Almost everything on this album is usually overlooked, but some of the overlooked tracks are worth taking a second look at. "Sparrow" is pretty blatant, but makes for a good listen; "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is simply a cover of a traditional piece, but it's been arranged with some great interplay between the voices. "Benedictus" is translated in full as "Blessed are those who have come in the name of the Lord," and it features beautiful language (Latin) and beautiful sound.

"The Sun Is Burning" starts off gently and beautifully, but by the fourth verse, we realize what's up. This isn’t a song about the movement of the sun through the sky; it’s a song about nuclear holocaust. Once you realize that, the beginning is never quite the same... the children playing, the couples holding hands: none of it seems innocent anymore; instead it's very sad and poignant. Maybe it’s just me, but the music doesn’t seem quite resolved at the end, like there’s more to tell, like something’s been left unfinished, as though there should be more to it. To me, it helps to make the story more than just the words... the music’s become a part of the telling.

I don't know if it's the sound, the voices, the lyrics, or what, but something about "Bleeker Street" just leaves me speechless. I love the atmosphere the boys create with the music; somehow it fits the fog, the dreariness, the "sad café," just perfectly. One of the few songs that's ever made me want to cry, "Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m." is another one of the stars of this album. S&G always seemed very good at making you feel what they were singing, through their voices, their words, and their music, and this is a great example.

Finally, the one track on this album that I can almost guarantee that you've heard, though not necessarily this version of it... "The Sound Of Silence." Long live original album tracks. This uses just acoustic guitar instead of the drums and electric guitar used in the hit version. I love how at the beginning of the second verse, there’s a series of rising chords... just lovely. The softness of the music makes the whole setup much more surreal than the hit version.

Notes on the expanded edition bonus tracks:

The only bonus track I feel moved to comment on is the alternate take of "He Was My Brother." This, apparently, is the harmonica part Art comments in the original liner notes about fighting for. I like it; it gives the song a little more flavor, and makes the song more interesting to listen to.

Overall, 3 stars out of 5. It's not a bad album at all; it's just not terribly original. And yes, I understand that they were young and that they were trying to do folk. There's some great stuff on here, but as they proved in future albums, they were capable of a whole lot more.