Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends

1. Product Details

A Timeless Reflection on America and Ourselves: Simon & Garfunkel's Searching Bookends Searches and Asks Big Questions, Includes 'Mrs. Robinson' and 'A Hazy Shade of Winter' 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 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 it's exceptional merit. Ranked by countless sources as one of the greatest records of all time, the 1968 work transcends styles, trends, and generations. 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 180g SuperVinyl 33RPM 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 it's 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. It's 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. 1/4' / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe Numbered 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP STRICTLY LIMITED TO 4,000 COPIES Track List Side One: 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 Side Two: 1. Fakin' It 2. Punky's Dilemma 3. Mrs. Robinson 4. A Hazy Shade of Winter 5. At the Zoo

2. Shipping and Delivery

Shipping is available to the 48 contiguous United States. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes, International locations, or APO/FPO addresses. 

Please ensure your address is entered correctly. We are unable to redirect to an alternate shipping address once an order is placed.If your order contains multiple items, it may ship from different warehouse locations.

Tracking information will be sent as items are shipped.

Allow up to 5 business days for your order to process when calculating delivery dates. 

Note: Additional delays may occur due to severe weather or other carrier delays. 

Standard Shipping: allow 7-10 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Media Mail; all other products via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.

Expedited Shipping: allow 2-5 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; all other products via UPS 2-Day Air or FedEx 2-Day Air.

Overnight Shipping: allow 1-2 business days for delivery. All products will be shipped via UPS Next Day Air or FedEx Next Day Air. 

3. Return Policy

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased from Victrola.com. All items must be returned as new in their original packaging, including all accessories and cables. Albums must be unopened to receive a refund. Missing items will be charged based on suggested retail prices.

All returns must be accompanied by a valid return authorization number (RMA) issued by Victrola. If an RMA is not obtained prior to shipping, the returned product will be refused and returned to sender.

If the item is no longer wanted, the shipping cost is not refundable and returns must be shipped prepaid by the customer. There is a 15% restocking fee that will be calculated based on the price of the product once the item is refunded.

If the item is defective, a pre-paid shipping label to return the product will be provided, and no restocking fee applies.

To set up a return for refund please visit Customer Care. Be sure to include your order # and reason for your return when submitting your request.

View more information about returns and warranty here.

Ratings and Reviews

Ratings and Reviews Underline