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^^ What is it? I don't have a fb account.
Given the recent Grammy Awards being handed-out,
I thought--again--about this album, Passage....
What could have been done--at that time-- to get this album noticed ?
Could anything have been done ?
I know the Tan LP won a Grammy Award,
but, I (still) believe Passage is a better album !
^^Thanks for the input ! And, many good points.
I do recall Billboard writing that pre-release sales for Passage--in Japan--exceeded 250,000 copies.
Richard Carpenter was also Grammy-nominated for arrangement on Calling Occupants.
And, of course, the album did reasonably well in the UK.
Even so, the lack of attention in USA continues to baffle me.
Interesting how we (fans) perceive these albums, differently.
While the Tan album has the three Big Singles--
Superstar, Rainy Days, For All We Know....I still believe that that does not make a perfect album,
it does make three perfect million-selling singles, boosting profile and sales of that album !
In any event, I hold Passage to be a better album,
despite its flaws !
Completely agree, Gary. Several great tracks on this album and the packaging is attractive and unique (love the label on the vinyl also). The past few days, I have been obsessed with All You Get From Love Is A Love Song and the video of a still vibrant and beautiful Karen dancing! It's a real as to why this song was at least not in the top ten. After the lackluster "A Kind Of Hush", radio stations writing the duo off at that point?So, listened to this album this morning--a vinyl promo copy--
and, I still--to this very day--find the album to be exceptional.
We have fantastic Karen Carpenter vocals: great leads and backing vocals,
interesting and creative song choice, creative arrangements,
a great album cover.
Really, I am still perplexed as to its overall poor chart success.
Really, I am still perplexed as to its overall poor chart success.
I would have removed that Opening Operatic part of Argentina and included one more song on the album.
The Space Encounters TV-Special included both Goofus and Man Smart, Woman Smarter. Surely, the inclusion of those two songs did nothing to spur album sales...
It would appear that the UK press really disliked the Carpenters (at least in the music magazines) here is one on the review of the Passage album. If you think this one is bad...I can't even post the review of the single Calling Occupants as it's littered with some profanity...so with this I wondered why they got so much bad press in the UK. I totally disagree with this reviewer of Passage.
Record Mirror
Passage Album Review Oct 01, 1977
Thanks that explains it. I can't figure why they give an album review to a reviewer who already dislikes that artists or a certain genre of music? It doesn't make sense to me, it's not even being objective it's just flat out incorrect and one sided view. It's like asking a hip hop artist to review a country album. I wonder how many people read Barry's review back then and decided they would skip that Carpenters album?Blimey. 'Flat monotones whether she's singing about pain or love, depression or joy'? Seriously? After googling Barry Cain (other search engines are available) it appears he was a big punk fan. His thoughts on music in the 1970s:
I don't think there ever was a real seventies. It was the itsy-bitsy-no-focus post Beatles decade kicking off with dross, glam, Philly, dross, New York disco, dross and ABBA. It welcomed punk with open arms, shook hands with high-street ska, gave birth to the New Romantics and invented Freddie Mercury. If you were in your late twenties in 1970 the next ten years meant f**k all really. You wouldn't get it. The seventies had to be 'Abbafied' because the sixties were too sad.
Barry Cain Interview 1108
"Karen's the girl you pull in a dance hall who don't say a word when you jive and after buying her drinks all night you find she's got her own car outside."It would appear that the UK press really disliked the Carpenters (at least in the music magazines) here is one on the review of the Passage album. If you think this one is bad...I can't even post the review of the single Calling Occupants as it's littered with some profanity...so with this I wondered why they got so much bad press in the UK. I totally disagree with this reviewer of Passage.
Record Mirror
Passage Album Review Oct 01, 1977
Thanks that explains it. I can't figure why they give an album review to a reviewer who already dislikes that artists or a certain genre of music? It doesn't make sense to me, it's not even being objective it's just flat out incorrect and one sided view. It's like asking a hip hop artist to review a country album. I wonder how many people read Barry's review back then and decided they would skip that Carpenters album?
Add Ordinary Fool to side 1 and all would be perfect. I do like Man Smart...but I would not have missed it if I knew it was there as I did when we learned about Ordinary Fool. It is a treasure!So would I. Aside from the fact Richard produced it, it's not even a Carpenters track therefore was a waste of space.
Some observations I made while thinking this through:
- They could easily have fitted another song or two on the album and binned off the atrocious Man Smart, Woman Smarter.
- There was never any need to "toss a coin" (as Richard put it) over the two ballads, because they could have both sat equally on the album. Not including You're The One during Karen's career robbed her of perhaps some of her most noteworthy praise. It's right up there at the top with her finest vocal performances, if not the best.
- Sweet, Sweet Smile, Sailing On The Tide and Two Sides segue beautifully because they're in the same key.
With all of that in mind, this is what I would have done with the song selection and running order:
1. B'Wana She No Home
2. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
3. I Just Fall In Love Again
4. Don't Cry For Me Argentina
1. Sweet, Sweet Smile
2. Sailing On The Tide
3. Two Sides
4. You're The One
5. Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft
A young artist exhibits his work for the first time, and a well-known critic is in attendance.
The critic asks the young artist “would you like to hear my opinion of your work?”
“Yes”, the artist replies.
“It’s worthless”, the critic says.
“I know”, the artist replies, “but let’s hear it anyway.”