Quad LP/Tape Poll Carpenters: Carpenters [Q8]

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Rate 1971 'Carpenters'

  • 10: Great Sound, Great Mix, Great Content

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 9

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5: So-so

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Bad Sound, Bad Mix, Bad Content

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6

EMB

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Since 2002/2003
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
4,101
Location
The Top 40 Radio of My Mind
A&M 8Q-53502, their 1971 'offering'...;)

Side 1:

1. Rainy Days And Mondays
2. Saturday
3. Let Me Be The One
4. (A Place To) Hideaway
5. For All We Know

Side 2:

1. Superstar
2. Druscilla Penny
3. One Love
4. Bacharach/David Medley
5. Sometimes


ED :)
 
Ahhh my favorite Carpenters album ever. Will anyone ever beat Karen Carpenter for the purest vocals ever? IMO I think not.

Rainy Days And Mondays
Let Me Be The One
(A Place To) Hideaway
For All We Know
Superstar
One Love
Bacharach/David Medley
Sometimes

All powerhouses in arranging and production with Karen's vocals just blowing me away. Even Drucilla Penny and Saturday are good but with Richard on leads they dont shine quite as much as the others but are still fun listens.

The quad mixes are good I think but sometimes there seems to be a lot of the same thing in front and rear. There are orchestration parts in the rears along with background vocals. Still, the mix sounds nice and full and there defintiely is discreteness to the mix. Unfortunately, the copy I have is a bit worn and sounds like it was heavily played.

I would give the album a 9.5 for songs and about a 7 for mix.
 
I believe one problem with certain 'softer' songs--those with lush orchestrations and restrained and limited instrumentation--is that remixing is tougher for the producer and engineer than, say, a rock song with a lot going on, or any funk band, for that matter. The idea is to keep the music from being too diffuse, to retain the impact of the original stereo mix, but expand it enough so that the 4-channel experience is pleasant and not distracting. On CLOSE TO YOU and this album, I thought they struggled with keeping things tight and discrete(the alternative can be heard on the Jim Croce quad's: too much up front, with little but ambiance behind--not intended to be fake quad, though it can sure sound that way on the ballads).

Overall, though, I like this one. And sound/mix considerations aside, I too dig Karen's wonderful voice, sexy and female yet a bit husky, vulnerable, but with a touch of strength. "Rainy Days And Mondays" may be a fine song and arrangement, but it's her singing that touches. "Superstar" works only because of her, athough the arrangement doesn't convey the intimacy the song intends.

Overall, I'm with Bob, a '7' here.

ED :)
 
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