Paul Simon – Over The Bridge Of Time: A Paul Simon Retrospective 1964-2011 (2013) [AcousticSounds FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

2013 release, the first-ever single disc collection to feature the best of Simon & Garfunkel and solo Paul Simon. Over The Bridge Of Time takes listeners on a comprehensive journey through Simon’s career, starting with Simon & Garfunkel’s legendary output on Columbia Records and continuing with Simon’s diverse solo recordings, which saw him incorporating familiar Pop-Rock styles with a slew of world music influences, from Reggae and Gospel to traditional African and Brazilian rhythms.

Released as a companion to Legacy’s Complete Album Collection, Over the Bridge of Time: A Paul Simon Retrospective (1964-2011) condenses a five-decade career into 20 tracks. That’s hardly enough to contain all the hits, so the compilers have opted for a mini-biography, tracing Simon’s evolution from Simon & Garfunkel to the restless bard of the new millennium. Corners are cut, hits are forgotten – and not small ones, either; “Mrs. Robinson,” “Kodachrome,” “Loves Me Like a Rock,” “The Obvious Child” are all missing in action – but Over the Bridge doesn’t quite feel as if anything is missing because it does paint a nice overall picture of Simon’s career and does have many major songs, including “The Sound of Silence,” “The Boxer,” “The Only Living Boy in New York,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Slip Slidin’ Away,” “Late in the Evening,” and “You Can Call Me Al.” Other compilations dig deeper and individual albums are necessary, but as a full-career overview, this does its job.

01 – The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel)
02 – America (Simon & Garfunkel)
03 – The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel)
04 – Cecilia (Simon & Garfunkel)
05 – The Only Living Boy in New York (Simon & Garfunkel)
06 – Bridge over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)
07 – Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
08 – Mother and Child Reunion
09 – American Tune
10 – 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
11 – Still Crazy After All These Years
12 – Slip Slidin’ Away
13 – Late in the Evening
14 – Hearts and Bones
15 – Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes
16 – You Can Call Me Al
17 – Spirit Voices
18 – That’s Where I Belong
19 – Everything About It Is a Love Song
20 – Love and Hard Times