"Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Island Anthology 1967-1972" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - A Review Of The December 2005 Universal/Island Remasters 3CD Mini Clamshell Box Set with Discography (by Mark Barry)...

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"…Like Another Chance…"

The 'Island Record Label' - enough to put a Weight Watchers smile on the face of even the most overweight Fiftysomething. And this rich, crazy, inspiring 3CD 48-song Mini Box Set covering their Rock, Prog and Folk Rock late Sixties and early Seventies output will only have you doing guitar windmills in your living room once again. It's a lovely thing indeed. Here are the low sparks and high heels...

Originally UK released December 2005 - "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Island Anthology 1967-1972" by VARIOUS ARTISTS is 3CD Clamshell Mini Box Set with Three Themed Compilations in Mini LP Card Sleeves with 48-Page Booklet on Universal/Island 9822950 (Barcode 602498229507) and breaks down as follows (all catalogue numbers are UK):

DISC 1, 19 tracks, 79:09 minutes:

(Jethro Tull, Amazing Blondel, Free and Quintessence pictured on the card artwork)
1. Supernatural Tales - ART (on "Supernatural Fairy Tales", December 1967 UK LP on Island ILP 967 in Mono. Band featured Bassist Greg Ridley of Spooky Tooth and Humble Pie, Guitarist Luther Grosvenor of Spooky Tooth and Mott The Hoople (as Aerial Bender) ad Deep Feeling, Mike Harrison of Spooky Tooth and Solo LPs and Michael Kellie of Spooky Tooth, Baker Gurvitz Army and later The Only Ones)
2. Paper Sun - TRAFFIC (A-side of the 7" single released May 1967 in the UK on Island WIP 6002)
3. Harpsichord Shuffle - WYNDER K. FROG (WKF is a pseudonym for Mick Weaver - on "Out Of The Frying Pan", September 1968 Stereo LP on Island ILPS 9044 in Stereo)
4. Rainbow Chaser - NIRVANA (A-side of their third 7" single released March 1968 in the UK on Island WIP 6029)
5. Pearly Queen - TRAMLINE (on "Moves Of Vegetables Centuries", January 1969 2nd UK Stereo LP on Island ILPS 9095 - a cover of a Traffic song - also appeared on the "You Can All Join In" Island Records sampler LP in March 1969. Band featured Micky Moody, guitarist later with Juicy Lucy, Snafu and Whitesnake)
6. Sunshine Help Me - SPOOKY TOOTH (A-side of the 7" single released 1968 on Island WIP 6022. Also featured on the Stereo album "It's All About" on Island ILPS 9080)
7. Dusty - JOHN MARTYN (on "The Tumbler", his 2nd album released December 1968 on Island ILPS 9091 in Stereo)
8. Meet On The Ledge - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (on "What We Did On Our Holidays", January 1969 UK 2nd Stereo LP on Island ILPS 9092)
9. A Song For Jeffrey - JETHRO TULL (on "This Was", their debut album from October 1968 on Island ILPS 9085)
10. The Carpenter - CLOUDS (on "Scrapbook", their July 1969 UK Debut Album on Island ILPS 9100)
11. I Keep Singing The Same Old Song - HEAVY JELLY (Stereo mix taken from the Island Records label sampler album "Nice Enough To Eat" released in 1969 on Island IWPS 6. The Mono Mix was released as the A-side to the UK 7" single on Island WIP 6049)
12. Black Mass: (Electric Storm In Hell) - WHITE NOISE (on "An Electric Storm", June 1969 UK Debut Album on Island ILPS 9099 in Stereo)
13. Over The Green Hills (Part 1) - FREE (on "Tons Of Sobs", their March 1969 UK Debut Album on Island ILPS 9089 in Stereo)
14. Worry - FREE (as per 13)
15. Giants - QUINTESSENCE (on "In Blissful Company", their November 1969 UK Debut Album on Island ILPS 9110 in Stereo)
16. Queen Of Scots - AMAZING BLONDEL (on "Evensong", November 1970 UK album on Island ILPS 9136 in Stereo)
17. Feelin' Alright - TRAFFIC (An 'Alternate Version' from the double-album "Dave Mason Scrapbook" released 1972 on Island ICD 5 (Mason wrote the famous song). The original mix of this DM tune is on the 1968 "Traffic" album on Island ILPS 9081)
18. Sing Me A Song That I Know So Well - BLODWYN PIG (on "Ahead Rings Out", July 1969 UK Debut LP on Island ILPS 9101 in Stereo)
19. A Sailor's Life - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (on "Unhalfbricking", July 1969 3rd UK Album on Island ILPS 9102 in Stereo)

DISC 2, 15 tracks, 73:34 minutes:

(Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, McDonald & Giles, Cat Stevens, Incredible String Band on card artwork)
1. A New Day Yesterday - JETHRO TULL (on "Stand Up", August 1969 UK 2nd LP on Island ILPS 9103)
2. No Time To Live - TRAFFIC (on "Traffic", September 1968 UK album on Island ILPS 9081)
3. Three Hours - NICK DRAKE (on "Five Leaves Left", July 1969 UK Debut LP on Island ILPS 9105)
4. Lost In My Dream - SPOOKY TOOTH (on "Spooky Two", March 1969 UK 2nd LP on Island ILPS 9098)
5. Stormbringer! - JOHN and BEVERLEY MARTYN (on "Stormbringer!", February UK 1970 album on Island ILPS 9113 - String Arrangements by Paul Harris)
6. Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal - DR. STRANGELY STRANGE (on "Kip Of The Serenes", July 1969 album on Island ILPS 9106)
7. Notting Hill Gate - QUINTESSENCE (A-side of a UK 7" single released January 1970 on Island WIP 6075)
8. Banks Of The Nile - FOTHERINGAY (on "Fotheringay", March 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9125. Features SANDY DENNY and members of FAIRPORT CONVENTION)
9. Wild World - CAT STEVENS (on "Tea For The Tillerman", November 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9135)
10. Painted Chariot - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND (on "Liquid Acrobat As Regards The Air", 1971 LP on Island ILPS 9172)
11. Cat Food - KING CRIMSON (on "In The Wake Of Poseidon", May 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9127. It's credited in the booklet as the A-side 7" single edit (at 2:47 minutes) but it plays the full album version at 4:54 minutes)
12. Groon - KING CRIMSON (non-album track, B-side to the March 1970 UK 7" single of "Cat Food" on Island WIP 6080)
13. The North Star Grassman And The Ravens - SANDY DENNY (on "The North Star Grassman And The Ravens", September 1971 LP on Island ILPS 9165)
14. Suite In C (Including Turnham Green, Here I Am And Others) - McDONALD & GILES (on "McDonald & Giles", 1970 LP on Island ILPS 9126. Ian McDonald (Saxophone and Keyboards) and Michael 'Mike' Giles (Percussion, Vocals, Writer and Arranger) were with KING CRIMSON. The track also features STEVE WINWOOD on Keyboards)
15. The Siege Of Yaddlethorpe - AMAZING BLONDEL (on "Fantasia Lindum", 1971 album on Island ILPS 9156)

DISC 3, 14 tracks, 76:18 minutes:

(Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Alan Bown, Traffic and Heads, Hands & Feet on the card artwork)
1. Knife Edge - EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER (on "Emerson, Lake & Palmer", their November 1970 debut album on Island ILPS 9132)
2. Thunderbuck Ram - MOTT THE HOOPLE (on "Bumpers", June 1970 UK Double-Album Label Sampler on Island IDP 1. The mix on this double differs to the original version on the album "Mad Shadows" from 1970 on Island ILPS 9119)
3. Northern Sky - NICK DRAKE (on "Bryter Layer", November 1970 2nd LP on Island ILPS 9134)
4. Thru The Night - THE ALAN BOWN (on "El Pea", exclusive to the October 1971 double-album label sampler on Island IDLP 1)
5. Dark Dance - ROBIN WILLIAMSON (on "Myrrh", 1972 album on Island HELP 2. Robin Williamson is from THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND)
6. I Am The Walrus - SPOOKY TOOTH (on "The Last Puff", a cover version of The Beatles classic released 1970 on Island ILPS 9117)
7. Glistening Glyndebourne - JOHN MARTYN (on "Bless The Weather", an instrumental on the November 1971 LP on Island ILPS 9167)
8. Fire And Water - FREE (on "Fire And Water", June 1970 3rd album on Island ILPS 9120)
9. See My Way - BLODWYN PIG (on "Getting To This", April 1970 2nd album on Chrysalis ILPS 9122)
10. See The World (Through My Eyes) - VINEGAR JOE (on "Vinegar Joe", their UK Debut Album from April 1972 on Island ILPS 9183. Both ELKIE BROOKS and ROBERT PALMER shared Vocals in the band)
11. Peace Train - CAT STEVENS (on "Teaser And The Fire Cat", September 1971 LP on Island ILPS 9154)
12. Watercolour Days - CLOUDS (on "Watercolour Days", 1971 LP on Chrysalis ILPS 9151)
13. The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys - TRAFFIC (on "The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys", November 1971 UK LP on Island ILPS 9180)
14. Song For Suzie - HEADS, HANDS & FEET (on "Head, Hands & Feet", 1971 LP on Island ILPS 9149. The band featured ALBERT LEE on Guitar)

Not surprisingly the box's artwork (as well as the CD labels) uses the famous 'pink' Island colouring and the 48-page booklet is both a joy to look at and a fascinating read. Compiled by reissue heroes MARK POWELL and remastered to stunning effect by PASCHAL BYRNE (Audio Archiving) - you get three and a half hours of audacious scope and at times hippy nonsense. There's a small history of the label - then each artist is lined up (in alphabetical order) with a very detailed biography by Powell - and all of it peppered with loads of album sleeves and period photos. And the remasters are fabulous...

Some might argue about the choices and the alignment of the songs (Robin Williamson gets a one minute instrumental yet a whole page of Biography) - but time after time you're hit with the sheer diversity of British Rock bands - Traffic, Jethro Tull, Spooky Tooth, Blodwyn Pig and ELP. And how good it is to see bands like Clouds, Vinegar Joe, Quintessence, Fotheringay and Heads, Hands & Feet get an airing. The 11-minute McDonald & Giles "Suite In C" is a complex Prog masterpiece. And it's clever of the compilers to include four rarities/exclusives by Heavy Jelly, The Alan Bown, Mott The Hoople and Traffic from the compilations "Nice Enough To Eat" (November 1969), "Bumpers" (June 1970, 2LPs), "El Pea" (October 1971, 2LPs) and the Alternate Mix of a Traffic song on the Dave Mason double-album "Scrapbook". In fact, Island's first label sampler from March 1969 "You Can All Join In" is featured on this 3CD Box by 6 tracks of its original 12 - they are "A Song For Jeffrey" by Jethro Tull, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Pearly Queen" by Tramline, "Meet On The Ledge" by Fairport Convention, "Rainbow Chaser" by Nirvana and "Dusty" by John Martyn. The "Nice Enough To Eat" LP Sampler has four entries - Tramline, Heavy Jelly and Blodwyn Pig (all on CD1) with Dr. Strangely Strange and their Box Set title song on CD2. Those entry-into-another-world Island Records budget LPs are pictured on Page 8 (see below) as is a July 1994 CD compilation called "Folk Routes" which gathers up obscuro's like "Siege Of Yaddlethrorpe" by Amazing Blondel on CD2. Speaking of Sampler LPs - it amazes me that Universal haven't done either "Bumpers" or "EL Pea" as 2CD Deluxe Editions with shit tons of Bonus Tracks? How many of us oldies-but-goldies knew those Budget LP innards by heart - great memories. 

Singer-songwriter stunners include the mighty Folk-Rock giants of John Martyn, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Cat Stevens and the boys from The Incredible String Band - all sounding gorgeous and alive as they slink across your speakers with renewed fidelity (Danny Thompson's sliding Double-Bass playing being the hero contribution on many of them). Rockers and Progtastic types like FREE, MOTT THE HOOPLE, JETHRO TULL, SPOOKY TOOTH and ELP are beloved for damn good reason (their entries illuminate why - check out Spooky Tooth's fantastic "Lost In My Dreams" on CD2 which sounds staggeringly contemporary even today). The Blues Rock of the long-forgotten and commercially unsuccessful TRAMLINE featured Vocal and Harmonica from John McCoy (future Manager for Claire Hamill and Chris Rea) and more famously - the ace guitarist Micky Moody who would later grace Juicy Lucy, Snafu and Whitesnake. Featured here (and the opening track on their second and last album - the frightfully named "Moves Of Vegetable Centuries" - disbanded by early 1969). Tramline's cover of Traffic's "Pearly Queen" also showed up on the first Island Records budget sampler LP "You Can All Join In" in March 1969 (I proudly own a nice copy of 'Join In' with its 14 Shillings and 4d Sticker, Pink Eye Logo Label and Island's Bands on the Front Cover artwork - check out a grinning Ian Anderson in the Back Row and a studious be-hatted Steve Winwood in row three stood beside the cool shades of Dave Mason author of "Feelin' Alright" - both no doubt thinking of getting it together in the country).

I'd admit that I find the Acid-Psych-Folk of the Box Set's namesake Dr. Strangely Strange a wee bit twee - but you gotta love the mad making hay of their "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal" track. It is followed by things-are-great in the meditation sessions of "Notting Hill Gate" by Quintessence - a catchy fuzz-guitar 45 (if you can image such a thing). And is there any melody-loving music fan that can resist the gorgeous Fotheringay entry "Banks Of The Nile" - eight-minutes of exquisite soldier-sadness narrated by the warmth of Sandy Denny's lovely voice. With its Non-LP flipside, the King Crimson 45 is a cool inclusion too - even if the A-side is miscredited as the Single Mix when in fact it plays the Full Album Version of "Cat Food". A favourite - the near twelve minutes of Traffic's "Low Spark" is an awesome thing to behold (lyrics from it entitle this review).

So much to discover, re-visit and delight in. "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Island Anthology 1967-1972" is a fantastic reminder of a time when musically anything seemed possible - and on the evidence legally declared here - it clearly was. And in 2026 - over 20 years on - can we hope for Volume 2 please...

"Unusual" by ROGER RUSKIN SPEAR [of The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band] (September 2014 Esoteric Recordings CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Trouble With My Trousers And A Struggle With My Shirt…" 

Following on from his daft-as-a-brush “Electric Shocks” album from October 1972 – one year later and the ex BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND main man was at it again. “Unusual” is a another cocktail of wonderfully eccentric send-up - Monty Python type lunacy where men struggle with submersible trousers and go bumpity bump in roadsters made for two as vaudeville songs played on Tubas waft out of a wireless hidden by Billy Bunter in Felsham hedgerows… As you can imagine it’s very funny and very, very silly. Here are the Mad Dogs and their certifiable Englishman…

UK released on CD September 2014 - "Unusual" by ROGER RUSKIN SPEAR is on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2464 (Barcode 5013929456440) and is a straightforward remastered transfer of the original 1973 11-track LP that breaks down as follows (34:23 minutes):

1. Pinball Wizard [Side 1]

2. On Her Doorstep Last Night

3. Trouble With My Trousers

4. Shove-Off Shostakovich

5. I Love To Go Bumpity Bump (On A Bumpy Road With You)

6. When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba Down In Cuba [Side 2]

7. Frank The Ripper

8. Morecombe And Wise

9. Heartbreak Hotel

10. My Goodness (Or The Revolutionary New Concrete Mixer Show)

11.Unusual

Tracks 1 to 11 are his second solo album "Unusual" - originally released on vinyl LP October 1973 in the UK on United Artists UAG 29508

Quite apart from the sheer craziness of the proceedings - the first thing that hits you is the great remaster carried out to perfection by BEN WISEMAN at Audio Archiving. The dense multi-tracked original tapes have been given a right polish and all the instrument antics, funny voices and animal noises are here in fabulous sound quality.

The 16-page colour booklet features photos of our Roger with his boggle-eyes, white lab coat and massive Tuba - looking like a doctor who shouldn’t be let loose in any ward. He shares his typically brill reminiscences of each song and how they came to be (the band HELP YOURSELF guest on “Bumpity Bump” while THUNDERCLAP “Something In The Air” NEWMAN plays the piano on his fabulous send up of The Who’s classic “Pinball Wizard”). And as with the preceding “Electric Shocks” issue – there are superb further liner notes from noted writer MALCOLM DOME. It’s very classily done.

Carrying on in much the same tradition as the Bonzo albums on Liberty - the songs are full of madcap rhythms and old timey melodies (like he’s on the set of Boardwalk Empire). You’ll find yourself giggling a lot and his brilliantly deadpan cover of Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” will have you wanting to You Tube it immediately (telling the world of your fab new find). Spear in fact felt that “Unusual” and its comedy suffered unfairly against the more popular “Electric Shocks” album from 1972 (see my review) - and that now in 2014 - it genuinely deserves reappraisal. He’s right because there’s songwriting/comedic genius amidst all of the tomfoolery (check out “Trouble With My Trousers”).

No one but no one does bonkers quite like the British – and well done to all the good people in Cherry Red and Esoteric for getting this forgotten piece of stark-raving mad back out there...

"The Collection" by SIMON & GARFUNKEL - Featuring Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel (November 2007 UK Columbia 5CD/1DVD Mini Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry ...

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"...Your Time Has Come To Shine..."

Released November 2007 - "The Collection" by SIMON & GARFUNKEL on Columbia/Legacy 88697134662 is an inconspicuous 5CD/1DVD mini box set. But not so well advertised is the fact that it uses the stunning VIC ANESINI remasters of "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective from August 2001. So under its rather dull-looking S&G silhouette hood - you get a whole lot of sonic quality for not a lot of your hard earned. Here are the groovy feelings and remastered bookends...

Disc 1 "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM" (40:36 minutes):

1. You Can Tell The World

2. Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream

3. Bleecker Street

4. Sparrow

5. Benedictus

6. The Sound Of Silence

7. He Was My Brother

8. Peggy-O

9. Go Tell It On The Mountain

10. The Sun Is Burning

11. The Times They Are A-Changin'

12. Wednesday Morning, 3A.M.

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut vinyl album "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM" - released 19 October 1964 in the USA on Columbia CL 2249 (Mono) and CS 9049 (Stereo) - the Stereo Mix is used. "Bleecker Street", "Sparrow", "He Was My Brother" and "Wednesday Morning, 3A.M." are Paul Simon songs - the rest are cover versions.

13. Bleecker Street (Demo)

14. He Was My Brother (Alternate Take 1)

15. The Sun Is Burning (Alternate Take 12)

Tracks 13 to 15 are BONUSES from the "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective (August 2001)

Disc 2 "Sounds Of Silence" (41:44 minutes):

1. The Sound Of Silence

2. Leaves That Are Green

3. Blessed

4. Kathy's Song

5. Somewhere They Can't Find Me

6. Anji

7. Richard Cory

8. A Most Peculiar Man

9. April Come She Will

10. We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'

11. I Am A Rock

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 2nd album "Sounds Of Silence" - released 17 January 1966 in the USA on Columbia CL 2469 (Mono) and CS 9469 (Stereo) - the Stereo mix is used. All songs by Paul Simon except "Anji" which is a cover version of a song by UK Folk artist Davy Graham

12. Blues Run The Game

13. Barbriallen (Demo)

14. Rose Of Aberdeen (Demo)

15. Roving Gambler (Demo)

Tracks 12 to 15 are BONUSES from the "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective (August 2001). "Blues Run The Game" is a Jackson C. Frank song and it opens his 1966 self-titled album "Jackson C. Frank" on Columbia Records in the UK (produced by Paul Simon). This studio outtake is S&G's version of it. The other 3 tracks are Traditionals.

Disc 3 "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" (34:13 minutes):

1. Scarborough Fair / Canticle

2. Patterns

3. Cloudy

4. Homeward Bound

5. The Bright Green Pleasure Machine

6. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

7. The Dangling Conversation

8. Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall

9. A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission)

10. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her

11. A Poem On The Underground Wall

12. 7 O'Clock News / Silent Night

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 3rd album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" - released 10 October 1966 on Columbia CL 2563 (Mono) and CS 9363 (Stereo) - the Stereo mix is used. All tracks written by Paul Simon except "Scarborough Fair / Canticle" which is co-written with Art Garfunkel and "Silent Night" which is a Traditional Hymn.

13 Patterns (Demo)

14 A Poem On The Underground Wall (Demo)

Tracks 13 and 14 are BONUSES from the "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective (August 2001)

Disc 4 "Bookends" (34:30 minutes):

1. Bookends Theme [Instrumental Version]

2. Save The Life Of My Child

3. America

4. Overs

5. Voices Of Old People [no music, just elderly people talking]

6. Old Friends

7. Bookends Theme [with Lyrics]

8. Fakin' It

9. Punky's Dilemma

10. Mrs. Robinson (From the Motion Picture Soundtrack "The Graduate")

11. A Hazy Shade Of Winter

12. At The Zoo

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 4th studio album "Bookends" - released 3 April 1968 in the USA on Columbia KCS 9529 (Stereo). Al songs by Paul Simon

13. You Don't Where Your Interest Lies

14. Old Friends (Demo)

Tracks 13 and 14 are BONUSES from the "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective (August 2001)

Disc 5 "Bridge Over Trouble Water" (44:04 minutes):

1. Bridge Over Troubled Water

2. El Condor Pasa (If I Could)

3. Cecilia

4. Keep The Customer Satisfied

5. So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

6. The Boxer

7. Baby Driver

8. The Only Living Boy In New York

9. Why Don't You Write Me

10. Bye Bye Love

11. Song For The Asking

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 5th and final studio album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - released 26 January 1970 in the USA on Columbia KCS 9914 (Stereo). All songs are by Paul Simon except "Bye Bye Love" which is an Everly Brothers cover version

12. Feuilles-O (Demo)

13. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Demo Take 6)

Tracks 13 and 14 are BONUSES from the "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective (August 2001)

Disc 6 "The Concert In Central Park" (86 minute PAL DVD, All Regions)

1. Mrs. Robinson

2. Homeward Bound

3. America

4. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard

5. Scarborough Fair

6. April Come She Will

7. Wake Up Little Susie

8. Still Crazy After All These Years

9. American Tune

10. Late In The Evening

11. Slip Slidin' Away

12. A Heart In New York

13. The Late Great Johnny Ace

14. Kodachrome/Maybelline

15. Bridge Over Troubled Water

16. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

17. The Boxer

18. Old Friends

19. Bookends

20. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

21. The Sound Of Silence

22. Late In The Evening

The pull-off lid reveals 5 Card Repro sleeves for the albums standing up inside and a 6th disc - a DVD as documented above. The CDs take their remasters from the August 2001 "The Complete Studio Recordings (1964-1970)" 5CD retrospective remastered by Vic Anesini. Compilers of the original 1997 “Old Friends” box set explained how it took Columbia up to 3 years to locate the best possible STEREO source tapes - and the sonic results Anesini produced are simply stunning. Beautiful clarity and real presence...

The booklet for this budget box keeps it simple - 12 pages of track details, basic recording/release info peppered with some period photos of the American duo. The lovely 5 x 5" Card Repro Sleeves are very well done (front and rear artwork fully represented) and inside each is a charcoal-grey inner sleeve to protect the disc (all the CDs have the same greyish colour scheme and don't reflect the original `360 Sound' Columbia record labels). The DVD uses the artwork of the 1982 double-album "The Concert In Central Park" - and as it contains live Simon & Garfunkel hits alongside many great Paul Simon solo tunes  - makes for a superb addition to the music.

12 of their American hit singles between 1965 and 1970 are here in Stereo form - "The Sound Of Silence", "Homeward Bound", "I Am A Rock", "The Dangling Conversation", "A Hazy Shade Of Winter, "At The Zoo", "Fakin' It", "Scarborough Fair / Canticle", "Mrs. Robinson", "The Boxer", "Bridge Over Trouble Water" and "El Condor Paso". But it's the album nuggets that get you too - the folk warmth of "Kathy's Song", the hip wit of "Punky's Dilemma" ("...talking to a raisin that occasionally plays L.A...."), the irrepressible hippy happiness of "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" and the Vietnam war swallowing up peace in the brilliant combination of the "7 O'Clock News" with the hymn "Silent Night". And even now the sheer melodies in "The Only Living Boy In New York" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" still move you (lyrics from Bridge title this review). Some of the bonuses are just as beautiful too - especially their version of the Jackson C. Frank gem - "Blues Run The Game" (what a find).

So there you have it. Although it's not the most awesome thing from the outside - "The Collection" has the audio and visual goods on the inside - and it’s cheap as chips price makes it a stunning deal into the bargain. A Columbia Legacy indeed...