⭐ Official Review [Album]: "PASSAGE" (SP-4703)

[Passenger]

I'm the one here that contacted Lou Beach, the artist that designed the cover, and purchased an autographed print from him to frame for my home office. As we were communicating, per my request, Lou was able to provide not only a proof of the original album artwork as-is, but a second shot of the artwork only with no "Carpenters" or "Passage" text, and a third shot with artwork and "Passage" text only. Funny thing, Harry....I actually asked him if he could put the Carpenters logo in place of their scripted/wavy text to make it totally unique. However, he felt that with this being a copy-righted logo with A&M years ago, that maybe we should pass on that idea. I then decided to leave the "Carpenters" text off altogether just for the great artwork with "Passage"....but my two high-school and college-aged children (that have never shared my love of the Carpenters music....surprise, surprise), thought I was crazy....and insisted that I just HAD to get the original cover complete with the Carpenters name on it. Apparently, they think I'm some kind of Carpenters fanatic....!

 

[GaryAlan]

Passage deserved to chart so much higher than #49 ,catchy singles, great arrangements, beautiful cover art, Karen's vocals.
The entire Album, no matter what its flaws, is a feast for the ears.

 

[GaryAlan]

The Fan Club Newsletters mention NewsMedia present during some work on Passage, I wonder
if there really is footage from any of the sessions, or if anything aired at the time.

 

[A&M Retro]

Wow, I like it better!!

 

[GaryAlan]

Been listening again to Passage, the shm-cd, today.
And, I really appreciate this effort more and more.
It is such a diversion, serious and playful, all at once.
Mind you, it's not my absolute favorite of all,
but I just appreciate the musical skill on display.

 

[GaryAlan]

Here is a Live rendition,from a Las vegas show, of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"
the song starts at about 3 minutes in.
http://www.the-magi.net/Gary/dontargin.mp3

 

[GaryAlan]

Well, I must say, after a re-listen to Passage,on LP, today,
it remains one of my favorites. So much creativity poured into this album.
And, I really think these songs sound better on the Vinyl. Stunning! Great production,arrangements,vocals!
Another head-scratcher: this Album is to my ears Top 10, and yet it made hardly a dent on the charts.
I recall an interview, in print( ?), where Karen commented that this album was used as an ashtray by many people.
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song, #35 only, what a travesty of justice!
I do believe I have vented on this issue continuously since 1977! Forgive me.

​

 

[BeeBee1]

It's hard to believe that the AKOH single went to #12 in 1976 - a year earlier! - and AYGFLIALS is a much better track/single and only went to #35! Had it been released in 1975 it would have charted much higher.

 

[Jeff]

Nowadays I like Bwana alot. Wish it didn't sound so oh what's the word? How about that un-HORIZONesque production. A potential single if it had that stereoish sound I don't know what I'm trying to say...anybody understand?

Jeff

 

[GaryAlan]

A few days ago, when I re-listened to the entire Passage album (on vinyl) , I was struck by
how great that LP sounded.
And, I might add, B'Wana really fared very nicely within the context of the album.
The sequencing of the songs on the album is rather interesting.
There was an instrument, that I am unable to place, that had a bit of a 'tin' metallic sound in
B'Wana, which I felt sounded out of place (or, too up-front in the mix).
Otherwise, Passage sounded fantastic.

 

[Jeff]

Bwana kinda sounds mono and muted.Needs the old remix Rich. I think that's what the unintelligible above post o mine was trying to say.

Jeff

 

[newvillefan]

Bwana kinda sounds mono and muted.Needs the old remix Rich. I think that's what the unintelligible above post o mine was trying to say.

I've always thought this about B'Wana. It does sound too mono, as if all the instruments have been mixed in the centre, rather than opened up into full stereo. The mix is very dry, flat and dull, not dynamic at all. Screaming out for a remix is that track.

 

[GaryAlan]

Front page of Press Kit for Passage

 

[Harry]

Interestingly, "Bwana She No Home" sounds a bit brighter and with a hint more separation on the older A&M CD (and SWEET MEMORY). The Remastered Classics version (and Japan Single Box version) is a bit more muted and mono sounding.

I have a feeling that Richard somehow wanted this track to sound mono and compressed like an older record.

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

And, I listened to the Japanese pressing of the LP (SP5143) today: What a treat!
Every song sounded crystal clear. Sonicaly, as far as vinyl LP's go, this one is incredible.
B'Wana was just as clear on this particular album as all the other songs on Passage.
By the way, my shm-cd of the same does not sound as great as the vinyl.
The Close to You shm-cd does sound awesome, though.

 

[LondonRobert]

I find the whole remastered classics version of passage sounds quite dull. The original a & m cd pressing is much brighter and is the version i listen to now. AKOH sounds quite muffled IMHO too, but the original a&m cd is also quite muffled. I dont think the EQ is quite right on it.

 

[GaryAlan]

Here is one critic's take on this album: (obviously, I am not in harmony with it)
http://www.allmusic.com/album/passage-mw0000649957

 

[Rudy]

The review totally missed the fact that their version of "Man Smart..." was almost a clone of Robert Palmer's version. And I like neither. I should post Belafonte's original...

 

[GaryAlan]

The fellow who wrote the above review of Passage, Bruce Eder, is (apparently) a well-known music critic/journalist.
He also wrote a review for Live in Japan, and I find that he was (apparently) listening to an entirely different album than was I !
I suppose, each to his own!

 

[Tapdancer]

I thought Bruce Eder's critique was balanced, if a little on the short side.

I'm glad he expressed a view that "Sweet, Sweet Smile" probably wouldn't make it to a Volume 3 of the Carpenters' best songs. Being a most excellent track (I love it!) my reflexive response was that he was wrong. But realising how much great material they've released over their career, I think he might have made a fair call. It drove home to me yet again how wonderful this brother-sister team truly was.

 

[GaryAlan]

Here is press kit bio/interview from Passage :

 

[A&M Retro]

The mix on 'B'Wana' has always bugged me, too. Glad to hear the Japanese LP sounds so good! I need to find one now.

 

[GaryAlan]

If you glance at the ratings for Carpenters albums in the Rolling Stone Guide (2004,4th edn)
here's what you would find:
One Star--Voice of The Heart / Lovelines ,
1.5Stars for Made in America,
Two Stars-Offering/Now & Then/Passage/Christmas Portrait
2.5 Stars for-Close To You/ Horizon/Kind of Hush/ From The Top
3 Stars-Singles 1969-73 / LoveSongs
4 Stars-Carpenters/ A Song For You

 

[Geographer]

If you glance at the ratings for Carpenters albums in the Rolling Stone Guide (2004,4th edn)
here's what you would find:
One Star--Voice of The Heart / Lovelines ,
1.5Stars for Made in America,
Two Stars-Offering/Now & Then/Passage/Christmas Portrait
2.5 Stars for-Close To You/ Horizon/Kind of Hush/ From The Top
3 Stars-Singles 1969-73 / LoveSongs
4 Stars-Carpenters/ A Song For You

Those assigning "Stars" at Rolling Stone Guide are idiots. Really? Offering and Christmas Portrait are equivelant? Morons.

 

[GaryAlan]

I have never understood how Rolling Stone rated those albums.
Do so-called music critics even listen to the music?