🎶 Album Sides THE ALBUM SIDES [Poll]: "A KIND OF HUSH" (SP-4581)

[Chris May]

“A KIND OF HUSH”​

Catalogue Number: A&M SP-4581
Date of Release: 06/11/76
Chart Position- U.S.: #33; U.K.: #3; JAPAN: #5
Album Singles: "There's A Kind Of Hush”/"(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You”
"I Need To Be In Love"/"Sandy"
"Goofus"/"Boat To Sail"
Medium: Vinyl/Reel/8-track/Cassette/CD​

Side 1:
1.) There's A Kind Of Hush 2:57 (Reed/Stephens)
2.) You 3:45 (Edelman)
3.) Sandy 3:38 (Carpenter/Bettis)
4.) Goofus 3:32 (King/Harold/Kahn)
5.) Can't Smile Without You 3:26 (Arnold/Martin/Morrow)

Side 2:
1.) I Need To Be In Love 3:47 (Carpenter/Bettis/Hammond)
2.) One More Time 3:30 (Anderson)
3.) Boat To Sail 3:29 (DeShannon)
4.) I Have You 3:25 (Carpenter/Bettis)
5.) Breaking Up Is Hard To Do 2:34 (Sedaka/Greenfield)

 

[Harry]

Side One gets my vote here. It starts with the then-current hit record and follows it with the sumptuous "You". "Sandy" is an OK track. I'm not as fond of it as Richard seems to be, but it's an easy-going album track. I really like "Goofus" and at the time thought it was a good choice for a single, but my tastes often run against the norms. "Can't Smile Without You" fills out the side with a pretty good rendition of this song. I like it in either of its two versions.

 

[Mary Beth]

Side 2 for me. Not by too much, but the combo of One More Time (the best song on here), Boat to Sail and INTBIL makes it stronger. I even like Breaking Up, it's fun but I wish it was a lush ballad. The album, as everyone knows, isn't their best and is generally unremarkable. It's kinda pure "elevator" but honestly I like that on its own; though it can't stand up to the early stuff. All of their albums are warm but this was when things go really soft and the edge was taken off. I appreciate and love some songs even when I feel they could be more inspired.

 

[newvillefan]

A forgettable album that didn't contain much to write home about, aside from "I Need To Be In Love".

I went for side B for the lovely song Boat To Sail. Karen's backing harmonies during the instrumental are divine.

 

[GaryAlan]

This one was tough.
Ultimately, I went with Side Two.
I feel "Sandy" is a throw-away, filler for Side One.
I love Hush, You, Goofus.
But, I Need To Be In Love,One More Time and Boat To Sail
tips the scale for me.
I do love I Have You.

 

[tomswift2002]

I went with Side 2. I first heard the album when I picked up the Remastered Classics CD in Winnipeg . So it's kind of hard to pick a side, as I think of the album without sides. But with the first part of the album the stand-out tracks are "A Kind Of Hush" and "Can't Smile Without You", which I can't believe wasn't released as a single. "Goofus" is nice as an album cut, but it wasn't good as a single.

The second part of the album I would have to say that "I Need To Be In Love" "Boat To Sail" and "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" (which in a way felt out of place, since it is a lot more upbeat than the rest of the album, it was almost like a trailer for a TV show's next episode, but in this case a trailer for "Passage").

But overall, I think the album needed more direction, maybe if it had been made into an album that reflected the lazy days of summer. To me, the artwork gives me a feeling of being at a cottage on some island in the middle of a river at the end of July-beginning of August. Had "Sailing On The Tide" been ready, I could see that song opening the album, and even having been a single in the summer of 76. Then I would've gone with "Can't Smile", "I Need toBe In Love", "I Have You" and finished Sectiom 1 with "Happy'. Section 2 would've opened with "Boat To Sail", "Goofus", "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", then "A Kind Of Hush" and then Eventide" .

 

[CraigGA]

I thought Boat To Sail should have singled so I picked Side2. One More Time is also a favorite. I loved the art work but on the music side I thought it was an extension of a Horizon's softer side. I think people already heard Carpenters at their best, so now we needed Passage instead of more soft recipe songs.

Craig

 

[Rumbahbah]

Both sides have their weak moments, but because it contains the album's two best tracks, 'One More Time' and 'Boat to Sail', Side 2 has to win it for me.

 

[ullalume]

Side 2 for me. "I Have You" has become by favourite song from this album. . .I know it ain't the "best" but I do love it.

 

[Murray]

Side 2 for me, since it opens with my favourite Carpenters song, followed by three tracks that I really like.

 

[Geographer]

I went with Side 2 for the following reasons: 1) It has the least amount of terrible songs on it. Breaking up is Hard to Do, Goofus, and Can't Smile Without You are just terrible, in my humble opinion, and only one of these abominations is on Side 2. Had they switched those three songs out with some better material (even left-over Horizon stuff) I would like this album a lot more and it wouldn't be in my "bottom 3." 2) It has the two BEST songs of the album back-to-back; I Know I Need to be In Love and One More Time. These two songs SAVE this album from utter obscurity for me. The rest are all nice album cuts.

 

[GaryAlan]

I get a kick out of the multitude of opinions regarding this album.
Interestingly enough, I love Goofus and can hardly tolerate Sandy !
It's between Sandy or Breaking Up Is Hard To Do--those are the two I skip !
After listening to many a version of the song Goofus by other artists,
Carpenters make it their own,
adding a mixture of creative arrangement and great harmonies.
Oh, well, I realize I'm sailing against the tide on this song !

 

[Murray]

I went with Side 2 for the following reasons: 1) It has the least amount of terrible songs on it. Breaking up is Hard to Do, Goofus, and Can't Smile Without You are just terrible, in my humble opinion, and only one of these abominations is on Side 2.

I get where you're coming from. The three songs you mention were the weakest tracks on the album, but I wouldn't go quite as far as to call them "abominations". There's nothing really terrible about "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"... it's performed well as we'd expect from Carpenters, BUT, why did they do the original arrangement? In my opinion, if they weren't going to bring something new to the song (like they did, brilliantly, with "Ticket To Ride" for example), then why bother?! I guess that putting that song on the album was Richard's peace offering to Sedaka.

"Goofus" is fun, it's quirky, and (especially through headphones), it's a sonic treat. As a fifty-something person in 2017, I can say in all honesty that I like it a lot... my teenage self in 1976, not so much! Seriously, what were people in their twenties doing releasing a cover of a novelty song from 1930, on a pop album no less? And then releasing it as a single? Who did they think their core audience were, old age pensioners?

"Can't Smile Without You" is a great song, and I absolutely love it... performed by Barry Manilow! The Carpenters' version is just another soft, sappy, forgettable love song - but Manilow altered the lyrics, and made it about a guy who was dumped (by someone that he still loves). You can feel his pain as he sings "If you only knew what I'm going through", and "I'm finding it hard, leaving your love behind me". And he sings it with power and conviction. No wonder he had a hit with this song. If the Carpenters would have released their version as a single, it would have flopped for sure.

 

[Mark-T]

Side Two definitely. The first four songs are wonderful (I'm loving all the love for Boat to Sail), and I do like BUIHTD- sometimes.
Hush and You save Side One from being forgettable. It's not their best album by any means, but the six songs on there that I like are pretty darned good.

 

[Toolman]

Voted for side one, for reasons nearly identical to Harry's.

 

[GaryAlan]

I've probably asked this question previously, but, here goes:
In the Liner Notes of From The Top, Richard states...,
"Ordinary Fool...one of several extra songs tracked for A Kind Of Hush album in 1976."

If Ordinary Fool is only one of several extra songs tracked,
what were the others ?

 

[newvillefan]

I've probably asked this question previously, but, here goes:
In the Liner Notes of From The Top, Richard states...,
"Ordinary Fool...one of several extra songs tracked for A Kind Of Hush album in 1976."

If Ordinary Fool is only one of several extra songs tracked,
what were the others ?

The only two I've heard of are Box Office Movie King (written by Palma Pascale) and Magic In The Music.

 

[GaryAlan]

Richard Carpenter is a bit nebulous on this point
Here, from the official Fans Ask on Carpenter Webpage:
Q:
" Love Me For What I Am" was written by Palma Pascale, and recorded by the Carpenters.
What was it that caught your ear? Were other songs by Palma recorded? "

RC:
The entire song caught my ear, especially, of course, the hook. I felt some of Palma's lyrics
weren't on par with the melody and with her permission brought in John Bettis for lyric revisions.
One other song of Palma's considered was "Box Office Movie King"."

 

[Graeme]

Tricky, but I went with side 2. I struggle to get all the way through Sandy (which is a pity because the best bit for me is the flute section at the end), You was a missed opportunity (it just sounds a bit half-hearted in execution by all those involved and yet may have made a good single with a bit more energy) and I prefer the more jazzed up Can't Smile Without You to the album version. I do like Goofus though. I seem to be in a minority, but I've always liked their version of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, especially the band larking around a bit at the end. Mind you, as a ballad it could have been great.

Back to Sandy, was the line about rainy weather always getting Karen down a deliberate reference to Rainy Days and Mondays?

 

[newvillefan]

You was a missed opportunity (it just sounds a bit half-hearted in execution by all those involved and yet may have made a good single with a bit more energy)

It's a very pretty song but the problem I have with it is that it sounds tired and worn out. The piano sounds dull in the mix and Karen's vocal sounds draggy and uninspired. The only time it lights up is when all the stacked harmonies come into play. I often imagine what the song would have sounded like if they'd recorded it in 1972.

 

[Mark-T]

I knew I loved "Boat to Sail", but today while doing paperwork and listening to Hush, I changed iTunes to reflect number of plays in order. Boat to Sail was my most played Carpenters song.

 

[newvillefan]

I knew I loved "Boat to Sail", but today while doing paperwork and listening to Hush, I changed iTunes to reflect number of plays in order. Boat to Sail was my most played Carpenters song.

One of mine too. A shame this track has only ever been anthologised twice (not including the straightforward Complete Singles collection).

 

[CraigGA]

I agree with a Boat to Sail as being a favorite tag.

 

[BarryT60]

I get a kick out of the multitude of opinions regarding this album.
Interestingly enough, I love Goofus and can hardly tolerate Sandy !
It's between Sandy or Breaking Up Is Hard To Do--those are the two I skip !
After listening to many a version of the song Goofus by other artists,
Carpenters make it their own,
adding a mixture of creative arrangement and great harmonies.
Oh, well, I realize I'm sailing against the tide on this song !

I know! Me too! So funny that the opinions are so diverse! But we're all tolerant of the others' opinions! LOVE that!
For instance.... (asking in advance for tolerance....)... I think I'm the only one here that doesn't like Boat to Sail... I never did.... I always FF'd my way through that boat-ride... and I LOVE Sandy... Even though I shun names in songs generally... (except for Mona Lisa)... the verses to me are so lovely.... The second verse leading to and including the line: "Your eyes can see clearer than mine" is a goose-bump moment for me... that minor build up of the melody and Karen's sweet and understated but punctual and perfect reading offers maturity and a knowing calm that is like vocal comfort food for my soul...

As stated elsewhere, YOU, to me, should have been the lead single....

I remember at the time of it's release thinking this was an extremely "pretty" sounding album... No real barn burners, but in total, a very pleasant listen....

I think I've mentioned also - that I never cared for the artwork on this one - except for the inside of the cover.

The image on the front set them back years - from the moody, mature, hipper photograph on Horizon, and to me - that wooden trim was not anything to get excited about... I'd start from scratch on the whole concept. Or possibly might have opted for the graphics from the Billboard ad for the single...

Horizon and Passage were so visually brilliant, it's hard for me to imagine the same team did this one... Be interesting to know RC's take...

Thanks for allowing me to offer a "slightly" different perspective!

 

[byline]

My vote goes to Side 2, thanks mainly to "One More Time" ... the only song worth listening to, for me, on an otherwise forgettable album.