Garfunkel & Garfunkel - Father & Son (BMG) .jpg)
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Release Date: Out Now
Right, tissues at the ready people. Garfunkel (yes, that one) and Garfunkel (no, not that one) have teamed up to record an album of their favourite songs and called it 'Father & Son', just in time for Christmas. This is the kind of album that can heal rifts, bring families together and turn seething lumps of testosterone into gibbering children who just want to play catch wit their daddies. First up is the duo's version of the classic 'Blue Moon' which is so beautiful and so haunting that it genuinely stopped me in my tracks and made me forget who the blue half of Manchester has adopted this one as their anthem.
Don McLean's 'Vincent' gets given the smooth and tender treatment before a gorgeous version of my second favourite Beatles song, 'Blackbird', twitters tunefully into the dead of night. Dipping back into his old songbook for 'Old Friends', Garfunkel Jnr takes on the Paul Simon role for a sensitive re imagining before Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time' is given a brilliant treatment, providing a highlight of the collection. The vocal on 'Once In A While' is as intimate as you could get - Nat would approve - before 'I Won't Let You Down' introduces me to a song I was previously unaware of, thanks to 80s band Ph. D.
The vocal harmonies of Garfunkel and Garfunkel are perfectly suited to the Everly Brothers' 'Let It Be Me' and the cinematic, sweeping string arrangement of 'Nature Boy' is genuinely stirring stuff. There is a palpable sadness to 'You Belong To Me' as the pair pay respect to one of the greats but the Eurythmics' 'Here Comes The Rain Again' is a far more modern and energetic number that reminds you just how good Dave and Annie were as song writers.
The album finishes off with the title track, 'Father & Son', which is, of course, an honest retelling of the Cat Stevens classic tear-jerker that we all know, love and are still angry at Boyzone for ruining. As I said, a genuinely beautiful collection of songs delivered with tenderness, respect and joy in the heart of the performers. Get this for your dad for Christmas and let the good times flow (and probably a few tears, as well).
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