arthowson
Well-Known Member
it's bugging me too. it's the first thing i thought of. not christmas attire though. Karen hardly looks Christmas-sy here.
ICON (New CD Release)
- Thread starter Rick-An Ordinary Fool
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Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I promise this is the last you will have to deal with my OCD. 
I adjusted this photo 1 more time, this is 5.0 tilted to the right, of course all the logos are off but to me this looks so much better horizontally. In fact, this program I used has a graph as you tilt the photo and this one lines up perfectly with Karen's nose horizontally. Something is off with the photo they used for the cover of Icon.
Ok, I'm done.
Original Icon Photo
I adjusted this photo 1 more time, this is 5.0 tilted to the right, of course all the logos are off but to me this looks so much better horizontally. In fact, this program I used has a graph as you tilt the photo and this one lines up perfectly with Karen's nose horizontally. Something is off with the photo they used for the cover of Icon.
Ok, I'm done.
Original Icon Photo
This release just reeks of the 2- or 3-times-per-decade raiding of the vaults for yet another cheap midline series they can throw into the big box stores. Not knocking the artists for this, but in my eyes it certainly does cheapen them all to some extent. It's nothing new with Universal though--put the majority of the albums out of print, but keep feeding the pipeline with compilations every couple of years.
Gets old, doesn't it? Hate to see artists I like being treated as Wal*Mart fodder...
Gets old, doesn't it? Hate to see artists I like being treated as Wal*Mart fodder...
I won't be buying this one since I have about 12 copies of most of the songs already! I agree with Rudy, it's terrible that actual albums go out of print but a dozen compilations are all there for the ordering.
I can't say I'm impressed with that cover....considering the Carpenters logo is one of the most famous logos in pop music, it really should be there.
I can't say I'm impressed with that cover....considering the Carpenters logo is one of the most famous logos in pop music, it really should be there.
I don't care one way or the other about the logo, but the real issue is that across the other discs in this series which Harry posted, they aren't even consistent in using the same stenciled logo for the artist name on all of the releases.
I avoid these series as much as I do those 20th Century Masters, or others of similar short length which came before. A&M's own Backlot series was quite good though, as the discs had some substance to them.
Pure money grab here on Universal's part IMHO.
I avoid these series as much as I do those 20th Century Masters, or others of similar short length which came before. A&M's own Backlot series was quite good though, as the discs had some substance to them.
Pure money grab here on Universal's part IMHO.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Rudy, are you always this rational?
seriously....I think your post just pushed me into NOT ordering this one...now if I see it in a Barnes and Noble and it's in my hands well I may not be able to control myself. I also can't get past the tilt. :/
Someday
Well-Known Member
Personally, I hate compilations. There are some exceptions when an artist has been personally involved (thank you, RC for '69-'73). Otherwise, tracks are taken out of context and muddled together from all different time periods. There's nothing creative about this. Why not re-issue proper studio albums? ...
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I don't think that's the issue here - it's more about releasing the same songs over and over again. I won't be buying this set, I have no reason to when I have the songs (original and remix forms) on multiple discs already. Richard hasn't tossed this set our way, Universal has. Which reminds me - I wonder if this set will feature the original mixes or remixed selections?
Rudy, are you always this rational?
Not usually, no.
I know that in a completist sense, it is an inexpensive addition to a collection and won't break the bank. And likely, this series will be on discount at different retailers in the coming years, so you could probably pick it up cheaply just to have a copy at a later time and not even think twice about it.
It just doesn't make sense to me though. It seems like Universal gets on a cycle with these compilation series every few years, even though nothing new (as in bonus tracks, newly recorded songs, etc.) ever gets released. There isn't this instant new market for Carpenters music either (or for anyone else in the Icon series): if someone was already interested, they probably grabbed the last cheap compilation (20th Century Masters), or sprang for a more comprehensive two-disc set (as I often do if I want an artist's recordings but not from a skimpy 12-song collection). Aside from new artwork to catch the eye and reshuffling each artist's catalog ad nauseum, what exactly does this accomplish? Probably pleases the bean counters to have new stocking stuffers out in time for the holidays, but true fans have had this same music thrown at them for years with nothing new but the packaging. And they leave off just enough to entice buyers to get another disc to get the songs that are missing (*cough* "Goodbye To Love" *cough*).
Universal should be tapping more into the growing vinyl market instead--releasing three or four popular titles on 180 gram vinyl would probably make them more profit than these CDs they probably make pennies on. But they've botched vinyl releases in the past (like the poor-sounding Back To Black releases a few years back, and the great sounding recent Dire Straits releases which were pressed at GZVinyl and are unacceptably full of noise). Guess we can't win.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Rudy, your post reminded me....last week I was in Barnes and Noble in the music section and I turned around to see this end stand and I could not believe my eyes, it was a cardboard stand with LP's displayed. There must have been about 25 or 30 LP's of all different artist. I couldn't remember them all but The Beatles were there, I was expecting to see the latest ABBA Live at Wimbley but not there, still it would have fit in perfectly with all the other artists, they all looked like recent releases. I said to the cashier...am I really looking at LP's inside Barnes and Noble? Now if they would only stock 45's and old stock LP's now that might keep them afloat and the traffic afoot.
The A&M Backlot series was an excellent compilation series-it was intended to be an updated & expanded repackaging of the 25th Anniversary Classics series from 1987.
Most forum members probably don't know this,but the whole second batch of the Backlot series-including titles by Herb Alpert & Carpenters,was abruptly cancelled in the Summer of 1996.
Sometimes they release albums the day before overseas (on a Monday), where ours is Tuesday...but this is a US release. So you're right--the 25th does make more sense.
Rudy, your post reminded me....last week I was in Barnes and Noble in the music section and I turned around to see this end stand and I could not believe my eyes, it was a cardboard stand with LP's displayed. There must have been about 25 or 30 LP's of all different artist. I couldn't remember them all but The Beatles were there, I was expecting to see the latest ABBA Live at Wimbley but not there, still it would have fit in perfectly with all the other artists, they all looked like recent releases. I said to the cashier...am I really looking at LP's inside Barnes and Noble? Now if they would only stock 45's and old stock LP's now that might keep them afloat and the traffic afoot.
A local B&N supposedly has vinyl also. Probably test marketing it to the hipsters and yuppies for their Crosley record shredders.
If Border's was still around, they probably would have had it. They used to stock those wonderful RCA Living Stereo SACDs and I think I paid around $8 each for a handful of them. It's a shame they closed up--they never should have expanded beyond their big main store in Ann Arbor.Those of us who buy vinyl somewhat regular usually have a good source locally, or order via the Internet. (For those who live near Chicago, MusicDirect has a retail operation right at the warehouse, and one could literally go broke shopping there.
) There are probably several hundred popular titles in print, and many new releases have at least a small limited run vinyl release (if not here, then in the UK).I think the worst insult I ever saw was in Bed Bath & Beyond. They had only about a dozen 180 gram LP titles, marketed right next to a Crosley record shredder.
So someone's going to buy a nicely pressed $25 LP and play it on some offshored plasticky turntable? Only the clueless. They'd be better off at the dollar bin in a used record store...Universal is a symbol of "Corporate America"-and unfortunately,the A&M catalog is now controlled by this type of entity.
The ICON disc is a totally unnecessary addition to the Carpenters catalog.Universal wanted to include a Carpenters title in the series-and that's the only reason for it's existence.
K&R's 20th Century Masters disc is a decent sampler-and classier packaging than ICON.
I believe Universal has a higher minimum sales quota for catalog albums than A&M did-hence the reason why Universal deleted half of K&R's studio albums.
CarpentersToYou
Somehow you brought the gambler out in me...
Well, it has been quite a while since a compilation has come out. Or maybe I'm behind, I remember the 40/40 a few years ago (though strangely, I don't think I ever played it after I bought it).
Got this notice today from Amazon:
Unfortunately, the release date for the item(s) listed below has changed, and we need to provide you with a new delivery estimate based on the new release date:
Carpenters "Icon"
Estimated arrival date: December 24, 2014
We'll make every effort to get the delayed item(s) to you as soon as possible.
Harry
Unfortunately, the release date for the item(s) listed below has changed, and we need to provide you with a new delivery estimate based on the new release date:
Carpenters "Icon"
Estimated arrival date: December 24, 2014
We'll make every effort to get the delayed item(s) to you as soon as possible.
Harry
Finally, the picture has appeared on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Icon-Carpenters/dp/B00LICGUDK/
Harry
Harry
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
The track listing on the back, if you look closely it is also crooked (leaning to the left) someone in the art design should be fired. I'll probably pass on this one.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Chris, you sure it's not the the picture leaning to the right
Take your pick!!
either works for me front or back 
I still don't understand the release date. It's still listed as the 24th of December, which is a Wednesday. It seems to me that it should either be Tuesday the 23rd or Tuesday the 30th as almost all releases in the US are done on Tuesdays. The 24th is also Christmas Eve, making it even more unlikely for a release date.
Harry
Harry
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
45.45% of the material is Richard Carpenter compositions 5/11) (1972,1973,1975,1976,1981 )
18.18% Paul Williams (2/11)
18.18% Leon Russell (2/11)
9.09% Burt Bacharach's Close To You (1/11)
9.09% Skinner's Composition, Touch Me When We're Dancing (1/11)
Now, whether this is a compilation that the public will see as 'iconic', is another issue.
Regardless, it does highlight Richard Carpenter's compositions.
Not as good as the 2002 Millennium Compendium, though.
18.18% Paul Williams (2/11)
18.18% Leon Russell (2/11)
9.09% Burt Bacharach's Close To You (1/11)
9.09% Skinner's Composition, Touch Me When We're Dancing (1/11)
Now, whether this is a compilation that the public will see as 'iconic', is another issue.
Regardless, it does highlight Richard Carpenter's compositions.
Not as good as the 2002 Millennium Compendium, though.
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