CARPENTERS: Cover to Cover

[Rudy]

Back to the Horizon cover--our copy (when I was growing up) was purchased relatively soon after it was released, and it has the stickered logo over the left hand side of the jacket. I always thought it was a strange way to put their name on the cover.

At this late date, it seems like an album cover designed by committee. The art department decides to do a nice, artsy cover with a different photo than we're used to. A fresh idea that dumps the "valentine" idea of some of the earlier albums. Marketing then sees it and says hey, we can't put this out without a name on the front! They probably figured they'd have trouble with either retailers or rackjobbers if they put out an album with no name on the cover (despite many buyers out there already knowing them). It could be that the earliest copies out there left manufacturing without the logo sticker, and was added due to retailer/buyer feedback.

 

[GaryAlan]

This thread got me to thinking, I have no copy of the original Offering LP.
Change that !...as, I just secured a vinyl copy for under fifty bucks....had to have it---why?,
just for the sake of completing the vinyl collection.
Christmas hit early this year, well, for me anyway.

 

[BarryT60]

Back to the Horizon cover--our copy (when I was growing up) was purchased relatively soon after it was released, and it has the stickered logo over the left hand side of the jacket. I always thought it was a strange way to put their name on the cover.

At this late date, it seems like an album cover designed by committee. The art department decides to do a nice, artsy cover with a different photo than we're used to. A fresh idea that dumps the "valentine" idea of some of the earlier albums. Marketing then sees it and says hey, we can't put this out without a name on the front! They probably figured they'd have trouble with either retailers or rackjobbers if they put out an album with no name on the cover (despite many buyers out there already knowing them). It could be that the earliest copies out there left manufacturing without the logo sticker, and was added due to retailer/buyer feedback.

I always remember seeing the stamp / sticker on the cellophane and thought that was purposely done. So that the consumer had a clean photo after purchase... Don't know that I ever saw one without the sticker. I wonder how that handled the "cassette" size?!
Footnote: I probably - in my archives - STILL have that sticker from the original wrapping. Knowing me, I would have refused to toss a printing of that logo.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

This thread got me to thinking, I have no copy of the original Offering LP.
Change that !...as, I just secured a vinyl copy for under fifty bucks....had to have it---why?,
just for the sake of completing the vinyl collection.
Christmas hit early this year, well, for me anyway.

You need it in your life. It's so "period". It's special in its own way. I see why they didn't like it but it could only have been done then. It's instantly dated....and I love it.

Ed

 

[BGW]

You need it in your life. It's so "period". It's special in its own way. I see why they didn't like it but it could only have been done then. It's instantly dated....and I love it.

Ed

I so agree. I think it fits the album better than the Ticket cover. I mean, the Ticket cover is a great photo, but I've never felt that it suits the album very well nor do I like it being titled after one of the weaker tracks on it (my opinion, of course! I got spoiled by the 1973 version, the 1969 version just drags for me).

Naturally, I changed the name and cover of the album in my libraries to the original iteration. Just looks "right" to me.

 

[Guitarmutt]

I love that extra long shot too! No disrespect to Richard, but I want to cut out Karen's half and gaze! While listening to everything I have from 1965 to 1975. The voice, the drums, the smile, the eyes. I'm helpless.

 

[Guitarmutt]

I so agree. I think it fits the album better than the Ticket cover. I mean, the Ticket cover is a great photo, but I've never felt that it suits the album very well nor do I like it being titled after one of the weaker tracks on it (my opinion, of course! I got spoiled by the 1973 version, the 1969 version just drags for me).

Naturally, I changed the name and cover of the album in my libraries to the original iteration. Just looks "right" to me.

Well, this is why I prefer "Offering" at least partly. I love the music, obviously! I think the first, deleted, cover just fits better with the material!

 

[GaryAlan]

I am excited -- tomorrow (Wed.) should see my Vinyl pressing of "Offering"
delivered to my 'doorstep'.
From 1969 to 1989 (Offering to Lovelines) my Cover to Cover Vinyl LP (USA) Collection will be (I think) complete.
A physical artifact from 1969 ( and I seven years old at the time),
it will be played once, then prominently displayed!

 

[ullalume]

After holding off for a month and though I love Passage and Horizon, I ultimately chose Now and Then. Below is the blurb I wrote for the album review.

"I like the cover, but it is a strange reproduction of the duo. Both look rather dour, and Karen's head is bisected by the car window frame. Strangely though, this image of them always seemed to fit the music. . .colour bleached. . . quintessentially (to me) 1970's. . .nostalgic. . .weirdly off-kilter suburban. . .serious. A much more accurate representation of the pair than the shiny happy profile shot that was on the sleeve of the album (but that wasn't included on my Mum's bargain basement cassette)."

It just works. . .and it's the image I first associated with the duo when I got into them back in 90/91. . . .I'm sure that fact has swayed my judgement.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I've always been surprised by all the love for the Horizon cover (which is currently in the lead by a landslide). While I don't hate it and it's certainly not their worst cover, I just don't get the huge appeal it seems to have among the majority of fans. In my opinion, it's just not a very good photograph of them. It looks slightly blurry or out of focus to me. Neither of them are smiling. Richard actually looks like he's ticked off at the photographer and just wants to get it over with. Karen is kind of staring off into space like she's totally bored. Two-thirds of Richard's face is in shadow. There is no album title or logo (which is not a negative in and of itself, but could have really improved the cover, IMHO).

As to the logo not being on the front cover...this is a '70s thing and was a sign that you were really 'cool.' If you were so well known that you didn't even have to put your name on your album cover!! ... well, that was the epitome of having made it. It was done by quite a few acts with the most famous example probably being Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.

I will agree that it's not a masterpiece cover when compared with all other pop album covers of that era. But compared with all other CARPENTERS covers it's my favorite because it's the only one that shows a little imagination and allows them to "step out of the box" as it were. Some of their covers are just ridiculously bad given their stature, which makes this one all the more appealing to me.

 

[GaryAlan]

It (Offering , USA Vinyl ) arrived this morning.
Pristine condition. Now that my (older) eyes can see a bigger rendition of the cover,
it does make for fascinating Album Art. Prefer the Back Photo, though.
So very '60-ish.
Is that Bob Messinger ( misspelled?) , or should it be Messenger--on the credits ?
A fine album, and I reiterate that Richard Carpenter should have retained his edginess
on (some of) the later musical offerings.
Interesting choice of words, by Herb Alpert, on the back cover.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

It (Offering , USA Vinyl ) arrived this morning.
Pristine condition. Now that my (older) eyes can see a bigger rendition of the cover,
it does make for fascinating Album Art. Prefer the Back Photo, though.
So very '60-ish.
Is that Bob Messinger ( misspelled?) , or should it be Messenger--on the credits ?
A fine album, and I reiterate that Richard Carpenter should have retained his edginess
on (some of) the later musical offerings.
Interesting choice of words, by Herb Alpert, on the back cover.

Congratulations!!!! You have a rare bird indeed. It's getting harder and harder to find these in great shape. Mine is too but I paid dearly for it...LOL! The front of it is so completely kitschy. The sunflower is...a lot...LOL! This is the "throw-it-against-the-wall-and-see-if-it-sticks" album. They would do this again on the more-polished-yet-equally-daring "Passage" years later. They had absolutely nothing to lose here and it shows. They were going for it and the innocence and enthusiasm is all over this album. It's just a fun-sounding record and it's the only one in their catalog like it.

Ed

 

[song4u]

Congratulations!!!! You have a rare bird indeed. It's getting harder and harder to find these in great shape. Mine is too but I paid dearly for it...LOL! The front of it is so completely kitschy. The sunflower is...a lot...LOL! This is the "throw-it-against-the-wall-and-see-if-it-sticks" album. They would do this again on the more-polished-yet-equally-daring "Passage" years later. They had absolutely nothing to lose here and it shows. They were going for it and the innocence and enthusiasm is all over this album. It's just a fun-sounding record and it's the only one in their catalog like it.

Ed

I remember hearing or reading that Richard said that was the album he just had to make - no matter how many years it took him.