The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

It’s hard to imagine ‘60s pop music without the presence of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Intellectually-inclined yet always accessible, the duo rightly earned a vast and enduring following and The Best of Simon & Garfunkel provides a fine overview of how much they accomplished during their partnership. A certain genteel precision defined the duo’s sound from the start — 1964’s “The Sounds of Silence” set the template for future hits with its poetic lyrics and lustrous harmonies. Simon’s prodigious songwriting gifts produced such elegant expressions of yearning as “Homeward Bound,” “The Dangling Conversation” and “America” within a few productive years. Garfunkel distinguished himself with his angelic vocals on such showcases as “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” and the magnificent “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” From the quirky folk-pop of “Fakin’ It” to the rollicking social satire of “Mrs. Robinson” and the aching South American strains of “El Condor Pasa,” Simon and Garfunkel were consistently inventive. “My Little Town,” a 1975 reunion single, found them recapturing the spirit of their heyday. The Best of Simon & Garfunkel reaffirms just how solid their achievements remain.