CARPENTERS: Cover to Cover

[Guitarmutt]

'Now & Then' as the cover shot was so innovative for the time. After that album it became cool to put a car/house on the front of an album cover and mess with the tinting/contrast etc... e.g. 'Late for the Sky' Jackson Browne. I bet this album gatefold sleeve cost a fortune to print, good thing it sold well. I really like the almost 3d effect of the sky against the house. I used to put the inside standing up by my little stereo record player... oh can we go back just for a little while..... Carpenters and the Peanuts gang.....I'm in heaven.

When other kids looked at it back in the day they wanted to know where the other album was? lol...

Put 'Heather' on and unfold the album cover...trippy indeed.



Freddie

P.S.: I love Richard's Wurlitzer/Baldwin piano sound. I must be the only person in the world who doesn't like Steinway as I find them too harsh and bright.

Everything is a matter of taste/choice. I work for concert venue where we have a Steinway D. It is astonishing, the range of tone, color, timbre, beauty that can be drawn out of the instrument by various artists!

But my real realization is more interesting: that great artists sound like themselves regardless of instrument. Richard sounds like Richard on acoustic, electric, Steinway, Baldwin, whatever. Another Richard: Thompson sounds like himself always. Lindsey Buckingham, David Gilmour,
Vladimir Horowitz, Heifetz, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Chet Atkins, etc.

Touch says so much. Karen? Yes also!

 

[Someday]

Do we have any artists on this board? Perhaps we should start a contest to 'improve' certain album covers and show the ideas here ...

 

[Chris Mills]

I still think it's amazing that some of Karen's best studio recordings were not released until after Karen was able to receive that recognition, that fills me a certain degree of sadness.

That should have read "unable" and not "able".....oops

 

[newvillefan]

That should have read "unable" and not "able".....oops

You were right the first time Chris - if you change it to "not [...] unable", it becomes a double negative

 

[Chris Mills]

I've c

You were right the first time Chris - if you change it to "not [...] unable", it becomes a double negative

Thanks for pointing that out, hope the point I was trying to make isn't lost.

 

[Dave]

I somehow was drawn to the Now And Then cover as being "definitive" and a long-time favorite of mine...

I would have chosen Horizon if at least Richard and Karen were looking up... Or A Kind Of Hush, if the material were a little more like the pre-Singles 1969-1973 stuff of which while a good "Greatest Hits"-type of cover, can't warm up to the plainness, that even the Tan album overcomes...

A Song For You would make a second choice, first, if somewhere, front or back cover, a photo of Richard & Karen could have been put... And too bad the "envelope fold" couldn't be continued on to later issues of that album...


-- Dave

 

[Chris Mills]

If you listen to each studio album as they were released from 1969 to 1981, the recording techniques that are used are proof to how the Carpenters sound evolved through the years. Although "Horizon" is my first choice out of the studio albums, it's really difficult not to admire the way in which the vocals were recorded for "Music Music Music", they're so smooth.

 

[newvillefan]

If you listen to each studio album as they were released from 1969 to 1981, the recording techniques that are used are proof to how the Carpenters sound evolved through the years. Although "Horizon" is my first choice out of the studio albums, it's really difficult not to admire the way in which the vocals were recorded for "Music Music Music", they're so smooth.

Agree Chris. The vocal acrobatics on 'Without A Song' are amazing. They remind of Karen's vocals at the end of 'If I Had You' (the remix).

 

[FreddieB]

I stand corrected, Richard says he mainly used the A&M Steinways. I just thought that 'This Masquerade' sounded so mellow and jazzy that it must be a Baldwin. I have been told before that I am wrong about certain name branded instruments having a unique tone, so I should know better. It is interesting to hear how much warmer Tony's guitar tone is when he is on his 'Gibson ES-339 as opposed to the more treble p-90 Fenders'.... There I go again... Thanks for info all!!!

Freddie

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Love "Passage" but "Horizon"'s awfully good too. I had a hard time picking between the two but I went with "Passage" because it's totally unique to their catalog and it's the only one that doesn't have the logo.

Ed

 

[newvillefan]

Love "Passage" but "Horizon"'s awfully good too. I had a hard time picking between the two but I went with "Passage" because it's totally unique to their catalog and it's the only one that doesn't have the logo.

Ed

Apart from on the back cover that is

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

I know. I just love that it's not on the front. Love your Spanish press of this!

Ed

 

[Chris Mills]

Apart from on the back cover that is

And newvillefan strikes again, pleased that someone is paying attention

 

[JamieHarrison]

Yeeesh, a difficult poll to pick! But I love A Kind Of Hush.

 

[Mark-T]

Welcome to the Boards, Jamie!

 

[Song4uman]

I voted for Horizon. Always a favorite. I also really like ATGB also
Jonathan

 

[Guitarmutt]

Do we have any artists on this board? Perhaps we should start a contest to 'improve' certain album covers and show the ideas here ...

Really? Can we? Improve? Really? Times and fallacies; hopes and dreams. Real, extreme! Whatever, and so .....

 

[Natesmommy77]

I was the one who went with "The Singles 1969-1981 [SACD]". It was a hard choice between it and "Horizon". I love the photos from the shoot, and I love that look on Karen's face.

 

[FreddieB]

I was the one who went with "The Singles 1969-1981 [SACD]". It was a hard choice between it and "Horizon". I love the photos from the shoot, and I love that look on Karen's face.

I love that cover as it reminds me of an Art Deco chocolate box. I think it is probably the most classy album cover ever.


Freddie

 

[arthowson]

we should move these to a different thread. are we still talking album covers? i keep forgetting 74 - 78, which was amazing in the LP format and the embossed lettering.

 

[Harry]

[Pianos and keyboards thread started and appropriate posts moved there.]

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Do we have any artists on this board? Perhaps we should start a contest to 'improve' certain album covers and show the ideas here ...

I'm no artist but I like to try to make good-looking covers for compilations I put together. I made a Carpenters compilation some years ago using that famous Rolling Stone cover. Just imagine the Close to You cover, except with the background kind of an off-white color. The Rolling Stone cover is in the middle (the whole cover, not just the photo), and the official Carpenters logo at the top. My title was Crescent Noon since I've always liked that song. It's one of my more favorite compilation covers.

 

[LondonRobert]

Love "Passage" but "Horizon"'s awfully good too. I had a hard time picking between the two but I went with "Passage" because it's totally unique to their catalog and it's the only one that doesn't have the logo.

Ed

I totally agree - I couldn't pick between Horizon or Passage and i eventually went for Horizon. Passage has the ethereal look, it's modern, classic and not at all dated. I'd LOVE to have a huge poster of that on my wall ( I have a poster of the abba - the album art work ! ). Horizon just pipped because i find the poses get you to actually question what's behind the 'look'. It's not the typical big smile - It grabs you and I find it's just so very interesting.

 

[arthowson]

I totally agree - I couldn't pick between Horizon or Passage and i eventually went for Horizon. Passage has the ethereal look, it's modern, classic and not at all dated. I'd LOVE to have a huge poster of that on my wall ( I have a poster of the abba - the album art work ! ). Horizon just pipped because i find the poses get you to actually question what's behind the 'look'. It's not the typical big smile - It grabs you and I find it's just so very interesting.

I met Richard and Mary (and the kids) at the Raviller (sp) house and to the right of their front door (on the inside) there was a long print of the Passage artwork. Beautiful frame and matting. I forget if there were logos and words on it. It may have been just the print.

 

[Mark-T]

Both Passage and Horizon are timeless in their appeal.