Carpenters Perform Carpenter CD-> July29

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350hunny said:
You don't buy The Essential Collection as you already have From The Top.
You don't buy 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection
as you already have all of the selections in it and heard them before.
You don't buy Carpenters Perform Carpenter
for the same reason above.

As for AS TIME GOES BY. well :?: :?: :?:

I bought all of those, and will be buying Carpenters Perform Carpenter as well, plus the DVD 'upgrade' from my LaserDisc of Interpretations.

I think the main complaint is that these are all songs which we've gotten in other forms, while As Time Goes By, the only really NEW stuff in recent years remains unreleased in the US. Still I'm sure that every die-hard Carpenters fan has gotten it from Japan, so even if there were finally a US release, it would go largely ignored, deflating any possible chance at chart success.

Harry
...hoping for even a little a surprise from these new releases, online...
 
Atta boy, Harry. Now you've got the right to complain about what you've bought so far.
Richard would appreciate anybody's opinion of their work after their cds are purchased.
I think it's not fair to be so grouchy about what you haven't heard a bit of and that some of you jump to conclusions.

I love to hear what you guys talk about our duo's music and hate to be bitter about people's attitude.
But when the fans don't care for what they have had before and they've got sick of it, their opinions don't sound so productive.

I'm not saying you must be a die-hard fan of the Carpenters.
But if you like their music, it won't hurt you to be proud of it and go get one of their cds.

It's usually difficult for a disbanded group to have a new cd out.
Especially its lead singer doesn't exist in this world any more.
 
I think what we have to keep in perspective is that most of these compilations are not being released for the "fans". It's not the fans that are waiting by saying we want another compilation CD.

My opinion is that the compilations are to bring in new fans into the duo's group. Either that or there just being made to make money on someone's end & I'm not saying it's Richard that wants the money, there are alot of other people involved that want there share of the sales money.

Of course some of the fans will buy these compilations but not all. Most of the fans already have this material. I think if compilations bother the fans so much they should just skip over it & by pass it. But for me, if there is anything different even a re-mix or 2 or a bonus song then I will usually get it.
 
Thank you Chris for your post, which I enjoyed. :)
I see what you mean but still it's the record company that can put any Carpenters material out for the fans if Richard agrees.
And so Richard gets his own share of the sales. He's a billionaire :shock: as you know so he may not be after much money like before.
He admits that he wanted to make money by selling records, in fact.

Carpenters' record sales helped A&M keep 38 Special in their roster.
If our duo's works can eventually bring on releases by some other acts from the same label, why not their own ones?

Now that Universal and Richard decided to release Carpenters Perform Carpenter, if it should make a nice amount of sales for the label :wink: , there would be a possibility for them to consider releasing As Time Goes By or any other future release.
You are going to help to make that dream come true by buying a Carpenters release, if it's a compilation :tongue: .

I wonder if the U.S. fans would ever consider why the label is unwilling to bring it forth in the duo's home land.
My only wishful thinking is that all the fans will see any of the Carpenters releases climb the hit charts again, just like the Beatles or Elvis.
I'm sure they are worth it.

I think I'm too fond of the music Karen and Richard has woven so far and so I can't stop myself from buying one single release of their own. :D
I'm sure Richard would like it, too.

As Richard himself claims that their music is "timeless", so the fans are from generation to generation.

And I think every one of you is like a Carpenters missionary. :!:
 
I've just hung up from speaking w/ my Tower Records guy and my copies of CPC and INTERPRETATIONS will be waiting for me 1st thing July 29th. You know it's not the same as the anticipation of buying the NEW C's record off the shelf, but it's as close as we're gonna get so I'm looking forward to the releases and I can only hope for deluxe packaging and liner notes.

appreciating the finer things in life,

Jeff
 
The new CARPENTERS PERFORM CARPENTER album now has a catalog number: 000074502

and is still scheduled for US release on 7/29.
 
To collectors,

Yuka mentions that "Carpenters / Perform Carpenter" will be released on October the 22nd in JAPAN on her website.

Sakura
 
Has anyone here received their copy yet?

Are there any surprises (remixes, liner notes) we should know about?

BTW, I ordered mine through www.deepdiscountcd.com and got it for $13.97 (free shipping and handling). I recommend this site to anyone looking for great prices on CD's.

Also, 'Carpenters Peform Carpenters' will be available for download on buymusic.com on July 29th. You can do a search for the album on the site, and it will let you see the tracklisting but you can't download them just yet.
 
Got an e-mail from Amazon this morning saying that my copy had shipped yesterday! Will post here as soon as I receive it.

Marilyn, in anticipation ...
 
Marilyn,

I look forward to hearing your response. I should have pre-ordered but I was lazy. Looks like everyone here will get them before me.

I'm especially interested to see if there are any new mixes and which version of Merry Xmas Darling is this on the new CD.

:wink:
 
I received "Carpenters Perform Carpenter" today (July the 29th, Japan).
Compilation Produced by RICHARD CARPENTER

I think the photo of back cover was taken in Japan(?)

If you don't want to know about remix before you listen to this CD, please read the following after you will listen to it.

"Top Of The World" and "Yesterday Once More" are single versions.
"I Need To Be In Love" is '91 version. (3.49)
"Merry Christmas, Darling" is '78 version.
Liner note was written by Bill DeMain.

1. Top Of The World Remixed in 1991
2. Maybe It's You Additional Recording and Remix done in 1990
3. Crystal Lullaby Additonal Recording and Remix done in 1987
4. I Need To Be In Love Remixed in 1991
5. Sandy
6. Mr. Guder Additional Recording and Remix done in 1990
7. All Of My Life Additional Recording and Remix done in 1987
8. Yesterday Once More Additional Recording and Remix done in 1985
9. One Love Remixed in 1994
10. Those Good Old Dreams
11. Because We Are In Love
12. Only Yesterday
13. Eve Additional Recording and Remix done in 1987
14. At The End Of A Song
15. Goodbye To Love Additional Recording and Remix done in 1985
16. Look To Your Dreams
17. Karen's Theme
18. Merry Christmas, Darling - (bonus track) Additional Recording and Remix done in 1978

I love this album. All Richard's songs!! I have not gotten all of remixed versions, so I am enjoying this CD.

I still love original Merry Christmas Darling. Sorry, Richard.

Sakura
....received CDs on US release-day lately, but received CDs and books a few days after JPN release-day....why? ....I got another singer's CD several days after released date. On the CD Harp by Gayle Levant, Harmonica by Tommy Morgan...
 
Hi, Sakura. Thanks for your info.
Tell me which version of the following tune is included.
I'm asking you because there are alternate versions are out there.

12. Only Yesterday playing time
album version :4:12
YOM other version :3:50
22hits other version:3:58

16. Look To Your Dreams
single or album version with piano outro?
 
350hunny,

playing time
12. Only Yesterday 3:57
16. Look To Your Dreams 5:12

"Look To Your Dreams" in 'Voice Of The Heart[D300Y3243-10]' 4:28

Sakura
 
Thanks Sakura.

Incidentally, the playing time on VOTH cd is an error.
It must be that of the single version.
 
I've just given CarpenterS perform Carpenter and the new dvd a quick once thru. The "enhancements" made to the recordings, remastering,remixing, etc...Give the songs a somewhat new spin. There are a few trax that stand-out. Crystal Lullaby and Mr. Guder. This is one instance where the techniques proved pleasing to the ear. The sound on Interpretations is beautifully reproduced. It was FUN to go to Tower this morning and get not one, but two new releases. Yes, we've heard this all before, but it's the closest experience we'll ever have to that of unveiling a new CarpenterS release. So, in a nostalgic sort of way, I was able to re-live those thrilling moments that used to precede album capture. Kinda like saying hello to an old and trusted friend after a long absence.

Jeff
 
Sakura, thanks for the detail in posting that about the new CD

I still need to order mine.

I went to tower records & they have 30 sec clips of all the tracks.

From Sakura's list it appears that this is nothing different about the tracks? I was hoping for at least something being different, but it appears that I must have all these remixes.

If anyone else reviews the new CD please post, as I would love to read what you have to say.

What is the back pic? Oh is there a picture disc of Karen? Oh I can dream
 
I too prefer the 'ritual' of going to a brick-and-mortar store to buy new Carpenters product. It's a habit of thirty-plus years, and yesterday was special with two new releases to track down. Unlike a hot current act, finding Carpenters releases on the street date can be a challenge these days, since they are a catalog act and don't usually get all of the 'front-of-the-store' attention.

At lunchtime yesterday, I ventured up the Schuylkill Expressway to the mega-shopping complex in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania. (Those have GOT to be odd-sounding place-names for most people around the world, but I assure you, they're real.) First stop, Best Buy. I'd had luck finding the GOLD DVD on its release date last year so I decided to give it a try first. As I entered the store, there was a new-CD release section up front. A quick glance revealed that there was no new Carpenters CD there. Checking the other front-of-store displays was fruitless as well, so I wandered through the aisles of the Rock-Pop section to the 'C's'; I found the Carpenters' section and rifled through the four or five titles there, but no luck. Next I continued over to the DVD portion of the store. It took a minute or so to find the Music Video section since the signs above were missing or innacurate, but I spotted the Beatles' ANTHOLOGY so I figured it was the right place. Scanning through the 'B's' to the 'C's', I spotted the familiar blue color of INTERPRETATIONS. They had exactly one copy and I grabbed it.

One more quick pass through the CD section still had no new album for me, so I continued through to the check-out lanes. I thought briefly of asking for help, something I'm usually loathe to do, but the store was dead quiet (exept for Marilyn Manson blaring on the sound system!) with no-one around. So I checked out with half of my goal accomplished.

Back to the car and over to the other side of things, the giant Court and Plaza at King Of Prussia awaited. Surely someplace in there, one of the world's largest shopping complexes would have the new CD. There are at least five chain record stores in the two conjoined malls, plus a Borders Books and Music. If those were to come up empty, there was still a Tower Records just up Route 202 a mile or so. I decided to go to the Borders store. It's only a year or so old, so I thought it might be in better shape than some of the other stores around where the shelves are in such disarray that finding anything can be a challenge.

I'd only been in this particular store once or twice, so I was less familiar with the CD department layout than I am at the one near home. I wandered through Pop-Rock - no Carpenters. I looked for signs for their Easy Listening section but couldn't find it. Jazz? No. Big-Band? No. Classical? No. Wait, there's a section called 'Vocal-Choral' - maybe that's it. B. Brightman, Bocelli, Church. No this is still Classical Vocals. Soundtracks? No. Rap? No. What's this section? Josh Groban, Rosemary Clooney. This might be it. Carpenters - there they are! I flipped to the section only to be disappointed that they too only had about four titles in the section. I looked before and after, left and right (for shelf-disarray problems), then scanned above for possible a featured section. No luck. I was faced with heading to another store or the dreaded 'asking-for-help'.

As I passed the help desk on the way out, a young lady asked if she could help me. I told her, "Well, yes" and proceeded to name the album, due out today, Carpenters PERFORM CARPENTER. "Is that T-A-R at the end?" she asked. I straightened out her spelling and then her computer was able to show that the store was supposed to have four copies. "It should be in Easy Listening" she said. "I've been there and it's not there" I replied. So then we took the obligatory walk back to Easy Listening where she repeated my actions of just three minutes ago. Still no luck in finding the new CD. "Maybe it's on the New Release Wall" she suggested. The two of us wandered over and scanned the front of the display, which I'd done quickly on the way in. Not there. She wandered around to the back side that faces the DVD section. "Here it is - enjoy" she said as she handed me the long sought-after disc.

Success. Back to the car, over to the other side of the mall for some lunch, a quick stop in the neighboring Sam Goody store, just to see what they had (three copies of the CD at a dollar more, and no copies of the DVD), then out to the car and back to work, while listening to the new disc. (My thoughts in another post.)

Harry
...having fun doing the legwork, online...
 
Chris-An Ordinary Fool said:
From Sakura's list it appears that this is nothing different about the tracks? I was hoping for at least something being different, but it appears that I must have all these remixes.

If anyone else reviews the new CD please post, as I would love to read what you have to say.

What is the back pic? Oh is there a picture disc of Karen? Oh I can dream

Chris: no picture disc. It's a plain-looking silver disc with a white circle around the circumference. The CarpenterS logo is in a red color at the top. Just below are the words PERFORM CARPENTER in white, with the letters spaced out in caps in a Roman font. At the bottom is a small A&M logo, copyright 2003 A&M Records and the number B0000745-02. The disc rests on a clear tray, underneath which is the same picture of Karen and Rich in the car that is on this cover and the LOVE SONGS album.

The back of the package has a track list next to a small version of the picture that first graced the LIVE AT BUDOKAN video, later used as the logo-picture on YESTERDAY ONCE MORE, Rich looking to our left and Karen smiling at the camera.

The booklet is twelve pages long, counting front and back, and breaks out as follows:

Page one of course is the front cover:
491693.jpg


Page two is a small version of the black and white picture of Richard that's on the front. It's in the center of the page, surrounded by a dark blue color.

Page three begins the liner notes in large print. They continue on four and five in smaller type, and were written by Bill DeMain, a pop-music critic/writer.

Pages six through ten contain the song credits. Each lists musicians/performers and when and if the remix was done. The second half of page ten contains the album credits.

Page eleven has a black and white photo of Karen behind and above Richard, used on the BY REQUEST cover and the 65-70 disc of FROM THE TOP. The photo is the same size as Richard's on page two, and is in the center of a blue field like his.

The back page is a brownish color with a small color photo of the duo from their MAKE YOU OWN KIND OF MUSIC promotional shots.

The album itself is well put together, with a number of clever segues to start the album. Sound quality it top-notch, equalling that that we heard on the ESSENTIAL COLLECTION. Given that these are all Richard-composed tracks, they seem to fit well together, and I truly enjoyed listening to the set.

The bonus track is handled well. It's a Christmas song that people might not want to listen to during the year, so as the album finished, the CD counter switches to track 18 and goes to -20 seconds, counting down to 0. So you get 20 seconds to decide whether or not you want to hear "Merry Christmas Darling". If you use random play, or select track 19, the song starts immediately. Well done! I wish they'd done "And When He Smiles" on AS TIME GOES BY that way, as well as the Christmas stuff on ESSENTIAL COLLECTION.

All in all a nice package and a worthy addition to my Carpenters collection. (Oh, and by the way, for anyone keeping score, there's no COMPACT DISC DIGITAL AUDIO logo anywhere in the package.)

Harry
NP: Carpenters PERFORM CARPENTER
 
Terrible as it is to say, I couldn't bring myself to buy the CD yesterday...

I, too, wanted the thrill of actually picking up a copy in a store, rather than ordering it online and waiting for a box to arrive at my house. So yesterday afternoon I went out shopping.

First stop, Circuit City. We have sort of a mega-Circuit City here in Austin that has a HUGE selection of CDs and DVDs (better than most of our CD stores). No CD or DVD there.

On to Best Buy. No CD or DVD there. I ask an employee about it. She looks in the computer, says they aren't even listed in inventory. Checks bestbuy.com, finds them there, tells me I can go home and order them. That's the end of my shopping experience there.

Then over to Borders. Wow, here's CARPENTERS PERFORM CARPENTER on CD. I hold it in my hand. I look for the DVD (no luck there). I start to walk toward the checkout. I stop, rethink this. They want $18.99 for the CD. I just cannot bring myself to spend $18.99 for a CD which contains NOTHING new. Put it back, on to the next store.

Barnes and Noble is next. Again, a CD but no DVD. Also $18.99. Once more I walk out without it.

I think about driving downtown to check Tower Records and Waterloo (our best local store). But Tower's prices tend to run in the $17.99 range for full-price CDs not on sale, and Waterloo hasn't exactly ever been keen on stocking Carpenters products in the past, so I decide I'd just have to get back to work and order the CD and DVD online. 15 minutes later I've got them both ordered at amazon.com for a combined total of $28, no tax, no shipping. Sigh.
It's funny, but the same thing happened to me last week when I was trying to get the new DVD-Audio of the Beach Boys' PET SOUNDS. I went to the same four stores, and actually didn't find it at ANY of them. It seems that unless a new release will be a hot seller, most stores locally aren't opting to get the shipments delivered fast enough to have the item on the shelves on the actual release date. Circuit City told me that for most new-release "catalog items" (meaning items they don't think will sell many copies), they don't actually get them into the stores until a couple of days after the release date.

David
 
David - Does Amazon.com not charge shipping/handling when you buy the CD + DVD together?

Myself, I purchased 'Carpenters Perform Carpenter' from http://www.deepdiscountcd.com for $13.97 (no shipping/handling charges.) Since I'm a relatively new fan, the only official Carpenters purchase I've made in store is 'The Singles 1969-1981' (my first Carpenters album) and 'The Millenium Collection'. I bought the bulk of their studio albums on vinyl at a used record store. The rest of my collection ('As Time Goes By', 'The Essential Collection', 'Christmas Portrait', 'Close To You' and 'Made In America' Remastered, 'Karen Carpenter', 'Pianist, Arranger, Conductor, Composer') was obtained through ebay.

Re: the DVD. I've read that the sound quality is much better than the Brazil release. Anything else different? Are the video clips the exact same as that release? Are there credits/bonus features?

Amit...I Can Dream Can't I
 
Harry said:
Page three begins the liner notes in large print. They continue on four and five in smaller type, and were written by Bill DeMain, a pop-music critic/writer.

Hi Harry - Do the liner notes specifically discuss each song or is it just a write up of Richard's contribution to the Carpenters' success? Is Bill DeMain the same writer who contributed the liner notes to 'The Singles 1969-1981'?

Harry said:
The album itself is well put together, with a number of clever segues to start the album. Sound quality it top-notch, equalling that that we heard on the ESSENTIAL COLLECTION. Given that these are all Richard-composed tracks, they seem to fit well together, and I truly enjoyed listening to the set..

Which songs are there seques between? I really enjoy the segue Richard placed between "I Won't Last A Day Without You" and "(They Long To Be) Close To You" on 'The Singles 1969-1981'. In fact, I can't listen to the original version of "I Won't Last..." without wanting to hear that piano segue at the end!

Harry said:
All in all a nice package and a worthy addition to my Carpenters collection. (Oh, and by the way, for anyone keeping score, there's no COMPACT DISC DIGITAL AUDIO logo anywhere in the package.)..

I'm assuming that there is no COMPACT DISC logo because A&M/Universal decided to place copyright technology on the CD to ensure that it doesn't get copied. Can anyone here confirm? Not too surprised since record companies are trying to combat piracy in any way, shape, or form.

Amit...still craving a new Carpenters 'As Time Goes By' type of compilation
 
amit1234 said:
Re: the DVD. I've read that the sound quality is much better than the Brazil release. Anything else different? Are the video clips the exact same as that release? Are there credits/bonus features?

I've not had a chance to sit through the entire DVD yet, just plopped it in to see how the disc looked, etc. The program starts with the A&M Video logo, just at it always has, though it's preceded by a Universal globe logo.

There's a barebones menu that has two options: Play Through, and Song Selection. When the menu pops up, the backing music is the trumpet middle of "Close To You" which continues to the "..waaah Close To You.." fade.

There are no bonus tracks that I've seen, just the bare minimum 11 that were on the US prior VHS release. The two extra tracks ("Ticket To Ride", "Please Mr. Postman") that were included on the Japanese LD were omitted from this DVD.

Sound quality is great, though only two-channel stereo. The last track, "From This Moment On" sounded like it retained the original mono version of Richard's piano backing. What struck me about that particular track was how the two of them absolutely NAILED the video lip-synching to that track. Karen's vocals look as though she's singing them, and Richard's finger-work on the piano matches exactly with what we're hearing, yet it's all done to the original studio recording.

Harry
NP: radio at work
 
Hey Harry - I had no idea that 'From This Moment' on the 'Interpretations' DVD was lipsynched! I guess it now makes sense considering Karen wasn't holding a microphone. I just always assumed that it was a live performance since she and Richard nailed it so effortlessly on film. BTW, this clip is an outtake from the 'Music, Music, Music' special, correct?

Also, where can I find the studio version of "From This Moment On"? I've only heard the 'Live At The Palladium' version (which appears on 'The Essential Collection' and 'Live At The Palladium' obviously.)
 
amit1234 said:
Hi Harry - Do the liner notes specifically discuss each song or is it just a write up of Richard's contribution to the Carpenters' success? Is Bill DeMain the same writer who contributed the liner notes to 'The Singles 1969-1981'?

It does discuss a number of the songs specifically, though not all. As for Mr. DeMain, I don't think he did the notes to Singles, did he? Wasn't it Paul Grein?

amit1234 said:
Which songs are there seques between? I really enjoy the segue Richard placed between "I Won't Last A Day Without You" and "(They Long To Be) Close To You" on 'The Singles 1969-1981'. In fact, I can't listen to the original version of "I Won't Last..." without wanting to hear that piano segue at the end!

These are natural segues - nothing new was created for this disc. "TopOf The World" segues into "Maybe It's You" which segues into "Crystal Lullabye" which segues into "I Need To Be In Love". These are not real tight segues, but rather like the few that appeared on Yesterday Once More.

amit1234 said:
I'm assuming that there is no COMPACT DISC logo because A&M/Universal decided to place copyright technology on the CD to ensure that it doesn't get copied. Can anyone here confirm? Not too surprised since record companies are trying to combat piracy in any way, shape, or form.

I've tried it briefly in a computer CD player - it seems to play fine, so I don't think it's copy protected. The theory among other audiophile folks is that the patent has run out on the Compact Disc, thus no-one has to use the logo anymore. The feeling is that the record companies would rather not use it if they don't have to - and there is the copy protection issue, which means that a flakey CD designed not to play in certain machines really ISN'T a "Compact Disc" by definition.

Harry
NP: radio at work[/i]
 
amit1234 wrote:

>David - Does Amazon.com not charge shipping/handling when you
>buy the CD + DVD together?

Amazon charges nothing for shipping on orders over $25 in the U.S. Basically, it makes it very much worth your while to buy two things instead of one...

David
 
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