I promised myself I would review this album the day it came out, but
promises made by seniors in college with 21 credits are easily broken.
Nonetheless, it is high time I tossed my two cents’ worth in on the
album that I waited two years for. After nearly 40 years as an
internationally acclaimed musician, Art Garfunkel unveiled an album
demonstrating his talents as a songwriter. Garfunkel shares songwriting
credits on six of the 13 tracks on the aptly named Everything Waits to be Noticed,
which is a collaborative effort with musicians Maia Sharp and Buddy
Mondlock and producer Billy Mann. Astute fans familiar with Still Water, Garfunkel’s collection of prose poems, will recognize in these songs traces of his poetry.
Bounce and Perfect Moment served as an enticing preview to this album when they were featured on the WB show Felicity in 2001. The rich harmonies, intricate guitar work, and energy of Bounce,
the album’s first track, set a tone for the rest of the album,
showcasing how well Garfunkel, Sharp, and Mondlock complement one
another, while the words are indicative of the risks Garfunkel took with
this album: “We bounce between the devil and the deep blue sea / We
bounce between forever and what may never be.”
Perfect Moment,
co-written by Garfunkel, is a soft, dreamy remembrance of a first
encounter between lovers, accentuating the ephemeral nature of that one
perfect moment when their eyes first met. It gets my vote for favorite
song on the album. The poem (number 41 in the book) which inspired it
recalls the words of Garfunkel’s wife, Kim, reminiscing on her first
encounter with Garfunkel: “You met me once before we met the first
time... you looked me straight in the eyes then went away...So years
later, by the Bridge of Sighs, when I saw you apart, I knew it was safe
enough to trust the consistent heart.”
Garfunkel’s writing
contributions are present on several of the album’s highlights. The
title track focuses on all the tiny details in life that deserve
attention from the outside world and highlights Mondlock’s vocals, while
the words seem especially appropriate to Garfunkel himself: “Longing
for braver day / cautiously turning a phrase / going unnoticed.”
Garfunkel has always been the more low-key half of Simon and Garfunkel
and has said that he never wanted to compete with Simon when it came to
songwriting. It is most gratifying to see what he can do now that he has
chosen to share yet another of his talents with the world.
The Thread
highlights Sharp’s vocals and saxophone savvy and juxtaposes time and
place to illustrate the connection between two people. “This time, this
place / This state of grace / The promise of tomorrow / Your thread runs
through / Park Avenue / Street of dreams and sorrow.”
Other album standouts include The Kid,
the plaintive tale of a dreamer who knows most of his dreams will never
come true but pursues them anyway. Garfunkel’s vocals drive this track,
whose menacing percussion contributes to an overall aura making this
tune reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel’s classic The Boxer. The song ends with the jewel of wisdom “I could no more stop dreaming / than I could make them all come true.”
The album is a departure from most of Garfunkel’s solo work, which is
characterized by richly orchestral ballads befitting his range and
romantic sensibilities. The harmonic tightness among the three
performers invites comparison to Garfunkel’s early work with Paul Simon,
but this album is a new and distinct manifestation of his talent. In
addition to being a very personal album for Garfunkel, it also
introduces his fans to the lesser-known but extremely talented Sharp and
Mondlock. This latest addition to the Garfunkel catalogue is lush,
compelling, and well worth the wait.
Track List:
Bounce
The Thread
The Kid
Crossing Lines
Everything Waits to Be Noticed
Young and Free
Perfect Moment
Turn, Don't Turn Away
Wishbone
How Did You Know?
What I Love About Rain
Every Now and Then
Another Only One
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