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There's a certain inherent sadness listening to this concise 12-song collection of the Carpenters' early hits, especially as it opens with "We've Only Just Begun," with its hopeful, dreamy lyrics -- for it was never supposed to be definitive, just the first of at least two such collections. But changes in the public's taste and a slackening (though never a disappearance) of hits for the duo, and Karen Carpenter's death in 1983, made this the first and only real mass choice for a Carpenters collection. Ten of the duo's dozen Top Ten hits are present, from "Close to You" to "Top of the World," with their gorgeous and original slow ballad interpretation of "Ticket to Ride" and their cover of Carole King's "It's Going to Take Some Time" thrown in to offer a slightly wider perspective. Listening to this material, it's easy to accuse the Carpenters of being hopelessly retro even in their own time -- bear in mind that "We've Only Just Begun" and "Superstar" being contemporaneous with the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East and Eat a Peach and you get the idea. But the lush melodies brought out in Richard Carpenter's arrangements and Karen's singing are justification in themselves. [The 1999 reissue in A&M's Remastered Classics series (#82839-3601-2) has a closer, toughened but warmer sound. Yes, the strings are brighter, to the point of glistening, but the rhythm section (Joe Osborn on bass, Hal Blaine on drums) has more impact as well. Moreover, the full original notes from the insert are now included, explaining how each song came to be discovered and recorded.]
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Roger Nichols, ComposerLyricist - Burt Bacharach, ComposerLyricist - Hal David, ComposerLyricist - Carpenters, MainArtist - Paul Williams, ComposerLyricist - Richard Carpenter, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1970 A&M Records
Carpenters, MainArtist - JOHN BETTIS, ComposerLyricist - Richard Carpenter, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Karen Carpenter, Producer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1972 A&M Records Inc.
John Lennon, ComposerLyricist - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Carpenters, MainArtist - Richard Carpenter, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1973 A&M Records
Bonnie Bramlett, ComposerLyricist - Leon Russell, ComposerLyricist - Joe Osborn, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Blaine, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carpenters, MainArtist - Richard Carpenter, Piano, Rhodes , Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Recording Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Earle Dumler, Oboe, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Carpenter, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1971 A&M Records
Roger Nichols, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Morgan, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Osborn, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Blaine, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carpenters, MainArtist - Paul Williams, ComposerLyricist - Richard Carpenter, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Recording Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Carpenter, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Daugherty, Producer - Bob Messenger, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1971 A&M Records
Joe Osborn, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Blaine, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carpenters, MainArtist - JOHN BETTIS, ComposerLyricist - Tony Peluso, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Carpenter, Hammond Organ, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Recording Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Earle Dumler, Oboe, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Carpenter, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1972 A&M Records
Joe Osborn, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Carpenters, MainArtist - JOHN BETTIS, ComposerLyricist - Tony Peluso, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Carpenter, Producer, Hammond Organ, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Recording Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Earle Dumler, English Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Carpenter, Producer, Drums, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1973 A&M Records
Toni Stern, ComposerLyricist - Carole King, ComposerLyricist - Carpenters, MainArtist - Richard Carpenter, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1972 A&M Records
Carpenters, MainArtist - Joe Raposo, ComposerLyricist - Richard Carpenter, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Young, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Karen Carpenter, Producer - Ray Gerhardt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1973 A&M Records
Robb Royer, ComposerLyricist - Fred Karlin, ComposerLyricist - James Griffin, ComposerLyricist - Carpenters, MainArtist - Richard Carpenter, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1971 A&M Records
Gary Coleman, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Osborn, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Blaine, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carpenters, MainArtist - Gary Geld, ComposerLyricist - Peter Udell, ComposerLyricist - Richard Carpenter, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Recording Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Karen Carpenter, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Gerhardt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1972 A&M Records
Burt Bacharach, ComposerLyricist - Hal David, ComposerLyricist - Carpenters, MainArtist - Richard Carpenter, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Young, Remix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dick Bogert, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ray Gerhardt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Daugherty, Producer
℗ 1991 A&M Records
Albumbeschreibung
There's a certain inherent sadness listening to this concise 12-song collection of the Carpenters' early hits, especially as it opens with "We've Only Just Begun," with its hopeful, dreamy lyrics -- for it was never supposed to be definitive, just the first of at least two such collections. But changes in the public's taste and a slackening (though never a disappearance) of hits for the duo, and Karen Carpenter's death in 1983, made this the first and only real mass choice for a Carpenters collection. Ten of the duo's dozen Top Ten hits are present, from "Close to You" to "Top of the World," with their gorgeous and original slow ballad interpretation of "Ticket to Ride" and their cover of Carole King's "It's Going to Take Some Time" thrown in to offer a slightly wider perspective. Listening to this material, it's easy to accuse the Carpenters of being hopelessly retro even in their own time -- bear in mind that "We've Only Just Begun" and "Superstar" being contemporaneous with the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East and Eat a Peach and you get the idea. But the lush melodies brought out in Richard Carpenter's arrangements and Karen's singing are justification in themselves. [The 1999 reissue in A&M's Remastered Classics series (#82839-3601-2) has a closer, toughened but warmer sound. Yes, the strings are brighter, to the point of glistening, but the rhythm section (Joe Osborn on bass, Hal Blaine on drums) has more impact as well. Moreover, the full original notes from the insert are now included, explaining how each song came to be discovered and recorded.]
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:41:23
- Main artists: The Carpenters
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: A&M
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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