Official Review [Album]: "TIME" (SP 5117/CD 5117/DX 1687)

[Jarred]

I don't agree with that at all. I like the tune. I also think his lead on "I Kept on Loving You" is perfectly fine, even good. It's not great but it's not an embarrassment either. I think it's his best lead and I believe him when he says that "the road was long and wide / I had to try it". The differing opinions in this thread are quite interesting, no?

It’s a great track in part because of his committed, emotive vocal. I really do believe he means what he’s saying here too. I really believe he will never leave her again.

"When Time Was All We Had" is absolutely gorgeous to begin with but then it moves to the elevator when Herb comes in. I get why Richard added Herb but I just feel it was too much. I enjoyed the acapella part of it (in spite of the insipid lyric) so much that Herb disturbs the mood of it for me

I actually like Herb’s flugelhorn(?) part, I get that it sounds sappy but it has this mournful, almost New Orleans sound (if that makes any sense) that I like. The only song I go back to.

 

[GaryAlan]

I find all of the various opinions regarding this album fascinating. So, I am not at all offended if someone, or everyone, disagrees with my views.
The more, the merrier.
But, responding, in particular to Ed (whose posts I always enjoy perusing),
if you really listen intently to those 1970 leads (by RC) on I Kept On Loving You,
you will discern exactly the weaknesses in his lead vocals that I perceive to be more evident on the Time album.
Also, listening to RC's "tailing off" at the end of the song This Masquerade, it is every bit as high and weak as the later Time vocals,
the difference being that Karen's vocals are not around to "save" the later songs on Time, as it were.

 

[John Adam]

Someone like middle-aged Scott Grimes, perhaps? He actually sounds good now!

I just heard "Hide" by an adult Grimes. He does sound good now! I never knew he had music out.
After hearing his vocals on Time, I assumed that was it! lol

So let's replace young Scott with middle-aged Scott, I'm good with that. Do you think Scott would revisit "Time" along with Richard?

 

[GDB2LV]

He was an A&M project as a teen, and Richard produced his first album, which is now quite rare and collectible on cd. He’s done a few albums since and of course acting as too.

 

[newvillefan]

He was an A&M project as a teen, and Richard produced his first album, which is now quite rare and collectible on cd.

I think his track on Time was an experiment to help him find his studio legs but he sounds much better on that first solo album produced by Richard. Show Me The Way To Your Heart is the absolute best track Richard did with him. It’s in the right key for him (for his age) and there are plenty of trademark Carpenters chord changes, multi-layered vocal overdubs, harmonies and other licks like the electric guitar solo. An absolutely gorgeous track and arrangement.

 

[John Adam]

He was an A&M project as a teen, and Richard produced his first album, which is now quite rare and collectible on cd. He’s done a few albums since and of course acting as too.

Yeah, looks like he's more active as an actor than a singer, not putting an album out for several years.........looks like he is still dabbling in music if you look at his twitter account. I've been researching.

 

[GDB2LV]

We carried the cd at my store for awhile. I don’t think we sold any though. We did play it a few times. Just wasn’t that exciting. So with poor sales it was pulled off the market. Now a collectible for Carpenters fans, or for his acting fans who want it 30 years on.

 

[Mark-T]

I think his track on Time was an experiment to help him find his studio legs but he sounds much better on that first solo album produced by Richard. Show Me The Way To Your Heart is the absolute best track Richard did with him. It’s in the right key for him (for his age) and there are plenty of trademark Carpenters chord changes, multi-layered vocal overdubs, harmonies and other licks like the electric guitar solo. An absolutely gorgeous track and arrangement.

I've always been a fan of this album- and this cut was my favorite along with Walkin' on the Water.

 

[ThaFunkyFakeTation]

I find all of the various opinions regarding this album fascinating. So, I am not at all offended if someone, or everyone, disagrees with my views.
The more, the merrier.
But, responding, in particular to Ed (whose posts I always enjoy perusing),
if you really listen intently to those 1970 leads (by RC) on I Kept On Loving You,
you will discern exactly the weaknesses in his lead vocals that I perceive to be more evident on the Time album.
Also, listening to RC's "tailing off" at the end of the song This Masquerade, it is every bit as high and weak as the later Time vocals,
the difference being that Karen's vocals are not around to "save" the later songs on Time, as it were.

Agreed. I really notice it on “What’s the Use” after the modulation. “Worry your-SELF”. He’s pushing out that “SELF” to get the note out. It’s too high for him. “I Kept On Loving You” works because he stayed in his relatively comfortable range. He’s essentially a baritone/bass and not a tenor and lead vocalists on the radio are largely tenors. On “Time”, he had to make it work and he simply didn’t have the vocal chops to do so.

Ed

 

[goodjeans]

I think his track on Time was an experiment to help him find his studio legs but he sounds much better on that first solo album produced by Richard. Show Me The Way To Your Heart is the absolute best track Richard did with him. It’s in the right key for him (for his age) and there are plenty of trademark Carpenters chord changes, multi-layered vocal overdubs, harmonies and other licks like the electric guitar solo. An absolutely gorgeous track and arrangement.

Absolutely in agreement and "Walking on the Water" has Carpenters all over it. One of my favorite tracks of all time.

 

[Proudofyou]

aw she could have totally recorded show me the way...I can hear it in her voice.

 

[tomswift2002]

I’ve had the CD of “Time” playing continuously over the past couple of days. It’s a Timeless Masterpiece. Yeah it’s from the 80’s, but it’s a heck of a lot better than modern pop music.

 

[GaryAlan]

Over 14 million views on Youtube for Calling Your Name Again....
see here...

 

[A&M Retro]

That’s insane! I wonder if it’s a ‘go to’ track in Japan because it’s very unknown in the states. Incredible song, by the way.

 

[Harry]

It appears that many of the views and responses on YouTube are from the Philippines. It must've been popular there.

 

[Mark-T]

I just listened to this album a couple of weeks ago. It's a fine effort!

 

[tomswift2002]

It’s too bad that Richard didn’t do a similar type of album for his second album, rather than the elevator Muzak that he released.

 

[Jarred]

This album may have been better had he done it a decade later and with more guest vocalists. The 80s sound and his vocals (excluding WTWAWH) largely ruin the project.

 

[Daniel Perales]

It's incredible that a new generation is rediscovering this album.

 

[GaryAlan]

^^Agreed !
Even if one does not "like" Richard's lead vocals (generally, I do not) one can appreciate Richard's other talents.
Myself, I believe he matured as a composer (Calling Your Name Again, Something In Your Eyes, I'm Still Not Over You).
Of course, the album "dates" itself, but they can't all be timeless. So, going with my philosophy of
"don't throw the baby out with the bathwater," I concentrate on the things about the album that I appreciate.
As I have said previously, despite his vocals, I get a kick out of Say Yeah !

 

[CraigGA]

^^Agreed !
Even if one does not "like" Richard's lead vocals (generally, I do not) one can appreciate Richard's other talents.
Myself, I believe he matured as a composer (Calling Your Name Again, Something In Your Eyes, I'm Still Not Over You).
Of course, the album "dates" itself, but they can't all be timeless. So, going with my philosophy of
"don't throw the baby out with the bathwater," I concentrate on the things about the album that I appreciate.
As I have said previously, despite his vocals, I get a kick out of Say Yeah !

I also like the harmony in Who Do You Love.