⭐ Official Review [Album]: "MADE IN AMERICA" (SP-3723)

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Cashbox Magazine June 20, 1981 Made In America Album Review

Cashbox International News Article Jan 16, 1982 regarding the recent Brazil Tour (late 81)
It sounds like from the article that Carpenters had a grueling and hectic schedule it's no wonder
Karen got through it all especially in her condition. It's sad reading that last sentence of a tour that would never happen.

 

[AM Matt]

Did "Rolling Stone" magazine did a short article on the album?? Did the magazine gave it ** (2 stars) out of 5 stars?? Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[JBee]

Ah, Made in America, or as I like to call it: There's A Kind of Hush 2: Electric Boogaloo. Except not as good. You would never give this album to anyone to introduce them either to the Carpenters as a group, or Karen Carpenter as a singer. After going through all 19 pages of comments, my two (or three) cents:

MIA seems to be the most divisive Carpenters album to fans overall, and in my two sense is it's their worst. It's not horrible (I give it two stars) but all the songs sound roughly the same, and there is nothing of the previous experimentality the Carpenters usually had. Even in their most so/so albums (Offering or HUSH) you could sense they were trying for different styles. Not in MIA. It's all about going soft, softer, softest. The days of Superstar, Goodbye to Love or even Only Yesterday were gone. No songs with a hard beat, or an focused incredible vocal performance.

Even the albums that followed it (Voice of the Heart, Lovelines) which consists of outtakes Richard said would never have seen the light of day if not for Karen's death and pieces from her solo album, have a more eclectic feel and more OOMPH to them

Seeing the MIA review thread at the top made me a give it a re-listen in toto last night. I gave it my "grading test". Since I teach, I usually grade papers with generic background music playing. Nothing too "good" or familiar or toe-tapping that will interrupt me. So far, no Carpenters record had passed the "grading test" - even with most so/so of them (like Offering or HUSH) I usually find a song or two I stop and listen to. With MIA? Nothing.The closest I came to humming along strangely enough was the much-derided Beechwood (I had forgotten where it was placed on the album and its the only song on the album with a real beat).

The problem is all the songs are too same-y and the greatest things about the Carpenters sound: the overdubbing of R&K (less overt and on some songs barely there) and Karen's deep soulful voice (drowned out or present in a higher register in many songs) are just not present in the same manner as the past.

There are some really PLEASANT (and that's basically the only word I can use to describe them, pleasant not great) songs on MIA, but some are rather treacly and overdone:
These Good Old Dreams is no Yesterday Once More (though its desperately trying)
I Believe You is sweet but no more than an album cut (and does seem out of place since it was already released as a single THREE years earlier)
Beechwood shouldn't have even been on this album. Enough with the oldies.
Want You Back in My Life Again has the catchiest lyrics on the album, but instead of timeless it's given a "Let's Get Physical" like early 80s arrangement.
When You've Got What it Takes is utterly forgettable (I forgot it as soon as it was over)
Strength of a Woman sounds like an attempt to do a classical Carpenters ballad but with not as good material.
Touch Me is probably the best commercial song on the album, but that's not saying much. In retrospect I'm stunned it went to #16 and yet is nowhere near as good as the superior All You Get From Love is a Love Song from Passage which peaked in the mid-30s.
Somebody's Been Lyin and When It's Gone are probably my two favorites from the album (I love Karen's phrasing on Lyin and When It's Gone could have been another country hit with a slightly different instrumental arrangement) but even they suffer from sounding a bit too alike.
The Wedding Song may be my least favorite Carpenters song aside from Man Smart, Women Smarter and not even Karen can save it. The instrumentals are so over ripe and over the top and the lyrics are too on the nose.The history behind the real wedding of the song (especially since the revelation in Little Girl Blue) make it even more distasteful to listen to.

I’m going to repeat what I wrote in the thread about their ’81 Ray Moore/BBC interview publicizing the album because my thoughts still stand and relevant to MIA:
I have a great deal of respect and admiration for RC, for his talent, the enjoyment his music has given me, and his place in music history....but... this whole 1980-81 period with the C's leaves a bad taste in a fan's mouth the more we learn. Everything about RC's reaction to the solo album to the accusations of stealing the Carpenter sound to just badmouthing the album which he knew meant a great deal to her, then comes MIA which in many respects is the most "Richard Carpenter" of all Carpenter albums with Karen's voice (which he accused Phil Ramone of not getting right and having her sing in the wrong key) drowned out in the overly detailed arrangements on some songs. For the first time, since he discovered his sister's voice, it seems Richard was pushing it to the back so he could prove he was back and as great an arranger/producer as ever.

In the end, though, the primary problem is song choices. Richard has said because of his personal issues he was not happy with the results/song choices of HUSH or Passage, and I accept that, yet he had over a year looking (and writing) for songs for MIA and was back in good health, and put out an album with even less flavor, or rhythm, radio-friendly tunes, or desire to do anything but play it MOR safe in MIA.

I know it has its own review thread but let me just put this out there. Karen Carpenter Solo is a better album overall (more uneven perhaps but also with more potential hits) than Made In America, the album I'm convinced A&M squashed (or put pressure on KC to squash) the solo album for. MIA is just not that great especially for their first studio album in 4 years not counting Christmas Portrait (and going by "Now" the 1983 album might have been more of the same). Perhaps Karen should have chosen the songs? She clearly had a better idea of the musical zeitgeist in 1980 than her brother, and also clearly knew they needed to move in a new direction to stay relevant.

That's not even going into what was happening beyond the music. The cover art is not something that would bring in a new audience and would turn off any potential audience who already thought the C's were has-been squares. The cover doesn't even look like how Karen appeared at that point...and if she couldn't do photo shoots (and apparently the ones she did were touched up) why the heck did they allow her in her state to do publicity for the album? I know Richard has said she looked fine when they started producing but by the time the album was done she was clearly not. That would have been the best time for Herb, Jerry, and Richard to put their foot down and have her face the music and get help (given how much her career and her music meant to her that might have been the only thing she would respond to), but they did not. They put her out there in public where people either lied and told her she looked fine (Ray Moore) or directly questioned her on her weight (Sue Lawley). I just don't think any album or money was worth putting her through such a farce.

 

[GaryAlan]

As I read the inner sleeve credits for lp Made In America:
we come to ,
"...Addditional recording by Dave Iveland..." appears in small print,
(this below "Engineered by Roger Young").

Does any one know what this 'additional' recording
consisted of ?

 

[WYBIMLA]

I was listening to the SACD isolated centre channel for "I believe you". It's really beautiful and gives me more appreciation for this song.

That's where the story of MIA begins back in 1978. Understandably by '81 they moved away from the other material recorded in those sessions for the incomplete '79 album.
After a pause for a long over-due break, solo album, television special and interruptions of a sudden marriage (excitement for Karen and something that looked like the relationship she longed for) then we arrive at this album that I still enjoy very much. Although it's long winded I explained earlier in this thread my reasons why.

Carpenters songs take on a life of their own. With each listen after all this time you can pick out different elements from them and notice something you hadn't previously. Sounds fresh and new usually after you hadn't heard it in a while. They stand the test of time and will continue to do so and reach those who gravitate towards it.

 

[GaryAlan]

"With each listen you can pick out elements...."
How apt !
I've been listening more to Made In America, lately,
especially in light of (my) comparisons to the Unreleased Karen Carpenter tracks.
On Made In America, here is a breakdown of Background Vocals :
6-songs featuring Karen and Richard, only, on Backgrounds. ( I Believe You, from 1978).
2-songs featuring "the Carpettes" (Strength of a Woman & Touch Me When We're Dancing/I like them both very much).
1-song featuring the O.K. Chorale (Because We Are In Love--okay, it's my second favorite on the album).
1-song, When It's Gone (my favorite on the album) has no Background vocals that I am able to hear.
From this album, these five, to my ears, come closest to the
"traditional" backing vocals evident on previous Carpenters' albums:
Those Good Old Dreams
Somebody's Been Lying
When You've Got What It Takes (especially the very end--incredible).
Beechwood 4-5789
Want You Back In My Life Again.

There are many outstanding elements on this album.
However, a comparison with (the best of) the unreleased solo-tracks
raises many a question !

 

[newvillefan]

"With each listen you can pick out elements...."
How apt !
I've been listening more to Made In America, lately,
especially in light of (my) comparisons to the Unreleased Karen Carpenter tracks.
On Made In America, here is a breakdown of Background Vocals :
6-songs featuring Karen and Richard, only, on Backgrounds. ( I Believe You, from 1978).
2-songs featuring "the Carpettes" (Strength of a Woman & Touch Me When We're Dancing/I like them both very much).
1-song featuring the O.K. Chorale (Because We Are In Love--okay, it's my second favorite on the album).
1-song, When It's Gone (my favorite on the album) has no Background vocals that I am able to hear.
From this album, these five, to my ears, come closest to the
"traditional" backing vocals evident on previous Carpenters' albums:
Those Good Old Dreams
Somebody's Been Lying
When You've Got What It Takes (especially the very end--incredible).
Beechwood 4-5789
Want You Back In My Life Again.

Great observations! The harmonies on When You've Got What It Takes are just incredible, they build into a complete wall of sound at the end.

A quick look at the chart performances for the MIA singles makes me wonder why, at this late stage in their career, they went on to release three more singles from an album which only sold moderately well in the US at the time and wasn't the comeback they all hoped for. When the second 1981 single bombed, it's like they just kept on flogging a dead horse thinking "maybe the next one will be a hit...maybe the next...maybe the next!". It's clear they were no longer commercially viable as a singles band and they should have called time on releasing singles after (Want You) Back In My Life Again.

Touch Me When We're Dancing #16
(Want You) Back In My Life Again #72
Those Good Old Dreams #63
Beechwood 4-5789 #74

When Make Believe It's Your First Time followed in 1983, on the back of all the publicity around Karen's passing, it didn't even reach the top 100. By then they seem to have become completely toxic commercially and never charted again in the US on the Billboard chart.

Make Believe It's Your First Time #101

 

[GaryAlan]

Agreed, Newvillefan....also, we might note the use of
The O.K. Chorale for Backing Vocals,
on ( Voice of the Heart version of)
Make Believe It's Your First Time !
(Of course, as it was recorded during the MIA sessions).
Richard Carpenter:
"In early 1980,
believing this song to be one of the better selections in Karen’s solo project,
and now knowing that project was not going to be released, I set out to arrange the song for the album on which we were starting production."

I put some words in Bold....
as, I am very confused with that timeline.....
It almost appears that Richard was considering this song for MIA before they had even started recording for MIA,
and, also, before the official May shelving of the solo-project.

How did Richard expect to improve on that solo version ?( It is already incredible.)
In the end, he must have felt otherwise, as it was shelved,again !

 

[newvillefan]

Richard Carpenter:
"In early 1980,
believing this song to be one of the better selections in Karen’s solo project,
and now knowing that project was not going to be released, I set out to arrange the song for the album on which we were starting production."

I put some words in Bold....
as, I am very confused with that timeline.....
It almost appears that Richard was considering this song for MIA before they had even started recording for MIA,
and, also, before the official May shelving of the solo-project.

How did Richard expect to improve on that solo version ?( It is already incredible.)
In the end, he must have felt otherwise, as it was shelved,again !

Completely agree, it's like he couldn't wait to close the door on the solo chapter and get Karen back under his wing.

His choice of phrase "believing this song to be one of the better selections in Karen’s solo project" also comes across to me as condescending and dismissive when it comes to the other tracks. In my book, many of Karen's solo songs chosen were far superior than the songs from their last studio album Passage. We all know Richard would never see it that way of course.

 

[tomswift2002]

Quite frankly, I don't think Make Believe It's Your First Time was one of the better tracks from the solo album. It was probably the worst.

 

[WYBIMLA]

Did this album get the remastering treatment? I have a CD with a sticker on it that says "Celebrating 40 years of the Carpenters" and I don't see any specification about remastering. I know that for the SACD "Touch me" and "I believe you" had been remixed. I've heard the latter, and would like to hear to "Touch me" 2004 version since...full disclosure I haven't been able to justify spending $350 or $200 or even $150 for a used copy of it. Lol Also, on amazon it's labelled "Singles '69-'81" which is hard to be completely sure I'll be getting what I want if you catch me drift. Is the 2004 "Touch me" a drier mix out of curiosity? As for the album on a whole would there not be much audible difference from what I would assume the original LP would sound like (besides the sythn line taken out of TGODs) to the CD or digital transfer? I don't have a vinyl pressing myself. I imagine if there were much difference I'd have heard about it by now. The only notable differences or higher quality versions I've heard about are "TGODs" and of course "I believe you" (different take used in 2004 briefly) and the "Touch me" remix I have not had the pleasure of hearing.

 

[Harry]

Even if you did buy the SINGLES 69-81 SACD, you'd still need to use an SACD player to hear the changes. Yes, there is a CD layer, but it mostly has standard latter-day remixes on it, with just two updated 2004 stereo remixes.

 

[WYBIMLA]

Oh okay. I see. Someone was really banking on that format taking off? Lol Maybe someday I'll find a way to hear what Richard did with the surround sound. I'm guessing the two updated stereo remixes were "Superstar" and "I believe you". That must be what was included on the most recent ICON CD. If the 2004 IBY remix wasn't uploaded on youtube I'd have never hear that change, and it's lovely. Glad I got the chance.

 

[newvillefan]

If the 2004 IBY remix wasn't uploaded on youtube I'd have never hear that change, and it's lovely. Glad I got the chance.

This one?

 

[GaryAlan]

Paul Grein states , regarding ,
(Want You) Back In My Life Again :
" the chord near the end of the song features more harmony overdubs
than appear on any other Carpenters' Single."
(Yesterday Once More Liner Notes).

Perhaps that quote explains its selection as a single release ?

 

[Harry]

I'm guessing the two updated stereo remixes were "Superstar" and "I believe you".

"Superstar" and "Top Of The World" were the two new mixes on the stereo layer.

The "I Believe You" downmix above was provided by me for the purpose of illustrating how great the song sounds in this new mix. I used the SACD capability of my Blu-ray player, fed it digitally to my surround receiver, which then provided the downmix to a two-channel mix.

Harry

 

[WYBIMLA]

Okay I see. Yes, that's the one and thank you Harry for the upload!
Would TMWWD have a similar effect from the SACD when you do the same process?
From the "near A cappella" version the lead vocal is so much more present and without reverb.
IBY '04 does sound marvellous . It's a minor thing to hear seconds of an alternate take, but at the same time a real treat.

 

[Chris May]

From the "near A cappella" version the lead vocal is so much more present and without reverb.
IBY '04 does sound marvellous . It's a minor thing to hear seconds of an alternate take, but at the same time a real treat.

That's because all the verb is being sent to the front and rear channels. It was meant to give more overall presence to Karen's lead by going completely dry in the center stem.

 

[WYBIMLA]

Oh, makes sense, so the front and rear channels on their own would sound a bit strange? Lol
Overall there's not so much difference from the version I'm so used to hearing besides a bit more "pop"?
I'd love to have that experience as it was intended to be heard.
TMWWD was the closest anything from MIA got for a 'remix' then (as far as the actual early 80s recordings go).

 

[Chris May]

Oh, makes sense, so the front and rear channels on their own would sound a bit strange? Lol
Overall there's not so much difference from the version I'm so used to hearing besides a bit more "pop"?
I'd love to have that experience as it was intended to be heard.
TMWWD was the closest anything from MIA got for a 'remix' then (as far as the actual early 80s recordings go).

Not much in the way of overall balance. However engineer Al Schmitt is probably one of the very best in his field. I wish they would have continued remixing the Carps catalogue in that format.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Not much in the way of overall balance. However engineer Al Schmitt is probably one of the very best in his field. I wish they would have continued remixing the Carps catalogue in that format.

Chris, do you think it's possible they did work on 1 or 2 additional 5.1 tracks that were completed but not included? Ultimately picking the ones they thought would be best for the set.

 

[Chris May]

Chris, do you think it's possible they did work on 1 or 2 additional 5.1 tracks that were completed but not included? Ultimately picking the ones they thought would be best for the set.

It's possible, if nothing else for Richard's own personal enjoyment. He did tell me that had he known he was gonna lose the original analog multis in the fire, he would have spent money out of his own pocket to have a lot more of their catalogue remixed in 5.1. I've never asked Richard what else he may have remixed with Al.

 

[GaryAlan]

My first request would be---for a remix--of
Because We Are In Love !

The more I listen to this song, the more I like it.
Too bad the Chorale nearly ruins it.
I understand the reasoning; but, for this song,
a more sparse arrangement might be what it needs
to elevate its status......!

 

[tomswift2002]

It's possible, if nothing else for Richard's own personal enjoyment. He did tell me that had he known he was gonna lose the original analog multis in the fire, he would have spent money out of his own pocket to have a lot more of their catalogue remixed in 5.1. I've never asked Richard what else he may have remixed with Al.

I realize the originals were destroyed in the fire, but according to the news reports of the day (that I was just double reading), there were copies of all the tapes in that warehouse stored in other places. So aren't there other digital or analog copies of the multi-tracks? Or were the only copies mix down versions that are only in 2-track stereo?

 

[CraigGA]

The only song I don't like on this album and probably the only one I don't like out of the entire catalog is When It's Gone. I can never get through this song without falling asleep. Maybe if it was just the piano and Karen I would like it. The arrangement just goes on and on and on and on until its gone, and yet when Karen's voice fades, the song still keeps going and repeating the same thing again. (At its best, I feel like it was in competition to I Can't Make Music from Now and Then, which I love!) The best song to me is Somebody's Been Lyin'. I always felt it could have been shortened for a single. Even though I like Those Good Old Dreams, I only like it for album material. It almost has the When It's Gone drudge to it but Karen's vocals rescue it with her magical lower range. Strength of a Woman has a Bee Gees sound to it that cheapens it to me. When You Got What It Takes sounds like a nice therapy song. I wish they would have used some of Karen's solo work and rerecorded it in lower keys but with the same arrangement for a few of them. I like some of those songs better. It would have at least kept them growing as artists as was felt with Passage and brought better acclaim. They also had better songs already recorded that came out on Voice of the Heart that would have given this album a better feel. I may not be on the popular side with these opinions, but I don't feel there is anyone who likes their music more than me, so I sort of feel I can be over critical, but with this said, those songs are better than anything I can create. With Superstar, Rainy Days and Monday, A Song for You, etc, you can't find any room for criticism for they were created as masterpieces.