Customer Reviews

Perform Carpenter

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"Carpenters Perform Carpenter" is the most recent release (released on July 29, 2003) of what seems to be an endless catalog of Carpenters compilations. This one is unique in that all the songs were composed by Richard Carpenter. These are the songs that were specifically written for Karen to sing.
With this release once again we are able to witness the serene power of a beautifully written song.

The packaging is done professionally with a few nice pictures of Karen and Richard, and new liner notes written by Bill DeMain. Bill DeMain is best known for his recently released book; "Behind The Muse: Pop and Rock's Greatest Songwriters Talk About Their Work and Inspiration".

This compilation contains several lesser known Carpenters album tracks. Some of the outstanding cuts are; "Maybe It's You" from 1970 which could have been a great follow-up single to "We've Only Just Begun" and "Crystal Lullaby" (1972) a dreamy song which seems to have a vibrant new life on this collection.

Unfortunately for the hardcore Carpenters fans, this latest compilation doesn't provide any new material by the duo. Instead, it rounds up what Richard probably considers the best of those songs written by him and recorded by the Carpenters between 1969 and 1981.

It's hard to see how this latest release satisfies any demand that hasn't already been filled. Anyone with a passing interest in the duo will probably only recognise about a quarter of the content (out of 18 tracks there are 5 genuine hit singles) - is this Richard trying to open up lukewarm or non-fans to some of their lesser known material? Who knows.

Where the diehards are concerned, there's nothing here we haven't already heard on many other compilations, save a gorgeous remix of 'One Love' only previously available on a Japanese release. The rest is the familiar batch of remixed album tracks seen on volumes such as 'Yesterday Once More' (1985), 'Classics Vol.2' (1991) and the recent 'Essential Collection' box-set.

One thing of note to the fans is that one particular track 'At The End of The Song', sees its debut here on a compilation for the first time since its original release on the posthumous 'Voice Of The Heart' album in 1983.

In more recent years, it's been rammed home, both in Carpenters-related books and television documentaries, that Richard was the undervalued, uncredited genius behind the duo, who wrote much of the material, and produced and arranged most of it.

It seems Richard is simply trying to further underscore this thinking by releasing a compilation that's purely all his own work. Not forgetting of course, that he only wrote the music to these selections. His songwriting partner John Bettis wrote all those memorable lyrics. But does he get a mention in the album's title? No.

In summary, a trip down memory lane for the fans, I'll reserve judgement on how everyone will take to it.

Top of the World?"

How many housewives have
Sha-La-La'd with
"Yesterday Once More?"

How many heartbroken teen
Have found solace singing along to
"Goodbye to Love?"

The answer is...well; you might as well dust off the old chestnut about angles and the head of a pin. Let's put it this way. Every ten seconds or so, somewhere in the world, these songs are being played, sung, whistled, hummed or listened to. And this has been going on every day for the last thirty-odd years. - Bill DeMain

The first page of the liner notes read, as you open the CD to this collection.

Being a HUGE Carpenter fan for quite some time, I have come to love this collection. I was introduced to the Carpenters back in the late 80's with the watching of "The Karen Carpenter Story". I then started collecting all the albums. I had some on record, tape and some on CD. The first Carpenters' record collection I bought is the two record collection of "Yesterday Once More". I could not stop playing it, over and over!!! I have all the domestic released albums on cd, and I love to play them over and over again too.

Back when CDs first came out, the perfection was not there as it is today. Before digital recording came out analog was the way to go. A lot of artist recorded on analog for lack of choice. The Carpenters were of no exception. Thank GOD that all Carpenter songs were in two channels {stereo}. Anyway, the remarkable performances of the CD can revile the slightest pin drop, compared to older recording methods. Hearing the Carpenter songs on CD, one can hear a slight "hiss" in the background. This is the way with other recordings unless it is a brand new recording, recorded in digital. I read Richard wants all Carpenters' songs to sound the very very best they can get. So hearing other Carpenters' songs on other greatest hit albums, one can hear the music crystal clear and Karen's singing with a hiss in the back ground. That led me to believe that the music was possible re-recorded in digital but Karen's singing, well, could not be re-recorded in digital. So hearing those songs, you can hear the music without a hissing but then when Karen started singing the 'hiss' was present. When a "break" in the song would come, Karen stopped singing; the 'hiss' would stop. Then when Karen's queue came to start singing again the 'hiss' was back. That said maybe hard to understand. Try listing to the CD "Ticket to Ride" to the song "All of My Life". It is a good song, good recording etc. Then right after that song is over, pop in this CD version of "All of My Life". There is not a sign of 'hiss' anywhere!!!! This album is like hearing it for the first time in TOTAL digital!!!! Believe me, I have listened over and over, not a single flaw in the recording.....
In a way, it is like Karen recorded fresh music with the very best technology that is available today. As a die-hard Carpenter fan, I don't see this collection as just another Carpenter collection. I love hearing how Richard has put different mixes to the songs. As long he puts his "seal of approval" on all changes. I mean come on Carpenter fans, he is still a Carpenter!!!
This collection of songs are what Carpenter/Betties put together. They are not re-recordings of songs other artist's have recorded.
For the true Carpenter fan this collection holds songs already heard, but have a fresh new approach. If hearing the original versions tickles your tummy, then they are still available on the albums. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the original versions too. To me hearing these new versions helps in keeping the Carpenters alive and fresh all the same. As for new Carpenters' fans, there are some greatest hits, but other songs; sadly did not reach the top charts.
I just love Karen's Theme. It fits like a glove to Karen. I think that she should be dubbed, the "Queen of Love Songs". She had perfect pitch every time. I am sure that she would have been amazed on recording techniques of today.
As stated in the "Karen Carpenter Story" that Karen has a one in a million voice. People have dubbed this brother/sister duo as being plan, and vanilla. However, what a wonderful taste vanilla is??? This collection is wonderful, get it, really!!!!!!

Like the other reviews state, this product is soley for the purpose of compiling songs composed by Richard, the lyrics by various writers, namely John Bettis. There is nothing new here really, the remix of "One Love" was up until now available only on the Japanese import album "By Request." Most of the older songs in the remix versions presented here are available on the boxed set "The Essential Carpenters." The song "At The End Of A Song" makes it's first appearance on a release since it's inclusion on "Voice Of The Heart." This project is a companion piece to 1995's "Interpretations," that set featuring all the Carpenters "covers." The mastering of these songs is updated since the album remasters in 1998 and '99, so the songs here are a bit cleaner. Outside of the sound, nothing is new about this project, sad to say, unless liner notes are worth collecting.

What a marvelous Carpenters compilation! This is the best since the Reader's Digest Compilation!
The sound is superb and I couldn't ask for a better compilation. (Sorry, I lied... I really want to see new songs, new mixes, alternate versions and such!)
I love the selection! It shows how great Richard Carpenter (and John Bettis) are!
A hilight for me is the mix of "Sandy" - it made me love the song even more! Also "Crystal Lullaby" - a song I never cared for is more beautiful than ever!
I hope to see lots of releases in the future!
ps check out the "Interpretaions" DVD and for all Carpenters news go to:
http://CarpentersToYou.tripod.com
or seach on YAHOO! "Carpenters To You".

Give Richard Carpenter the credit he is due (as this compilation makes clear). He knew how to set Karen's voice in these arrangements. The right key signatures, the right backup. etc. So after over 40 years, this one is overdue. True, you could rip you own CD of these songs yourself. But you probably didn't. This is a good way of realizing that Carpenters WAS in fact a duo, not just a solo act.

Great i like this Album is special next too As Time Goes Bye (Is Great) this perform of the carpenters is absolute in the collection...PolarWorks Demar recomiend this CD album is great for one FAN of Richard & Karen (I love)Guatemala C.A.

On one hand I'm happy that Richard keeps the Carpenters name alive to new audiences with these regular compilation CDs; however, I agree with other comments here that it's time to invest some money to scrap the 1970s arrangements and update the music tracks with something more contemporary and more complex. No doubt his own voice is deeper and richer now, so he might want to go back and overdub his own tracks again. Rich--if you're reading this, maybe you should hook up with the brilliant arranger & composer William Goldstein. I also think it would be fun to have an album of top name instrumentalists do some of the solo bridge spots: Herb Alpert, Earl Klugh, Kenny G, Glen Campbell (Guitar), Barry Manilow (Piano), etc.

For those who are primarily familiar with the Carpenters through their various hits collections, this CD will at least offer some relatively unfamiliar tunes. Still, the idea of focusing only on songs Richard Carpenter wrote or co-wrote results in a "something's missing" feeling to this CD, and it also points out that most of the Carpenters' very best songs were written by others (Bacharach, Paul Williams, etc.). Certainly "Goodbye to Love" and "Yesterday Once More," two of Richard's songs on this collection, are memorable, but many of the other tunes are relatively slight. This new collection is nice to listen to, but it also has a sleepy quality to it that will have me using it only as background music.

Two other things: (1) The bold statement in the liner notes that "every ten seconds are so, somewhere in the world, these songs are being played, sung, hummed, whistled, or listened to" may have been true 20 years ago, but it's somewhat rididulous to say that in 2003. Also (2) Seeing Richard's face 5 times bigger than Karen's on the cover just rubbed me the wrong way. I understand that the CD concept involves songs by Richard, but these songs would never have had nearly the impact they did without Karen's marvelous voice singing them.

How many more times is Dick Carpenter going to regurgitate released recordings..is he aiming for an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for countless compilations? Does he need more cash to feed his ever growing family? Hmm..I think not. Following the death of Agnes Carpenter, he is probably the sole beneficiary of Karen's sizaeble estate.

I recall seeing a Carpenters TV documentary some years ago here in the UK. Richard stated that, following the release of the 4 CD box set, there were no more unreleased recordings to come. Liar liar pants on fire! We then see the release of a CD dedicated to unreleased tunes. Any Carpenters fan knows full well that there must be reels of unreleased gems in the A & M vaults. So does us all a favour Dick, and release something that is worth buying for the Carpenters fan, and stop rehashing old material.

IT GETS A BIT BORING AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF IT.