. Not just because it is possibly my favourite album ever but because BOTW does not deserve to have got this far in the process. It's not only a long way short of being one of the four best albums of all time, it's not even among the best albums by Simon & Garfunkel. Slated at the time of its release as their sell-out album for its lapses into commercial pop, BOTW nevertheless has some fine moments, including the title track. But it is an eclectic mix (some might say, mishmash) of styles and influences produced at a time when Paul Simon admitted that he was suffering from writer's block and when the partnership was on the wane. It also suffered from being the follow-up album to the immense Bookends, which as a concept and a coherent collection of brilliant songs, was a very tough act to follow. An album featuring a remake of an old Everley Brothers hit and second rate songs like Cecilia and Keep The Customer Satisfied is just not in the same league. I realise, however, that this is all about Lifers' favourite albums and not necessarily the best albums, so each to their own. And my own is Revolver every time.
I never really got "Bookends". Always seemed really bitty and disjointed to me. Maybe I should give it another listen. TBH I always thought of S&G as a high quality pop group anyway...
Paul Simon usually takes a thoughtful and literary approach to his songwriting, which raises it above the mundaneness of pop, which is why BOTW was so disappointing to many people. He is particularly interested in the prevalence of loneliness, isolation and alienation in our urban society - in fact, there are very few of his songs, at least from his days with Art Garfunkel, from I Am A Rock and Homeward Bound to The Boxer and Only Living Boy in New York, which don't deal with this subject. In Bookends, however, he collected together on the first side of the album six tracks which explore these themes from childhood to old age via uneasy young love and disillusioned middle age. America and Old Friends are perhaps the key songs in this group, the first portraying a restlessness to discover some fulfilment or purpose to one's life, which in typical Paul Simon fashion ultimately leads to disenchantment and disappointment, while the second suggests that we are inevitably isolated individuals whose existence is validated only by our memories. Other S & G albums cover this ground in individual songs but Bookends presents them as a kind of song cycle (or, as we used to call it, a concept album) so it is really a unified work rather than a collection of disparate songs. On the second side Mrs Robinson extends the theme, while the introspective Fakin' It and the trippy At The Zoo and even A Hazy Shade of Winter, with its reference to his time as an unsuccessful writer, also suggest the viewpoint of a lonely spectator of, rather than participant in, life. Bookends is a great and ambitious album that needs to be heard as a whole concept and this, together with the quality of the songwriting, in my opinion, raises it above the likes of Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Comments
BOTW for me.
Bose are usually quite good, but overrated. If you want a decent pair of headphones (and can afford them after splashing out on some Bose!) then I recommend Audio Technica ATH-SR5BT which are great for £149, though there's a slightly hard edge on proper belting vocals, and a couple of people think the mids are a little synthetic/soulless. (I disagree - they work absolutely fine.)
And I'd say Revolver doesn't have any songs that would make it into my Top 10 (maybe even Top 20) favorite Beatles songs.
And yet, I'm going for Revolver because as an album, a wholistic work, it's so, so good.
42 - 17
Other semi-final to be posted soon...
Some really memorable tracks on it though. Many of them still played and copied today by musicians.
Great album.
Revolver was groundbreaking. Full of creativity. The inspiration that began the change of direction with many artistes of the time and after.
It's got to be Revolver.
And as many have said (probably), the best Beatles album of the lot.
Hadn't realised the votes were already in and the winner declared.