The Singles Vinyl @ Target

[newvillefan]

They would have sourced the individual 2-channel masters, as @tomswift2002 has mentioned.

Just out of curiosity, assuming these masters were all of the same age and stored in the same place, how come the individual 2” master was still in good enough condition to use to create a new master?

I’m familiar with multitracks but what’s the difference between a master and a 2” master? I’m guessing the multitracks are used to create a 2” master and then a master is made of that?

 

[Simon KC1950]

Does Target ship to the UK?

 

[Simon KC1950]

Does Target ship to the UK?

Ooop just read previous posts on this thread and googled it. Nope!
Not fair

It's like the Complete Singles and Christmas Memories all over again missing from my collection

 

[Chris May]

Just out of curiosity, assuming these masters were all of the same age and stored in the same place, how come the individual 2” master was still in good enough condition to use to create a new master?

I’m familiar with multitracks but what’s the difference between a master and a 2” master? I’m guessing the multitracks are used to create a 2” master and then a master is made of that?

Sorry, I know this all gets a bit confusing with the interchangeable words and what not, not to mention my reference to 2" was actually supposed to read "2-channel."

The 2" master, as you suggest, is referring to the original multitrack, which then gets mixed down to 2-channels, left/right stereo.

So, we're on the same page! What I was trying to say was that they pulled individual 2-channel song masters to reconstruct the album sequence.

 

[ChrisCarpenterCollecter]

The new Singles review is up on my blog. I hope you enjoy it.

I once read your blogs but I forgot the name of the website it’s on!
What is the name of the website with the blog?

 

[newvillefan]

So, we're on the same page! What I was trying to say was that they pulled individual 2-channel song masters to reconstruct the album sequence.

Thanks Chris that makes sense now. How would that work with the trilogy that has segued songs though? Would they have just “reconstructed” the trilogy manually from the separate 2 channel song masters for each of those three tracks?

 

[Harry]

The new Singles review is up on my blog. I hope you enjoy it.

Nice write-up Mark. Your story of the initial playback mirrors mine, and I'm sure many others. I can still remember the goosebumps generated as "Ticket To Ride" began playing.

Another memory I have of SINGLES 1969-1973 is when I found it as one of my first CDs. The radio station I worked at had just gotten a CD player for the production studio, and I recall bringing the SINGLES disc in so I could hear a bit of it - this was before my own player was due that Christmas. The radio station was always looking for clean copies of records for on-air use. Unfortunately, by the time this CD arrived, Carpenters were barely played at all on the station. The two tracks that got a rare play were "Superstar" and "For All We Know". Since "Superstar" was segued, it wasn't usable on-air, but "For All We Know" was on the cleaner side two of the old record. So that track got dubbed from my CD onto cartridge for later playback.

 

[Chris May]

Thanks Chris that makes sense now. How would that work with the trilogy that has segued songs though? Would they have just “reconstructed” the trilogy manually from the separate 2 channel song masters for each of those three tracks?

Because this one included instrumental segues, I believe it was put together as one continuous master 'track' if you get what I'm saying. They likely were able to source the three tunes together, with segues, and pull the batch for inclusion.

 

[Mark-T]

I once read your blogs but I forgot the name of the website it’s on!
What is the name of the website with the blog?

InsightsandSounds.blogspot.com

 

[ChrisCarpenterCollecter]

InsightsandSounds.blogspot.com

I really like reading it, thank you

 

[Jorge]

InsightsandSounds.blogspot.com

Just checked your review of KC solo. Loved it. Thanks for writing about it.

 

[tomswift2002]

Just out of curiosity, assuming these masters were all of the same age and stored in the same place, how come the individual 2” master was still in good enough condition to use to create a new master?

I’m familiar with multitracks but what’s the difference between a master and a 2” master? I’m guessing the multitracks are used to create a 2” master and then a master is made of that?

With Christmas Portrait Richard Carpenter has said that in 78 they were using a new tape stock for the album master that had just come on the market and claimed to be able to last for decades and offer superior sound reproduction versus the other tape stocks out at the time. However, it didn’t (most likely got bad sticky-tape syndrome) and 11 years later (not to mention the improper storage in Europe by A&M’s West German division) when he was remixing tracks for “From The Top” it was discovered that the album master was no good, hence the remixes.

Now then AMPEX was a major player in tape manufacturing in the 50’s to 80’s. Unfortunately, since the 90’s it’s become apparent that the used a very dry binder or “glue” to hold the metal particles to the back of the tape, and today, many AMPEX tapes no longer work, or if the do, whether it’s audio or video, most suffer from dropouts, even if the tape was stored in proper conditions. AMPEX tapes are kind of like the old nitrate film that was used from the 1800’s to the 1940’s in Motion Picture camera’s. Of course other companies have been affected by these issues, but none as bad as AMPEX.

 

[Mark-T]

Just checked your review of KC solo. Loved it. Thanks for writing about it.

I'm a big fan of her solo album. Is it perfect? No. But is it enjoyable? Absolutely!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Mine has finally shipped!!

 

[Harry]

Mine has shipped too. I looked around online at which Target's might have them in-store and the closest was well over 20 miles away up close to Orlando. My close-by store doesn't have much in the way of music anymore - if any.

 

[GDBY2LV]

I received mine today. Looks cool, like the Neil Diamond one they sell. Hypnotic when spinning on a clear acrylic platter. Better pressed then the box set, or Royal Philharmonic vinyl. It definitely is weird to hear the wrong version on YOM on there. A novelty for sure. Thanks @Chris May!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I still can’t believe they got this wrong and a remix was used, gives a whole new meaning to limited and exclusive. In the words of Karen (at the telethon) “it always happen to us”

 

[Chris]

It was so good to see a Carpenters LP displayed prominently on a store shelf again. I know you all relate to that feeling.
I've not played my copy yet, but I can't stop looking at it. The clear bottle vinyl is so cool and beautiful. It's disappointing to learn that it has the remix of Yesterday Once More. Once again, a product that so many fans care about is put out by people without much clue on what the details of it should be. I love that original single mix of YOM so much. It's sad that some potential first time listeners won't have that version as it fit so well with the rest of the tracks on the original release.

 

[Harry]

Mine arrived today. Looks good. From what I can tell, sounds decent. Lots of static electricity upon opening the record.

I give Target props for shipping. The cardboard shipper that they used was stiff and well taped. Arrived without any damage to the record.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I also received mine today. It's in perfect condition. Still wrapped and new born. So happy the logo is embossed and the smaller logo on the back is also embossed. Maybe mine will have the single mix of Yesterday Once More. Plan to clean it and give it a spin later tonight.

 

[Simon KC1950]

So nice to see such a colossal album, one of the biggest of the 70's, being beautifully reissued in 2020 with such care and attention to detail!

 

[Carpe diem]

I want one...I'll alert the people I live with that Christmas is coming up

 

[CarpentersToYou]

It is gorgeous!

 

[GDBY2LV]

Target is doing buy 2 get 1 free again on movies and music. Get your holiday Carpenters shopping done early. They have most of their releases on vinyl and cd.

 

[Guitarmutt]

Looks beautiful!!!