Customer Reviews

Singles 1969-1981 (Hybr) (Ms)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Originally released in 2000, SINGLES 1969-1981 itself was an update to the older SINGLES 1969-1973. Confused? Well, this update actually has three different "layers" on the CD: a standard stereo layer playable on any CD player, and two Super Audio CD (SACD) layers, one in 5.1 surround, one in stereo. The two SACD layers are high-resolution layers playable only on SACD-capable players.

The track listing has also changed on this edition, eliminating a few tracks (For All We Know(reprise), All You Get From Love Is A Love Song, I Need To Be In Love, and Those Good Old Dreams) from the 2000 release and adding a few different tracks (This Masquerade, Bless The Beasts and The Children, Merry Christmas, Darling, and Calling Ocupants of Interplanetary Craft).

Carpenters fans will be happy to hear two exciting new mixes of "Superstar" and "Top Of The World" along with some other sonic enhancements.

The music is well known to us, but the icing in the cake is the excellent job done on this remastering. The surround sound is balanced, crystal clear and sonically impressive. This body of work certainly led itself to this beautiful treatment. If you have multichannel SACD, you will NOT be dissapointed.

Overall, I found the sound in this SACD to be very good, as expected. The sorround sound is very well done, and Karen's voice is presented clearer than ever.
I have to disagree with some other opinions expressed here. For instance, I read beforehand that the album should have been called "remixes", and that "Superstar" was a particular case of "new version". Reading that, I thought I was going to hear a very altered version of that song and everything else. But to my surprise, "Superstar" sounded as faithful as the original, within the circumstances (all mixes for 5.1 imply some changes in the original stereo output, no matter how careful they have been to keep the original sound. In this SACD, you will notice stronger bass and drums in the songs). I agree that in the final part, "Superstar" may seem to have lost the sound in the drums that we somehow are used to hear now (mostly because it's a different "take" of drums), but that way this song's sound is closer to the original version that appeared in the original LP in 1970. And by the way, this is the first time in a long while that this song isn't crossfaded with "Rainy days and Mondays". In fact, no songs are crossfaded, they are complete.
My only 2 complaints would be that "All you get from love is a love song" has been left out. Being a song with a "faster" tempo, it would have provided balance to a compilation full of ballads. And it would have been interesting to hear it in sorround mix, because of its instrumentation. And my other complaint is that the grand chorus in the end of "Calling Occupants" is barely heard, when I hoped that in the new mix was something that I was going to hear louder and all around me.
Those minor complaints make me rate this compilation with 4 1/2 stars, downgraded to a 4 because there's no half star qualification. If you like the songs listed, consider this SCAD rated 5 for you. :-)

Karen Carpenter possessed one of the most beautiful voices in popular music, but playback technology being what it was when these songs were first committed to tape, we never got to hear the true magnificence of her pipes. Never, that is, until now. Thanks to the Super Audo CD, and the loving remix by Richard himself, we can finally hear and appreciate what a wonderful singer she was. This SACD includes all of my personal favorites by The Carpenters. "Top of the World" never sounded so good; in fact, I was on top of the world as I listened to it. I was thrilled that they reduced the reverb in her voice that was present on the stereo (and quadraphonic) recordings, and the clarity of the instrumental backup made it clear that listening only in two-channel doesn't allow all of what was recorded to be heard. I was also blown away by "Only Yesterday". Heck, my socks were knocked off by every track on this disc! And the sound... well, if you haven't experienced music in full 5.1 discrete surround sound, you're in for a treat. And if you don't own a player for SACD, word is this disc will be soon available on DVD-Audio. All I can say is run, don't walk, to your computer (Oh, you're aleady there!) and ORDER THIS DISC!!!

Here's my take on the new SACD... I am thrilled!! Just finished listening to it on my 5.1 SACD system. Wow!!!!! ALL of the tracks are awesome...purists and remix fans alike will love this collection!

You can hear a difference on EVERY song. There is no comparison to 2 channel stereo vs. SACD Surround with 5 speakers.

Here's my take on a few of the songs that really stood out to me...

The first track that REALLY stood out to me was "I Believe You". Oh my...how awesome is that! Does anyone else besides me think that an alternate vocal take was used on the first two verses? So clear, so beautiful and with sounds coming from all 5 speakers, I was blown away by this mix! You can really hear Karen a lot more on the background vocals on this one.
"Ticket To Ride" really really shines...especially when the cymbals come in after the opening piano intro. Really gets your attention!
"Only Yesterday" ...wow...great surround mix!
"Touch Me When We're Dancing"....awesome awesome awesome!! Richard brought up the background vocals on the fade out, giving the song an extended feel (even though it's still 3:20) which really pleases me since this is my favorite C's track!
"Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" Fantastic! What an experience this one was! All the instrumentions brought to full life and Karen's stunning vocal make this track one of my 'new' favorites!

Overall, on the disc as a whole, Karen's vocals are less reverbed, upfront and really shine on every single track. Not many 'new' instrumentations added (some are original, some are the previously remixed versions) although there are a few new instrumentations...or we can just hear them now.
It's like you have been let 'inside the music' so to speak...you can hear so much more and it's truly awesome.
Karen Shines. She would have loved this disc! Richard's talents become more obvious. WHAT AN AWESOME AND TALENTED MAN HE IS!!! What a great sound!

Well worth the wait....and a GREAT job done by Richard!



Patrick Driscoll
Boston, MA

I'm afraid I can't be as thoroughly enthusiastic about this title as other reviewers seem to be. I was hoping for a revelatory listening experience, but was disappointed. Yes, spreading the arrangements out over 5.1 channels DOES help you hear all of the instruments and voices more effectively. Yes, taken on its own, this SACD is pretty impressive. BUT, it's IN COMPARISON that it doesn't stand up very well.

There are two major problems with this release, in my opinion.

The first is the remixes that were done a couple of years ago by Richard Carpenter. He does, of course, have the right to remix his own work. Absolutely. BUT, if you are going to call the disc "SINGLES" then I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to hear a mix very similar to what we heard when the record was first released all those years ago. Case in point: SUPERSTAR. One of the most memorable parts of the instrumentation for me has always been the cymbal at the beginning - that "chick-chick-chick" sound. Well, it's so far down in the mix that you can barely hear it. Also, the bass is punched up a lot, to the point that the chorus of the song is "thumpy." These types of modifications have been made to most of the songs on the disc, to varying degrees. If you're going to change the mix that much, call the Disc "REMIXES."

The second problem is a quality issue. If you go back and listen to one of the pre-remix cd releases of these songs, there is some noticeable hiss in the vocal track. For the SACD and CD releases of "Singles", it sounds as though they applied some noise reduction to try and eliminate the hiss. They DID eliminate it, but took enough of the high end away in the process that the vocals sound ever so slightly, well, dull. Not as natural or lifelike. "Rainy Days and Mondays" is a prime example.

I should mention that I previously purchased the CD version of this title. The problems are there as well. I had hoped that the SACD surround mix would be better, but I was disappointed again.

My advice - if you have fond memories of these songs, look for one of the older collections. Steer clear of "Singles" and "Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition"

I have been a fan since their career began and I have bought the usual formats that have been released including LP and now CD and now SACD. I have owned a universal player for about a year now and own several dozen recordings in the new SACD and DVD-audio formats. This remastered recording of 21 Carpenter hits in SACD is phenonmenal. Karen's voice is right up front and the backing arrangements are discretely separated into the 5.1 channels so that it is as if you are hearing these recordings for the first time. There is an utterly quiet background and it is hard to imagine that these are 35+ year old recordings. If you have an SACD setup you need this release. Kudos to Richard Carpenter for the immaculate mixing of these wonderful songs. It should be noted that this release will play on any CD player as there are three different layers, CD stereo, SACD stereo and surround.

Karen and Richard Carpenter were very good at a certain style of music. Every song I have heard Karen Carpenter sing has been enhanced by her beautiful, mellow, clear voice. This CD collects most of the Carpenters' most popular music from their 13 years of creating their music, which was seminal in the definition of current adult contemporary music.

What is amazing about this music is that is sounds as contemporary today as it did when it was originally released. While many people may attempt to apply "timeless" to the music of various artists, thus far the Carpenters' music is timeless, and I think it will continue to be timeless in the adult contemporary genre for some time to come.

While Karen and Richard's music was mellow and mainstream, the art, technology and effort put into the music pushed their music to several limits. Karen tried very hard to create the most perfect music possible. When you listen to many female vocalists you hear when they take a breath. Karen did her best to turn her head from the microphone when she took a breath so you did not hear the breath. Karen and Richard pushed multi-track vocals to the limit of technology, recording track after track of Karen's voice, and then combining those tracks to create the gorgeous harmonies that are typical of the Carpenter's music.

The focus on perfection and technique could easily become the focus of the music, allowing the musical art to become lost. The Carpenters' always kept art as an important part of their music. Karen had an incredible vocal talent to sing as though she was singing to each and every listener. Her voice was able to communicate emotion in a way that few other vocalists have been able to achieve.

This CD is perfect for both casual and serious fans of the Carpenters, for anyone who appreciates mellow music, and for those who consider adult contemporary to be their favorite type of music. If you have an SACD capable stereo you will discover that this CD is capable of phenomenal sound. This version is an improvement over the previous version of this CD, though the music is remixed from earlier releases and is different from the released singles. Fans have varied in their reactions to the remixes, so you will have to judge for yourself the mixes you prefer. I personally prefer the remixes.

I warn the focused listener that this music can become an emotional experience. Turn up the stereo on "Superstar," turn out the lights, lay back in a comfortable overstuffed chair, and feel the emotions evoked by the song; Karen Carpenter sang to strum the chords of your soul.

Now this is the way to make a SACD 5.1 surround sound album.
As a Carpenters fan once I realised this greatest hits was released in the 5.1 surround SACD format I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough.
And I'm pleased to say I'm delighted with the magnificent job that Richard Carpenter and Al Smitt have done on the surround mix.
All too often it seems that albums are hastily remastered in surround sound with no real concern for the integrity of the original mix, often sounding like a pumped up stereo mix with a couple of jarring accents thrown into the rears with no real purpose or pleasure for the listener.
As you'd expect from a Carpenters record the quality is magnificent and definitely worth purchasing even if like me you already own the remasterd stereo version of this cd.
I believe it is the guiding hand of Richard Carpenter that makes this release what it is, as you'd expect no one would ever hold the production of a Carpenters release so near to his heart as the creator himself.
The mix throughout the album is always kept to an excellent balance often enveloping the listener with a perfect use of all the surround speakers but never losing the sweet vocals of Karen in the mix.
This is one of those SACD's that audiophiles like myself will play to friends whilst showing off the need for everyone to get into the SACD, DVD-Audio surround sound sensation.

Just finally got a SACD player, so I was anxious to hear 5.1 surround sound and thought this would be a great start. Love the way Karen's vocie comes out of the mix and becomes very front and center. You have, for the 1st time an opportunity to really hear her voice as a seperate component as opposed to being a part of all that is held within the stereo mix. Interesting aslo to hear harmonies and other instruments coming in from different sides of the room.

Old, great songs sounding new and even better. Great CD!