'Voice Of The Heart' versus 'Lovelines'

[JohnFB]

That's what's weird. The other tracks on the album don't drown in reverb the way "Uninvited Guest" does. It's just too much and it bears the stamp of a lot of his remixes. I know he was talked into adding copious amounts of reverb but it was so the wrong move. Thankfully, he dried things out on Phil.

Ed

Do ALL of the tracks on "Lovelines" have reverb to one extent or another - even "Where Do I Go From Here?" and "You're the One"? I've always contended that these were two of her very best vocal efforts, and thought or assumed that they were "pure Karen" i.e., her singing without any technical and/or layered vocal effects applied at all - was I wrong to assume this? Was this just wishful thinking on my part?

A larger, more obvious and more general question, that is always there but seldom asked, is why did Richard feel that with a natural voice as amazingly appealing as her's did Karen need any reverb (or other effects) at any time on any recording?

 

[Simon KC1950]

The Lovelines album always made me feel like a grown up Carpenters album. It had more adult subject matter and it show show they matured as artists. It makes me think of a new direction for Carpenters and what was yet to come.

It’s amazing to think how cohesive this album remains and how Richard was able to invoke that feeling I get when I listen when in reality it’s just a bunch of tracks from different periods of time thrown together and not a standard studio album they traditionally made while Karen was alive. It flows perfectly in my opinion.

You've summed it up perfectly.

Genuinely one of their finest studio albums.

 

[AM Matt]

"Lovelines" better than "Voice Of The Heart" for me.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

"Lovelines" better than "Voice Of The Heart" for me.

...by a landslide...

Ed

 

[newvillefan]

It’s amazing to think how cohesive this album remains and how Richard was able to invoke that feeling I get when I listen when in reality it’s just a bunch of tracks from different periods of time thrown together and not a standard studio album they traditionally made while Karen was alive. It flows perfectly in my opinion.

That's it in a nutshell. It has a sparkle about it that's nowhere to be heard on VOTH. It reminds me of a roaring log fire on a winter's night.

 

[CarpentersToYou]

Totally agree, Stephen. Somehow Lovelines comes across as a modern-day pop album and to me has remained rather timeless.

 

[JohnFB]

Several years back in some thread where we ranked the albums from most favorite on down to least favorite I had "Lovelines" as my top album - and I explained my reasons for this preference there - they still apply - glad to see others are coming to the same conclusion, at least in a comparison with VOTH - but it would hold up in a comparison with any other album, except of course the first ,"Singles" album - I mean, any album with 3 great songs and 5 or 6 really good songs has to be the best, by far...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

...by a landslide...

Ed

Did you say Landslide?
See Olivia is Everywhere

 

[Matthew S]

Did you say Landslide?
See Olivia is Everywhere

You guys are giving me a heart attack!

 

[A&M Retro]

'Lovelines' is a stellar album. It's a much more interesting listen than 'Voice Of The Heart'. Plus, it's upbeat and it has more variety. 'Voice Of The Heart' is decidedly more downbeat, but it's still amazing. I just prefer 'Lovelines'. And any album that has 'You're The One' and 'Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night' scores high points.

 

[Mark-T]

Voice of the Heart is appropriately downbeat, reflective and beautiful. Lovelines sounds very contemporary and how they could have done just about any genre well. And like many others, I just can't get enough of Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night,

 

[newvillefan]

You guys are giving me a heart attack!

You need to Toughen Up

 

[newvillefan]

And like many others, I just can't get enough of Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night,

This for me is probably the most underrated, undersold album track of their entire catalogue. I find it staggering that it's never, ever been anthologised or appeared on any compilation. For example, why wasn't it on Love Songs?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

You need to Toughen Up

OR he could find “Something Better to Do”

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Kiss Me has that perfect Carpenters sound. It definitely doesn’t get enough recognition. I agree would have fit great on Love Songs.

 

[Bartog739]

To all the great tracks already mentioned I love Honolulu City Lights, it's one of my favorites from Lovelines. Pedal steel guitar and she sounds absolutely fantastic.

 

[Brendon McMahon]

For it's emotional impact, Voice of the Heart wins me over the more sophisticated Lovelines.
The reason is the tracks, which were on the Treasures compilation, somehow reached me at a visceral leve, at a time when I reconnected with the amazing timbre of Karen's voice while living in the UK in the late 90s...the subsequent purchase of the box set and that album really connected for me. I also love the Lovelines album too, but VOH has some interesting turns on it. I do wonder if Richard had delayed at the time going back to work what kind of album might have emerged... including the polish of post production.

 

[newvillefan]

I do wonder if Richard had delayed at the time going back to work what kind of album might have emerged... including the polish of post production.

When asked in an interview how long it took him to listen to her voice after her passing, he said "oh, about a month" with an intonation in his voice that suggested he felt that was long enough. I remember being shocked and thinking "that soon?!".

 

[JohnFB]

This ["Kiss Me..."] for me is probably the most underrated, undersold album track of their entire catalogue.

Its a great track, but if one was going to judge this by the quality of her vocal performance and the ability to actually hear her "unobstructed" natural voice, then from the same album "You're the One" and "Where Do I Go..." would have to rate higher as most underrated...so to speak.

 

[JohnFB]

When asked in an interview how long it took him to listen to her voice after her passing, he said "oh, about a month" with an intonation in his voice that suggested he felt that was long enough. I remember being shocked and thinking "that soon?!".

Why too soon - I would have thought way too long.

And didn't they have a slide show of photos of her and samples of her recordings at the funeral, and if not why not?

 

[newvillefan]

Its a great track, but if one was going to judge this by the quality of her vocal performance and the ability to actually hear her "unobstructed" natural voice, then from the same album "You're the One" and "Where Do I Go..." would have to rate higher as most underrated...so to speak.

I'm judging it as a love song, hence why I suggested it should've been on Love Songs

 

[newvillefan]

Why too soon - I would have thought way too long.

And didn't they have a slide show of photos of her and samples of her recordings at the funeral, and if not why not?

No they didn't play any original Carpenters music at the funeral, but Dennis Heath did sing 'Ave Maria' with the university choir.

 

[ullalume]

Kiss Me has that perfect Carpenters sound. It definitely doesn’t get enough recognition. I agree would have fit great on Love Songs.

Yeah, it should've been on MIA and been the single after Back In My Life. I know it's similar to Touch Me but who cares.

 

[JohnFB]

I'm judging it as a love song, hence why I suggested it should've been on Love Songs

But, aren't those two love songs - one intensely joyous and the other deeply sad?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

But, aren't those two love songs - one intensely joyous and the other deeply sad?

Love can be happy or sad and love can be happy and sad at the same time ask Kacey.