Disco de Carpenters: “Kind of Hush”

In 1976, as Karen's anorexia was taking root, the Carpenters recorded their 7th studio album. This album breaks no ground musically and seems to mellow out at times. However, Karen's voice redeems it and I still must give it 3 stars. "A Kind of Hush", the group's #12 hit is not as creative as "Please Mr. Postman", and the ending "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" is not worth hearing. "You" is lovely, and so is "Can't Smile without You," but clearly the best song is "I Need to Be in Love." Although it charted only at #25, the song is sung very heartfelt by Karen, and it carries the album. The songs on the second half all seem to sound the same, and clearly, one can see the Carpenter's slide down the charts beginning. The single "Goofus" charted at #56, making it the group's lowest charting single to date. However, the album deserves to be heard as it does have the greatest vocalist of all time.

This is not the Carpenters best album, but certainly, one worth listening to. Karen's voice is a appealing as ever, Richard's arrangements are nice, but the material doesn't seem up to par with the Carpenter's standards. There are some strong songs, such as "I Need to be in Love," "One More Time," and "You." Unfortunately, there is a bland version of "Breaking up is Hard to Do" and "Can't Smile Without You." I read that this album "marks time" and I would agree. Nothing new and exciting, but a pleasant collection of love songs sung by one of the most distinctive voices in music.

I agree with the other two reviewers; this album doesn't have the spark that most other Carpenters' albums do. But Karen's voice rises above that. The best songs are "You", "Sandy", "One More Time" and the title track.

At at time when the Carpenters were falling out of the mainstream in terms of public acceptance, they were in the studio making this, their seventh original studio album. Perhaps their personal problems, relentless touring and other outside influences (such as their spat with Neil Sedaka) had something to do with the rather lackluster theme of the album. Amongst such oddball cuts as "Goofus" & the cloying "Sandy" the listener will find a few gems and one masterpiece: "I Need to be in Love"- Karen's personal favorite. Written by John Bettis w/ assist from Al Hammond, the song stands out as anthemic and more than true to life. How many of us can share the sentiment as Karen sings "The hardest thing I've ever done is keep believing there's someone in this crazy world for me..."? Beyond this, two stand-out tracks include the beautiful "I Have You" and the soulful "One More Time". This album is really for Carpenters completists, not the casual fan. Look for a compilation with "I Need to be in Love" and you'll be fine.

Despite Herman's Hermits having had a huge international hit with the song less than a decade earlier, the title track (first recorded by the New Vaudeville Band, themselves famous for Winchester cathedral) also became successful for the Carpenters.

Other classics can be found here including I need to be in love and Sandy. Other highlights include You (a Randy Edelman song), Can't smile without you (first recorded by David Martin, who is otherwise unknown to me, this song was later covered by Barry Manilow, who made the song his own), Boat to sail (a Jackie DeShannon song), Breaking up is hard to do (a Neil Sedaka song) and One more time.

Following this album, the Carpenters started experimenting with different sounds and styles, as you'll find on their next album Passage. With hindsight, this album marked the end of an era for the Carpenters and it was certainly a good way to do so.