Disco de Carpenters: “The Singles 1969-1981 [Remaster]”

A & M Records present for the first time, all of the Carpenter's most significant singles hits on a one CD collection. For any fan of the '70s, this Carpenters twenty-one song lineup is a collectors dream. Many would read this album as a soundtrack for the "Baby-Boomer" generation, but it's more than that. Three-time Grammy Award winners, including Best New Artist in 1970, many went gold with their timeless sound, others such as their previous hits collection - "Singles 1969 - 1973", released in 1974 and certified seven times platinum. As a special treat for fans, a reprise version of - "FOR ALL WE KNOW" from a British television special is included in this treasury of adult contemporary genre.

The Carpenters although considered too light for the era's rock cognoscenti, had won international fandom and the whole world fell in love with their gentle pop music that was instantly recognizable. Today, the songs of the Carpenters are contnually rediscovered and remain among the most beloved of their time and ours - "The Carpenters - Singles 1969 - 1981"!

Total Time: 71:43 on 21 Tracks/ A & M Records - 069 490 456 2 (2000)

Fact: Karen Carpenter was blessed with a voice that will still be listened to and revered 50 years from now. It is/was a gorgeous, expressive, warm, clear and timeless voice. There will never be another like her. Not Mariah, not Christina, not any of them. The songs are 3-minute gems culled from the best songwriters of the time and are indelible parts of our memories (those of us who grew up in the 70's). They could be used in a class of "How to write perfect pop songs."

Having said that, why, oh WHY, did Richard Caprenter (a formidable musician and producer in his own right) mess with these and re-mix them to modernize them? Why would he mess with something so perfect as the original versions?

I can hear it now, "oh you're just used to the original mixes and you're a purist or music nerd." However you would be wrong. I'm open to re-mixes and have loved many things that have been released over the years with improvements in mixing and mastering. I don't listen to The Smiths so I'm not a music nerd (sarcasm). I'm actually a musician and producer myself. I put this disc up against the original singles disc, in the recording studio AND at home AND in the car, and there is just no match. The originals had vocals that were up front and mixes that were clean, with everything mixed up front. Yes, the drums were a bit boxy and the rim-shots inconsistent but who cares? The vocals were PURRRfect; warm and upfront with just the right amount of compression and 'verb.

Richard went and screwed it up. Sorry but he did. Track #5, "Superstar" is such a far cry from the original. The vocals are awash in reverb, he added piano parts, downplayed the bass licks and ignored the wurlitzer. The worst sin? He mixed the tambourine in the chorus WAY down and replaced that grand opening bass slide down to the root note with a lame piano. The song lost it's spark and charm. Poor Karen's voice is so far back, you'd think she was Britney Spears. It's just sad.

Don't bother with this drivel. Richard fell to the temptation of having a modern studio with modern gear and used it because it was there, NOT because it improved on the original. Get the original "Singles" disc and write Richard a letter telling him that the old cliche of, "If it aint broke don't fix it," applies to music too.

I get so choked up when I hear The Carpenters. It was my mother's favorite group and she used to play their records day and night and sing along in perfect harmony with Karen Carpenter while I sat there looking dreamily at my mother thinking she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

My mother, just like Karen Carpenter, passed away at a relatively young age; 38. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I have surpassed that age. I think what makes me the saddest about my mother's passing, is that I no longer remember what her voice sounded like. Unfortunately, a box of tapes that actually had my mother's voice on them got misplaced so I remember my mother through this collection.

And depending on the day, I sometimes cry and I sometimes laugh, but I always smile and remember those precious few years I had with the most beautiful woman in the world.

Back in 1973, A&M and Carpenters put together a "greatest hits" package called SINGLES 1969-1973. It featured 12 of their top hits up to that time and has remained a top seller all these years. The year 2000 brings us an updated version of SINGLES, this time including later hits and has the tag line, 1969-1981. And there are a couple of "new" things to be found here. As a "thank you" to fans, Richard has included a reprise of "For All We Know" that was featured on an old television special, THE SPECIAL LONDON BRIDGE SPECIAL, and that reprise was arranged by Marvin Hamlisch. It's short -- only :46, but a treat nonetheless. The other "new" thing here is a piano solo lead-out from "I Won't Last A Day Without You" bringing the listener nicely to the next track, "Close To You." These two things, plus the expert remasters of all the tunes make this package a good one.

One other note here about the cover photo: the original issue of this album in Asia (fall of 1999) featured a portait photo of Richard and Karen. As this review is being written, that's the photo shown here on Amazon's page. But with the current release in the States and elsewhere, the cover photo has been changed to one shot for the Rolling Stone article on Carpenters, which features Karen with a hat and silly grin and Richard looking on. That's the picture on the album in stores now, and likely the one you'd get if you ordered this disc from Amazon. The original portrait cover has been retired.

This CD is the best compliation of the hit selections of Karen and Richard Carpenter I have ever heard. While one can acquire much more comprehensive selections in a one or two CD set, this single CD truly captures the "Best" of the Carpenters. From the rich full sounds of "We Have Only Just Begun" to the soft sensentive melody "I Believe In You", the listener will revist an era of non forgettable songs. "Touch Me While You Are Dancing" and "I Won't Last A Day Without You" are so superbly performed by Karen with her rich voice and the "Reprise" used to close the CD leaves one remembering a time and era as well as a singer who we all shall forever miss. Richard Carpenter has performed an excellent tribute to his Sister in the development of this CD.