Carpenters: The Singles 1969-1973 (Sped Up Master) CD Track Listing

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Carpenters The Singles 1969-1973 (Sped Up Master) (1973)
The Singles 1969-1973 (Sped Up Master)\n\nOriginally Released November 1973\nCD Edition Released ???? (Guess 1988)\nRemastered Edition Released January 12, 1999\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: There's a certain inherent sadness listening to this concise 12-song collection of the duo's 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 the Fillmore 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 -- additionally, 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\n\nAmazon.com essential recording\nThis is the Carpenters best-of collection (there are many) that gives the listener their strongest Top 10 songs in one flawless package. From the hopeful opener, "We've Only Just Begun," to the wistful closing track, "Close to You," these songs epitomize the band's lush and sincere style that won them so much adulation (and many awards) in the 1970s. Karen's passionate vocals take the listener on dizzying rides on "Hurting Each Other" and "Rainy Days and Mondays," and irresistibly pleasant ditties like "Top of the World" and "Sing" continue to rule the perfect-songs-for-the-car-radio kingdom. Their take on the Beatles "Ticket to Ride" is inoffensive if not agreeable, and weepy tunes like "It's Going to Take Some Time" and "Goodbye to Love" can still wring a sniffle out of the sensitive listener. This collection signifies an important period in the timeline of pop-music history. --Lorry Fleming \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nWorth Hunting For, October 20, 2001 \nReviewer: Joe Lee from Brandon, MS USA \nI make this point often when reviewing past releases: There simply wasn't space on vinyl for a lot of filler. A&M certainly did right by Karen and Richard Carpenter when they released this collection, and not surprisingly, it was their biggest seller. Twelve outstanding songs, played to perfection and sung absolutely beautifully by a truly brilliant vocalist. True, this collection stops after 1973 and leaves off half a dozen hits, most notably "Please Mr. Postman" and "Yesterday Once More." But to invest in later, larger collections or the horribly overstuffed box sets is to do yourself a grave disservice. Buy this one and stick with the very cream of the crop. You won't be disappointed--even after hundreds of listens. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nThe biggest selling album of their careers, March 9, 1999 \nReviewer: Jim Fenos @iwaynet.com from Columbus, Ohio \nOut of all the Carpenter albums released, this is the one most people refer to. This album collects all of their early hits and places them in one beautiful package. Sticklers for detail, both Richard and Karen decided to present their songs in the best possible way, and if that meant tearing down the old performances and begin anew, so be it. By 1973, Karen had complete control of her voice and the now-mature Karen re-recorded most of their early hits. One of the most obvious re-recordings is "Ticket To Ride" featuring a confident Karen lead vocal and a gutiar addition performed by Tony Peluso. For future compiliations, Richard would use this rendition of "Ticket." This album was not only the biggest selling album of their career, it was one of the best selling albums in the history of music. Outside of "I Won't Last A Day Without You" which was released in 1974, this album collects all of their hits and is now beautifully remastered. The original mixes are used, none of the overdubbs recorded and used for "Yesterday Once More" are present, forever preserving the albums original integrity. If ony one album of Carpenters classics is desired, this one is it. \n\nfrom The Carpenters Discography web site (http://www.grantguerrero.com/carpenters/)\nThis first collection of previously-released Carpenters' songs is quite an album! With the exception of "Ticket to Ride," every one of these singles placed in the top 12 on the U.S. charts, and nine of them were in the top 3. The album itself was the Carpenters' only #1 album.\n\nBut this album is more than a collection of songs. Richard and Karen did some new work for this album. The album starts with a new prelude of sorts, sounding like the beginning of "Close to You" but then continuing with an orchestral overture that leads directly into the introduction to "We've Only Just Begun."\n\n"Top of the World" is the single version here. This is followed by the album's biggest revamping of an old song: "Ticket to Ride" has brand new vocals and drums (Karen was never satisfied with her 1969 performance), and an added guitar part. This re-made version is vastly superior to the original.\n\nThe next three songs have been linked together by instrumental bridges. "Superstar" segues directly into "Rainy Days and Mondays." "Rainy Days" actually has a new final phrase -- when Karen sings the final "me down," you're actually hearing a new recording (and you can tell the difference in the sound quality), which has a shorter version of the final word, since the segue into "Goodbye to Love" begins here.\n\nSide 2 is much more straightforward, with no new recording having been done.\n\nIt is obvious that much time and attention was put into the creation of this album, and the effort was well worth it. Not only are these great songs, but they are presented in a new and different way, which makes for a very enjoyable listen.\n\nUnfortunately, this collection seems to have gone out-of-print in the U.S. It is available from Japan, however, and there are also many copies available from used CD retailers.\n\nRolling Stone Review\nThe Carpenters' greatest hits are assembled here in no predictable order, connected by a set of innocuous links. No damage is done to the body of the singles, meaning that Tony Peluso's exquisite guitar solo on "Goodbye To Love" and Karen Carpenter's exaggerated breaths on "Top of the World" are still present. Heard together, the duo's hits prove that Richard Carpenter didn't study music at Yale for nothing. His clean arrangements, delicate piano turns and conservatively employed strings enhance almost every cut, and after a few tracks it becomes obvious his contributions have been grossly underestimated. "Ticket To Ride," the group's first and only dud, is included for historical reasons, but it's still as tedious as it was four years ago. Outside of "Sing," which is ruined by the children's chorus, it is the only duff tune on a surprisingly strong collection. (RS 154) -- PAUL GAMBACCINI\n\nNotes On Carpenters SINGLES 1969-1973 CDs (Original vs. Remastered)\nfrom the Steve Hoffman web site\nMember ID: HGN2001\nLocation: North Wales, PA USA\n\nFirst off, I'll add my vote that the CD, when it arrives will be a standard issue, perhaps Remastered Classic series -- the latest issue of the album. \n\nAs for what's where, regarding SINGLES 1969-1973, here's the story: \n\nThe LP was of course the first issue. On it, Richard and Karen set about making it not just a Greatest Hits collection, but a thought-out album in its own right. As mentioned, the album track lists "We've Only Just Begun" as the first song on side one. It is, but it's preceded by a newly recorded intro of "Close To You" leading to an orchestral bit that segues to the opening of "We've Only Just Begun". \n\nNext up came "Top Of The World", the single mix. This is the song that took off as an album track and was tinkered with for the single release, which is what's presented here. \n\nTrack three is "Ticket To Ride". Karen was never satisfied with her performance on the original single/album track, so she and Rich re-did it. Many prefer this to the original, and it is more dramatic and better recorded. I have a tough time choosing between the two in preference. I like originals, but this re-do is superb. \n\nNext up is a set of three songs, all segued together in one way or another. "Superstar" leads into "Rainy Days and Mondays", which has a newly recorded outro to effect the segue to "Goodbye To Love". The basis of all three of these is the original album tracks, but obviously modified to effect the segues. \n\nSide two begins with the single mix of "Yesterday Once More". The original album track sounds a bit unfinished in comparison to this mix, given that the single added an oboe and guitar part not found on the album. \n\nThe rest of side two are straight original mixes of: \n\nIt's Going To Take Some Time \nSing \nFor All We Know \nHurting Each Other \n\nand the final track is the shortened original single version of "Close To You". \n\nIt should be mentioned that on the original LP (and original CD issue of the album in the mid-'80s), the three songs that finish off side one all segued together are sped up. I always thought it was to make them fit together in the correct key, but all three are sped up about the same amount. \n\nWhen the Remastered Classic version was mastered, Richard and Bernie Grundman slowed those three back down to a more normal speed. AS for the rest of the Remastered Classics version of SINGLES 1969-1973, not much else was done other than to do a better master to CD, and to slightly improve the stereo staging. Some songs sound 'wider' in their stereo on this release.
This misc cd contains 12 tracks and runs 41min 34sec.
Freedb: 9009bc0c
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