what Frank is listening to #51 – ART GARFUNKEL – Scissors Cut – (CBS) – 1981
I don't mind Art Garfunkel.
I loved Simon and Garfunkel as a kid – I saw them live at Lang Park in February 1983 (with Dirt). I was about 16 and they were magnificent. I loved their sound and lyrics and they tapped into something my youth was looking for … and then a few months later I saw the Dead Kennedys and they tapped into something else my youth was looking for, and something perhaps, then, more relevant. Still, I have a fondness for Simon and Garfunkel and I put them on, especially in melancholy moments.
OK, so Art didn't write anything, wasn't pushing boundaries musically, and, even as a vocalist was only half of a duo (that is to say Art wasn't Paul Simon's muse because Paul could sing as well …. unlike say Townshend and Daltrey from The Who where Townshend couldn't sing and needed a vocalist). So what has Art to offer? Pleasant pop tunes chosen tastefully and done in a tasteful manner. Is that all ? Maybe that's enough.
Musically, Art tends to lean to the emotional, wounded and at times, maudlin. "Bright Eyes" (1979) his best (and big selling) solo song exemplifies that, it's a great track and really sets the benchmark for wounded male songs but it punches all the right buttons, in a almost familiar way(I'm surprised it hasn't been covered by any number of the recent alt country or singer-songwriters, or maybe it has). That's not here but similar sounding numbers are.
The playing is uniformly good on this LP with all the usual session musos of the time (for all of you who like to read the session details) : Pete Carr, Larry Knetchel, Russ Kunkel,Teo Macero, Joe Osborn, Tommy Vig etc . The production by Roy Halee and Art is starting to get very "80s" but hasn't been quite ruined yet … though I cant help feeling this would have sounded better if it was recorded in 1972.
It's also very New York and slightly pretentious – black and white photography on the cover and inner, French lyrics on some of the songs, and a Gustav Flaubert quote on the inner. Having said that there are some good tracks.
"A Heart in New York" works in spite of itself – especially if you are in a melancholy mood with a few wines, whilst the other good tracks are Jimmy Webb tracks (he used Webb on an earlier album also) – I think I have mentioned the great Webb elsewhere, he is one of the best songwriters of the rock era … if you want to know about him … http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fpftxql5ldke~T1
Webb is a legend – he can write a song about anything, even the commonplace, and that's what I like about his writing … he usually uses the little things in life as the focal point of a song whilst referencing something much bigger not unlike like later Brian Wilson … for example, (and also an Elvis link) start at 2:30 mins – the hosts are annoying and should be shot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1I3OXL1_8s&feature=related.
Best Tracks:
- Scissors Cut – A Jimmy Webb track – typically off beat lyrics.
- A Heart in New York – a quite effective romantic ballad about New York in that Hollywood movie way (and very Paul Simon) … #66 pop hit.
- In Cars – A Jimmy Webb track (with vocals by Paul Simon where the song cuts into a Simon and Garfunkel classic in the fade out)
- That's All I've Got to Say – A Jimmy Webb track (with piano by Webb)
Chart Placing – Album – #113 in the Pop charts
Sound:
The Webb track "Scissors Cut" songs:
And, for those who have forgotten:
Bio:
Website:
I'll tape some songs and probably sell this.
(originally posted: 26/06/2009)
