THE OFFICIAL REVIEW: "A KIND OF HUSH" (SP-4581)

[Dave60640]

To me a perfect, early evening, late-summer album with a (perhaps too) mellow tone. Although familiar with the singles, I never really played the album until after graduation from HS when it was my last summer of fun, first summer of romance and first year of nostalgia. This album captured that mood perfectly.
KCs vocals and the production were smooth as silk and seem to embrace those dog days of summer.
I agree though that this LP needed a little more grit, especially with what was going on in the business at the time. Still a summer staple for me though

 

[Toolman]

Noting that most people seem to prefer the single version of "Can't Smile" over the LP version, my two cents supporting the original:
1) The lyric change forces Karen to emphasize the long "e" vowel sound, not the most pleasing of sounds no matter who sings them. The original's "ah" (walk, talk) is to my ears much smoother, especially coming from Karen.
2) In my opinion, the added flutes and sax are entirely superfluous and almost at odds with the gentle tempo of the song. Somewhat like the final verse of "I Just Fall in Love Again," when that damned choir breaks in and turns a beautiful song into bombast.
I'll grant you that the LP version is a bit sleepy, but in this case I think the soothing tone better suits the lyric than the jazzy additions. It's a bit too great a leap for me from the high-stepping sax to the Mayberry whistle at the fade.
Others opinions will differ, and that's A-OK.

 

[A&M Retro]

I like both versions, but the 1977 re-cut is better to my ears, as it has a distinctly Big Band sound. And the Carpenters practically never did that style, other than "I Can Dream, Can't I". So it was a welcome addition. Plus my parents loved it, as they were Big Band teenagers.

 

[gregnewyorkcity]

There's only one song here for me, and that's "One More Time".

I know Karen always said that I Know I need to be in love was her favorite, but i offer the theory that the reason was she was uncomfortable with Solitaire is that the lyrics hit home hard.

 

[gregnewyorkcity]

oh and that atrocious photo on the inner liner -- i was a teenager and I actually wrote to Evelyn, saying what are you people doing there? Karen looks dreadful.

 

[gregnewyorkcity]

sorry for the trifurcatoins. If you want to hear an outstanding version of YOU, just head to Jane Olivor's version on her Chasing Rainbows -- there's life, there's passion, there's involvement, it''s not just another "okay, what's next to sing" song.

 

[BarryT60]

Most folks have mirrored my sentiments on this LP so I won't re-write some already eloquent thoughts...

I will say this: You should have been the third single. (or even the first one). Best of the bunch.... I got goosebumps on the repeat of the chorus, You are my heart and my soul - my inspriration... as well as the 1:38 moment... It really could have translated to radio nicely.

....and I still love listening to Sandy every now and again.... Second verse... to echo Herb Alpert's words once, it feels as if Karen is sitting on my lap singing into my ear.... Being with you I'm like a child again... you're eyes can see clearer than mine..... Always a beautiful point in that song.

That same intimacy is heard again on the verses of I Have You.

Finally, there's a live version on YouTube of Karen singing I Need To Be In Love, on British TV.... I find it one of her best recorded live performances.... No background singers - just Karen and her marvelous voice. Compared to the other recorded versions of this song, this particular one - is perfection - - in a quite imperfect world.....



Enjoy....

 

[Jamesj75]

Finally, there's a live version on YouTube of Karen singing I Need To Be In Love, on British TV.... I find it one of her best recorded live performances.... No background singers - just Karen and her marvelous voice. Compared to the other recorded versions of this song, this particular one - is perfection - - in a quite imperfect world..... Enjoy....

Thank you for posting this video, Barry. You are quite correct about the "perfection."

 

[aaflyer98]

Karen singing as only Karen could, doing her own phrasing and quite to perfection. Had this been the way the single was recorded I believe it would have been a bigger hit. No choir, no vocal doubling, excellent ad lib and timing, this IS perfection. Thanks so much. Its often been said that Karen did this because Richard was away (ill) and she could do as she pleased, and she did!

 

[Chris Mills]

Karen came over to the UK without Richard to record the Bruce Forsythe show late 1978 and performed this stunning version of I Need To Be In Love. She also sang Please Mr Postman with a brilliant ending, no fade out just STOP, end of song, magic. Karen also did some Christmas songs, the whole performance was just awesome.

 

[RainyDays]

Karen singing as only Karen could, doing her own phrasing and quite to perfection. Had this been the way the single was recorded I believe it would have been a bigger hit. No choir, no vocal doubling, excellent ad lib and timing, this IS perfection. Thanks so much. Its often been said that Karen did this because Richard was away (ill) and she could do as she pleased, and she did!

Totally agree. I would LOVE to hear an a capella version where it's just Karen telling us what she feels.

 

[toeknee4bz]

I actually like all of the songs on this album, but I Need To Be In Love is not a favorite: the lyrics are beautiful, her performance is quite emotional, the arrangement is exceptional - but the choir completely turned me off, and made it very 'mushy'. It was because of the choir that I thought they made a mistake in releasing it as a single. It seemed so out of place with what was playing on the radio at the time. I would love for Richard to rework it so it's Karen, piano, bass and drum - I'm thinking something similar to the Make Believe It's Your First Time arrangement from the solo album.

I could not agree more. As time went on, unfortunately, Richard got more and more choir happy. Why he did so is beyond me. The "OK Chorale"? Give me a break. I was pleasantly surprised in 1987, when "TIME" came out, that he didn't completely embarass himself with a Carpenter Tabernacle Choir album amongst all of the electric funk out on the radio. But as for 'I Need To Be In Love', I agree that it could really shine if someone remixed it... sans choir.

 

[Harry]

Something's been bugging me about "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" ever since I set up the Carpenters Recording Resource. To quote the entry there:

_________________________________________________________________

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

(Neil Sedaka – Howard Greenfield) Screen Gems – Columbia Music, Inc. BMI 2:35
Original LP album mix: has an identifiable glitch two seconds in where the cymbal hits in the left, Richard’s vocal suddenly shifts right
- A KIND OF HUSH LP

Original album mix with cymbal hits removed: Richard’s vocals still shift to the right for an instant
- A KIND OF HUSH original A&M CD
- A&M GOLD SERIES VOL 1
- A&M NEW GOLD SERIES VOL 2

Original album mix with left-channel cymbal hit intact: Richard’s vocals do not shift right
- A KIND OF HUSH Remastered Classics CD
- JAPANESE SINGLE BOX


_________________________________________________________________

I can't imagine what was going on with this track. The Remastered Classic CD version of A KIND OF HUSH and the JAPANESE SINGLE BOX both have what I'd consider the best-sounding version, particularly at the very open. The center channel has Richard's vocal doubled, singing: "Come-a, come-a down dooby do-down∆ down." A cymbal hit occurs on the left channel where the "∆" is. The cymbal hit repeats at regular spots throughout the opening and the song begins proper.

One weirdness happens in the original A KIND OF HUSH LP. Everything's the same except that near the cymbal hits, Richard's vocals shift for an instant to the right channel, but not exactly at the same time as the cymbal hit, just close.

The other weirdness occurs on the Japanese A&M GOLD SERIES and the A&M NEW GOLD SERIES VOL 2 where the cymbal hits seem to have been removed (edited out?). And at the exact moment of where those cymbal hits should be, Richard's vocals shift momentarily to the right.

These vocal shifts are best heard with headphones, as the balance shift even for the split second in "uncomfortable". The odd thing is that the LP version differs from both the A&M CD and the later Remastered Classic.

It's a mystery...

Harry

 

[song4u]

I had to go back and relisten to this album, as I rarely listen to anything but "I Need to be in Love" from it.

The song "There's a Kind of Hush" is much, much better in the performance videos I've seen, IMHO.

"You" - I requested that this song be sung at my wedding reception in 1978, so it's obviously special to me. (44 years and counting - At that time, "We've Only Just Begun" had been done to death at weddings.) I also do tend to like Randy Edelman songs.

"Sandy" - I always remember that it was originally written "Randy" for Richard's then girlfriend Randy Bash, and well, this song's a 'skip'.

"Goofus" - I have no idea what the appeal is with this song, other than maybe the bass. Of course, Karen sings it perfectly though. This is a "what were they thinking" song to me.

"Can't Smile" - I much prefer the version on the Reader's Digest collection with Richard's improvements. And, sorry, but this song is always Barry Manilow's in my mind. But of course, Karen sings it beautifully.

"I Need to be in Love" - It has been said that this was Karen's favorite. When she sang it on Dec 24, 1978 w/o Richard, on British television, she made you believe that. I enjoy thay live performance very much. It is also one of my favorite Carpenter/Bettis compositions. The album version is good, but pales in light of the live version.

"One More Time" - Karen's interpretation/reading of this song is just gorgeous. This is the voice that hooked me in the beginning.

"Boat to Sail" - I remember this was a favorite of mine when the album was first released in 1976. I love hearing Karen sing this style of song. It shows off her abilities you don't hear on standard ballads. Better than Jackie DeShannon's version, IMHO. Karen's singing "DeShannon is back" at the end was, I think, a nod to the Captain and Tennille's "Love Will Keep us Together", where Toni Tennille sings "Sedaka is back" at the end.

"I Have You" - Not my favorite of Carpenter/Bettis songs, but of course, Karen sings it perfectly.

"Breaking Up is Hard to do" - Wasn't this included to appease Neil Sedaka after the Las Vegas fiasco? It's a fun song, but would have been more at home on the Now and Then album . . . if it weren't for the Las Vegas thing . . . just sayin'.

Overall, the usual perfection one would expect from a Carpenters album, but a disappointment after the Horizon album.

Just a general comment: Why did they ever need to include lyrics with Carpenters albums? Karen's reading is rarely less than perfection. Now the Rolling Stones - that's where you need lyrics.

 

[song4u]

One after thought about "I Need to be in Love". This the video that Richard referred to as "The Love Plane".

 

[close2u40]

Just my two cents....I think this album shows how physically and emotionally drained Karen and Richard were at this point. It seems to have been recorded very quickly after Horizon and it shows. Richard turned to another oldie as an "easy" hit single with "There's A Kind Of Hush". I remember the first time I heard it on the radio it sounded great. However, I think radio was a little over them giving them oldies at this point hence the stall out at #12. Although "I Need To Be In Love" is a stunning performance it was WAY too adult contemporary at the time of release and it's chart position of #25 proved it. The choir almost made it embarrassing to listen to on the radio in 1976. Oh how the mighty had fallen. Again, I think the OK Chorale came about because Richard was uninspired and in a hurry for release. I'm not even going to comment on Goofus......oh but if I did I'd say......it was career suicide at radio. Cemented their standing as has-been performers. It was going to be an uphill struggle from here. "You" would not have saved them at this point but perhaps would have been less embarrassing. To this day I still feel that "You" has a demo feel to it. I adore the track but the piano opening sounds weak and unfinished. Every time I listen to it I think about remixing it to make it sound better. The rest of the album is completely forgettable with one other high point in "One More Time".

I just look back on this album as the beginning of the end.....and get so sad....

 

[cam89]

SANDY was a nod to Sandy Holland, Karen's assistant and Hairdresser, from John Tobler book.

 

[Mark-T]

Really do not care for that song. The background vocals are cool, however.