I am under no illusions that AS TIME GOES BY ever would have been any kind of big hit album, but I also feel that Universal kind of cut their own throats by issuing it in Japan years before they allowed it to be issued elsewhere. As others have stated, we all knew about it, and we all ordered it from CD Japan, or HMV, or other Japanese retailers. The albums was in our hands and in our collections long before it was finally issued in the US and UK and elsewhere. So it had no chance of attracting large audiences outside of Japan.
I also agree that the disc plays like a succession of outtakes. It's composed of television soundtracks with guest stars, sometimes replaced; it's got old demo recordings spruced up for modern day as best that could be accomplished or expected; and it's got some medleys of familiar songs that allow us to hear familiar Carpenters songs done in a slight;y different way, not to mention some instrumental tracks. As such, it doesn't feel like a real "album". It feels like Disc Five of FROM THE TOP or THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION where we got to hear other snippets of commercials and TV show recordings.
That doesn't mean I don't like it. I treasure it a great deal, and as I stated above, if nothing else, it was worth buying twice for "And When He Smiles".
I also agree that the disc plays like a succession of outtakes. It's composed of television soundtracks with guest stars, sometimes replaced; it's got old demo recordings spruced up for modern day as best that could be accomplished or expected; and it's got some medleys of familiar songs that allow us to hear familiar Carpenters songs done in a slight;y different way, not to mention some instrumental tracks. As such, it doesn't feel like a real "album". It feels like Disc Five of FROM THE TOP or THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION where we got to hear other snippets of commercials and TV show recordings.
That doesn't mean I don't like it. I treasure it a great deal, and as I stated above, if nothing else, it was worth buying twice for "And When He Smiles".