Favorite Carpenters Album?

[Chris May]

I know this post is probably a bit cliche if you will, but I am kinda curious as to which Carpenters studio album is everybody's favorite (excluding the Christmas albums)?

The other day I was thinking about this again, and it's so hard to narrow it down to just one, as all of the albums have some kind of hook to them. However, if I HAD to pick one, I would say "Horizon".

Oh sure, there are always the earlier albums which contain the classic Carpenters tracks, but, if you listen to Karen's leads, the overall production value, the songs picked, Richard's arrangements, not to mention the impeccable recording and mixing quality, I think this record takes the cake! Just a few of my thoughts. -Chris

 

[Harry]

I'm sure I'll be the oddball in this poll, but I became absolutely hooked on Carpenters after first hearing OFFERING. I love the raw 'group' sound that they had back then, and to this day, enjoy the back-and-forth Karen/Richard lead vocals.

My second choice would probably be A SONG FOR YOU. As discussed before, it almost sounds like a greatest hits album, and the 'filler' tracks are no slouches either.

Harry
...with a tough choice, online...

 

[Rudy]

My second choice would probably be A SONG FOR YOU. As discussed before, it almost sounds like a greatest hits album, and the 'filler' tracks are no slouches either.

That's my feeling exactly--the songwriting, musicianship, etc. were all at their best on this album, IMHO. Not that the others are bad by any means, but this one just totally "clicks" for me, one end to the other.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I gotta vote for A SONG FOR YOU. I would put CLOSE TO YOU at a close second, followed by NOW AND THEN. I didn't hear the OFFERING album until after NOW AND THEN was released. I like it, but it's not a favorite, although it has some favorite tracks. ("Eve" is a highlight for me.)

There just isn't a bad moment on ASFY, while most of the other albums have at least one or two throwaway songs, so it has to get my vote.

 

[andywithaz]

IMHO, A Song for You does have some throw away songs, Flat Baroque and Piano Picker. There okay but not what I am looking for.

Although A Song for You would be my second pick, my first pick would have to be Lovelines. Every song is great and I just cant get enough of it!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Chris, Nice post. But if you voted for Horizon, why is it not shown that you voted for it?

Well this was pretty easy for me. My vote goes for Voice of the Heart!!

This is the most intimate album for me, everytime I grab it, Karen seems so close to me, like she is singing it just for me. Some of the songs makes me feel Karen is right in the same room as me. The album has such a fitting end and Karen tells me not to give up hope and to look to the future & don't forget that your dreams are important & don't let go of them. "There's a need for them now, When the world has us down, Aren't you glad there around?" Yes call me old-fashioned...would be semantically true.

For an album that didn't get alot of attention & probably doesn't get alot of play from alot of the fans...get's more play from me than any other album.

My very very close 2nd is Lovelines.

 

[andywithaz]

My very very close 2nd is Lovelines.

Good Taste!

 

[Mark-T]

Voice of the Heart!
Ordinary Fool alone is worth the price of the CD.

Mark

 

[Chris May]

DUH!

 

[Chris May]

Good looking out Chris... At least there's SOMEONE out there to help cast my vote for me heehee

 

[Murray]

I don't have to think twice about this one. My absolute favourite album, Carpenters or otherwise, is VOICE OF THE HEART. I love this album for the same reasons that Chris mentioned - Karen just sounds more intimate on this album, almost like she is sitting in the listener's lap. This likely has a lot to do with the production/mixing, so Richard gets a lot of the credit here. There are some VERY memorable songs on this album, notably "Ordinary Fool", "At The End Of A Song", "You're Enough", "Look To Your Dreams", and the exquisite "Now" - listening to that track is almost a religious experience!

Even though VOTH is my favourite album, I don't actually listen to it very often. I never want to risk getting tired of it, if that makes any sense? When I do listen to it, it is always an emotionally moving experience.

The album that I think I play the most, is my second choice, LOVELINES (Chris, do you think we were separated at birth? ). It's interesting to note that most of the songs on both VOTH and LOVELINES were leftovers from other albums. They weren't considered good enough at the time, but it turns out that they were some of the best tunes the Carpenters ever recorded! "You're The One" is a song that I just can't get enough of.

Murray

 

[andywithaz]

I think that "Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night" really makes the icing on Lovelines. Its the best song!

 

[Dave]

I thought Carpenters was one of their best LP's. The Bacharach/David medley at the end was good. "Saturday" was one of my favorite filler--and made it onto a '45'. And I like "For All We Know" and "Rainy Days & Mondays", which were hits.

My second favorite would be Now And Then, at least for Side 2--"Oldies Medley" and "Yesterday Once More", which were all I listened to.

Funny how nearly every track on A Song For You was put on a '45', and that's "the form" I had that album in.

Dave

...who of all the albums listed, I only own The Singles 1969-1973...

 

[thestitch]

I think ASFY is a Carpenters "classic". The selection of songs on it are first rate and were, for the most part, hits. The musicianship and arrangements are also the best. But I voted for VOTH as my favorite. All the songs on it are just wonderful. Not mentioned before is "Sailing on the Tide". My all-time favorite song has to be "Ordinary Fool". I just love Karen singin' the blues! And she does it soooo well!! "Look to Your Dreams" has special meaning in our lives. My husband had just lost his job, one where he would have been vested in a pension plan if they had kept him just a few months more, also medical insurance. The first time I heard it I sat and wept. The release of this album was bittersweet, to say the least, coming after Karen's death. It must have seemed very much so for Richard. The photo on the album cover is one of the best ones of Karen that I've ever seen. It wins, "hands down". No contest.

Marilyn,
who's gonna play it while she has breakfast!

 

[Jeff]

HORIZON. Lead vocal was never richer. Delivery perfectly executed. Heart and soul, longing and emotion so prevalent. Yup! HORIZON.

Knowing the finest recordings,

Jeff

 

[Chris May]

In reading all of the posts, I am brought to one question:

Has everyone either not heard or forgotten about "I Can Dream, Can't I"? I mean, "Ordinary Fool" is an incredible recording, but "I Can Dream" is the finest Karen Carpenter recording in the Carpenters' catalogue. It is what sums up the 'HORIZON' album. Just a few more of my thoughts -Chris

P.S. The money's in the basement, baby!

 

[andywithaz]

To me that song is way too bland. There is no style, no beat. Its great because it is one of Karen's best readings but there is no music there. I skip over that song every time.

 

[Chris May]

It's understandable...That song is a standard however, unlike most anything the Carpenters put out, just with the Billy May treatment of the arrangement--Very "30's-40's" sounding. Karen's lower register kicks some serious butt in this one. "Goodbye and I Love You" is another one...Great lower register reading by Karen...another favorite of mine! -Chris

 

[andywithaz]

Goodbye and I Love You is a great song and I actually like it. It is one of my favorites from Horizon and I also noticed that it has some of the same string melodies from Now.

NP: Alanis Morissette- Jagged Little Pill

 

[Mark-T]

Lovelines is probably my number 2 choice, Horizon a close 3rd.
Kiss Me is a terrific song- and great being sequwnced after When I Fall in Love.
Horizon is artistically great but - to me- Postman is out of place and there are too many slow songs. Dont get me wrong- I love it.

 

[Bruno]

Difficult choice.....

I voted for LOVELINES. Great songs, great arrangements, great voice.
Second would be VOICE OF THE HEART.

Third would be A KIND OF HUSH. Probably, because this was the first Carpenters LP I ever bought. But there are great songs on it, too: I Need To Be In Love, One More Time, You, I Have You and others.

Bruno

 

[cam89]

Hey Everyone,
My favorite would definately be VOICE OF THE HEART. It is a simple collection, but wonderfully so. I think it features some of Karen's best singing. I adore NOW. That song is a treasure. I thought her vocals never sounded lovelier. I also adored TWO LIVES. That song is one of Karen's underestimated gems. She just tears thru that song with pain and forcefullness. I love PRIME TIME LOVE, a very catchy song with Richard and Karen in backing vocals. ORDINARY FOOL is lovely and showcases Karen's effortless ability to sing any style of music with considerable ease. SAILING ON THE TIDE is cute, catchy and the type of song I would love to listen to outside, while sipping Iced Tea. It reminds me of the 1976 song BOAT TO SAIL. Both very similar sounding songs. Both awesome recordings by Karen, of course. I also love the ending song LOOK TO YOUR DREAMS. Beautiful. I love the fadeout of Richard on the keyboards. Very enjoyable album, and beautiful album cover of Karen, and poignant message by Richard.

My thoughts,
Cameron

 

[close2u]

I'm going to go with HORIZON, followed by LOVELINES. On HORIZON I am especially fond of "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You" -- the whole "devil and the deep blue sea" line gives me chills no matter how many times I listen. I also think as a whole, the HORIZON album succeeds as a nice musical package -- music selections, flow, bookend pieces and even artwork/packaging. Very classy!

As for "I Can Dream Can't I" -- it's nice -- but I like some of their other standards better -- it drags a little for me. In fact, I put together a CD compilation of all the standards and it's quite an impressive album on its own.

As for my 2nd choice, LOVELINES, I love the fact that it stands as its own album but it was never intended to be released that way -- all those songs work so well together and you would never imagine they were mostly leftovers and outtakes. And talk about packaging -- I love the Norman Seeff photos. Just a beautiful album jacket. I am so glad I found the LP version!

Randy

 

[Marty TX]

Barely a day goes by that I don't listen to the Carpenters. Picking a favorite album was difficult. I'd have to agree with many of you that Voice of the Heart is tremendous; I voted for it, too. I was in high school when Karen died. I was devastated, and for some reason, I refused to buy the Voice of the Heart album. In 1989, I was at college in Tempe, Arizona, and on Labor Day I was extremely homesick. It's hard to describe the misery of homesickness coupled with separation from my family back in Indiana. ANYWAY, I went to Target store, and on a whim bought the VOTH cassette tape. I drove through the mountains up to Roosevelt Dam that day with my new found music - an old friend, beautiful sounds....I suddenly felt better. I drove up over an amazing mountain pass with 2,000 foot dropoffs and incredible views just as "Sailing on the Tide" came on. I was elated. Ever since then, this album has meant a lot to me, beside the fact that it's fantastic. I like it all except for "Prime Time Love." (when Richard sings "it's a bummer" I cringe....)

Lovelines is #2 for me as well. I was just thinking that the song "You're the One" is amazing. Why in the world would Richard leave that off the Passage album?? The timeless use of accoustic guitar, Karen's amazing octave leaps, her minimal but effective background vocals, and dramatic climaxes rank that song right up there with her exquisite performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." and man, don't even get me started on "Goodbye and I Love You" and "Love me for what I am."

Sorry to go on like this.

-Marty