The grand and organically titled Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme is a rich and often stunning listen. With producer Bob Johnston onboard for a second go-round, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were obviously shooting for a lot more than their usual acoustic fare. While hurriedly walking down the street one chilly autumn day, the popular refrain, “Slow down / you move too fast, you got to make this morning last,” from “The
Starting off with the dreamy “Scarborough Fair,” the entrancing and hypnotic mood for the overall album is set in place. The Byzantine melody and hushed vocals help the track to positively sparkle. It will instantly bring back magical memories of your childhood the first time you hear it. We then pick up the pace and add some unsettling heavy percussion on “Patterns” before settling back into a more comfortable groove for “Cloudy.” This was the point of the record where I wish I could find the nearest patch of grass, lie down and gaze up at the clouds in the sky. Such peaceful reverie! This is music our busied souls need to hear more of these days.
Breaking up the next familiar section of hit S&G songs is the delightful surprise of “The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine.” Filled with fun poetry and a carefree sense of whimsy, this is more stuff that children’s stories and fairy tales are made of. Such material is childlike in the best sense of the word, and the complex lyrics help each one to be even more mature than the last. Trying on grown-ups’ clothes for a jarring change of pace is the odd, Dylanesque piece “A Simple Desultory Philippic,” where the subject of marijuana use is disguised as “having tea.” Not sure such adult subject matter belongs for an album largely about innocence, but at least it shows off the duo’s range and proves they can rock out when it is required of them.
The gentle yet potent “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” is more suited for the style they are most known for and rightfully so. With their incredible harmonies, these two young New Yorkers really didn’t need much more than just a guitar or piano to sing to in order to effectively move listeners to tears. The closing tune “
All Enneagram Type 4’s should run — not walk — to their nearest CD shop and seek Parsley, Sage out. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
