Paul Simon has been making music for almost 50 years, starting from when he and Art Garfunkel formed their famous band in 1964. Since then, he has won 12 Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as half of the duo in 1990, as well as solo in 2001. As one of the most decorated musicians, Simon has had a profound influence on pop culture.
Joining many other great artists, Simon has recently released a collection of hits from his entire career. The 20-song Over The Bridge Of Time is the first album to contain material from both his Simon And Garfunkel years and his solo period. The tracks are in chronological order and are taken from his many releases, including the Grammy-winning LPs like the duo’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and his solo Graceland. As all the songs on this anthology are picked from critically acclaimed records, each track is obviously exceptional. However, because so many different eras are represented on the compilation, it does not flow very well. Of course, that’s to be expected, but having the bouncy “Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard” play right after the momentous “Bridge Over Troubled Water” creates a contrast large enough to throw off the whole feel of the album.
Over The Bridge Of Time is a commendable compilation and takes a very retrospective attitude toward Simon’s music. The assemblage effectively conveys that Paul Simon is a distinguished musician and successfully accomplishes the colossal task that is shrinking the entire lifetime of Simon and his music into one disc.
In A Word: Immense
