Search - Carpenters :: Singles 1969-1981

Likely the most comprehensive compilation

C. MacNeil | Fort Wayne, IN USA | 03/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shame on the Carpenters fan who doesn't have this jewel of a compilation in his collection. To the non-fan, if you never buy another disc, this one is a must-have. Perhaps the most comprehensive compilation of bona fide classics and megahits, this 21-song production takes us from the earliest of the brother-sister duo's first hit to their last to make the charts in a reltively brief but spectacular career. They're all here: "For All We Know," the signature "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Top of the World," "Only Yesterday" and "Mr. Postman," et al. In the late '60s and through the mid-'70s, when Richard and Karen dominated the charts, the talk was that anyone into their brand of music was, like the pair, out of touch with reality because it didn't reflect the civil unrest ignited first by the Vietnam War and, later, by the Nixon administration's Watergate scandal. While few supposedly admitted to buying their music, though, the Carpenters were among the best-selling artists of their day, and little wonder. It is quite likely that the late Karen Carpenter remains among the best (if not the best) singer ever with a voice that harmonized the feeling of whatever song she sang. And brother Richard's musical arrangements, unique and noticed because they didn't follow the formula of the day, matched perfectly the emotional intent of whatever the song. Together, Karen and Richard wrote a significant chapter in the history of popular music, and their incredible talent is unarguably one of the reasons they remain a top-seller, even more than 20 years after Ms. Carpenter's truly tragic death. A songbird went to Heaven that day, but the harmonies were recorded for the rest of us to savor forever. Anyone who adds this to their music library definitely will not be disappointed."

Longtime Carpenters fans will be disappointed

Greg Brady | Capital City | 05/13/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Browse through a decent number of reviews and you'll find lots of folks...even those who gave this good star ratings...talking about how Richard Carpenter has overdubbed new piano parts at times ("Sing" in particular is cited) and the CD has been extensively re-mixed. The monkeying is probably most noticeable in the extra reverb added to Karen's voice and the way the drums are pushed forward in the mix more than the originals.



If you don't release the 45RPM version...without re-mixing it, adding extra parts, taking away other parts to "modernize" it..then you have NOT released the singles. These changes are not "remastering"...they are re-recording. If Richard desires to do that, it should be released as "The Carpenters' Greatest Songs...Re-interpreted!" or something similar. Those who want to hear that could still buy it..and those seeking the songs they remember AS they remember them would be spared the deception.



BOTTOM LINE:

Don't buy into the revisionist history. Stick with the "1969-1973" version instead. (ASIN B00000HY5F)"

Incredible songs. Incredible voice. Why Re-mix perfection?

M. Lee | Orange County, CA USA | 01/14/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Fact: Karen Carpenter was blessed with a voice that will still be listened to and revered 50 years from now. It is/was a gorgeous, expressive, warm, clear and timeless voice. There will never be another like her. Not Mariah, not Christina, not any of them. The songs are 3-minute gems culled from the best songwriters of the time and are indelible parts of our memories (those of us who grew up in the 70's). They could be used in a class of "How to write perfect pop songs."



Having said that, why, oh WHY, did Richard Caprenter (a formidable musician and producer in his own right) mess with these and re-mix them to modernize them? Why would he mess with something so perfect as the original versions?



I can hear it now, "oh you're just used to the original mixes and you're a purist or music nerd." However you would be wrong. I'm open to re-mixes and have loved many things that have been released over the years with improvements in mixing and mastering. I don't listen to The Smiths so I'm not a music nerd (sarcasm). I'm actually a musician and producer myself. I put this disc up against the original singles disc, in the recording studio AND at home AND in the car, and there is just no match. The originals had vocals that were up front and mixes that were clean, with everything mixed up front. Yes, the drums were a bit boxy and the rim-shots inconsistent but who cares? The vocals were PURRRfect; warm and upfront with just the right amount of compression and 'verb.



Richard went and screwed it up. Sorry but he did. Track #5, "Superstar" is such a far cry from the original. The vocals are awash in reverb, he added piano parts, downplayed the bass licks and ignored the wurlitzer. The worst sin? He mixed the tambourine in the chorus WAY down and replaced that grand opening bass slide down to the root note with a lame piano. The song lost it's spark and charm. Poor Karen's voice is so far back, you'd think she was Britney Spears. It's just sad.



Don't bother with this drivel. Richard fell to the temptation of having a modern studio with modern gear and used it because it was there, NOT because it improved on the original. Get the original "Singles" disc and write Richard a letter telling him that the old cliche of, "If it aint broke don't fix it," applies to music too."