Paul Simon's 'Songbook' shines

The Paul Simon Songbook couldn't really be bad, could it? Originally released in 1965, Songbook is a collection of Simon's finest songs, including classics such as "I Am a Rock," "A Church is Burning" and "The Sound of Silence." The re-release includes alternate versions of "I Am a Rock" and "A Church is Burning." Most songs are the versions many would recognize, with the exception of the acoustic "The Sound of Silence," in which Art Garfunkel's tenor is sorely missed. This version isn't bad, it's just not what I was expecting. \nThe alternate version of "I Am a Rock" is a gentler, lighter take on the classic, a little crisper, a little more stripped down and not quite as murky-sounding as the original. The alternate "A Church is Burning" is meatier, with a more substantial guitar sound and a more "live" feel because of the vocal prominence. \nAny longtime Paul Simon fan will already own Songbook, and the alternate versions aren't enough of a motivator for a second purchase. But for a newer generation, which might have been living in the dark of a Paul Simon-less universe, the re-release is going to become a favorite … all over again.