More of the Music of Simon and Garfunkel
Reviews and Commentaries for Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Presenting another entry in our extensive listening in depth series with advice on what to listen for as you critically evaluate your copy of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.
Here are some albums currently on our site with similar track by track breakdowns.
Side One
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Listen carefully to the voices on this track, one of our favorites to test with. On the best copies they sound exceptionally delicate yet full-bodied.
Patterns
The percussion on this track is a great test for smear, a problem that plagues most pressings to one degree or another. On the better copies you’ll distinctly hear the sound of the drummer’s hands hitting the skins of the bongos, as well as lots of ambience and echo around the drums.
Note also that every stereo copy we’ve ever played spits at least a little on this song.
Cloudy
Homeward Bound
This song has a bit of a radio EQ and will never be Demo Quality, but on a Hot Stamper copy with reasonably good life and energy it can sound musical and involving.
The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)
Side Two
The Dangling Conversation
On the most transparent copies you’ll really be able to get a true sense of the depth of the studio. Listen closely and you should be able to spot the placement of all the instruments in the soundfield, with the strings in the back and the voices up front.
Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall
A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara’d…)
This song is clearly Dylan-influenced, and the sound falls right in line. It should sound lively, with good texture on the vocals and plenty of fuzz on the fuzzed-out electric guitar.
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
The best copies of this song represent Tubey Magical Analog at its best. The acoustic guitar and voice have the potential to be exceptionally rich, warm, and sweet. The Red Label reissues generally fail to present the right sound for this track.
A Poem on the Underground Wall
7 O’Clock News/Silent Night
Further Reading