Their third album and widely regarded as the first masterpiece, presumably in reference to
‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, up-and-coming in 1970.

The album was the first where Paul Simon, mainly it sounds, took control of the production and process of making and recording the album. And it is a fine job, with many familiar tracks.  However, for me, more interesting are the tracks I didn’t know, especially ‘A simple desultory philippic (or how I was Robert McNamara’d into submission)’ which is a Dylanesque  (meaning rambling crazy lyrics to a further rambling melody) track referring to the Stones, the Beatles, politics and the world around them.

There is a fair amount of political comment in this album that includes many references to Vietnam, including a really innovative rendition of silent night with a news bulletin in the background that eventually gets louder and closes on reference to Vietnam.

Released – October 1966

Favourite Track – A simple desultory philippic (or how I was Robert McNamara’d into submission)

Rating – tricky  – 8.3