Richard Carpenter - Re-imagining The Carpenters Legacy

4-cd set From The Top
was a revelation to my ears in its time, not to mention its CHRONOLOGICAL sequencing of songs-- which
presents a nice musical timeline of the duo's career.
It began physically as a beautiful BIG album-sized box, with an equally large inner booklet.
 
Were the remixes always done in batches for specific projects (like the Japanese Treasures compilation or From the Top) or are there cases where tracks were worked on individually for whatever reason?
 
I feel the product helped give us a glimpse into their career represented by song. The only disappointment was that it did not include a few songs that were thankfully later included in The Essential Collection. Everything was an enormous gift to us fans. Both products are a must since they compliment each other. I might not prefer some of the remixes, but they shed a different light into a favorite song. Funny thing is that it took almost 30 years to get Top of the World and Superstar to have a better remix than the original. The 1973 single mix is still honestly my favorite mix even though the SACD version is perfect.
 
My opinions echo exactly what a number of other people have said on this thread. I think 'It's Going to Take Some Time' sounds great on the SACD 'A Song for You'. I love the re-recorded piano - although, from memory, it is out of time for just a second in one place. I really like the remixed 'Bless the Beasts and the Children'. I like the cold ending and the vocals sound crisp. I like the new oboe added to 'For All We Know'. I know that some people have said they feel that Richard overused the oboe but I love that sound! To me, the oboe is very 'Carpenters'. Mind you, the original of 'For All We Know' was absolutely perfect as it was. (I'm jumping around from album to album, all in the same paragraph, here.) I like Richard's remix of 'If I Had You' better than the solo version. I like the exposed vocal acrobatics right at the end, with Karen duelling with herself, and the cold ending. I also like the 'Readers Digest' remixes of the songs from the medley of 'Now and Then'. (Are they technically remixes, or is it just that Tony Peluso's DJ voice has been taken off?) Minus Tony's gabble, (I say that most affectionately - I do like his DJ spots), you get to hear more of Karen, such as a wonderful uninterrupted lowest note at the end of 'The End of the World'. Of other projects, 'Let Me Be the One' sounds really good remixed and I like the different ending, but the original was perfect, as someone else said.

Overall, though, in a lot of other cases, I think that I prefer the original mixes, left alone.

I must be one of the few who went off most of the Philharmonic versions pretty quickly.

I agree that the kick drum on 'Love is Surrender' wrecks what was a great recording. Very unlike Richard to allow or create something that is far from perfect. This addition was totally unnecessary. And that song, (the original mix), has always been one of my many favourites.

However, I won't go on about the tracks that I wish hadn't been remixed.

I love the 'From the Top' set. It's amazing and has so many treats included.

'Eve' is brilliant in any mix. I love that recording! It's almost all Carpenters. Karen on vocals, drums and bass and Richard on music composition, arranging, keyboards and vocals. I do like the original mix because Karen is playing bass. I think on the remix, Joe Osborn is playing bass. I actually can't tell that his playing is better. It's unbelievable that a 19 year old and a 23 year old could create such a track pretty much all by themselves, (on the original mix).

Pretty much all of these comments were made earlier by others. I'm just agreeing with a whole heap of people in one go.
 
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The entire "A song For You" album remastered for release on (A&M) Mobile Fidelity CD in 1989.
Some songs were the '85 remixes. I remember" It's Going To Take Some Time and A Song for You" sounding really nice.
Did any of their other releases get the Mobile Fidelity treatment?
Yes...and when you start that CD, just before “A Song For You” begins, there are a few seconds of total silence and then that first piano chord comes in, and it’s clear as a bell. I remember being struck by the lack of any recording background noise at all at that quiet point in the track. Stunning.
 
Yes...and when you start that CD, just before “A Song For You” begins, there are a few seconds of total silence and then that first piano chord comes in, and it’s clear as a bell. I remember being struck by the lack of any recording background noise at all at that quiet point in the track. Stunning.

I wonder if that was deliberate to heighten the CD listening experience?

MSFL Track Listing:

1. A Song For You (1985 remix)
2. Top Of The World (1973 version)
3. Hurting Each Other (1973 remix)
4. It’s Going To Take Some Time (1989 remix)
5. Goodbye To Love (1985 remix)
6. Intermission (1989 remix)
7. Bless The Beasts And Children (1985 remix)

I’ve got this CD and I remember being disappointed that more than half of it wasn’t the original album after all...it was peppered with remixes that didn’t belong there.
 
I wonder if that was deliberate to heighten the CD listening experience?



I’ve got this CD and I remember being disappointed that more than half of it wasn’t the original album after all...it was peppered with remixes that didn’t belong there.
Yes, I was especially surprised at Top of the World not being the album version.
 
I wonder if that was deliberate to heighten the CD listening experience?

No, it's just the way that some CD authorers used to start CDs. They used to allow a couple of seconds so that the CD player and amplifier could get up to speed before playing anything. I've found that annoying over the years.

There's one of those GOLD CDs from Japan with the special processing, X2K2RFDIC or something that has those pauses to start each track. Annoying.
 
The additional recording and remix done in 1990 for Mr Guder, which I first became aware of with the release of the 35th Anniversary Edition of Carpenters GOLD, is proof of how the original recording can be improved. The flute solo has been re-recorded, percussion is now clearly defined on the remix, and the vocals just sparkle with clarity. Listen to the original and then the remix with a good set of headphones.....a remix of outstanding quality. Amazed that Road Ode remix has not been mentioned. An example of a remix taking the original recording to another level.
 
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I'll limit my comments here because unlike many of you I haven't heard all of the various remixes over time.

What I will say in general, given what I _have_ heard, is that when Richard uses new technologies to enhance what was _already there_, I generally love it. Things like enhancing the stereo effect and bringing more clarity to specific elements of the song (sorry for the layman's terminology), enhancing what was already in place. One exception to this is too much reverb on Karen's vocals, at times.
 
For a little example of craft over product, we can listen to Tryin To Get The Feeling Again for it has a alternative 90’s rock influence in the arrangement that would have never been a part of the song had it been arranged during the Horizon project.

I never really thought about why I like this song so much. It had a 90's production touch, because it was completed then. :)
 
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