Customer Reviews

Yesterday Once More-Greatest Hits 1969-1983

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For any Carpenters fan, this is a wonderful addition to the collection. Using 27 songs, one gets all of the best Carpenters material. While it is called a Greatest Hits collection, it stands a concern why so many of the lesser known tracks make the cut. The songs from "Made in America" - namely "Back in My Life Again" and "Those Good Old Dreams" were not substantial hits whatsoever, and they seem slightly out of place on this album. Notably missing is the Carpenters masterful version of "Solitaire" - a top twenty hit in 1975 that surprisingly doesn't surface while many other passive hits make the collection. Still, the album is beautifully remastered and many have the fresh sound that is so wonderful. "Please Mr. Postman", "This Masquerade", and "Sing" are clearer than ever here and are more. Buy this if you are a fan!

I never really paid much attention to The Carpenters as I was growing up in the 1970's. They were always on the radio with one song or another, but I never really listened since I was a disco fan, along with other people my age.

However, as I have grown, I find myself looking for more mellow music-- a break from the grunge and rap that is so prevalent on the radio stations today. I ran across this CD as I was shopping on Amazon. I listened to some of the sound clips and realized that this was just the kind of music I was looking for. I immediately ordered the CD, and it's been in my player ever since. The rich vocal tones and the soft accompanyment are suitable companions for many of my activities. The songs take me back to a simpler time in my life and help to relieve the stress of everyday living. When I listen to this collection, it truly is "Yesterday Once More" and I can highly recommend this CD to anyone. It is a testament to the fact that good music and true talent is timeless.

[Two CDs, with a combined running time of 98:04] This album is a collection of 27(!) of The Carpenter's greatest tunes. The very first song is, fittingly, Yesterday Once More. Others include, Rainy Days And Mondays, I Won't Last A Day Without You, Please Mr. Postman, and many others. Happily, another included song is one I never get to hear on the radio (and haven't heard since a certain cassette tape of mine died when I was in college :-( ), Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft!

This album was originally sold in 1985, but has been remastered in 1/12/99. I'm not sure what's going on, but the copy I have has 27 tracks, as opposed to the 28 listed by Amazon.com (There's a Kind of Hush is not on my copy), and the order is a little different. Regardless, if you like The Carpenters, then you will like this album, it has many of their best songs, and the price is very good!

Richard Carpenter has through the years quietly tinkered with virtually every Carpenters hit for reissue. What he's done is subtle and not always immediately discernable. He hasn't changed anything drastically but has refashioned elements to update both musical components and sound quality. It's all happened so slowly that it's only when you put on the original LP version of "Close to You" that you realize what you hear now is very different from what you heard then, so much more completely realized and musically polished. This guy is a genius. He has taken the Carpenters library and continually polished it up so that virtually every release is not only a wonderful hits collection but an intriguing new listening experience. I'm told that Karen for the first "Singles" collection redid many vocals--I know about "Ticket to Ride" and "Top of the World" but it's also said she did "Goodbye to Love" and a few others. Does anyone know exactly what? I've tried and tried to discover differences in the many issues of "Goodbye to Love" and can't spot them. If anyone can post a list of redone vocals, that would be great. As for Richard, what he's done in redoing these recordings is singular in popular music history, and done with the most exquisite taste and sound judgment. After Karen's tragic departure, this guy after all could have folded up and given up. He didn't. He went on, still creating, and along the way turning out his own outstanding albums. I think for him the best is still ahead--he's got the goods as a vocalist and entertainer in his own right. People are noticing that.

"Yesterday Once More" was released in 1985 and was a massive effort. It first appeared as a television offer only, then six months later was repackaged and sold retail. This anthology covers the years 1969 to 1983, sans Christmas songs. Not only are the original singles present, some excellent album cuts are featured as well. To further showcase this album as a must-have set, Richard remixed every song, the piano and synthesizer overdubs on "Yesterday Once More" and "Weve Only Just Begun" give the two songs a finished sound and an updated appeal. One song that was not on the original release and placed here on the remaster is "I Just Fall In Love Again" which should have been a hit in it's own right. I loved this set when it was released the first time, the remasters make this set perfect. Did Richard remix this project again? Yes. He uses the original vocal lead from the 1973 version of "Goodbye To Love" instead of the alternate take, the one where Karen vibratos on the word "alone." There are other changes, but telling would take the adventure out of finding them yourselves.

A great collection of The Carpenters songs. Was made two years after Karen Carpenter passed away. Karen Carpenter sang and did some of the drums and Richard Carpenter played the keyboards. The brother and sister sounded great on this recording. The albums from which the songs are from is: Close To You, Carpenters [signature album], Song For You, Now And Then, Horizon, Passage, Made In America, Voice Of the Heart [sorry if I'm missing one] I would recomend buying this!!!!! Alex Hutchins

I have been a fan of The Carpenters since I was a kid. I had a couple of cassettes of theirs that I must have worn out from playing back then. Unfortunately I don't have this remastered version but the original 2cd set, but I am planning on getting this one soon, as I love all the songs, and to have them newly remixed and remastered with an added song, will be well worth the money. So many of these songs, when I hear them, stir up a particular memory for me. Music has a certain knack of doing that, and it's wonderful. Highly recommended!

The remastering effort decidedly paid off and it sounds awesome in my living room. The songs are familiar and it appears as it were taped recently. Some songs I was not aware of (I fall in love with you) simply surpassed the barrier of time. Content and quality of sound gets my business all the time. Karen and Richard, thanks for the memories!!

You know all of the songs. This remastering job is wonderful and all 70s-80s rereleases should follow this example. Karen's voice positively shimmers as if it was recorded "only yesterday".

The album consists of two CDs and 28 songs. The first CD is more diverse and to me there are all sorts of songs in it. The second CD consists of more tranquilizing or rather sad songs. I think the producer wanted to make a distinction between the first and second CD. I think the CDs cover almost every great song Carpenters performed. I would say this is the most compact yet complete collection of songs you find about Carpenters.

Also the jewel box is a folding one. From outside it looks like any other CD box and seems to be holding only one CD. But inside there is a folding plate with two CDs on its both sides. This saves space and helps you put it in you CD rack with all other CDs.

In one word if you want to listen to Carpenters in one album, maybe this is one of the best CDs.