One album

[Song4uman]

Only studio albums - no compilations, live or Christmas

Which album would you choose if you could only play one Carpenters album from this point forward. You could listen in your house, car, etc., but only 1 from this point forward.

A Song for You

 

[Mike Blakesley]

That's easy for me -- A Song For You.

If I get to pick a #2, I'd pick Close to You.

 

[Jack A.]

I think I'd do ASFY as well, just because it has the most songs on it that I like - that's the only C's album that I could play straight through and wouldn't skip any song.

 

[motownboy]

I couldn't be satisfied with just one of the studio albums. However, I could be satisfied with the RPO album.

 

[Kyle Thomas]

That's easy.

Horizon.

 

[goodjeans]

Horizon.

 

[Portlander]

Carpenters (tan album)

 

[Florian]

For me it's a hard Question. Maybe I would pick Offering, Horizon, ASFY or AKOH, but I'm just not sure.

 

[Mark-T]

Close to You or Horizon. I go back and forth.

 

[Harry]

Tough choice. The first four albums are all top-notch in my book. OFFERING has been a longtime favorite but I also love CLOSE TO YOU just about as much. CARPENTERS has three heavyweight singles, and A SONG FOR YOU is nearly a greatest hits album. On this particular day, I'd pick CLOSE TO YOU as I've come to like that one even more than I did in the past.

 

[Song4uman]

I go back and forth between ASFY and Horizon.

 

[rockdoctor]

I'd pick the album Yesterday Once More.

 

[Sing]

My first choice would be Karen's solo album, Karen Carpenter.

But if the question excludes solo works by Karen and Richard and only allows Carpenters albums, my choice would be "A Song For You."

 

[rockdoctor]

I just noticed that it does not include compilations. I guess that I would choose Close To You.

 

[newvillefan]

A Song For You: the quintessential album. The bookends, the hits, the iconic inner vinyl sleeve with the drawings, the magnificent title track that should have been a single and the segues between the last three tracks…just perfect. This would be my ‘Desert Island Disc’.

 

[Portlander]

^ In addition to a well deserved bathroom break!

 

[Graeme]

That's a tough decision. Probably A Song For You. Wait, can we still listen to other Carpenters tracks on Youtube, etc., or on the radio?!

 

[Song4uman]

That's a tough decision. Probably A Song For You. Wait, can we still listen to other Carpenters tracks on Youtube, etc., or on the radio?!

No.

 

[Sing]

No.

So, essentially, we have to imagine all of the rest of the Carpenters music is just erased from the universe. That's pretty sad, eh?

 

[newvillefan]

So, essentially, we have to imagine all of the rest of the Carpenters music is just erased from the universe. That's pretty sad, eh?

That’s the deal in this thread

 

[Jack A.]

So, essentially, we have to imagine all of the rest of the Carpenters music is just erased from the universe. That's pretty sad, eh?

Which, I believe, creates a bit of a paradox - without the success of Close to You, the C's likely would have been dropped from A&M (and therefore none of the other albums would have been made). So, using that logic, Offering would be the only album to choose here (and whatever album CTY would have ended up being).

Sorry, I couldn't not say that.

 

[Nemily]

^ ^ ^ my Desert Island Studio Album is Offering. 1969 to 1970 their raw, boundless, creative energy checks off all the boxes for me. The only one I like better is the album that wasn't, the March 1970 studio sessions taped for Your Navy Presents.

 

[karencarpenterfans]

Probably not everyone's first choice, but Offering is my personal favorite. Just love how it showcases Karen's early vocals and drumming abilities. Close to You is a very very close second!!

 

[newvillefan]

^ ^ ^ my Desert Island Studio Album is Offering. 1969 to 1970 their raw, boundless, creative energy checks off all the boxes for me.

Probably not everyone's first choice, but Offering is my personal favorite. Just love how it showcases Karen's early vocals and drumming abilities.

For me it’s a toss up between Offering and Lovelines as my second favourite of all their albums. I have a very soft spot for Offering - it’s got an innocence and charm all of its own, that none of the other albums quite touched. It was recorded at a time when they knew nothing about fame, success, wealth…or all the troubles that were to lie ahead for them.

 

[Harry]

It's great seeing OFFERING get some love.