⭐ Official Review [Album]: "VOICE OF THE HEART" (SP-4954)

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS ALBUM?

  • ***** (BEST)

    Votes: 19 17.8%
  • ****

    Votes: 39 36.4%
  • ***

    Votes: 39 36.4%
  • **

    Votes: 7 6.5%
  • *

    Votes: 3 2.8%

  • Total voters
    107
I always assumed that Karen WOULD have sung some stacked backing vocals there, but never got the opportunity to do so.

Richard then finished it the best way he could with other singers.
 
In my post (#430) where I posted the 1983 Entertainment Tonight interview
with Richard Carpenter, I do note his parting words:
"I'll never want to retire." (2:43).
 
Here is an interesting exercise: Tony Peluso's songs Happy and Sailing On The Tide
were both written around the same time (1975, Source: CFCN).
Now, we know they were recorded at different times:
Jim Gordon drums for Happy (and, almost all of Horizon and Hush LPs).
Ed Greene drums for Sailing On The Tide (and, three Passage songs).

In any event, here is the exercise.
If you did not know of the above-noted song differences,
could you identify that these were different drummers on those two Peluso songs ?
 
If you did not know of the above-noted song differences, could you identify that these were different drummers on those two Peluso songs ?

Very good observation and no, I wouldn’t have known there were different drummers on each song unless I’d read the liner notes. Both songs are quite similar in that the choruses feature extensive use of tom tom drum fills.
 
So, COZI-TV is showing the first episode (1979) of the series
Hart To Hart.
The theme song is playing.
It sounds familiar.
I look at the opening credits: Theme song Roger Nichols.
So, the melody playing:
Most of the song sounds like:
....Now....
 
So, COZI-TV is showing the first episode (1979) of the series
Hart To Hart.
The theme song is playing.
It sounds familiar.
I look at the opening credits: Theme song Roger Nichols.
So, the melody playing:
Most of the song sounds like:
....Now....

Wow. Well spotted. Here it is, complete with Barry Manilow Can’t Smile Without You arrangement :laugh:

 
So, COZI-TV is showing the first episode (1979) of the series
Hart To Hart.
The theme song is playing.
It sounds familiar.
I look at the opening credits: Theme song Roger Nichols.
So, the melody playing:
Most of the song sounds like:
....Now....

Wow. Good call, man! :)
 
So, COZI-TV is showing the first episode (1979) of the series
Hart To Hart.
The theme song is playing.
It sounds familiar.
I look at the opening credits: Theme song Roger Nichols.
So, the melody playing:
Most of the song sounds like:
....Now....
The arrangement is very Carpenteresque, with the Herb Alpert-like trumpet and the flute frills. And the intro is very ‘Close to You’. You can tell that Roger Nichols is related to Carpenters....
 
I adore this album, even though it's not considered to be among the best by any means. Karen's vocals were never better, even when she was suffering so much. Now and Two Lives are my favorite tracks. The sessions that ended up on both this album and Lovelines are evidence of how those solo sessions with Phil Ramone had changed her for the better. A slightly more sultry quality was there. The portamentos were a little more soulful and smooth and she had found this beautiful medium between her chest and head voices, coming up with a hybrid, reedy, airy type of technique. It makes me long for what could have been going into the 80's in another timeline where things happened differently.
 
While thinking of Roger Nichols, I find this tidbit:
"The Bettis co-writes are all attractive ballads;
Love’s a River Flowing” was, in fact, written for the Carpenters. "

Read here:
theseconddisc.com/2017/02/hes-only-just-begun-roger-nichols-treasury-collects-demos-jingles-paul-williams-collaborations/
 
While I am waiting to hear the new Carpenters RPO album, I am transported back to 1983:
when I first heard Ordinary Fool--played on the radio (WDBO, I believe)--on release day of
Voice of the Heart.
I could not get to the "record store" fast enough !
My, how things have changed.
I must be old, as I miss those days...
I would have enjoyed a re-imagined version of "Now,"
but, am happy for that which already exists.
Happy, too, that Richard Carpenter devoted his time and talents to the new 2018 offering.
Hadn't thought about it, but the three album titles that I like the most are
Offering...Horizon...Passage....
quite a mix of Carpenters' talents there !
 
This picture is of the exhibit at the Downey Library. Does anyone know what the VOTH item is in the middle of the photo and if it was a promotional release issued at the same time as the album? It looks like a t-shirt or sweater to me. There are also some other really interesting items in there, like the 10th Anniversary book from 1979.

BEB36C8F-6915-4E5E-B701-061D0C065C76_zpssejrqqdj.jpg
 
I still have the 10th Anniversary book in pristine condition and it is one of my favorite keepsakes.
 
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Just out of curiosity is that Karen solo picture in the display just an enlarged photo/poster or is it an original LP solo sleeve? my mind wants it be a gatefold inner sleeve.:)
 
This picture is of the exhibit at the Downey Library. Does anyone know what the VOTH item is in the middle of the photo and if it was a promotional release issued at the same time as the album? It looks like a t-shirt or sweater to me. There are also some other really interesting items in there, like the 10th Anniversary book from 1979.

BEB36C8F-6915-4E5E-B701-061D0C065C76_zpssejrqqdj.jpg
So this is the Downey Public Library Carpenters display case? Maybe it should be on the itinerary during the 50th celebration! We're going to be in town anyway. The bus can make an extra stop. I find it interesting there are two gold records in the display. I thought Karen's were all at CPAC and Richard's at his home. Most likely Richard donated a couple of Karen's to the library. Notice the 8-track tape on the top right shelf. Awesome!
 
I thought Karen's were all at CPAC and Richard's at his home.

I doubt all of Karen’s are all at CPAC - they must have amassed dozens and dozens individually in their careers. Most of Richard’s seem to be displayed on the walls in his home. I’d bet most of Karen’s are in storage.
 
I was listening to the song, You're Enough this morning.
This is a song where I actually believe the choir works (it fits).
As is well-known, I believe Voice of the Heart LP is vastly underrated.
In any event, I see where You're Enough occurs on only one other anthology.
That is too bad, as I think it is a fine song.
Today is my day to say:
give this (very good) 1983 album another spin !
 
I think the flaws of this album are some weaker work leads (Karen believing that she would eventually give a final vocal more centered emotional presence) and the anemic arrangements that lack the warmth and atmosphere that we hear on Lovelines. Even on songs I do like here I can sometimes hear things I would have fixed. I probably wouldn't even have this mindset if LL wasn't so well produced.

But Ordinary Fool is certainly one work lead that was too personal of a song for her to ever phone in. The loneliness of her soul is exposed here. Maybe why she didn't like it much.
 
If there are flaws, they (perhaps) stem from the apparent rush in getting the album completed.
The album was completed in time for a summer release (as originally planned). The release was
held up until the fall (to prevent the appearance of capitalizing on Karen's recent passing).
(1) Some of these "work leads" are excellent: Two Lives (excellent),
Ordinary Fool (fantastic), Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore (excellent).
Quite frankly, as I have often written, the weakest link is the son "Now."
(2) Arrangements are pretty good (imho):
Sailing On The Tide (excellent), Ordinary Fool (excellent), Look To Your Dreams (excellent),
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore (very good), Two Lives (excellent).


All things considered for Voice of the Heart--
the rush to completion, the difficulty in song selection
(after all, there was no way we were going to get any solo songs on VOTH),
the balancing act between presenting new material and also familiar Carpenters' style-arrangements,
I still believe this album was about as good as it possibly could have been--at that time.
 
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