I understand what you're going for, and it makes perfect sense - it's just not what I'd call a flattering picture. Don't know why I used the word 'caricature'; I suppose I was trying to mention that it wasn't realistic.
Karen Carpenter Solo Sessions - Continued
- Thread starter leadmister
- Start date
Nemily
"I'm goin' way down south to Baton Rouge, tonight"
This ^^ and looking forward to the video
byline
Well-Known Member
I agree with A&M Retro. I don't think Randy was quoting Richard. Randy started a sentence by paraphrasing comments we know Richard made, then followed that by appending his own "hindsight reveals" observation:
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
I understand what you're not feeling about it. I went rogue...LOL! There's something about the eyes in that pic. Like...it would never have flown on "Carpenters" anything so I went with it. There were some others from that session that are far worse. She was trying things there too - really spreading her wings. I'm so glad she got to just be free for a while.
Ed
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Most everything I found was "effected" somehow. I'd have preferred the un-effected version of the photo I used but couldn't find one. I wanted something totally un-Carpenters-like...as her album was.
Ed
Her face looks too wide to me, like the aspect ratio is off. As we look at it, her right cheek looks stretched or something.
It seems you're right, I couldn't find anything else on it...
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
This is the best one of the entire shoot in my opinion. I've shown this photo to several people who didn't even recognise her and said how terrific a photo this is of her.
For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I wonder if this photo has been colorized? She’s wearing the same jacket on the CD cover. Was it really red? Look at the pattern of her shirt around the collar. Sorta looks like same pattern on CD cover underneath all that cartoon coloring. Argh.This is the best one of the entire shoot in my opinion. I've shown this photo to several people who didn't even recognise her and said how terrific a photo this is of her.
For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
The one he made of her winking was my favorite
lol maybe that was the other video he made If I Had You.
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newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
The original photos are below, it was the same red jacket and grey shirt in all these photos, including the album's front and back cover. This is how these photos looked before A&M's Art department ruined them.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I just noticed Chris T. has the full size photo of this on his video. Love it!!This is the best one of the entire shoot in my opinion. I've shown this photo to several people who didn't even recognise her and said how terrific a photo this is of her.
For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
If We Try has been but he updates the other and he posted about it on page 4 or 5 here.I think those videos have been taken down
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Yep, it's a beauty alright. This is from his video, I've altered the ratio to straighten it as it was placed at an angle in the video, and brightened it up a bit. I'd give anything for an original, high quality version of this photo.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
David A
Well-Known Member
Although I've always loved "bangs" on women, and thought Karen was gorgeous with them, I noted on these pics that Karen not only looks more mature, but actually sexy (especially the one facing front with an open blouse), which would certainly add to the notion of staying away from a "Carpenters" sensibility and stylistic imagery.
@newvillefan said: "For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen..." - agree for the most part, although ultimately it didn't work. There are many opinions in this (and other) threads about the "why" it didn't work (or did, but wasn't given a release).
I agree with those that are of the opinion that it comes down to a lack of focus and direction more than anything else. Song choices, song album placement; the album is not "put together well" and thus we have these discussions that include re-arranging song orders, adding this one, changing tempo on that one, removing that one, more "basement" vocals, etc. etc. - all signs of the root issue; lack of focus and direction.
HAVING SAID THAT, I have stated before and again here - the album deserved a release, imo. I have perused the charts in 1979 in particular, and there is absolute dreck that bubbled to the top 10.
@newvillefan said: "For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen..." - agree for the most part, although ultimately it didn't work. There are many opinions in this (and other) threads about the "why" it didn't work (or did, but wasn't given a release).
I agree with those that are of the opinion that it comes down to a lack of focus and direction more than anything else. Song choices, song album placement; the album is not "put together well" and thus we have these discussions that include re-arranging song orders, adding this one, changing tempo on that one, removing that one, more "basement" vocals, etc. etc. - all signs of the root issue; lack of focus and direction.
HAVING SAID THAT, I have stated before and again here - the album deserved a release, imo. I have perused the charts in 1979 in particular, and there is absolute dreck that bubbled to the top 10.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I'm the solo album's biggest fan, but I completely take this on board and wouldn't disagree. I can't think of a single Carpenters album I've tinkered around with in terms of tracklist, running order, like I have with this album - hell, I was even driven to create my own version with improved running order on Spotify, just to relieve my own frustration
. For that you have to give Richard (who created things like the bookend concept on ASFY and understood album flow perfectly) a bucketload of credit.I'd like to have seen it given a shot, it may not have set the world on fire but it certainly would have created ripples - both on the charts, in the music reviews and in the eyes of her fans.
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Mark-T
Well-Known Member
This is still so much better than the cover of what was eventually released in 1996. So much better.Even in this mock up of the LP in the record store racks from Chris' video, the finished version looks hideous.
Carl
Well-Known Member
I love this picture ! It’s like she’s making a statement and and trying something new. This photo was up at the U.K. premiere of the Karen Carpenter documentaryThis is the best one of the entire shoot in my opinion. I've shown this photo to several people who didn't even recognise her and said how terrific a photo this is of her.
For me, this captures the essence of the solo album perfectly - upbeat, turning over a page and entering a new decade. Gone are the bangs, the awful clothes, the syrup-laden ballads...and in comes a new-look Karen and a sound and side of her we've never seen.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Maybe he will share a HQ pic, not sure I’ve seen this full version before.Yep, it's a beauty alright. This is from his video, I've altered the ratio to straighten it as it was placed at an angle in the video, and brightened it up a bit. I'd give anything for an original, high quality version of this photo.
