The Carpenters Albums (16)
'Please Mr. Postman'
Release Date 7/20/2004
Tracks 14
Label Angel Air
See Album Tracklist and Review
'A Song for You'
Release Date 11/9/1989
Tracks 13
Label Mobile Fidelity
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The duo's best album, and the place to start beyond the hits compilations. Up to the release of A Song for You, the Carpenters' success had seemed an awesome if somewhat fluky phenomenon, built on prodigious talent, some beautifully crafted pop sensibilities, and a very fortunate choice of singles -- their albums Close to You and Carpenters, though they were top-sellers, both seemed just a bit thrown together. Then came A Song for You, a seemingly unified concept album written and recorded during a frantic period of concert activity, and brimming with lovely musical ideas even more lovingly executed, laced with good humor, and enough hits of its own to have established any artist's career on its own. And even in between the hits, the album was built on material that could have made a whole career for anyone. The duo's version of a then-new Carole King song, "It's Going to Take Some Time," not only became a hit single but helped them in the "cool" department, Carole King being about the hottest musical personality there was at that particular time. One song, "Top of the World," which Richard Carpenter had only visualized as album track, became an unexpected hit single and one of the most popular songs of the decade. And where the Close to You LP had included some beautiful album tracks ("Crescent Noon," " "Maybe It's You"), A Song for You was dripping with masterpieces, including "Crystal Lullaby" and "Road Ode"; Richard Carpenter's "Piano Picker," a confessional piece sung by the composer, also marked the high point of his solo vocal contributions to the duo's music. Even the two cuts that reach back into the past -- the soft jazz instrumental "Flat Baroque," a 1966-vintage Richard Carpenter composition that he resurrected for this release, and "Bless the Beasts and the Children," the B-side of "Superstar" from more than a year earlier (written for a Stanley Kramer movie) -- slot in perfectly among the new songs. The high point of their recording career, A Song for You marked the last time that their music (and the only occasion that one of their albums) would be accepted in the rock world on its own terms, without the duo's squeaky-clean image and sound, and middle-class dorkiness becoming a drag on their sales and image. A Song for You has been released several times on CD, the best of which by far is the 1999 A&M remastering with new notes and full lyrics. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
An essential album for your fireside Christmas, it sold a million in 1978 and contains the classics "Merry Christmas, Darling" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." ~ David A. Milberg, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Consisting of previously unreleased masters for a solo album by Karen, this album was compiled by Richard. ~ Bil Carpenter, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Carpenters' final album, Made in America, released after their two-year break from work, a period in which Karen Carpenter attempted a solo album and when Richard was incapacitated due to a drug problem, is very much a comeback effort, with a fair amount of energy on most of it, newly radiant arrangements ("The Wedding Song," etc.), one cute oldie cover ("Beechwood 4-5789," which was made into a video), and the best new songs they'd had since the mid-'70s ("Those Good Old Dreams," "Touch Me When We're Dancing"). The latter song, in particular, marked a breakthrough to a new sound and a new sensuality in Karen's image as a singer, and could have led to a new beginning for all concerned, and the album as a whole was more energetic and memorable than anything they'd done since A Song for You. Unfortunately, the singer was already suffering from worsening effects of the psychological disorder that would kill her less than two years after the release of this album -- "The Wedding Song," in particular, seems now like an unintentionally poignant bookend on the other end of her life and career from "We've Only Just Begun." ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'An Old Fashioned Christmas'
Release Date 1/1/1978
Tracks 13
Label A&M
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Their second Christmas album, with more of the soft sounds of the season, is made for mistletoe and someone you love. ~ David A. Milberg, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Passage is surprisingly ambitious, almost experimental by the standards of the Carpenters -- there are no Richard Carpenter-authored songs, a first for the duo, and what is here seems an almost conscious effort to sound different from their prior work. That includes the ornate versions of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft," both arranged by Peter Knight (best known for his work with the Moody Blues on Days of Future Passed). The Evita song, which comes complete with its surrounding musical material, is so much more elaborate than anything else on the album that it seems completely out of place. Richard evidently had what he felt were good reasons for choosing to record Klaatu's piece of space rock ersatz, and it is hard not to luxuriate in Karen Carpenter's enunciation of the lyrics, but overall "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" is one of those '70s records that is truly embarrassing to be caught listening to today, a pop culture Jimmy Carter-era artifact on a par with pet rocks. The album also has its unusually playful side, represented by the country number "Sweet, Sweet Smile" and the Calypso piece "Man Smart, Woman Smarter," although the latter doesn't work at all and neither track would ever find a place even on a "volume three" of the best of the Carpenters. Much more memorable was "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song," which also had more of a beat than one was accustomed to in the duo's music, and the dark, melancholy-tinged "Two Sides." The effort was admirable even if most of the results aren't memorable or essential. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The formula behind the Carpenters' albums was starting to get fairly routine -- a hit single and an oldie or two (which sometimes was the single) surrounded by some well-produced soft pop/rock, driven by electric piano, strings, and a guitar solo or two cropping up. "There's a Kind of a Hush" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" are the two most memorable tracks on this pleasant, well-sung, and well-played, but basically bland, album, A Kind of Hush. There are virtues here -- "You" has a good guitar solo by Tony Peluso, and the vocals on "Sandy" are radiant, but this record was where the real rot began to set into the Carpenters' fortunes, in terms of remaining connected to rock. Instead of covering Leon Russell's or Carole King's contemporary material, they're doing songs like "Can't Smile Without You" -- the latter is very sweetly sung by Karen Carpenter, and gets a lyrical but spare arrangement from Richard Carpenter, but they needed something more credible to the under-30 audience (and especially material that, if not attractive to guys in that age range, at least wouldn't make them self-conscious about listening to it with their girlfriends) on this album, and it wasn't here. If you close your eyes, it's possible to imagine Captain & Tennille, not to mention Debby Boone, taking lessons from this release, although Karen's voice was still beyond comparison with any of them. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Carpenters never released a concert album in America, so this pricey double disc from Osaka, Japan, has been a choice import among serious fans for many years. The show opens with a fair medley comprising "Superstar" and "Rainy Days and Mondays." Other numbers include "Goodbye to Love," "Top of the World," and "Help" (which comes off better and more sincere here than it did in the duo's studio version, at least until the synthesizer and electric guitar take over the song). Karen Carpenter's performance is sincere, and her singing is very good -- she makes "Top of the World" sound like it's the first time she's singing it -- but the backing vocals (by Richard Carpenter, Danny Woodhams, Doug Strawn, and Pete Henderson) and support instruments are a bit on the anemic side, except for Tony Peluso's inappropriately overamplified guitar on "Goodbye to Love." A major part of disc two is given over to a 1954-1964 oldies medley, with Pete Henderson singing some lead and Tony Peluso as the "deejay/narrator"; that includes "Little Honda," "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Leader of the Pack," "Johnny Angel," and "Johnny B. Goode," as well as full performances of "We've Only Just Begun" and "For All We Know" and "Sing" (backed up by the Kyoto Children's Choir.) ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
