⭐ Official Review [Album Covers]: "1969-2001"

[newvillefan]

I did not like the cover for SINGLES 1974-1978. I accidentally discovered it in a discount album bin and had flipped through the bin 3 times before I realized that this shiny gold cover belonged to a Carpenters album. When I got home, I decided to change it with a black ink pen and colored in the letters of the logo to make it stand out.

I've always hated that cover too. A gold foil design with a gold Carpenters logo? No thanks. It's barely noticeable who the artist is because you can hardly make out the name.

On a side note I also don't think the album should have started side 1 with two country songs. I think that was a big mistake stylistically. They should have swapped Jambalaya with Only Yesterday.

 

[BarryT60]

I did not like the cover for SINGLES 1974-1978. I accidentally discovered it in a discount album bin and had flipped through the bin 3 times before I realized that this shiny gold cover belonged to a Carpenters album. When I got home, I decided to change it with a black ink pen and colored in the letters of the logo to make it stand out.

Not a fan of that one either. I kind of thought that flimsy gold shiny paper looked cheap. And the font and total design was a let down to me. If A & M were to have put out a second Singles package, the design should have mirrored the original, possibly with a different color pallet, and of course, an updated picture on the inside. Oh well.... By in large, I really liked the covers of most of their releases....

 

[BarryT60]

My favorites are the three that feature only logos. I love logos and Carpenters logo is a great one. So I'd pick the tan CARPENTERS album, and two that were not on this list, SINGLES 1969-1973, and SINGLES 1974-1978. In the CD era, I'm partial to all of the various "GOLD" covers for the same reason.

I understand your point... My favorite may well be The Singles 1969-1973. The classic - almost regal treatment of the graphics package sets the tone for the significant collection within.

 

[Eyewire]

I voted for CLOSE TO YOU, HORIZON and AS TIME GOES BY. In my opinion, the album cover for CLOSE TO YOU was their best ever. I know Richard hated it, but I absolutely love it. They look so young and fresh, with a very bright, promising future ahead of them. That's how I like to remember the Carpenters, and that's probably why I like that cover so much.

As for albums that were not listed in the poll, my favorite would be THE SINGLES 1969-1973. Such a classy, elegant, minimalist cover. I've long since lost my vinyl copy. Was the Carpenters logo embossed?

 

[theninjarabbit]

Was the Carpenters logo embossed?

Yes. Ran my hand over the front my copy to check.

 

[GaryAlan]

Embossed .....
Carpenters logos
appeared on the Original Vinyl Pressings
of:
Tan Album
The Singles 1969-1973 (later issues not)
Horizon (Embossed on the Flap)
The Singles 1974-1978.

Have I forgotten any?

 

[ScottyB]

I'm not surprised to see Horizon leading in votes. It's a very mature photo. I also chose Lovelines because I love the photo that was chosen. My third choice was Ticket To Ride. I thought it depicted them in a very good setting reflecting the sound of their earliest recordings. What I can't understand is the amount of votes for Passage. Very blah in my view. Honorable mentions would have to go to Christmas Portrait (pretty much a standard "Portrait") and As Time Goes By (a good shot of them in their prime).

 

[GaryAlan]

Although not a studio Album cover,
I always rather liked the photograph used on the cover of 25th Anniversary Classics cd.
The same photo used for a poster (which I still do not have! Though I do have the 8X10 from the Fan Club)
for the Gold US TV promo. It being a variant of the cover for Lovelines cover photo.

 

[BarryT60]

Embossed .....
Carpenters logos
appeared on the Original Vinyl Pressings
of:
Tan Album
The Singles 1969-1973 (later issues not)
Horizon (Embossed on the Flap)
The Singles 1974-1978.

Have I forgotten any?

From The Top... I believe...

 

[newvillefan]

Embossed .....
Carpenters logos
appeared on the Original Vinyl Pressings
of:
Tan Album
The Singles 1969-1973 (later issues not)
Horizon (Embossed on the Flap)
The Singles 1974-1978.

Have I forgotten any?

Not a vinyl pressing, but the Love Songs compilation also featured an embossed silver logo.

 

[GaryAlan]

I must be missing the thread for
The Singles 1969-1973,
but, here is a nice promotional item-- this is only the second time I have seen this banner:
(Karen) Carpenters' Promotional LP Banner | eBay

 

[arthowson]

Although not a studio Album cover,
I always rather liked the photograph used on the cover of 25th Anniversary Classics cd.
The same photo used for a poster (which I still do not have! Though I do have the 8X10 from the Fan Club)
for the Gold US TV promo. It being a variant of the cover for Lovelines cover photo.

Some of the best photos of Richard in the sessions. He looks very SoCal.

 

[GDBY2LV]

I missed this thread somehow. My votes are
Horizon, Hush, Lovelines.
The Horizon album originally had a large clear sticker on the shrink wrap that had the Carpenters logo, etc.
I regret peeling it off, and putting it on the wall by my turnable back in my college days. It looked cool there though.

 

[goodjeans]

Here in Canada its to bad that the Christmas albums are only available in the Double-CD format, since people don't get to see the lovely covers, and even compared to a lot of the newer Christmas CD's the covers still look really good. Most modern Christmas CD's have covers that look like they were done for Sears' Wishbook catalogue.

The only two Carpenters vinyl's that I kept, for your exact reason.

 

[David A]

As with @GDBY2LV I missed this thread (thx to @newvillefan for linking this thread for me) - it looks like it got started right around the time I joined, but regardless, my pics:

Tan Album - same as @Harry says, their logo is the quintessence of their image and by far represents them and their music without any "baggage" that comes with some of the God-awful pics used on several of their covers. Any cover that does not prominently feature their logo is a weakness in my view.

Horizon - serious artists that do not look like fuzzy warm bro/sis pic...would have been perfect with a prominent but not too obtrusive logo, like a fading layer in the background somewhere...

As Time Goes By - same reason, great pic, features the logo

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I never voted on this one.
The first 2 were easy, Horizon and As Time Goes By. The 3rd was harder as I like Lovelines and VOTH but I choose VOTH for sentimental reasons.