⭐ Official Review Carpenters Royal Philharmonic Review and Comments Thread

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Are you by any chance using iTunes to play back the files? I find that if I only play back the last 5 seconds or so of the previous song, the gapless feature won’t work. But if I move the scrubber back 30 or more seconds and then let the previous song proceed into the next song, the segue will be gapless. And of course, playing the album from start to finish also results in perfect, gapless segues for the entire duration of the album.

Yeah your right, I've been jumping back and forth between the downloads and the Target CD using iTunes and using the scrubber. If I go back 30 secs or more I don't hear the gap as much. I've listened to the same digital download on my iPhone using headphones and I'm still hearing the small break right after YOM to HEO but not on the Target CD using my iPhone. Thanks...it's weird I can't figure it out.

 

[Eyewire]

Yeah your right, I've been jumping back and forth between the downloads and the Target CD using iTunes and using the scrubber. If I go back 30 secs or more I don't hear the gap as much. I've listened to the same digital download on my iPhone using headphones and I'm still hearing the small break right after YOM to HEO but not on the Target CD using my iPhone. Thanks...it's weird I can't figure it out.

Just curious, what is the source of your digital downloads? My iTunes downloads don't exhibit any gaps at all between the songs that are supposed to flow into one another. Same with my Japanese CD, which was imported into iTunes.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Just curious, what is the source of your digital downloads? My iTunes downloads don't exhibit any gaps at all between the songs that are supposed to flow into one another. Same with my Japanese CD, which was imported into iTunes.

I wish I knew what the source was for the digital downloads, all I know is they came on an email from The Carpenters Official Store, UMGStores. I'm assuming Universal encoded them.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I can't get the interlude out of my head...the one right before "I Just Fall In Love Again" even after I listened to the CD the first time, my head keeps going back to this interlude...my mind keeps playing these piano notes like it's part of a long lost song that I once knew and has come back again. It's weird how one small interlude can have that much affect on me.

 

[no1kandrfan]

I can't get the interlude out of my head...the one right before "I Just Fall In Love Again" even after I listened to the CD the first time, my head keeps going back to this interlude...my mind keeps playing these piano notes like it's part of a long lost song that I once knew and has come back again. It's weird how one small interlude can have that much affect on me.

OMG! That's my favorite as well. Incredible. Richard is a genius.

 

[Darthskyguy]

Are you by any chance using iTunes to play back the files? I find that if I only play back the last 5 seconds or so of the previous song, the gapless feature won’t work. But if I move the scrubber back 30 or more seconds and then let the previous song proceed into the next song, the segue will be gapless. And of course, playing the album from start to finish also results in perfect, gapless segues for the entire duration of the album.

One more thing. Be sure if you are burning a CD from iTunes that you ensure that insert gap between songs is NOT selected. I’ve seen several CDs messed up with that option selected.

 

[Darthskyguy]

Just noticed something very encouraging for a successful release. Amazon has only one CD left in inventory!

 

[cam89]

Yes the interlude. before IJFILA is gorgeous and sumptuous....Although the song I feel should come next is Where Do I Go From here?...that is the song I can imagine next instead of IJFILA....

 

[CraigGA]

That's exactly how I feel. I'm going to have to just listen to one version for a while though, my head is a bit bamboozled

I thought I had it all straight until I downloaded from the Universal purchase. All I can say is I’m happy to have so much for listening pleasure after all these years of silence.

 

[ullalume]

OMG! That's my favorite as well. Incredible. Richard is a genius.

It's great isn't it. Just those first introductory notes of I believe u transformed into a new song.

 

[newvillefan]

Are you by any chance using iTunes to play back the files? I find that if I only play back the last 5 seconds or so of the previous song, the gapless feature won’t work. But if I move the scrubber back 30 or more seconds and then let the previous song proceed into the next song, the segue will be gapless. And of course, playing the album from start to finish also results in perfect, gapless segues for the entire duration of the album.

Spotify works the same way - if you have the gapless feature enabled but you drop in to a track a few seconds before it ends, the gapless feature doesn't work. Go back a few extra seconds and play it, and the gapless feature works.

I can't get the interlude out of my head...the one right before "I Just Fall In Love Again" even after I listened to the CD the first time, my head keeps going back to this interlude...my mind keeps playing these piano notes like it's part of a long lost song that I once knew and has come back again. It's weird how one small interlude can have that much affect on me.

I can't believe you've said that...I've been thinking the exact same thing! It feels like a melody I've known for years and am only just hearing again after all that time. It's got a ring of familiarity to it. Richard will hate me for saying this but it's reminiscent of the interlude in The Karen Carpenter Story towards the end of the film, where they are having Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

[Wayne Crozier]

I must say the album sounds like a wonderful breath of fresh air to my ears, This Masquerade especially is a revelation. Sonically I couldn’t ask for more from any Carpenters release, for me this is definitely number two in my Carpenters albums now. Thank you Richard for a wonderful, interesting and totally revitalised work. The High Resolution 24/96 is astoundingly clear - wonderful absolutely so!.

 

[Jeremy Cawili]

Yeah your right, I've been jumping back and forth between the downloads and the Target CD using iTunes and using the scrubber. If I go back 30 secs or more I don't hear the gap as much. I've listened to the same digital download on my iPhone using headphones and I'm still hearing the small break right after YOM to HEO but not on the Target CD using my iPhone. Thanks...it's weird I can't figure it out.

For the downloads if you purchased the album from iTunes or if you’re subscribed to apple music or spotify on your iPhone, there’s no gap on the songs mentioned. I’ve been listening non-stop and I don’t have any problems with the segues.

 

[Tony]

I can't get the interlude out of my head...the one right before "I Just Fall In Love Again" even after I listened to the CD the first time, my head keeps going back to this interlude...my mind keeps playing these piano notes like it's part of a long lost song that I once knew and has come back again. It's weird how one small interlude can have that much affect on me.

I can't believe you've said that...I've been thinking the exact same thing! It feels like a melody I've known for years and am only just hearing again after all that time. It's got a ring of familiarity to it. Richard will hate me for saying this but it's reminiscent of the interlude in The Karen Carpenter Story towards the end of the film, where they are having Thanksgiving Dinner.

The opening notes of the prelude to "I Just Fall in Love Again" are the opening notes to the previous song, "I Believe You". (Ullalume noted this previously.) Richard then goes on to create a variation of the melody of "I Believe You". So that's why it's familiar . He does the same with the preludes to "I Need To Be in Love" and "For All We Know", wistfully echoing the opening phrases from the songs that preceded them, "Hurting Each Other" and "I Need To Be In Love" respectively. It's a lovely way to tie songs together and change the mood and the music from one to the other.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

The opening notes of the prelude to "I Just Fall in Love Again" are the opening notes to the previous song, "I Believe You". (Ullalume noted this previously.) Richard then goes on to create a variation of the melody of "I Believe You". So that's why it's familiar . He does the same with the preludes to "I Need To Be in Love" and "For All We Know", wistfully echoing the opening phrases from the songs that preceded them, "Hurting Each Other" and "I Need To Be In Love" respectively. It's a lovely way to tie songs together and change the mood and the music from one to the other.

I picked up on that for the other interludes but the one right before IJFILA does not sound like notes from IBY, at least to me.

Now that Stephen says that if could be some sad notes that I was subconsciously thinking from the KCS without knowing it. Whatever it is...it sure has affected me in a profound way.

 

[Rachel]

It was me. Just didn’t need The notoriety. Lol

Did you also play the wood block in the second chorus of "Hurting Each Other"? I quite like it; a subtle addition, but much appreciated!

 

[Kaisu]

This complete oddity has just shown up on the Carpenters VEVO channel on YouTube:

I think that woman is better of without that emotionless euroguy.

 

[newvillefan]

I'm quite surprised no one else has mentioned the fact that Richard has "stolen" the intro to We've Only Just Begun" from the PACC album, which borrows the melody from Top Of The World.

 

[Song4uman]

Did you also play the wood block in the second chorus of "Hurting Each Other"? I quite like it; a subtle addition, but much appreciated!

You’re welcome.

 

[Song4uman]

I'm quite surprised no one else has mentioned the fact that Richard has "stolen" the intro to We've Only Just Begun" from the PACC album, which borrows the melody from Top Of The World.

I thought if that he other day that it sounded like that, but didn’t get the cd out to check.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Did anyone notice all the different hype stickers on the CD's thus far? I haven't got my Japan CD yet but it looks like the hype sticker says something about 2019*1*31, why is it referring to 2019?

Are there others you have seen? What does the Amazon CD hype sticker look like?

Target hype sticker

UK hype sticker

Japan hype sticker

 

[Harry]

I always try to save my hype stickers. Usually, I'll stick them either on the disc tray, or sometimes on a blank area of the booklet. If it doesn't peel nicely, I'll try to cut it off with the cellophane and just stick it loose in the booklet.

I'm not 100% sure about the Japanese dates, but most Japanese CDs have these dates. I always thought that it provided a range of dates that the album would be on sale, and that's why there are so many re-issues in Japan, and they each seem to get a unique catalog number and range of dates.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I do the same thing, I didn't want to peel it off the Target one so I cut the cellophane and put it inside the booklet. I found the UK hype sticker interesting that they put featuring the voice of Karen Carpenter. What is funny is that this is the information we all wanted when the release was first announced...was it an instrumental cd or did it have Karen vocals. Ha

 

[Harry]

I think you peeled off your avatar and misplaced it!

 

[Actorman]

[QUOTE="Rick-An Ordinary Fool, post: 186001, member: 322] I haven't got my Japan CD yet but it looks like the hype sticker says something about 2019*1*31, why is it referring to 2019?[/QUOTE]

I researched this several years ago. I can't remember the details specifically, but from what I can recall it had something to do with the retail price. Like retailers are not allowed to sell it for more (or less??) than the price listed on the obi-strip until after that date or something like that. It's usually a few months after the release date.

I know that in Japan, they pay an additional tax on domestic (Japanese) CDs that they don't have to pay on imports (USA, UK, etc.). The price and date thing is probably related to that somehow. That is why so many Japanese CDs have bonus tracks. It's a way to incent Japanese consumers to buy the Japanese version (and pay the tax) over the cheaper imported version.