Unreleased tracks from “Karen Carpenter”

[WYBIMLA]

^Correction: Not Still in love with you
I meant I'm still not over you

 

[newvillefan]

^Correction: Not Still in love with you
I meant I'm still not over you

For me they’re not even in the same league. Richard takes breaths between each line most of the time. There are vocal overlaps at the end but they are overdubs recorded separately. There aren’t any of the lengthy vocal phrases on the RC track whereas Goodbye To Love is awash with them. The longest line I hear that doesn’t contain a breath is “Sleepin' away almost half of the night/Now who”.

 

[ThaFunkyFakeTation]

Yes, I will take her solo album over MIA.

...without question...

Ed

 

[ThaFunkyFakeTation]

(1) Too bad Richard (Carpenter) and John (Bettis) had not pooled their respective talents together
to present TEN new Carpenter/Bettis compositions for a "Karen Carpenter" titled Album !
(2)There was an interview with Herb Alpert where he says "we were not exactly giving them (KC/PR) any songs."
So, if all parties concerned were so adamant about keeping those KC solo songs vocally "in the basement,"
WHY did no one suggest anything ? For instance, how about an album of American Standards (e.g., What's New ?)
or an album of duets (e.g., KC/Ella) ?
(3) Still, no matter, there are some great things happening on the solo songs we got (and, didn't get) !
I still say, Rod Temperton, Karen Carpenter and Phil Ramone gave us some awesome music.
Big deal that the vocals were not "in the basement".....that only adds to the variety and
explicitly constructed experimental aspect of the solo album.

By the way, one of my favorites is
Still In Love With You !

I'm with you on everything but 1. This was to a Karen Carpenter solo album, not a Carpenters album. As such, it didn't need any Carpenter/Bettis compositions. Better yet, it had Rod Temperton songs. Rod was, IMHO, a significantly better songwriter than Richard will ever be. He's one of the best to ever do it, honestly. His success spoke for itself in that regard. If anything, Karen's album could have done with more Rod. I'd kill off the Javors tunes in a hot second for more Temperton tunes.

Ed

 

[WYBIMLA]

For me they’re not even in the same league. Richard takes breaths between each line most of the time. There are vocal overlaps at the end but they are overdubs recorded separately. There aren’t any of the lengthy vocal phrases on the RC track whereas Goodbye To Love is awash with them. The longest line I hear that doesn’t contain a breath is “Sleepin' away almost half of the night/Now who”.

Ok that's fair. My point was these aren't easy songs to sing.

Part of The Carpenters success was because they made you feel like could sing-a-long to with ease.
"Time" has so much going on in it that you end up listening to the arrangement and vocal effects (overdubs/delay/reverb).

I don't hear weakness from Richard, but strength in his skill. He wasn't a vocal acrobatic or belting type.
So, to my ears his vocal style suits each song.

There's an argument to made about his choice to use "Say Yeah," but there's good moments there too.
The part where the song breaks down and he repeats "yeah" with electric guitar sounds kinda cool.

I'm neither Team Richard or Team Karen. I like them both!

As for KC's solo album, as we know there's some great moments too.

Is having some good moments on an album enough?

 

[GaryAlan]

Yes, Ed....I forgot to clarify the first point of my previous post:
Had a new Carpenters' album been on the horizon at any juncture, I would have been
interested in seeing what new songs Richard and John could come up with. In other words,
an entire album of new compositions--for a new 'Carpenters' album.
But, I do so agree--Rod Temperton, what a talent !
Indeed, I would have loved more Rod Temperton tunes on Karen's solo album.

 

[Toolman]

Is having some good moments on an album enough?

Good question. I suppose it depends on the individual buyer. I have hundreds of albums, but I'd be hard pressed to name very many on which I love (or even strongly like) each and every track. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is one. "Rumours" is another. "A Song for You," except I usually skip "Flat Baroque" (not that it's bad, just not worth repeat listens). Some others. Usually, if I strongly like half the album, then I consider it a win. Or if there's one or two tracks that just blow me away -- Coldplay's "Viva la Vida", kd lang's "Constant Craving". My answer, I suppose, is yes, a couple of truly standout moments can justify owning an album, or it did before digital downloads. And as I've said before, to my ears, Karen's album had more than enough of them to rise well above the classification "releasable". Now, whether it would have made money for the label...different issue. I don't know.

 

[John Adam]

Wouldn't it be amazing if Richard completed one of these tracks (like Something's Missing) for the new album with the Royal Philharmonic. It would be quite the surprise, but I suppose the quality of the vocal tracks would not mix in well with the rest of the Carpenters tracks.