Carpenters 2018: release's, news and others

Simon KC1950

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone and a Happy New Year to you all !

So this will be my 3rd full year on board as a Carpenters fan (summer 2015 was when I first started) anyway in 2016 I saw some new stuff including many UK documentaries like "Karen Carpenter: Goodbye To Love" and "The Nations Favourite Carpenters Songs" (which I consider as one of the greatest Carpenters documentaries. Definitely up their with "Close To You Remembering The Carpenters) and a CD of the same name. There was also the Christmas Memories DVD.
2017 didn't see too much in terms of new Documentaries except a Japanese one but we got a lot of new releases which gave us a lot to talk about ! This included a new Vinyl box set, a double LP 'Collection' and a few reissues notably the "Sweet Memory" set.

So what's ahead for 2018?
Has anyone heard any news or rumours?

As always I would love some new songs (as I'm sure everyone here would) but I know people have been wishing for that for many years to no avail. So what is more realistic? Well if 2017 has taught us anything is that Vinyl is back in business ! Could we be seeing more vinyl releases? Hopefully the Christmas albums will see a release, following on the album Vinyl box set I would love to see a Singles box set. Just like the Japanese CD one but as 45 singles!

2018 should hopefully bring a whole lot of new threads for us !
 
Hi everyone and a Happy New Year to you all !

So this will be my 3rd full year on board as a Carpenters fan (summer 2015 was when I first started) anyway in 2016 I saw some new stuff including many UK documentaries like "Karen Carpenter: Goodbye To Love" and "The Nations Favourite Carpenters Songs" (which I consider as one of the greatest Carpenters documentaries. Definitely up their with "Close To You Remembering The Carpenters) and a CD of the same name. There was also the Christmas Memories DVD.
2017 didn't see too much in terms of new Documentaries except a Japanese one but we got a lot of new releases which gave us a lot to talk about ! This included a new Vinyl box set, a double LP 'Collection' and a few reissues notably the "Sweet Memory" set.

So what's ahead for 2018?
Has anyone heard any news or rumours?

As always I would love some new songs (as I'm sure everyone here would) but I know people have been wishing for that for many years to no avail. So what is more realistic? Well if 2017 has taught us anything is that Vinyl is back in business ! Could we be seeing more vinyl releases? Hopefully the Christmas albums will see a release, following on the album Vinyl box set I would love to see a Singles box set. Just like the Japanese CD one but as 45 singles!

2018 should hopefully bring a whole lot of new threads for us !

I would like that the songs that were not released in the Karen Carpenter album (9 Sons) are released, they are hanging around youtube but they lack audio quality ... Regards
 
I would like that the songs that were not released in the Karen Carpenter album (9 Sons) are released, they are hanging around youtube but they lack audio quality ... Regards
It’s surprising Richard hasn’t done anything with the songs or even finished “Last One Singing The Blues”. Plus 2 of the songs are already completed...all Richard would need to do is put them on a comp release and they’d be out there.
 
Which two are they?

Something’s Missing and Love Makin’ Love To You would be my guess. Richard has said before he’d like to polish up the former and release it and the latter is finished - complete with backing vocals - and ready to go.

Some have mentioned that Don’t Try To Win Me Back Again is releasable but I disagree - it sounds like it’s still in raw demo form to me.
 
I bet Universal will at least release Karen's solo album on 180gm vinyl.
How GREAT would that be; A full-blown album cover adorned with those great photos of Karen from her solo sessions! Make it a double album with all her out takes included (there is never enough Karen!). If it does actually happen, let's hope they can manufacture a defect-free product this time. I would snag that one up in a heartbeat!

PS - I wonder what the vinyl label would look like? Maybe hold a contest where fans could submit their designs :D
 
Something’s Missing and Love Makin’ Love To You would be my guess. Richard has said before he’d like to polish up the former and release it and the latter is finished - complete with backing vocals - and ready to go.

Some have mentioned that Don’t Try To Win Me Back Again is releasable but I disagree - it sounds like it’s still in raw demo form to me.
I agree with you on the first two. The last 20 seconds of Don’t Try To Win Me Back Again is out of this world and makes up for any raw type sound it has. I think it’s as great of a song as the other two, but just a little high for Karen, except for the ending with outstanding stacked vocals. I tend to think that if they had decided on this one the lead vocal line would be have more treatment. These are the best three of the solo unreleased, and so darn good! Of the first two, I can’t decide which I like best. They are both perfect and I would covet a great recording of them.
I think there are also two Carpenters’ tunes ready to go as well. I can understand not liking a final product and shelving it, but it’s all we have left and I guess I’m selfish but there is no other person besides Karen Carpenter that I desire to hear all. She had the voice of a century! And, more of Karen is good for my soul! We all know they are the alternates, and sometimes those are gems! If a Dixie cup from Elvis has value, and a Sgt. Peppers Jacket from Karen has $3,000.00 of value from 1975, think what value these songs mean to fans!
 
Since Fall 2018 will mark 40 years since "Christmas Portrait" first came out, maybe there could be a vinyl re-release with the original mixes.
 
Since Fall 2018 will mark 40 years since "Christmas Portrait" first came out, maybe there could be a vinyl re-release with the original mixes.
There’s one problem. Apparently there are no master copies of th original mixes. So Richard would need to remix the album to try and match the original mixes.
 
There’s one problem. Apparently there are no master copies of th original mixes. So Richard would need to remix the album to try and match the original mixes.

True, but it's fun to think about "what ifs" anyway.
 
How GREAT would that be; A full-blown album cover adorned with those great photos of Karen from her solo sessions! Make it a double album with all her out takes included (there is never enough Karen!). If it does actually happen, let's hope they can manufacture a defect-free product this time. I would snag that one up in a heartbeat!

PS - I wonder what the vinyl label would look like? Maybe hold a contest where fans could submit their designs :D

It would be nice to see Karen's album appear on vinyl (given that it's never been released on this format and that this would have been the main format had it been released back in 1980), but there are two big issues with this: 1) the cover and artwork would need a complete overhaul as the 1996 cover was awful; and, more importantly, 2) Richard has made no secret of his dislike of the solo album and you can bet we'll never see any further releases related to it while he's in charge of their back catalogue.
 
I’m hoping there will be a 50th Anniversary boxed set later this year, anyone think this will be a strong possibility like the 30th and 40th Boxes (Neither of which I own or can afford?).
 
It would be nice to see Karen's album appear on vinyl (given that it's never been released on this format and that this would have been the main format had it been released back in 1980), but there are two big issues with this: 1) the cover and artwork would need a complete overhaul as the 1996 cover was awful.

It would be lovely to see the original artwork reinstated. Even though it’s not perfect it’s a lot better than the version released in 1996.
 
For what it's worth ... any fans in the UK ... I'm hoping to get my choir to perform some sort of 40th Anniversary Tribute to Christmas Portrait :)
 
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