There's a certain inherent sadness listening to this concise 12-song collection of the Carpenters' early hits, especially as it opens with "We've Only Just Begun," with its hopeful, dreamy lyrics -- for it was never supposed to be definitive, just the first of at least two such collections. But changes in the public's taste and a slackening (though never a disappearance) of hits for the duo, and Karen Carpenter's death in 1983, made this the first and only real mass choice for a Carpenters collection. Ten of the duo's dozen ...
Read More
There's a certain inherent sadness listening to this concise 12-song collection of the Carpenters' early hits, especially as it opens with "We've Only Just Begun," with its hopeful, dreamy lyrics -- for it was never supposed to be definitive, just the first of at least two such collections. But changes in the public's taste and a slackening (though never a disappearance) of hits for the duo, and Karen Carpenter's death in 1983, made this the first and only real mass choice for a Carpenters collection. Ten of the duo's dozen Top Ten hits are present, from "Close to You" to "Top of the World," with their gorgeous and original slow ballad interpretation of "Ticket to Ride" and their cover of Carole King's "It's Going to Take Some Time" thrown in to offer a slightly wider perspective. Listening to this material, it's easy to accuse the Carpenters of being hopelessly retro even in their own time -- bear in mind that "We've Only Just Begun" and "Superstar" being contemporaneous with the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East and Eat a Peach and you get the idea. But the lush melodies brought out in Richard Carpenter's arrangements and Karen's singing are justification in themselves. [The 1999 reissue in A&M's Remastered Classics series (#82839-3601-2) has a closer, toughened but warmer sound. Yes, the strings are brighter, to the point of glistening, but the rhythm section (Joe Osborn on bass, Hal Blaine on drums) has more impact as well. Moreover, the full original notes from the insert are now included, explaining how each song came to be discovered and recorded.] ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
Read Less
Add this copy of The Singles 1969-1973 to cart. $5.18, good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Bmg Music.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Singles 1969-1973 to cart. $5.92, fair condition, Sold by EB-Books LLC rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Rockford, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Pop-u.s..
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Orders ship SAME or NEXT bussiness day! ! The item has obvious and significant wear but is still operational. Item may arrive with damaged packing or be repacked. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn corners. The item may have identifying markings on it or show other signs fo previous use. 100% money back guarantee. 100% satisfaction GUARANTEED!
