Carpenters: Passage CD Track Listing

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Carpenters Passage (1977)
Originally Released October 1977\nCD Edition Released \nRemastered CD Edition Released December 8, 1998\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: 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\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nToo Bad, But A Noble Effort, January 27, 2007\nReviewer: Maestroh "A.A., A.A.S.,B.M.E.,Th.M." (Ph.D. Textual Criticism)\nThey owned the charts from 1970 to 1975. The only competitor they had in the 'most likely to get a hit' category was Elton John. Then came the 'superb' Horizon and the 'sublime' A Kind of Hush. And then came this eclectic work that gave the Carpenters the best and worst of all worlds. \n\nTheir last top twenty hit was "There's A Kind of Hush," which went to #12 in May 1976. That would have been a good achievement for almost anybody else. But the Carpenters were now in a slump from which they never recovered. \n\nAccording to the inside liner notes of this album, they spent a whopping three months on it. When you consider that they spent 18 months on Horizon, perhaps the record company was in a hurry. But the simple truth is that by 1977, time was passing the timeless duo by. Indeed, the album's name "Passage" signifies what happens as the 'hit' Carpenters were replaced by the lounge crew in Las Vegas. It happens to everybody, and the sun began to set on Karen and Richard with this recording. After hitting #12 in 1976, they had only one more top twenty, a #16 "Touch Me When We're Dancing" in 1981. They charted a couple of songs from this record, but the result was a colossal disappointment. \n\nIt is too bad because in many ways, "Passage" is the Carpenters' most ambitious and creative record of all. They run the gauntlet from commerical to classical to jazz to science fiction, all in the course of only nine songs. \n\nThis CD does have the best cover of any Carpenters recording. It disdains the traditional Carpenters logo and is rather colorful in opposition to the covers preceding it. Indeed on this album, everything about the Carpenters has changed. It is the only Carpenters recording to not have ONE SINGLE song written by Richard Carpenter. \n\nThe first mistake was nothing short of colossal: Karen Carpenter turned down 'You Light Up My Life' after being offered it as a single by her boyfriend (and later California Lt Governor) Mike Curb. That song went to Debby Boone, who promptly turned it into the #1 song of the entire decade of the 1970s, ten weeks at number one. But the Carpenters had other matters. \n\nThe album kicks off with the Michael Franks written "B'wana She No Home." Your guess is as good as mine as to what that phrase means. The top-selling single on the album follows, "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song," written in 1973 by Steve Eaton. It sounds so much like their past stuff that you'd swear Richard and John Bettis wrote it, but they didn't. The song peaked at #37 in the summer of 1977. The next song showed how fortunes could turn on the Carpenters. For years, they had made hit-after-hit releasing lesser known tunes by others like Ruby and the Romantics. Karen did the better read on "I Just Fall In Love Again," but it was Anne Murray two years later who got the #1 hit with it on the country charts. Side one ends with a nine-minute operatic piece from the Andrew Lloyd Weber-Tim Rice opera "Evita." The song is a familiar one - "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," a smash hit but not for Karen. \n\nSide two kicked off with then unknown Juice Newton's "Sweet, Sweet Smile," reminiscent of their shot at "Jambalaya" in 1973 and proof that Karen and Richard could sing country well, too. It was another single but flopped. A better release would have been the next song, "Two Sides," written in 1972 by Scott Davis. Richard called it his personal favorite on the recording, and it sounds eerily similar to some of their later tunes like the "Lovelines" album. "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" is a calypso tune celebrating feminism - proof that while the Carpenters might have been behind on the socialist bandwagon (Evita), they were also out to lunch on the feminist movement that was then flaming out into the disco era. The last song, "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" was probably chosen because 1977 was the year of "Star Wars" and the beginning of the sci-fi craze. Tony Peluso reprised his role from the "Now and Then" recording as 'confused DJ.' He is contacted by aliens and the song launches. It is probably the most creative song on the album, a single, and a lackluster hit. \n\nThe age of the Carpenters and the years on the road were now beginning to take their toll. "Passage" stands as a marker of time when the Carpenters passed from the scene. It is enjoyable but not for those who are not familiar already with their obvious talent. I give it three stars. \n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\n"Passage" is Differnt Fare for Richard and Karen , August 2, 2005\nReviewer: James Koenig "Konedog4" (Fergus Falls, MN United States)\n\n"Passage", released in 1977, would be the last Carpenter album to be relased until "Made In America" in 1981. After this album, both Karen and Richard were spent emotionally and physically and needed a break from the constant touring and studio recording. Richard would go into detox at The Menninger Institute in Topeka, Kansas, to kick prescription sleeping pills, while Karen would cut a solo album with Phil Ramone in New York and begin therapy for her ever deeper descent into anorexia nervosa. \n\nThe rock critics of 70's viewed the Carpenters' music as nothing more than sugar sweet filler material, best suited for elevators. While their fans bought their albums at a frantic pace, I believe Richard Carpenter produced "Passage" as an attempt to silence the critics and show that he and Karen could produce more than just "sugar songs for the masses". And so, thus we have "Passage", an album that was made to showcase the diversity of the Carpenter sound. There are some very different non-typical Carpenter songs on this eclectic album. First, there is the 7-plus minute extraterrestrial "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft", then an exploration into Broadway with Karen's lush rendition of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina". Three singles were released from the album, "Occupants", the jazzy "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song", and the jaunty county tune "Sweet Sweet Smile". A Carpenter album would not be complete without a sweet ballad or two, and this album has two: "I Just Fall In Love Again", and "Two Sides". \n\nAgain, it is not your typical Carpenter fare, but it certainly holds its own musically, and of course, Karen's vocals are unequalled. \n\nIf you are looking for the love ballads that made the Carpenters famous, this album may disappoint you. However, you also may be surprised at the diversity of the Carpenters sound, and appreciate this album for what it is - a change of course for the brother and sister act. I like the album for its diversity and recommend it to you as well. -- Jim "Konedog" Koenig \n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA CLASSIC IN IT'S OWN WAY, May 14, 2003\nReviewer: cdmusicline "cdmusicline" (Fullerton, CA United States)\n"Passage" initially was not a commercial success, but has gone on to become a CLASSIC of sorts being known as The Carpenters' most diverse and experimental album. \nThe album opens with a triumph of robust jazz inflections on Michael Franks' "B'wana She No Home". The song was recorded live in the studio, so you get the full effect of the musical jam between Pete Jolly's keyboard and Tom Scott's flute. Tony Peluso adds some ripping guitar riffs throughout the song. Karen's vocal is bold and seductive. This is a style which should have been further investigated by The Carpenters. \nThe album is full of one highlight after another. There is not one loser on this set. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is no exception. Peter Knight (who orchestrated The Moody Blues' "Days Of The Future Passed" album) orchestrated and arranged "Don't Cry For Me Argentina". Karen's reading of the song is flawless, it's as if it was written especially for her to sing. She soars on every note reaching each to perfection. She tells the story as if she lived it herself with a convincing emotional urgency. The Carpenters have recorded the definitive version of this song, they were even televised during the recording which was shown on news stations across the U.S. in 1977.\nThe album's most exciting moment is "Sweet, Sweet Smile", which was written by Juice Newton (Queen Of Hearts). The song moves along with an infectious upbeat bounce and once again Tony Peluso shines with his guitar chords. It reached #6 on the Country Music Charts in 1978. \n"I Just Fall In Love Again" and "Two sides" are the album's ballads. Both are outstanding and should have been released as singles. "Two Sides" is the favorite track on the album according to a voting poll. ...\nThe album closes with a very unlikely song for The Carpenters to record. It's a space song written by Canadian prog-rock group Klaatu. Klaatu recorded the song using synthesizers, while The Carpenters used all real instruments to create the other worldly effect. Again Peter Knight did the outstanding orchestration and arrangement. "Calling Occupants" was so well recorded that The Carpenters recieved a Grammy nomination for it in the U.S. and it reached the top ten in the U.K. The song opens with guitarist Tony Peluso portraying a confused DJ who is taking a song request from an alien. The song is an amazing work of art all the way through. Leon Russell (author of the songs "Superstar", "A Song For You" and "This Masquerade") provides futuristic keyboard parts and Tony Peluso's fuzz guitar solo just sends you out of this world. But above all is Karen's pristine crystal clear stellar vocal, she's right at home with this offbeat song. Others like Olivia Newton-John or Barbra Striesand would have never been able to pull it off effectively - but Karen Carpenter has a youthful versatility in her voice which is very evident on the album "Passage".\n"Passage" may not have reached the top of the charts, but it is a musical triumph and has grown to be recognized a The Carpenters' most daring effort.\n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nEclectic and adventurous with a few detours..., July 11, 2001\nReviewer: A music fan\nThis is easily the Carpenters most stylistically diverse and self-consciously "sophisticated" and "eclectic" work. You get lite reggae, pop, showtunes, country-pop etc.\nAt the album's center is the integrity and versatility of Karen's voice. She soars on "I just fall in love again" (which stands up next to Dusty Springfield and Anne Murray's versions), pulls off Michael Franks' funny "B'Wana She No Home", is quite convincing on "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and on "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft", well . . . its so over the top does singing really matter?\n\nOther than those songs and the sleek "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song" you get cutesy numbers like "Sweet, Sweet, Smile" and "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" and some filler. These types of "ditties" are of course the fatal flaw of most of their albums which undermine Karen's interpretive gifts just to keep things "lite". As usual the production is clean and smooth and everything ticks along nicely, but it would be stronger with a few more songs. For example an R&B song or a standard would be interesting.\n\nAlas, this is more cohesive and enjoyable than most of their similarly hodgepodge albums, because there's enough good material to compensate for occasional lapses in taste. I would recommend purchasing the "Yesterday Once More" compilation if you enjoy their music becuase that gives you the most thorough and accurate and overview without a lot of fluff.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA Guilty Pleasure, November 5, 1999\nReviewer: A music fan\nBeing old enough to remember this album when it was first released, I had the album on vinyl and later cd, then it went out of print. A lot of people don't even remember the album was indeed released on cd in 1986. I never liked the mastering of this disc and the remaster does do it some justice, although it's still not as well remastered and sonically enhanced as the other re-releases. That aside, this album is one of my guilty pleasures. I've bucked horns with other Carpenters fans about this album and one thing is abundantly clear, this body of work is not a favorite. It was too much a turn away from their earlier work and the established fans were not ready for it. The Carpenters recorded a jazz rock piece penned by the talented Michael Franks, the song titled "B'wana She No Home," a tune that explains a master-servant problem, some people cried "racist." Next up an attempt to capture the upbeat sound of the disco seventies gave us "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song" which was an irresistable hit, "Sweet Sweet Smile" introduced us to upcoming star Juice Newton, "Calling Occupants" showcased Richards arranging and comic ability, he alone was the alien "voices" multiplied by the Carpenters trademark vocal overdubbing. In later remixes Richard would add an echo to Karen's voice as well as a "doubling effect" on the final verse. Two songs find us in Carpenters territory, probably added to ensure listeners that their trademark sound would never be comprimised and for the simple fact Karen's vocals were perfect. "Two Sides" and "I Just Fall In Love Again" are those two tunes. Anne Murray would cover "Fall In Love" but never reach the majestic reading made by Karen. Karen was full aware the soviet anthem "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" would raise eyebrows but listen to her performance. I feel it is just as commanding as "Superstar." Harry Belefonte usually stands on his own, not many people have the stones to cover his work, but the Carpenters did. This is the one tune you have to be in the mood for. Trying to interpret all the layers of instruments will give you listening fatigue. Weird vocal snatches, a cuckoo clock, sounds of a plane crash, it's too much but when you're ready for it, it's a blast. The album cover itself gives a idea of what you're in for, the crazy colors and notes on a music bar, the cover design and the music defies the mark of time. Don't tell anybody you like this album, it's our secret.\n\n\nHalf.com Details \nContributing artists: Lee Ritenour, Leon Russell, Ray Parker, Jr., Tom Scott \nProducer: Richard Carpenter \n\nAlbum Notes\nThe Carpenters: Richard Carpenter (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos, keyboards); Karen Carpenter (vocals, drums).\n\nAdditional personnel: Dennis Heath, William Feuerstein, Jonathan Marks (vocals); Lee Ridenour, Jay Graydon (acoustic guitar); Tony Peluso, Ray Parker, Jr. (electric guitar); Vince Charles (steel guitar); Larry McNealy (banjo); Bobby Bruce (fiddle); Gayle Levant (harp); Tom Scott (flute, tenor saxophone); Earl Dumler (oboe); Jackie Kelso (tenor saxophone); David Luell, Kurt McKettrick (baritone saxophone); Pete Jolly, Tom Hensley, Leon Russell (piano); Larry Muhoberac (electric piano); Joe Osborn (bass); Ron Tutt, Ed Green (drums); Jerry Steinholtz, King Erickson (congas); Wally Snow, Tommy Vig (percussion); Julia Tillman, Carlena Williams, Maxine Willard, Gregg Smith Singers (background vocals).\n\nEngineers: Ray Gerhardt, Roger Young, Dave Iveland.\n\nIncludes liner notes by Tom Nolan.\nDigitally remastered by Richard Carpenter.\n\nEasily the strangest item in the Carpenters' extensive catalogue, 1977's PASSAGE was a concerted effort to steer away from the siblings' public image as purveyors of easy-listening pop. All of the Carpenters' albums feature examples of Karen's stunning interpretive powers. The songs covered here include "B'wana She No Home," Andrew Lloyd Webber's "On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry For Me Argentina," reggae standard "Man Smart, Woman Smarter," and--perhaps most bizarrely--a straight-forward cover of Klaatu's just plain weird "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft." Somehow this final oddity managed to become a top-ten hit! The album was remastered by Richard Carpenter in 1998 as part of a general overhaul of the Carpenters' A&M catalogue. A limited-edition Japanese version features 32-bit digital remastering and an LP-style slipcase.
This rock cd contains 8 tracks and runs 39min 29sec.
Freedb: 76093f08
Buy: from Amazon.com

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