⭐ Official Review Carpenters Royal Philharmonic Review and Comments Thread

[motownboy]

So we do have some variations on the various versions of the album. The CD from Target, which has the bonus of "Please Mr. Postman" on it has the "first" mixes of "Yesterday Once More" and "Ticket To Ride" that were put on line on the streaming and download platforms like iTunes & Spotify weeks before the album was released. The versions of the album that are on the streaming and download sites have the additional harp in the intro on YOM and the new stereo piano on TTR. I am not sure why the variations exist, why Richard or Universal did this, but it could be a way to get fans to buy more than one version of the album. To get the "best" version of the album, with (what I will call) the "better" versions of YOM & TTR, then I suggest getting a hi-res download of the album from one of the sites that provides it. Those who only have the CD may feel short-changed.

 

[Song4uman]

Speaking of things not credited, the guitarist on “For All We Know” isn’t either. Wonder why.

Ed

It was me. Just didn’t need The notoriety. Lol

 

[Feadster]

Have any of you received the shipment of the CDs from Universal Music Group?

 

[Song4uman]

So I have had the downloads from Universal. Put them on a CD and have been listening to them. Just put in my CD from Amazon. downloads do directly from overture in to Yesterday Once more. My CD has the piano intro on YOM.

 

[Song4uman]

So we do have some variations on the various versions of the album. The CD from Target, which has the bonus of "Please Mr. Postman" on it has the "first" mixes of "Yesterday Once More" and "Ticket To Ride" that were put on line on the streaming and download platforms like iTunes & Spotify weeks before the album was released. The versions of the album that are on the streaming and download sites have the additional harp in the intro on YOM and the new stereo piano on TTR. I am not sure why the variations exist, why Richard or Universal did this, but it could be a way to get fans to buy more than one version of the album. To get the "best" version of the album, with (what I will call) the "better" versions of YOM & TTR, then I suggest getting a hi-res download of the album from one of the sites that provides it. Those who only have the CD may feel short-changed.

my amazon CD has the original piano on it...the download has the newer piano.....

 

[Song4uman]

So I wonder what the vinyl will have on it??

 

[Song4uman]

The downloads have a crisper, cleaner sound.

 

[nednickerson57]

The track I keep listening to is "I Believe You." I prefer Karen's alternate take to the one that was released on the single, and it sounds like the drums have been brought forward more in the mix, especially on the second verse - it's like a heart beat. The song sounds more sensual somehow.

 

[no1kandrfan]

I'm at friends house for dinner, and they have Pandora's Carpenters channel playing. They played The Rainbow Connection which was shocking enough, but later the RPO version of Rainy Days and Mondays came on followed by Richard talking announcing the new album. COOL!

 

[lotus]

I found a mini album called "Ticket To Ride / Yesterday Once More / Merry Christmas, Darling" on Deezer (Japan).
On this album, TTR and YOM were the "first" mix.

I think this "first" mix was made for a single release (prior to the album).
For a single, YOM needs a piano intro (but, no need for the album).
And my guess is, TTR's piano part was replaced by Richard for the album, to fit the sound of the other songs.

I think "International version CD (without Postman)" is the best version
of this album, and the "weird" Target CD is a collector's treasure.

 

[newvillefan]

I found a mini album called "Ticket To Ride / Yesterday Once More / Merry Christmas, Darling" on Deezer (Japan).
On this album, TTR and YOM were the "first" mix.

This is exactly the same as the single which is on Spotify, comprising the three tracks which were released before the album.

The album version on Spotify contains the updated versions of Yesterday Once More and Ticket To Ride.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

So I wonder what the vinyl will have on it??

I'm almost positive it'll be the same as the CD. As was said earlier, those YouTube clips were likely just put out in a rush for marketing purposes.

Ed

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Anyone who was part of the RPO sessions isn't going to be credited individually on the album.

It just added so much that I'm thinking it should have been mentioned.

Ed

 

[Graeme]

I was listening to the album with headphones on and I'm sure I can hear quite a bit of distortion in the chorus vocals of I Need To Be In Love. Is anyone else hearing this or do I need to try some different headphones? I can hear it on the CD and mp3 ripped copy. I've not noticed this on other mixes of the song.

 

[Portlander]

Just picked up the CD from Target and I absolutely love Richard's treatment of Please Mr. Postman! The pause around the middle with just Karen's vocals and the additional drum fils gives the song a fresh updated vibe.

 

[newvillefan]

Just picked up the CD from Target and I absolutely love Richard's treatment of Please Mr. Postman! The pause around the middle with just Karen's vocals and the additional drum fils gives the song a fresh updated vibe.

The only thing I had to rewind three times, as I couldn’t believe how out of place it sounded, was the opening drum riff. It sounds like it was done on a child’s drum kit.

 

[motownboy]

I was listening to the album with headphones on and I'm sure I can hear quite a bit of distortion in the chorus vocals of I Need To Be In Love. Is anyone else hearing this or do I need to try some different headphones? I can hear it on the CD and mp3 ripped copy. I've not noticed this on other mixes of the song.

I am listening to INTBIL on headphones as I type... There is a doubling effect on Karen's vocals in that part that perhaps was not treated the best by the mixing engineer. It does come across a bit harsh. Also, the album is mastered more loudly and compressed, as is the norm today, compared to how it would have been mastered in the 1980s.

 

[vze4rkna]

I love Touch Me When We're Dancing. It sounds fuller and even more contemporary. I was even shocked to hear that I can clearly hear Carolyn Dennis on the backing vocals more prominently now.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

I am listening to INTBIL on headphones as I type... There is a doubling effect on Karen's vocals in that part that perhaps was not treated the best by the mixing engineer. It does come across a bit harsh. Also, the album is mastered more loudly and compressed, as is the norm today, compared to how it would have been mastered in the 1980s.

I hear loudness but I don't hear bus compression. I think it was mastered really well.

Ed

 

[motownboy]

I hear loudness but I don't hear bus compression. I think it was mastered really well.

Ed

Considering that the average dynamic range of these tracks is about 8db or so, that is certainly compressed a lot more to what was done in the 1980s. Even the Hi-Res version of the album has the same dynamic range as the regular redbook CD. The overall mastering considering the loudness level is good, but certainly the result is not as dynamic as it would have been if this release has been done before the loudness wars.

 

[sallyblake]

Would any of you experts be able to find time to check the entries (and maybe add or edit if necessary) for this great album in the Musicbrainz database Release group “Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” by Carpenters - MusicBrainz

 

[Graeme]

Considering that the average dynamic range of these tracks is about 8db or so, that is certainly compressed a lot more to what was done in the 1980s. Even the Hi-Res version of the album has the same dynamic range as the regular redbook CD. The overall mastering considering the loudness level is good, but certainly the result is not as dynamic as it would have been if this release has been done before the loudness wars.

I've been comparing it to other versions (the second singles album and 40/40). I'm not hearing the distortion on these, just on the RPO album. It's most pronounced when Karen sings "love" (3.11) and "time" (3.18). It's not much of a distortion and I don't notice it without headphones!

 

[Joeyesterday]

It's definitely there Graeme. Very subtle in my Bose headphones.

 

[newvillefan]

Latest promotional update from Richard in Tokyo, Japan:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrOP5s6F6kq/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=nt27ag6sp4vg

 

[Graeme]

The only thing I had to rewind three times, as I couldn’t believe how out of place it sounded, was the opening drum riff. It sounds like it was done on a child’s drum kit.

I'm getting more and more intrigued by Please Mr Postman. I hope my CD arrives from Japan soon!