"Bridge Over Trouble Water" sounds artificial

I have "Graceland" and "Still Crazy after all these years" on vinyl and I enjoy them a great deal.
Last Winter, after listening to them, I got nostalgic, thinking I’d like some of the older songs that I grew up with. On eBay, I found a NM copy of Simon & Garfunkel’s "greatest hits"...released in the mid 70’s. OMG, it was the perfect example of "one and done". The sound took me back alright... back to the sound of a battery operated, early transistor, AM radio. I listened to the whole thing, hoping to find one track that sounded good, and gave up. Haven’t bothered to listen to it again.
That was disappointing!

I have original vinyl recordings of S&G. Bridge Over Troubled Waters is an excellent recording and mix, as it was originally mastered by Columbia.

No idea what the OP is listening to, what mix or who mastered it.

Happened to listen to Bridge over Troubled Waters cd this weekend (and other S&G stuff) and thought it was surprisingly well recorded and sounding. Not all tracks though. The joy with a fine system is to hear it all, even the bad parts. I mean it is a studio product. Didn't listen to them as young so have no nostalgia here. If you want to hear what is possible to create in a studio today try Sierra Hull and the above mentioned Sarah.

Of all the CD’s released this 1985 made in Japan is the one with least compression.
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/76411

And there’s 3 used ones on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=CDCBS+63699&_sacat=0

Look what they are getting for the later Sony SBM (Super Bit Mapping Mastersound) ones.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=CK-64421&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=%095-099746-248826
And they don’t have the dynamic range, of the older ones http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/5716

Cheers George

Take some time and listen again. Sometimes the difference in information you're receiving through your system takes a while for your ears to become accustomed to. If it's not sounding brash or sibilant or harsh take some time and enjoy the bits that are new discoveries. I think mapman sums it up perfectly.