Readers Digest Magical Memories

[Sue]

I’ve just bought a nice copy of this having read lots of positive comments on an earlier thread. I couldn’t comment on that thread so please merge moderators if a new one is unnecessary.
I’m not sure where it was issued but I found it in a uk charity shop. How do I tell?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I don’t have it but Harry reviewed it here in great detail. It’s from the UK.

Magical Memories Of The Carpenters

 

[Sue]

Thankyou for the link and thanks Harry for your interesting review.

 

[CARPENTERS-COLLECTOR]

I love this set from readers digest and agree with harry` review, that it has a nice `mix` of tracks, which you don`t see on a lot of compilatations.
I actually played the cassettes a while back and had actually forgot how good these cassettes sounded.
I was lucky a while back, in that I managed to find a full page advert for the set from 1993, which I like to have with these where I can
hope you enjoy it sue, it`s a great set.

 

[John Adam]

I love this set from readers digest and agree with harry` review, that it has a nice `mix` of tracks, which you don`t see on a lot of compilatations.
I actually played the cassettes a while back and had actually forgot how good these cassettes sounded.
I was lucky a while back, in that I managed to find a full page advert for the set from 1993, which I like to have with these where I can
hope you enjoy it sue, it`s a great set.

A shrine!

 

[Carpe diem]

I love this set from readers digest and agree with harry` review, that it has a nice `mix` of tracks, which you don`t see on a lot of compilatations.
I actually played the cassettes a while back and had actually forgot how good these cassettes sounded.
I was lucky a while back, in that I managed to find a full page advert for the set from 1993, which I like to have with these where I can
hope you enjoy it sue, it`s a great set.

Nice!

 

[Sue]

I’m loving it so far. I’ve listened to dis 1&2 so no 3 tomorrow.

 

[GaryAlan]

Does anyone have the 1994 Netherlands Pressing ?
See here:
www.discogs.com/Carpenters-Magical-Memories-Of-The-Carpenters/release/10853407

 

[Cuyler]

Aloha all,

My copy of "Magical Memories" just arrived in the mail today, and I am so so so excited to give all of the discs a good listen.

Initial thoughts: the sound is amazing for the sole fact that, although the vast majorities of these tracks are remixed (one reason why I got it, actually), this album was released/pressed before the peak of the loudness wars. The peak on "Eve," for example, is 0.67 (on a scale of 0.00 to 1.00) — track gain reads at -0.07 dB (positive track gain means less artificial loudness/more dynamic; negative track gain means more artificial loudness/less dynamic). For example, the peak on "Help" is 0.50 (which is quiet!) but the track gain is -3.6 dB... sure enough, when opening it in Audacity, someone clipped all the peaks and just turned down the volume. Boooo!

One piece of feedback I wanted to make to the A&M Corner mods... one song that I am thoroughly impressed by on this CD is "When You've Got What It Takes." On the A&M Corner Carpenters subsite, it lists this track as the album version and not as the single version ("clean open")—this CD has a clean open. I'm not sure if it's the single version, as I don't think I have this single? But I can confirm with 100% confidence, the open is clean.

 

[Cuyler]

I also wanted to note that the Bacharach Medley on disc 5 was remixed. A much heavier kick drum was added in the studio, and background vocals are doubled I think... compared to the one on "Their Greatest Hits and Finest Performances."

 

[Cuyler]

Sorry — audiophile/nerd post... one of my favorite things about this compilation is hearing the remixes from the mid-1980s to 1991 without the loudness/clipping. I never imagined it would be possible for the 1991 remixes to sound so good...

 

[Cuyler]

For anyone curious about what I mean by loudness/clipping, you can Google "loudness war" to get a gist, but I wanted to also share this screenshot.

Screen-Shot-2021-05-18-at-9-54-49-PM hosted at ImgBB

Image Screen-Shot-2021-05-18-at-9-54-49-PM hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

First, I normalized both audios to have the peak at -1.0 dB.

The top is from this compilation; the bottom is from Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition.

Both are the 1991 remix.

The Magical Memories version is so much more dynamic. The "loud" remixes don't do Richard's new work justice. Mastering is so important, y'all!

 

[Cuyler]

Also... wanted to share this audio file with you. (The link will expire in 7 days. If the link doesn't work, PM me or reply to this thread and I can re-post it for you.

13 Carpenters - I Can’t Make Music.flac

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

Which version do you like better, the original Now & Then version or the 1987 remix? I myself am torn; I like the orchestration on Now & Then better, but appreciate two things about this version: 1) pitch correction; 2) very dynamic—the drums punch you in a way that the original does not.

 

[newvillefan]

One piece of feedback I wanted to make to the A&M Corner mods... one song that I am thoroughly impressed by on this CD is "When You've Got What It Takes." On the A&M Corner Carpenters subsite, it lists this track as the album version and not as the single version ("clean open")—this CD has a clean open. I'm not sure if it's the single version, as I don't think I have this single? But I can confirm with 100% confidence, the open is clean.

The track could be said to have a clean opening anyway because it starts cold. The only thing that would qualify it as being segued is the sound of the chimes that can be heard in the synth fade out on Back In My Life Again. I’ve got this collection so will take a listen to mine but if the chimes are not there then yes, it would be classed as a true clean opening.

 

[Cuyler]

The track could be said to have a clean opening anyway because it starts cold. The only thing that would qualify it as being segued is the sound of the chimes that can be heard in the synth fade out on Back In My Life Again. I’ve got this collection so will take a listen to mine but if the chimes are not there then yes, it would be classed as a true clean opening.

Hello Stephen!

Can 100% confirm that there are no chimes. “Back in My Life Again” segues into “Ticket” on this compilation.

 

[Cuyler]

The track could be said to have a clean opening anyway because it starts cold. The only thing that would qualify it as being segued is the sound of the chimes that can be heard in the synth fade out on Back In My Life Again. I’ve got this collection so will take a listen to mine but if the chimes are not there then yes, it would be classed as a true clean opening.

I have to say, there is something about the way the “Made in America” tracks are mastered on this compilation that makes it shine above all other CD versions of “Made in America” I have heard to date.

 

[Mark-T]

Also... wanted to share this audio file with you. (The link will expire in 7 days. If the link doesn't work, PM me or reply to this thread and I can re-post it for you.

13 Carpenters - I Can’t Make Music.flac

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

Which version do you like better, the original Now & Then version or the 1987 remix? I myself am torn; I like the orchestration on Now & Then better, but appreciate two things about this version: 1) pitch correction; 2) very dynamic—the drums punch you in a way that the original does not.

I'm getting the error message that the file is corrupted. Just so you know.

 

[Harry]

One piece of feedback I wanted to make to the A&M Corner mods... one song that I am thoroughly impressed by on this CD is "When You've Got What It Takes." On the A&M Corner Carpenters subsite, it lists this track as the album version and not as the single version ("clean open")—this CD has a clean open. I'm not sure if it's the single version, as I don't think I have this single? But I can confirm with 100% confidence, the open is clean.

Thanks Cuyler. I'm always open to these sorts of fixes to the database. I'm not sure what I was thinking in describing an album and single version of this track. They're really all the same. The only difference is that some versions have a very light segue with the prior track's fading percussive wind chime sounds. I may have been trying to distinguish the Japanese single's totally cold open, but really, they're all the same. I've adjusted the song and the Japan single box accordingly.

 

[Harry]

I also wanted to note that the Bacharach Medley on disc 5 was remixed. A much heavier kick drum was added in the studio, and background vocals are doubled I think... compared to the one on "Their Greatest Hits and Finest Performances."

Sorry — audiophile/nerd post... one of my favorite things about this compilation is hearing the remixes from the mid-1980s to 1991 without the loudness/clipping. I never imagined it would be possible for the 1991 remixes to sound so good...

Yeah, this medley is the same as the other live Bacharach medleys on the ANTHOLOGY sets and the US READERS DIGEST set. Those other ones have Karen and Richard's live chat setting up the medley, whereas this one is a cold open of just the music. Other than the mastering attempts, they are identical musically.

 

[Harry]

MAGICAL MEMORIES OF THE CARPENTERS contains eight of the ten tracks on MADE IN AMERICA. All that are missing are "BEechwood" and "Somebody's Been Lyin'".

 

[Cuyler]

I'm getting the error message that the file is corrupted. Just so you know.

Here's the WAV version. I hope this works for you.

13 Carpenters - I Can’t Make Music.wav

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

The FLAC version works on my computer; I know some people are used to working with some filetypes and not others, so hopefully WAV will be the most universally accessible.

 

[Matthew S]

Here's the WAV version. I hope this works for you.

13 Carpenters - I Can’t Make Music.wav

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

The FLAC version works on my computer; I know some people are used to working with some filetypes and not others, so hopefully WAV will be the most universally accessible.

Thanks! I seldom crack open a laptop these days other than my work one, so this file works on my phone and tablet. Definitely sounds “sweetened” and has added echo/reverb which is typical of of the remix/remasters of that timeframe. Thanks for sharing, makes me want to buy this collection now.

 

[Jorge]

Glad Beechwood was not included in this compilation
As far as Somebody's Been Lying, heard the Carol Bayer Sager's version and the arrangement in my opinion is way more radio friendly than Richard's. Wish Karen's rendition had had a simpler arrangement. Still love the song.

 

[Mark-T]

Thank you, @Cuyler !

 

[Martin Medrano]

Thanks for sharing @Cuyler i was able to download the wav file and play it.