⭐ Official Review [Album]: "HORIZON" (SP-4530)

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS ALBUM?

  • ***** (BEST)

    Votes: 51 49.0%
  • ****

    Votes: 36 34.6%
  • ***

    Votes: 13 12.5%
  • **

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • *

    Votes: 2 1.9%

  • Total voters
    104
To me it sounds like an attempt to double her vocals by laying one copy on top of itself, slightly delayed, but at the same speed. This creates that unnatural sound that borders on phasing, as one sound beats against the other, creating slight cancelling of some frequencies to one degree or another.

So working on that assumption, it means the lead was doubled, but artificially by him and not naturally by Karen herself. Why do this though if Karen was there at the time to double it herself? He used this same artificial technique on Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again when mixing it posthumously, but the end result was nowhere near as pronounced.

I wonder why he didn’t fix that at the time the album was made then?

Ignore my previous comment - I didn’t notice that he said they ran out of time. It’s a pretty glaring error to leave unfixed th
 
Richard’s explanation may be answered with the new computer system first used with Horizon. He said once during an interview in 1975 with Horizon, documented in Randy’s Yesterday Once More book, that he did not like what the computer did so then they Went back and mixed and finalized by hand. But For this discussion, he said it was something in the tape during this more current interview. With that being almost 45 years ago and those engineers no longer with us, you may be right Harry. I have always liked the phasing for Karen, accident or not, for she had a voice made for use of studio effects OR not to use effects. It was just an great instrument with a great tone! Plus, I will always feel that this song would have been a better summer release for Horizon.
 
It is interesting to listen to the three Horizon singles sequentially (in one sitting):
Please Mr. Postman followed by Only Yesterday followed by Solitaire.
If you could not get "hooked" on the Carpenters by listening to them that way, then...
I am at a loss for words or reasons !
Three brilliant Carpenters' recordings.
 
Well, Richard also say that the "effect" on the song "Get Together" was not intentional.
I don't understand how that can be, either.

That's pretty dubious to me. The tremolo on Richard's voice is pretty extreme and based on what I know, that'd be pretty hard to accidentally make that happen.

Ed
 
A&M Retro, I will dig up the exact quote regarding the song Get Together.
It originates from the 1975 A&M Compendium interview with Richard.
 
If you’re talking Offering, all the bouncing of vocal and orchestral tracks gives it a muddier sound. Minimal choices back then.

Ed

Yeah, it’s not nearly as clean-sounding as the albums that came after it. I’m sure some of that has to do with the Specrum-era 4-track tape sources used on several tracks, as well. Interestingly, the tracks on Side Two seem a little cleaner than those on Side One.
 
If you’re talking Offering, all the bouncing of vocal and orchestral tracks gives it a muddier sound. Minimal choices back then.

Ed
Even with bouncing, if your levels are too high, your going to get distortion. Yes in the analog world you can go above 0db, but that’s when you run into distortion territory.

But still, by 1969 4-track tape had been around for 14 (8-track had been introduced in 1955 by Ampex) years, and many groups, like the Beach Boys were using 4-track machines for such Classic albums as Pet Sounds and they don’t sound “muddy” and distorted.
 
WOW, I can't believe I missed this one, it appears A&M placed 2 different ads for Please Mr. Postman in Billboard (one I posted above) and now this one issued in Dec 21, 1974 well ahead of the album Horizon ever being issued. I like this one!!!!
Check out the promo verbiage...."Special Delivery First Class on A&M Records From CARPENTERS

Billboard%20Please%20Mr%20Postman%20Special%20Delivery%20Dec%2021%201974.png~original
One of the most alluring shots of Karen ever.
 
I cut it out of the magazine and had it pasted on my wall for years! Such a beautiful and sexy picture of Karen. Thanks for posting for all to see.
 
I've been listening to Nat King Cole's, Ella Fitzgerald's and Mel Torme's interpretations of the old standards a lot, just lately. I've been really enjoying that music from days gone by.

I agree that 'I Can Dream, Can't I?' by Carpenters is a great recording and sounds wonderful any time.
 
I adore that slight 'catch' in her voice - she judges it with complete perfection.
It imparts the yearning and level of sincerity of the lyric with absolute effectiveness.
I am astounded sometimes as to the control she had over her voice, what she could do with it and how she could make you feel with it.
I'm grateful for what beauty she gave us but also can't help but think with longing as to what we have missed, when we lost her.
 
I adore that slight 'catch' in her voice - she judges it with complete perfection.
It imparts the yearning and level of sincerity of the lyric with absolute effectiveness.
I am astounded sometimes as to the control she had over her voice, what she could do with it and how she could make you feel with it.
I'm grateful for what beauty she gave us but also can't help but think with longing as to what we have missed, when we lost her.
Amen to that! So true.
 
This song is unbelievably perfect in every way. From Karen’s beautiful tone, vocal phrasing, text painting, and use of each syllable paired with rhythm using the language as icing in application of the vocal prounance along with the orchestra in perfect replication of style makes this the perfect ballad sung with perfection from the infamous ballad singer. It was one of her many strengths. The dimensions to her voice were unstoppable during these years. I am still appreciative of the careful control Richard placed on the recording quality and time spent to create this timeless example that still holds well on playback. This version captures the spirit of this song more than any other, and is a perfect example of lifting printed notes into music. Not only does it create a beautiful piece of art, but one that delivers a personal message to each listener who drinks from it. When I hear this recording it reaches into my soul every time I stop to listen. Truly unbelievable!

Craig
 
^^Beautifully said !
"As we eye the blue HORIZON's end...."
That first line of the lyric seems to tie into the structure of the entire HORIZON album !
I still surmise that very few American listeners and music critics have listened to Horizon in its entirety when first 'delivered.'
You can not listen to the entire album without coming away with a sense of awe.
 
^^Beautifully said !
"As we eye the blue HORIZON's end...."
That first line of the lyric seems to tie into the structure of the entire HORIZON album !

Excellent observation, I’ve never made the association before. Do we know who came up with the title for the album?
 
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