Customer Reviews

40th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Shm-CD)

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This is by far the most expensive box set ever released on The Carpenters. Is it worth the money?

There are 15 CDs total, all released in the SHM format (playable in all CD players). Plus one DVD which surprisingly is playable in all players worldwide thanks to its "all region" code.

Each CD is housed in a hardcover book with at least two never-before-seen photos with new liner notes from Richard Carpenter on most. At the back of each book is a mini LP reproduction in which the CD is held.

While I have multiple duplicates of all these CDs included throughout my collection what I like most about this box set are the photos I have never seen before. For example. The "Offering" CD book has a photo of Karen posing with the "Offering" LP at the piano inside the Carpenter family's first house in Downey. Other photos throughout the book include a great "morning" photo taken at Christmastime 1971 in which Karen is sitting in front of the Christmas tree wearing a fuzzy pink robe, a nice 60s shot of Richard posing shirtless while on a road trip holding a beer can, and some nice shots of Karen wearing a fut coat from the opening scene from their 1977 Christmas TV special "Carpenters At Christmas."

But that's pretty much the talk of this box set. Is it worth almost five hundred dollars with shipping (currently $725 from Amazon)? In all honesty I don't think so. But if you're a longtime hardcore collector like I am you'll still want it.