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WOW - A newbie! LOVE IT!I love "There's A Kind Of Hush" I actually ordered the 45' from eBay yesterday. It's one I don't have yet (I'm 16)
my first album of theirs was 40/40 which I got when I was 14. After playing those 40 songs millions of times, I decided to find some more... And I found There's A Kind Of Hush. I learned it was a single and wondered why it wasn't on 40/40.
I then went on amazon and got my first Carpenters studio albums: "A Kind Of Hush" and "A Christmas Portrait" .
Then I became a big fan! Ordered "Horizon" and "As Time Goes By".
It was Christmas soon after and I got all of their other studio albums. ☺
hi,WOW - A newbie! LOVE IT!
I'm curious... with your fresh approach to listening to all of the albums, would you care to rank a top 3 for us? Or pen a sentence or two about each of the studio albums from your perspective?
I think it would be refreshing to hear how you rank the lps, since you basically have heard them all at virtually the same time... For some of us, speaking for myself mostly, the timing of the releases made a difference to me in terms of which albums and releases ultimately became my favorites....
Also - care to tell us how you happened upon the Carpenters? Thanks! And Welcome aboard!
As Time Goes By-
amazing! It's old yet refreshing. Very mixed in terms of where the tracks were sourced from but, that's great we need more like this one. A treasure chest.
GREAT story and insightful commentary on the albums... Thanks so much for sharing! and again - welcome aboard! Always cool to hear of how people get turned on to Carpenters music...hi,
well it's difficult to rank a top 3 because there's not an album which I don't love. Anyway here goes.
1.Horizon
2. Now & Then
3. A Song For You
Here's my thoughts on each album:
Ticket To Ride / Offering-
this being their first album is actually the last studio album i got. Considering its a first attempt I think it's very well done however, not one I listen to as much. I feel there's nothing too exciting on it
Close To You-
this for me is when the Carpenters became "The Carpenters" it's a good album. Again not one of my most listened to albums
Carpenters-
This album is a huge improvement from the last two, some true gems and I love the Medley but, I feel some songs let it down slightly like Druscilla Penny
A Song For You-
One of their bests so many hit songs, I feel A Song For You is probably one of the best songs on it, if not the best.
Now & Then-
again one of their bests, love practically every song. Side 2 would win by a mile for me.
Live In Japan-
Out of their 2 live albums this one wins! It beats it due to both it's content and the albums design (the LP)
Horizon-
by far one of the best in terms of the arrangements and production it's spectacular. High Quality.
Live At The Palladium-
great concert yet I feel it's a bit short whilst the medley is terrific it's responsible for it's short length due to the hits all being in it!
A Kind Of Hush-
this seems to me like quite a tired sounding album this could be because of the touring, tv, albums ect.that took it's tool on both of their health. Favourite on this is the title track.
Passage-
a very varied album... Which is great! It has 'classic carpenters' as well as more adventurous songs country, sci-fi musicals ect. Overall it's a good album especially All You Get From Love Is A Love Song.
Christmas Portrait-
a very magical and warm album. It does its job x10 this album IS Christmas! By far the best out of the two.
Made In America-
whilst it gets bad reviews from fans and critics this is another one of my favorite albums. I like every song on it. I also feel it has lush arrangements.
Voice Of The Heart-
a very sad album for two reasons it's content and the context... It being released after Karen's death. Beautiful album that I actually just listened to.
An Old Fashioned Christmas-
a little bit of a let down compared to it's older sibling Christmas Portrait. That's not because it's a bad album-it's a good album, it's because the first in 1978 is so good. It could do with some more songs with Karen on vocals and maybe less instrumentals.
Time (Richard)-
this is really an under-rated album, I love it. Some very good songs on it. My favorite is I'm Still Not Over You.
I wish Richard would make more Solo albums like this.
Lovelines-
it's an ok album with beautiful gems of songs on it.
Karen Carpenter-
another under-rated album. I treasure this album the songs are brilliant just listen to the overdubbed vocals Karen added to her lead. It just shows how much Love and time she put into it. It should have been given a chance. I must add that I also love the unreleased Solo songs. A double album would have been terrific.
Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor-
I only listen to this once every blue moon. It's a beautiful arranged album yet It doesn't have much appeal except to people who like classical music. He should have made another like Time instead.
As Time Goes By-
amazing! It's old yet refreshing. Very mixed in terms of where the tracks were sourced from but, that's great we need more like this one. A treasure chest.
there will be some exciting news relating to this in "the near future"
I became bored of todays songs when I was 14 so started listening to older songs. Remembered Close To You from the Simpsons (and had learned of Karen after watching Autopsy the last hours) my mum heard me listening and mysteriously Yesterday Once More came on the radio in the car which my mum told me was the Carpenters. So I decided to get 40/40 and so my Carpenters obsession began!
hi,
well it's difficult to rank a top 3 because there's not an album which I don't love. Anyway here goes.
1.Horizon
2. Now & Then
3. A Song For You
Here's my thoughts on each album:
Ticket To Ride / Offering-
this being their first album is actually the last studio album i got. Considering its a first attempt I think it's very well done however, not one I listen to as much. I feel there's nothing too exciting on it
Close To You-
this for me is when the Carpenters became "The Carpenters" it's a good album. Again not one of my most listened to albums
Carpenters-
This album is a huge improvement from the last two, some true gems and I love the Medley but, I feel some songs let it down slightly like Druscilla Penny
A Song For You-
One of their bests so many hit songs, I feel A Song For You is probably one of the best songs on it, if not the best.
Now & Then-
again one of their bests, love practically every song. Side 2 would win by a mile for me.
Live In Japan-
Out of their 2 live albums this one wins! It beats it due to both it's content and the albums design (the LP)
Horizon-
by far one of the best in terms of the arrangements and production it's spectacular. High Quality.
Live At The Palladium-
great concert yet I feel it's a bit short whilst the medley is terrific it's responsible for it's short length due to the hits all being in it!
A Kind Of Hush-
this seems to me like quite a tired sounding album this could be because of the touring, tv, albums ect.that took it's tool on both of their health. Favourite on this is the title track.
Passage-
a very varied album... Which is great! It has 'classic carpenters' as well as more adventurous songs country, sci-fi musicals ect. Overall it's a good album especially All You Get From Love Is A Love Song.
Christmas Portrait-
a very magical and warm album. It does its job x10 this album IS Christmas! By far the best out of the two.
Made In America-
whilst it gets bad reviews from fans and critics this is another one of my favorite albums. I like every song on it. I also feel it has lush arrangements.
Voice Of The Heart-
a very sad album for two reasons it's content and the context... It being released after Karen's death. Beautiful album that I actually just listened to.
An Old Fashioned Christmas-
a little bit of a let down compared to it's older sibling Christmas Portrait. That's not because it's a bad album-it's a good album, it's because the first in 1978 is so good. It could do with some more songs with Karen on vocals and maybe less instrumentals.
Time (Richard)-
this is really an under-rated album, I love it. Some very good songs on it. My favorite is I'm Still Not Over You.
I wish Richard would make more Solo albums like this.
Lovelines-
it's an ok album with beautiful gems of songs on it.
Karen Carpenter-
another under-rated album. I treasure this album the songs are brilliant just listen to the overdubbed vocals Karen added to her lead. It just shows how much Love and time she put into it. It should have been given a chance. I must add that I also love the unreleased Solo songs. A double album would have been terrific.
Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor-
I only listen to this once every blue moon. It's a beautiful arranged album yet It doesn't have much appeal except to people who like classical music. He should have made another like Time instead.
As Time Goes By-
amazing! It's old yet refreshing. Very mixed in terms of where the tracks were sourced from but, that's great we need more like this one. A treasure chest.
there will be some exciting news relating to this in "the near future"
I became bored of todays songs when I was 14 so started listening to older songs. Remembered Close To You from the Simpsons (and had learned of Karen after watching Autopsy the last hours) my mum heard me listening and mysteriously Yesterday Once More came on the radio in the car which my mum told me was the Carpenters. So I decided to get 40/40 and so my Carpenters obsession began!
I love watching these "drum-covers-of Carpenters' songs"
Here, one of my favorite songs:
There's A Kind Of Hush
.....lots of things happening in this song....
The C's def did the best version of the song (though I think it would have been much more effective with the slow, spoken word opening they did live) but it needed more meat to it for a single. Karen sounds phoned in and they both just sound sleepy, which they were by 1976.
I actually enjoy a few tracks off of this album. You, Can't Smile Without You and One More Time are solid tracks in my opinion. A lot of people like I Have You as well, but it sounds a little too old fogey to me, like they were channeling the Andrews Sisters in the choruses.A handful songs on AKOH are great songs and ones I wouldn't call bland, but this is an album where the less great songs could legit be called filler, whereas I don't think there's any of that on previous albums. Filler to me isn't a more subdued, album track, but an album cut that feels lazy and rather uninspired.
I think Can't Smile Without You would fit just fine on this list, but maybe that's just me.Billboard Magazine, "Rock Singles Best Sellers " Mid-April 1976:
1 RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED, Maxine Nightingale
2 DECEMBER 1963 (Oh What A Night), Four Seasons
3 BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, Queen
4 LONELY NIGHT (Angel Face) , Captain & Tennille
5 DREAM WEAVER, Gary Wright
6 DISCO LADY, Johnnie Taylor
7 LET YOUR LOVE FLOW, Bellamy Brothers
8 THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH (All Over The World), Carpenters
9 DEEP PURPLE, Donny & Marie Osmond
10 DREAM ON, Aerosmith
11 SHOW ME THE WAY, Peter Frampton
12 BOOGIE FEVER , Sylvers
13 ONLY SIXTEEN , Dr. Hook
14 FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE, Elvin Bishop
This brief list represents a great selection of music.
It is difficult to imagine another song off of the Hush LP which would have "fit" this chart,
at this point in time, better.
Listen to the 45-single of Hush, it is a great single (imho).
I actually enjoy a few tracks off of this album. You, Can't Smile Without You and One More Time are solid tracks in my opinion. A lot of people like I Have You as well, but it sounds a little too old fogey to me, like they were channeling the Andrews Sisters in the choruses.