⭐ 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
Just redownloaded this on iTunes today. So far it seems like every song has some kind of update or enhancement. Including...the original lyric for “I Believe You” has been restored (“when you say that everytime that we make love” as on the original single and MIA album version, not “when you tell me every time that we make love” as in the alternate take on previous versions.) To me this is almost like listening to an entirely new album.

There are many more "enhancements" this time around to listen for!!!
 
Usually when you buy a CD from Amazon (which I did in this case) they also offer the "Autorip" version so you can download the mp3's too. But, not in this case, unfortunately...you want the mp3's, it's another nine bucks.
 
I have downloads available from when I bought the cd and ordered the vinyl. I’m going to re download and see if I hear the changes. Also I forgot I had ordered a t shirt.
 
I've never been more confused about a release...I have the CD versions and the digital download from UMe
But I'm really confused if what I have is the extra enhancements or revisions.

It seems like this release was sent out too early last year...if Richard is still tweaking (which we don't know for sure) it's going to get even more confusing about what versions we have. Wasn't there someone on here that said they got a CD that had the newest revisions?
UMe is also not releasing any info which keeps things in a confused state for the fans...all they are good for is delaying the release with no reason why. That's really not fair to the public. By the time this vinyl gets released it will be almost 1 yr from the same time last that I pre-ordered. :laugh:
 
Just checked on the I Believe You lyrics. Both are the same for me. So it looks as though if you ordered from the Carpenters site and downloaded, then when you download more times, you just get the same downloads.
I think the changes are available on Spotify and Apple Music and to those who bought the digital download on iTunes.
 
Vinyl is more mainstream now, but on this title for sure--the public interest for the album has already waned. Vinyl should have been released day and date with the original digital releases. It'll be a dud, sales-wise, and you're right--only collectors will be left to buy this one, and a few impulse buyers who spot it in a rack. (And in typical Universal style, there's a slim chance the vinyl won't be without flaws, as they usually go the cheap route.)

It would be better to just give up on it, especially if the OCD tinkering never stops.
I don’t think the interest has waned. On the Billboard Classical Chart for June 29, 2019 the RPO album has jumped from #10 to #8.

Classical Music: Top Classical Albums Chart
 
Probably because fans from here are downloading the new version of it on iTunes again. Buying for 2nd and 3rd time now, or more. Loyalists gotta have it...
 
Just checked on the I Believe You lyrics. Both are the same for me. So it looks as though if you ordered from the Carpenters site and downloaded, then when you download more times, you just get the same downloads.

When I download from I-tunes, I put it on a "playlist." Then when I download it other times I put it on a playlist. The playlists don't update, so whatever the download files contained "at that time" they stay true. So you can play and compare them. So for example the file I downloaded on Dec. 7th is different now, as it has been updated several times, and is very different from the original upload. So unless you saved or burned past RPO digital files you will only have the updated version.

Someone feel free to explain it better! lol
 
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When I download from I-tunes, I put it on a "playlist." Then when I download it other times I put it on a playlist. The playlists don't update, so whatever the download files contained "at that time" they stay true. So you can play and compare them. So for example the file I downloaded on Dec. 7th is different now, as it has been updated several times, and is very different from the original upload. So unless you saved or burned past RPO digital files you will only have the updated version.

Someone feel free to explain it better! lol
I had no idea that was how it worked. Thanks for the info. It sounds like it’s a smart move to make a playlist then. How did you know it worked like that?
 
I'm not hearing any of these changes. I still have the downloads from itunes around the release date.
Also, YouTube hasn't updated the tracks with any further tweaks, yet.
So, we have a bit of a mess on our hands.

We're getting no updates from Richard or Universal. It's hard to tell what's been going on.
I find it hard to imagine Richard would still be tweaking after sounding so confident with this release.
As if he'd be reading fan comments and changing things. Lol
Coincidentally these tweaks address problems we've all been pointing out. :hmmm:

This is all so interesting... and with more conversation happening about the Universal fire it's confusing too.
They're talking about releasing remastered projects next year, but that's not even possible from the sound of things.
Obviously, the label doesn't have much interest in talking to the public.
 
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I think I may have discovered one of the reasons the vinyl release has been held up for so long. If you listen to the versions of the interludes before both "For All We Know" and " I Just Fall In Love Again" on the original pressings of the CDs and then go and listen to the current streaming versions (ex. YouTube), you'll notice major differences.

The FAWK interlude now features English horn, clarinet and a touch of strings in addition to the original piano and guitar.

I also believe the IJFILA interlude has been rerecorded. The tempo appears to be slower and this version is now enhanced with harp and string embellishments. I also noticed that a few things were absent from the new version including the guitar, a rustling noise that appeared at the beginning of the first pressing track and Richard's piano part has now been redone to remove the little grace note that originally appeared when the piano theme was repeated on the first pressing of this song.

I hope this makes sense.
Thank you for the clarification! I listened to these selections on YouTube the other day, and I was mildly confused, to say the least... I'm going to have to go and listen to the entire album now. At least I have a CD copy of the original from release day! :laugh:
 
Do the later releases of the physical CD have the new versions? If so, how can I tell by looking at it?
 
I'm not hearing any of these changes. I still have the downloads from itunes around the release date.
Also, YouTube hasn't updated the tracks with any further tweaks, yet.
So, we have a bit of a mess on our hands.

We're getting no updates from Richard or Universal. It's hard to tell what's been going on.
I find it hard to imagine Richard would still be tweaking after sounding so confident with this release.
As if he'd be reading fan comments and changing things. Lol
Coincidentally these tweaks address problems we've all been pointing out. :hmmm:

This is all so interesting... and with more conversation happening about the Universal fire it's confusing too.
They're talking about releasing remastered projects next year, but that's not even possible from the sound of things.
Obviously, the label doesn't have much interest in talking to the public.
Hi - at first I didn't hear the changes on You Tube, but when I played the ones from UMG - the changes were there.
 
Do the later releases of the physical CD have the new versions? If so, how can I tell by looking at it?

Unknown. We've not gotten any firm confirmation of the changes to CD, just a note somewhere in this thread. I think it was said that it was picked up at a Target. It may be possible that there is NO way to tell from the outside packaging. It may be that the only change would be in the codes stamped on the inner ring on the disc itself, but that requires a purchase to check out. If the person who got that Target "updated" CD would chime in, we could pick their brains to see if we could learn any more.
 
Probably because fans from here are downloading the new version of it on iTunes again. Buying for 2nd and 3rd time now, or more. Loyalists gotta have it...
You don't need to purchase the album again if you already bought it. You just need to redownload the album again.
 
Since Richard was able to change the lyrics of I Believe You on the updated versions, I think they have a back up of the masters somewhere. I hope there would be second RPO album with the other hits and singles.
 
Probably because fans from here are downloading the new version of it on iTunes again. Buying for 2nd and 3rd time now, or more. Loyalists gotta have it...
Yeah, for downloads people don’t need to repurchase the tracks, they are just updated as they are already connected to your account. But with Billboard, it would mean that people are still buying the CD, download licenses and Classical Radio stations are programming the album or tracks into their playlists.
 
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