SIMON & GARFUNKEL Bookends (Mobile Fidelity Sound
Lab limited edition 12-track stereo LP mastered by Krieg
Wunderlich on the Gain 2 Ultra Analog System, specially
plated & pressed at 33RPM on 180-gram SuperVinyl
from a formula developed and manufactured by NEOTECH.
Concept album, career-making moment, industry-defying
creation, years-long pursuit of perfection: Simon and
Garfunkel's Bookends adheres to all those descriptions and
more, the record at once a defining statement of the late
1960s and salient reflection on relationships, identity, society,
and mortality whose enduring relevance attests to its
exceptional merit. Ranked by countless sources as one of the
greatest records of all time, the 1968 work transcends styles,
trends, and generations. This new SuperVinyl edition
plays with brilliant detail, clarity and definition. Picture sleeve
individually gold-foil numbered and limited to 4000 copies,
factory sealed inside its perforated loose bag. Highly
recommended)
#Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.
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Simon & Garfunkel Bookends - Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 33RPM SuperVinyl - Sealed US vinyl LP album (LP record)
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| Tracklisting / Additional Info: |
Mastered on MoFi’s Renowned System and Limited to 4,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s 180g SuperVinyl 33RPM LP Magnifies the Brilliance of the Original Recording Sessions
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe
Mastered on MoFi's renowned system at the label's California studio, housed in a Stoughton jacket, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 4,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's 180-gram SuperVinyl 33 1/3 RPM LP of Bookends presents the duo's timeless effort in reference-quality sound. Benefitting from the inherent properties of the SuperVinyl formula — a nearly inaudible noise floor, superb groove definition, dead-quiet surfaces — this collectible reissue magnifies the brilliance of the extended production sessions that took place over the course of 18 months at Columbia's iconic 52nd Street Studio.
Simon himself said that Bookends possesses "the most use of the studio" of any Simon & Garfunkel effort. The plain truth of his observation comes to fore on this audiophile LP. The full bloom and natural decay of notes; weight and impact of low-end frequencies; lushness, breathiness, and air of the omnipresent harmonies; separation and imaging of the wood, string, and brass instruments; timbres and in-the-room realism of Simon's lead vocals — these critical traits and more are rendered with elevated accuracy, detail, and presence. Bookends has never sounded more transparent, lifelike, or balanced.
And that's exactly what Simon, Garfunkel, and producer Roy Halee intended while taking as many as 50 hours to nail a single track. Envisioned from the start by Simon as a way to capture the age's zeitgeist, and inspired by the broad strokes of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, Bookends pairs its sonic flair — and diverse arrangements that incorporate folk, rock, jazz, pop, and baroque elements — with arresting lyrics that address restlessness, uncertainty, alienation, love, and heritage.
The first half of Bookends traces the cycle of life from beginning to end, with the final words to "Bookends Theme" — a call to "preserve your memories/they're all that's left you" — echoing as the overarching and recurring theme of the album. Before the pair lands on that advice, Simon & Garfunkel use irony ("Save the Life of My Child"), metaphor ("America"), suggestion ("Overs"), field recordings ("Voices of Old People"), and descriptive imagery ("Old Friends") to cover everything from the loss of innocence to institutional hypocrisy and fears of loneliness.
Released amid a tumultuous political and cultural climate, Bookends retains enormous significance and relevance more than five decades later in a 21st century facing many of the same issues. Its central motifs — searching for meaning and identity; dealing with loss and disappointment; negotiating the split between authenticity and ersatz; reconciling with what one sacrifices over a lifetime; confronting life stages that involve sadness, bewilderment, and disappointment — are universal concerns. And the "America" Simon & Garfunkel pursues remains more elusive than ever.
As does our collective want for a lasting hero ("Mrs. Robinson"), tendency toward affectation ("Fakin' It"), and inclination to wishfully insert ourselves into circumstances rooted in whimsical fantasy ("Punky's Dilemma"), particularly when we need an escape. Though the songs on the album's second half were not devised as part of a unified narrative, they speak a related language steeped in disillusionment, anxiety, and doubt. None more so than on the grayscale "A Hazy Shade of Winter."
"Simply pretend," Simon sings," that you can build [hopes] again," knowing full well he's not even fooling himself. Like few albums before or since, Bookends exposes the human condition from the inside-out amid an environment that isn't what it often appears — or what we originally sought.
Side A
1. Bookends Theme
2. Save the Life of My Child
3. America
4. Overs
5. Voices of Old People
6. Old Friends
7. Bookends Theme (Reprise)
Side B
1. Fakin’ It
2. Punky’s Dilemma
3. Mrs. Robinson
4. A Hazy Shade of Winter
5. At the Zoo
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| Condition : |
Factory sealed from new. This item is unplayed. Click here for more info. |
| Availability: |
In Stock - Buy Now for shipping on Tuesday 29th October
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| Year of Release: |
2024 |
| Artist: |
Simon & Garfunkel (click here for complete listing) |
| Title: |
Bookends (click here for more of the same title) |
| Price: |
£ 79.99, US$ 103.99
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| Postage/Shipping: |
Add item to your basket for a postage/shipping quote |
| Format: |
vinyl LP album (LP record) |
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| Record Label: |
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab |
| Catalogue No: |
MFSV1-541 |
| Country of Origin: |
USA
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| Language: |
Regardless of country of origin all tracks are sung in English, unless otherwise stated in our description. |
| Date of Release: |
Unconfirmed
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| EIL.COM Ref No |
SGFLPBO849291 (quote this reference in any e-mails, letters, faxes or phone calls to help identify this item) |
| Barcode : |
196588551918 |
| Genres: |
60s Pop, 60s Rock, 70s Rock, 70s Artists, Singer/Songwriter
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| Related Artists: |
Art Garfunkel, Barney Rachabane, Harper Simon, Paul Simon |
| Complete Stock List: |
Simon & Garfunkel |
| email: |
sales@eil.com to contact our sales team. |
| Alternative Names: |
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL |
| To order by phone: |
Call +44 1474 815010 quoting EIL.COM reference number SGFLPBO849291 |
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 <BR><B>#Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time</B>)
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