I think it’s hard for most of to imagine the strain of Simon and Garfunkel from Paul Simon’s perspective. As the sole songwriter and musician in the band, responsible for arranging and then even singing approximately half of the group material, it’s should be easy to understand his frustration about the distribution of responsibilities, but I think it goes further than that.

More than anything else, I believe that Paul Simon longed for an identity that was uniquely his own, apart from a partner. Even happily married couples usually retain identities separate from their spouse, so when the relationship is considerably more casual than a ‘marriage’, it becomes somewhat easier to sympathize with Simon’s predicament. Unfortunately, for him, though, the public felt extraordinarily disappointed by the pair’s ‘separation’, almost as though it was a betrayal of trust. Fans invested a lot of emotional energy in the music of Simon and Garfunkel, and the split did not add up with the perceived gentility and warmth of the pairing.

Luckily, Simon’s talent was able to win the day. By writing a pair of hummable hit singles, he kept his name at the top of the charts. Further, by releasing an album that felt much more casual than the most recent duo records, he started to establish the identity of himself as a solo individual, warts and all. In retrospect, it was a canny maneuver, and , perhaps because it doesn’t sound overly fussy, the album still holds up.

Featured tracks include;

1. Mother and Child Reunion

2. Duncan

3. Everything Put Together Falls Apart

4. Run That Body Down

5. Armistice Day

6. Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard

7. Peace Like River

8. Papa Hobo

9. Hobo’s Blues

10. Paranoia Blues

11. Congratulations