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In contrast to the single-CD Negotiations and Love Songs, which skates swiftly across his solo canon, this three-disc box follows Paul Simon's evolution from the folk-rock of Simon & Garfunkel toward a highly personalized synthesis of pop, vintage rock, folk, and world music. Laid out in chronological order, 1964-1993 reminds us that the Queens, New York, troubadour was dabbling in hymn-lined melodies, Third World accents, and doo-wop melisma long before Graceland or Songs from the Capeman. While Simon's painstaking craft produced little in the way of shelf material (consisting here of a long unreleased track, "Thelma," a solo demo for "Bridge over Troubled Water," and live versions of six other classics), the set does make room for sturdy gems, including "Slip Slidin' Away" and a satisfying array of his enduring album tracks. --Sam Sutherland