⭐ Official Review Carpenters Royal Philharmonic Review and Comments Thread

How would you rate Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra?

  • ⁕⁕⁕⁕⁕ (Best)

    Votes: 38 36.5%
  • ⁕⁕⁕⁕

    Votes: 47 45.2%
  • ⁕⁕⁕ (Average)

    Votes: 16 15.4%
  • ⁕⁕

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • ⁕ (Worst)

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Did not listen to this album yet

    Votes: 1 1.0%

  • Total voters
    104
However...No matter how many times I hear it...I still can’t stand the trumpet on Goodbye to Love. I don’t think I will ever warm up to that.

I feel Baby It’s You is the standout track. I long to hear more album cuts with Karen sounding like this...:love:
 
^^ I am a dissenter.
Karen is already the focal point of most every Carpenters' song !
I do not need another compilation of hits plus a few album cuts, that already exists !
The RPO is a missed opportunity. I was hoping for a re-imagination.
True enough, many critics have embraced it (there are a few nays out there--I did not post those
to this forum, as I wanted fans to listen with open ears).
The album does NOT fulfill its purpose (whatever that is defined to be).
I listen to Interpretations or Singles 1969-1981 or Gold far more.
Gold is still on the worldwide album charts, as of today....RPO is NOT,
so, I am not the only dissenting opinion.
I am not saying it is not a good album,
it is simply not fulfilling my expectations.
 
^^I respect your view Gary but listening to so subjective...the music I hear may not be the music you hear or like (not just speaking of Carpenters but any artist) and for that...it’s OK. :)
 
I noticed something today that was new to my ears. On "Rainy Days and Mondays", there appears to be a change on the background vocals that appears on the Target CD but not on the digital download. In the second verse Karen sings "No need to talk it out" and in all versions of the song I'm familiar with we hear the phrase "talk it out" echoed in the background vocal. But on the Target CD version of the RPO album that background vocal has been added to or augmented to now be "to talk it out". I was listening to the CD in my car today and it jumped out at me. Has anyone else noticed? I checked it against the digital download as well as several other compilations and I can only hear the change on the Target CD.
 
I noticed something today that was new to my ears. On "Rainy Days and Mondays", there appears to be a change on the background vocals that appears on the Target CD but not on the digital download. In the second verse Karen sings "No need to talk it out" and in all versions of the song I'm familiar with we hear the phrase "talk it out" echoed in the background vocal. But on the Target CD version of the RPO album that background vocal has been added to or augmented to now be "to talk it out". I was listening to the CD in my car today and it jumped out at me. Has anyone else noticed? I checked it against the digital download as well as several other compilations and I can only hear the change on the Target CD.

I just listened to all three versions of "Rainy Days And Mondays (RPO)" and all three have "to talk it out" on that second time through.
 
On the original "Tan" version, "Talk it out" is heard on the left speaker & "Hangin' around" also heard on the left speaker. Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
Tony, I'm hearing "to talk it out" on all my RPO versions, digital, Japan CD and Target CD.
I went and listened to this section on all other versions I have and I hear it on all of them except 1...The Japanese Single Box that version I don't hear the "to" but Richard only saying "talk it out"...it could be there but it's not as clear.
If you listen to the Original Master Karaoke track you will really hear Richard say "to talk it out" pretty clearly.
 
This has become for me one of those "Yanni/Laurel" or "Grover F-bomb" moments. I had never until yesterday heard the background vocals to "Rainy Days and Mondays" be "to talk it out". But it just jumped out at me for some reason. Until yesterday I've only ever heard "talk it out." Now, this morning when I listen to that very same CD that I was listening to yesterday when I heard the word "to" first time I can no longer for the life of me hear it again! It's nuts. I think part of it is the timing of high-hat that comes in about the same time the word "to" would appear. Anyway, it's a totally fascinating example of how the brain affects perception.
 
Respectfully disagree.
Richard Carpenter, obviously, fulfilled his purpose for this album.
That does not imply that my purpose is identical to his, or that I am obliged
to feel the same way.
Art and all that, is--as Rick points out--
subjective. Not objective.
 
I don't want to hit you guys over the head with the same points.
I found this collection worked well in some parts, and other moments it was the same old compilation we've heard again and again. And the thing is...
Fans felt the same way after As Time Goes By and Richard's PACC album. All we can do is miss Karen.
There's really nothing else left unheard for die hard fans.
Unless there's another Rainbow Connection or Tryin' to get the feeling scenario, I can't blame anyone for not being totally satisfied with this album.
I'm surprised in myself that I only really heard RPO songs maybe a once or twice and then went back to originals or older remixes. Richard's already done a fantastic job of remixing those songs (save for I just fall in love again and Touch me when we're dancing). I guess it seemed, for lack of a better word, satirical to bring Karen out front anymore than she already was.
 
Did I post excerpts from this article ?
'Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra' continues to build musical legacy
---

"The result is inspired — and as near perfection as Richard Carpenter had always hoped."
---
“The latest technology was employed to make right a number of blemishes and oversights in the original recordings that have been haunting me for years,” Carpenter writes. “To wit, key instruments in several of the songs were slightly out of tune and were not noticed by us until the records were either mixed or released … minor clicks, squeaks and creaks ultimately found their way into a completed record, much to our chagrin."
All have now been either expunged or corrected.”

More:
www.wataugademocrat.com/mountaintimes/in-review-carpenters-with-the-royal-philharmonic-orchestra-continues-to/article_6212a3c4-fe43-51dd-be36-c0a759a75435.html
 
key instruments in several of the songs were slightly out of tune and were not noticed by us until the records were either mixed or released

:confused:

I wonder which songs he's referring to.

That's like an actor saying they didn't speak a few lines of script verbatim, but the audience doesn't know that.
And why did it take until 2019 in order to fix it? Lol

As for creaks, squeaks, clicks... I mean it all adds to the ambience of it.
I never noticed so much of that.

All I can focus on is Karen's voice on the RPO album I hardly noticed all the subtle changes to the accompaniment.
I'll have to give it a listen again.

An audience shouldn't have to work in order to hear something. I find myself almost wanting to lean in to hear the subtle changes. Imo, if you want us to hear it, then bring it up more.

It's like if da Vinci came back and re-coloured the Mona Lisa with the exact same colours and wanted us to see how great this new layer of paint is. It doesn't necessarily add much. Maybe a bit more brightness, but at the end of the day it's the same work of art.

However, it's thrilling that Richard gets to see this success still. I didn't think how PRO albums really act as a promotional piece for an artists' catalogue. Hopefully, it has turned on some more listeners.

What the Carpenters achieved together cannot be duplicated. It was being a duo that made them what they were.
Maybe if KC was alive she would have handed off this project to Richard and he'd make it exactly as it is today.
But, it'd likely be different and have more excitement behind it.
 
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I wonder which songs he's referring to.

That's like an actor saying they didn't speak a few lines of script verbatim, but the audience doesn't know that.
And why did it take until 2019 in order to fix it? Lol

As for creaks, squeaks, clicks... I mean it all adds to the ambience of it.
I never noticed so much of that.

Richard is a tweaker....that much has been obvious since The Singles 1969-1973. If he didn't have to meet release dates, he'd probably never quit tinkering with one song or another, especially given the technology that's available today. He's also got a phenomenal set of ears, and he's heard these things more intimately (and probably more times, and under better conditions) than just about anyone, so he might be able to hear things that you and I would never hear, even if he pointed them out to us.

I think I know how he feels. One of my side jobs is designing occasional posters and signs. I can fiddle and tweak and change stuff around till I'm blue in the face and never be able to stand back and say "it's perfect." At some point I just have to force myself let go of it and send it to the printer. If I knew my work was being scrutinized, not to mention loved, admired, and basically dissected, by millions of people around the world, I can't imagine the pressure there must be to make things as perfect possible.
 
If I knew my work was being scrutinized, not to mention loved, admired, and basically dissected, by millions of people around the world, I can't imagine the pressure there must be to make things as perfect possible.

I understand what you're saying.

I think he forgets that people respond to the human elements of music too. That's all the imperfections too.
He's doesn't seeing the value in outtakes, studio chatter and live performances. It's perfectionism to a tee.
It's not right or wrong. It is what it is.
 
R&K both extreme perfectionists and both put themselves under unbelievable pressure I think. Richard has learnt to manage the pressure and use it to perfect the already perfect! I only wish Karen could have got all the way over that final hurdle she was trying so hard to climb.
Think she would have loved what R has produced with RPO!
 
Excerpts:
Forbes, Feb 21, 2019:
Richard Carpenter On New Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Release
---
"Typically, when the group worked with strings in the early 70s, it was with a 16-piece group which
consisted of 10 violins, 3 viola and 3 cellos. Adding the Royal Philharmonic expounds upon that concept,
making a profound impact on the versions of the songs that make up the new album."
----
"While Carpenter made subtle tweaks to the original tapes – cleaning up the clarinet part during the
intro to “We’ve Only Just Begun” and the guitar solo on “Goodbye to Love” for example –
there are some songs he didn’t touch."
---
As Carpenter gets ready to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary, he's proud of the way the new
Royal Philharmonic album compliments The Carpenters legacy."
---
"In this type of business of making pop records, or just in the artistic world,
you hope you leave something that’s going to be remembered and appreciated.
And I feel on the whole that these recordings have done very well for themselves," Carpenter said.
"But I’m so thankful to Bruce Resnikoff, who’s the President and CEO of Universal Music,
for bringing this idea to my attention and letting me do it. Because no one knows these records the way I do.
I think that we’ve turned out something here that’s really, really special. Karen would be delighted."

More:
www.forbes.com/sites/jimryan1/2019/02/21/richard-carpenter-interview-the-carpenters-with-the-royal-philharmonic-album-release-karen-carpenter-807/#318ddeb33ee2
 
Here is the reasoning behind including Merry Christmas Darling on the RPO.
Richard Carpenter:
"Matt D’Amico, who is my liaison at Universal, asked for a Christmas song.
And so we included our song “Merry Christmas, Darling,” which is a favorite."

Here is an example of getting-rid of noise.
Richard Carpenter:
"...in the beginning of “Yesterday Once More,” before the drums and the bass come in,
you hear some low humming going on. It’s from the air conditioning in Studio C...
I would ask, “Is there any way to get rid of this hum? So, the hum is gone."

Finally,
Q: Was that something that you and Karen were aware of,
that you would write or select songs that would bring out Karen’s unique lower voice ?
Richard Carpenter: Yes and yes. And, Karen realized it too.

Source:
www.songwriteruniverse.com/richard-carpenter-interview-2019.htm
 
`DK: I noticed on your Philharmonic album, some of your big hits were not included on it.

Carpenter: I didn’t want to pull every hit and put it on this album, just in case there may be a second one someday. You never know`

Here`s hoping!!

To say Richard thinks they don`t get the credit they deserve, or at least Karen doesn't, he appears to be doing a lot of interviews lately :)
 
Amazing news just posted by Richard on his Instagram page! I will be keeping a keen eye on TV and radio listings to see where he’s scheduled to appear.

Well everyone, looks like I’m returning to London! I will be in London this month and will be appearing on TV and radio to further talk about the orchestral album! From the day of the album release until now, life has been pretty hectic in the best possible way. I am beyond thankful for all of the Carpenters fans that have been supporting the new album and enjoying it the way I had hoped. Thanks to you, our music continues to live on. #carpenters #orchestra #london#royalphilharmonic #universal #tv #radio#universalmusic #thankyou

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuhDhWLF0u5/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xjdeblpq3hvi
 
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Amazing news just posted by Richard on his Instagram page! I will be keeping a keen eye on TV and radio listings to see where he’s scheduled to appear.

Well everyone, looks like I’m returning to London! I will be in London this month and will be appearing on TV and radio to further talk about the orchestral album! From the day of the album release until now, life has been pretty hectic in the best possible way. I am beyond thankful for all of the Carpenters fans that have been supporting the new album and enjoying it the way I had hoped. Thanks to you, our music continues to live on. #carpenters #orchestra #london#royalphilharmonic #universal #tv #radio#universalmusic #thankyou

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuhDhWLF0u5/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xjdeblpq3hvi
Does this mean he’s making a second album with the RPO?
 
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