⭐ Official Review [Album]: "OFFERING"/"TICKET TO RIDE" (SP-4205)

How Would You Rate This Album?

  • ***** (Best)

    Votes: 18 23.1%
  • ****

    Votes: 25 32.1%
  • ***

    Votes: 23 29.5%
  • **

    Votes: 10 12.8%
  • *

    Votes: 2 2.6%

  • Total voters
    78
Ticket To Ride is definitely one of my favorite Carpenters albums. I remember when I first got into them about 2 months ago (yes, I'm a newbie, still discovering some songs) and hearing "Your Wonderful Parade" for the first time, and I was completely blown away. Something about the drumming, vocals, and the intro with RC talking got me pretty hooked. I also remember hearing "Ticket To Ride" (song) for the first time, and loved that too. And as a long time Beatles fan, I never thought that I could hear such a good Beatles cover, as most people seem to be convinced that original versions are always better than cover versions. I also have always loved the stunning vocals on "Eve" and the pureness of "Get Together", "What's The Use", All Of My Life", and "Benediction". The beginning of "All I Can Do" I absolutely love, along with the backing vocals. I'm pretty sure there's another song from this album I haven't heard yet, but based on what I've heard so far from this album/any of their music in general, TTR is in my top 5 Carpenters albums, most definitely
 
Gary Sims on Guitar, throughout this entire Offering Album.
Whereas, Gary Sims doesn't get any credit on the 1973 version of
Ticket To Ride. (Reading Interpretations Liner Notes).
Was his part simply removed and replaced with Tony Peluso's guitar ?
Karen also re-recorded her Drums (as well as Lead) for 1973.
Oh, well....I still prefer the earlier version.
 
Here is a really early article, never seen this one before...
Record World Dec 13, 1969

Carpenters%20Tiket%20To%20Ride%20Record%20World%20Dec%2013%201969.jpg~original
 
After watching the above drum -cover of
Turn Away,
it should be obvious that the oft-quoted remark (myth ?)
that Karen did not have sufficient drum-strength for studio recordings
is simply inaccurate.
The entire Offering Album exemplifies this perspective.
LP Now & Then, also, justifies my belief (Jambalaya is a Hal Blaine studio session).
If anything, the opposite is more accurate.
That is, Karen probably "hit" the drum-skins too hard in the studio,
and the "session" drummers knew exactly how to "hit" those 'skins' in the studio. (Not too hard or soft).
Hal Blaine did not say (in Chris May's interview) that Karen played too softly.
Hal Blaine: "She just knocked the heck out of those drums..." at 17:00.
(But, then, at 17:01, Joe Osborn says..."She didn't have the power....").

And, so it goes......
 
After watching the above drum -cover of
Turn Away,
it should be obvious that the oft-quoted remark (myth ?)
that Karen did not have sufficient drum-strength for studio recordings
is simply inaccurate.
The entire Offering Album exemplifies this perspective.
LP Now & Then, also, justifies my belief (Jambalaya is a Hal Blaine studio session).
If anything, the opposite is more accurate.
That is, Karen probably "hit" the drum-skins too hard in the studio,
and the "session" drummers knew exactly how to "hit" those 'skins' in the studio. (Not too hard or soft).
Hal Blaine did not say (in Chris May's interview) that Karen played too softly.
Hal Blaine: "She just knocked the heck out of those drums..." at 17:00.
(But, then, at 17:01, Joe Osborn says..."She didn't have the power....").

And, so it goes......
I have never understood the rationale that you sometimes see in the comments section of YouTube and other places that Karen was a "weak drummer", "doesn't she look cute behind her little Barbie drum kit", etc. Didn't Hal Blaine and Buddy Rich call her a "great drummer" if I remember correctly? Wasn't she more of a "jazz drummer" as opposed to "rock drummer" anyway? Of course, she is not going to beat the sh** out of them like Alex Van Halen or dare I say, John Bonham! I just see performances where she is drumming and singing quite magnificently (like that Ed Sullivan 1970 Walter Reed appearance). Based on this and her studio work, she quite definitely seals her fate as a consummate MUSICIAN In My Humble Opinion. Gary, thanks for posting that great video...
 
Another favorite on Offering,
Don't Be Afraid To Love....
At one point in the song , on the lyric "joy,"
Karen hits a high note--beautifully and effectively.
The very ending--the harmonies--are great !
Also, interesting arrangement with utilization of seldom-heard instruments !
(horns and harpsichord )
 
Today I was doing a comparison of the song
Someday....
1969 versus 1980 (in the TV Medley):
I must say, Karen still had it as of 1980,
as some of those notes which she holds at length
in this song--as part of the Medley--are incredible.
Not being a Medley fan (as I often neglect them) it had not hit me earlier !
Also, the harmonizing on the Medley is the old Carpenter-harmony magic.
 
Here we are....late 2017, almost 2018...
and, I am listening to the Offering LP....
I really like (maybe I love) this album,
Turn Away and Get Together really creative,
and, that original Ticket To Ride is still my favorite version.
(
Yes, I'm in the minority on that one--that version).
The Bookends Invocation and Benediction , a prequel to 1975's
Aurora and Eventide, are still awesome to hear.
What's The Use,
very creative. (Nice background harmonies there)
Can't forget All Of My Life....beautiful.

So, how does the 2017 LP stack up ?
 
Here we are....late 2017, almost 2018...
and, I am listening to the Offering LP....
I really like (maybe I love) this album,
Turn Away and Get Together really creative,
and, that original Ticket To Ride is still my favorite version.
(
Yes, I'm in the minority on that one--that version).
The Bookends Invocation and Benediction , a prequel to 1975's
Aurora and Eventide, are still awesome to hear.
What's The Use,
very creative. (Nice background harmonies there)
Can't forget All Of My Life....beautiful.

So, how does the 2017 LP stack up ?
Re-reading this thread, I may have to pick up "Ticket to Ride" as well as "Lovelines". Of their LPs, this one is one of my favorites.

Thanks for reminding me of this album's many charms, GaryAlan. :)
 
Can anyone help me? I am new here. I recently bought the Ticket to ride CD. I guess an early edition from Japan POCM 1809. But the sound quality is really bad. Espcially Get together sounds bad. So I want to buy another edition. Or do all the cd's have the same sound quality?

Peter Boonstra
The Netherlands
 
TICKET TO RIDE has always sounded a bit poor compared to other Carpenters CDs. There was always a bit of over-modulation distortion in louder passages. It was that way on the OFFERING LP and remains to this day.

"Get Together" used some dubious engineering tricks. At the start, the piano is hard panned to the right. Richard's vocal lead them comes in with quick up-and-down rhythmic volume adjustments. When Karen joins in at the chorus everything sounds normal. Then Karen joins in for the verses and ll of the lead vocals are given that wavering effect - all very SIXTIES!

It was common back then for some records to have weird vocal processing. Listen to many of John Lennon's leads throughout the Beatles years.
 
That does look interesting. The ad states that Side One's matrix number reads:

A&M SP4309(RE-1) -15 (MR in a circle) a Pyramid13936

I compared that with my copy of OFFERING which reads:

A&M SP4309(RE-1) -1

My copy was purchased "in the wild" at a time after CLOSE TO YOU was released, so it was remaining in store stock. My sister found it for me and have it to me as a Christmas present. So the fact that it's a (-1) pressing would indicate that it is indeed a first pressing.

The one in the ad has a (-15), but also has the MR and Delta number which indicates a Monarch pressing. Mine must not be a Monarch pressing since it doesn't have any of those Monarch numbers or symbols.

The handwriting on the sleeve tends to make it seem as if someone, somewhere was trying to figure out what the first single would be, and it's interesting that "Your Wonderful Parade" is in the running. As many of us know, the first single gives "Your Wonderful Parade" a lower matrix number, perhaps indicating an initial choice for lead single.

But handwriting is handwriting. It could have been written at any time, including last week, so it genuineness has to come in question for a serious buyer.
 
The handwriting on the sleeve tends to make it seem as if someone, somewhere was trying to figure out what the first single would be, and it's interesting that "Your Wonderful Parade" is in the running. As many of us know, the first single gives "Your Wonderful Parade" a lower matrix number, perhaps indicating an initial choice for lead single.

At the bottom it’s written:

Reaction so far for single:

A) “All Of My Life”
B) “Your Wonderful Parade” (w/o introduction)””


I took that to mean the author’s preference for the A and B side of the first single.

How would they have known the song had two versions of Your Wonderful Parade (one with - and the other without - an introduction)?
 
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It looks like this test pressing is using the same matrix for the white label promo of the Offering LP.
I just checked my WLP of Offering and it contains the exact same matrix:

Side 1
A&M SP4309(RE-1) -15 (MR logo) then Δ13936

Side 2
A&M SP4310(RE-1) -15 (MR logo) then Δ13936-X
 
Different companies were employed by A&M for their pressings. This one and Rick's were pressed by Monarch. I'm not sure who pressed mine. It might have been Columbia. Our friend @W.B. would probably be able to tell.
 
The test pressing for
Offering....
went for $105....hopefully we hear from the winner regarding the sound.....
 
Not sure if I've mentioned this previously,
the Japanese Vinyl Pressing of Ticket To Ride Album (1973)
begins Side One with Close To You
(the LP version edited down, not single version....)

No other changes from USA Ticket Album.
 
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