Carpenters Album: “Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration”

Description :

INTERPRETATIONS: A 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION contains three previously unreleased tracks. The Carpenters: Karen Carpenter (vocals, drums); Richard Carpenter (keyboards, background vocals). Additional personnel: Tony Peluso, Tim May, Dennis Budimir, Fred Tackett (guitar); Jay Dee Maness (pedal steel guitar); Bob Messenger (flute); Earl Dumler (oboe); Tom Morgan (harmonica); Chuck Findley (trumpet); Pete Jolly (keyboards); Joe Osborn (bass); Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon, Cubby O'Brien, Larrie Londin (drums) Producers: Richard Carpenter, Jack Daugherty, Karen Carpenter. Engineers include: Ray Gerhardt, Roger Young, Dave Iveland. Includes liner notes by Paul Grein & Richard Carpenter. Digitally remastered by Arnie Acosta. Recorded between March 1970 & March 1980. Although the Carpenters were hardly considered fashionable during their '70s commercial heyday (rock critics particularly detested them), by the time this greatest-hits album (fleshed out with a few previously unreleased tracks) was released, the critical consensus was swinging in their favor. Maybe it was a '90s irony thing (lounge revival, anyone?); more likely it was just that with the passage of time, people could finally hear the melancholy that lurked under the surface-happy face of the Carpenters' lush production style. In any case, this is a terrific best-of, with all the hits plus their all-time weirdest cover, Klaatu's "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft." You make the call: Karen and Richard Carpenter--secret space cadets?

I have a distrust of remastering and remixing. So often, something is lost in the process. I hesitated to try Richard Carpenter's remixed tracks for years. But, boy, was I wrong! He has done his task professionally, and has done it with subtlety.

I love this album. It includes so many terrific songs that bring back memories. [We started listening to The Carpenters on our honeymoon ...]

Some interesting tracks:

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft is an excellent version of the Klaatu original. [And some people still think it really is the theme song of World Contact Day!]

The A Cappella version of Without a Song

The songs have been thoughtfully put together to create a great program. Highly recommended.

Interpretations, released on the Carpenters 25th anniversary is somewhat of a disappointment to me, as it only has three "new" previously unreleased recordings, these being: "When I Fall In Love", "From This Moment On", and Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again". The rest of the songs on the album are remastered/remixed versions of previous Carpenter hits.

Is it worth the asking price for three additional songs? Each buyer will have to decide that for himself/herself. The fact that these songs were never included on previous albums says something about their quality as perceived by Richard and Karen Carpenter.

As big a fan as I am of the Carpenters, my reluctant advice is to skip this album.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig

Featuring tracks such as "Superstar", "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft", this is one of the best Carpenters compilations released. The gem in this collection however has to be "Tryin'To Get The Feeling Again," showcasing Karen's voice at it's most stunning and Richard's genius abilities as arranger and producer. It's worth buying this compilation for this track alone. Spine chilling stuff.

If you are a fan of The Carpenters, you simply must hear Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again, and as far as I know this is the least expensive way to get it. I believe it appeared first on this CD but has later been included in significanly more expensive Carpenters CD sets.

Also, if you aren't a huge fan but want many of their best recordings in one place, this is a great place to start.

I had bought the Carpenters records in the 1970's, and the cds in the early 1990's but hadn't listened to them for some 8 years. After buying Interpretations in June 1999(track 8 is worth the price alone),I put them on again and realised that I had forgotten just how superb they are-the vocals by Karen and Richard,the production and the music. I won't forget again.