Post by cam83 on May 20, 2005 2:44:36 GMT -5
Instant nostalgia.
You hum these songs in teh same breath with "You Belong To Me," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," or "Paper Moon"---they have a warm, faintly reminiscent quality that echoes another era, a romantic musical Camelot. Although the Carpenters have been recording for only four years, it is already difficult to remember a sunny afternoon at the beach without them.
This music is a refreshing relief in our stormy age of social chaos, economic problems and bad news, when the turbulence of the Rolling Stones, or Janis Joplin seems more in tempo with the times. But like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the songs of the Carpenters fufill that timeless yearing for escape from the troubles of the world and soar in harmonies. Revivals of the '30's, '40's or '50's may come and go, but making a joyful noise will always be in style.
Karen's voice, featured in all the songs on this album, is a main ingredient of the Carpenters' unique sound, and it is a voice that seems to resonate with a maturity beyond the scope of vocal chords only 23 years old. Her tones have the richness and impact of those big band singers, a timbre suited to beautifully lyrical ballads. Like stylists of subtle years' experience, she also communicates a credibility, a sincerity in her singing that comes from phrasing and intonation that are impeccable. Or to put is simply: Karen is a knockout singer who makes you listen to the lyrics. Even given the extraoridinary amount of talent emerging from the "Soft Rock Revolution," she is one of the finest singers of this generation.
Probably Les Paul and Mary Ford in the early '50's were the first recording artists to use the technique of overdubbing extensively in pop music and the Carpenters have extended this process in their recordings.
Utilizing the complexities of modern acoustical enginerring, Richard and Karen together create all of the harnmony voices heard in these songs-oops!-they have a little help from their young friends on "Sing." This technological trick is fully demonstrated in one section of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again,"(a selection on the "Close To You" album) in which they overdub their two voices into a 39-voice chord.
The unmistakeable "Carpenters Sound," however, is the contemporary musical conception of a young man who could be Burt Bacharach's spiritual younger brother. Richard has the uncanny ability to spot a solid gold song in the background of a bank commercial-as he did with "We've Only Just Begun." Or he has the imagination as a musical arranger to bring a special magice to previously recorded material-such as "Ticket To Ride," "Close To You," or "Superstar"-which makes them memorable Carpenters hits.
Richard's development as a composer is the most significant recent development of the Carpenters' music. Writing in conjunction with lyricist John Bettis, Richar'ds own songs, including "Yesterday Once MOre," "Top Of The World," and "Goodbye To Love" suggest the adventuruous variety of avenues his talent may take.(Richard is also an axxomplished pianist whose precocisou abilities took him into classical studies at Yale, and, from there, to jazz combos.)
"My influences were the three B's-Bacharach, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys," Richard occasionally quips, and his accomplishements on this album demonstrate that the Pop Masters still inspire top-of -the-charts songwriting.
Most exciting, however, is the astounding manner in which the Carpenters' soft, special sound has swept through the entertainment business, instantly establishing a far-reaching influence. Hundreds of singers and musicians, from Johnny Mathis to George Shearing have picked up the trend by recording Carpenters' songs-"Close To You," "We've Only Just Begun," and "Rainy Days and Mondays" have been recorded by over 225 artists. After all, it is the highest form of flattery to find you arrangement of a forgotten Bacharach song adopted by admiring colleagues in all corners of the music world. And even more flattering to have Bacharach like it.
The Carpenters' borad influence in music today is certainly justified by their public. From the Iowa State Fair to Las Vegas showrooms, their concert appearances have broken attendance records across the country. Throughout the world, their songs have been No. 1 in almost every country, compiling an international sales total to date of 20 million records.
White lace and promises...polkadots and moonbeams. The Carpenters' audiences are discovering that it doesnt' matter whether you are remembering the fun of dancing cheek-to-cheek or just learning how. There is a timeless pleasure in the lyrics of love.
And now, direct from the Starlight Room, high atop A&M Studios, we bring you a nostalgic trip back through the past four years with the Carpenters.
-DIGBY DIEHL.
You hum these songs in teh same breath with "You Belong To Me," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," or "Paper Moon"---they have a warm, faintly reminiscent quality that echoes another era, a romantic musical Camelot. Although the Carpenters have been recording for only four years, it is already difficult to remember a sunny afternoon at the beach without them.
This music is a refreshing relief in our stormy age of social chaos, economic problems and bad news, when the turbulence of the Rolling Stones, or Janis Joplin seems more in tempo with the times. But like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the songs of the Carpenters fufill that timeless yearing for escape from the troubles of the world and soar in harmonies. Revivals of the '30's, '40's or '50's may come and go, but making a joyful noise will always be in style.
Karen's voice, featured in all the songs on this album, is a main ingredient of the Carpenters' unique sound, and it is a voice that seems to resonate with a maturity beyond the scope of vocal chords only 23 years old. Her tones have the richness and impact of those big band singers, a timbre suited to beautifully lyrical ballads. Like stylists of subtle years' experience, she also communicates a credibility, a sincerity in her singing that comes from phrasing and intonation that are impeccable. Or to put is simply: Karen is a knockout singer who makes you listen to the lyrics. Even given the extraoridinary amount of talent emerging from the "Soft Rock Revolution," she is one of the finest singers of this generation.
Probably Les Paul and Mary Ford in the early '50's were the first recording artists to use the technique of overdubbing extensively in pop music and the Carpenters have extended this process in their recordings.
Utilizing the complexities of modern acoustical enginerring, Richard and Karen together create all of the harnmony voices heard in these songs-oops!-they have a little help from their young friends on "Sing." This technological trick is fully demonstrated in one section of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again,"(a selection on the "Close To You" album) in which they overdub their two voices into a 39-voice chord.
The unmistakeable "Carpenters Sound," however, is the contemporary musical conception of a young man who could be Burt Bacharach's spiritual younger brother. Richard has the uncanny ability to spot a solid gold song in the background of a bank commercial-as he did with "We've Only Just Begun." Or he has the imagination as a musical arranger to bring a special magice to previously recorded material-such as "Ticket To Ride," "Close To You," or "Superstar"-which makes them memorable Carpenters hits.
Richard's development as a composer is the most significant recent development of the Carpenters' music. Writing in conjunction with lyricist John Bettis, Richar'ds own songs, including "Yesterday Once MOre," "Top Of The World," and "Goodbye To Love" suggest the adventuruous variety of avenues his talent may take.(Richard is also an axxomplished pianist whose precocisou abilities took him into classical studies at Yale, and, from there, to jazz combos.)
"My influences were the three B's-Bacharach, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys," Richard occasionally quips, and his accomplishements on this album demonstrate that the Pop Masters still inspire top-of -the-charts songwriting.
Most exciting, however, is the astounding manner in which the Carpenters' soft, special sound has swept through the entertainment business, instantly establishing a far-reaching influence. Hundreds of singers and musicians, from Johnny Mathis to George Shearing have picked up the trend by recording Carpenters' songs-"Close To You," "We've Only Just Begun," and "Rainy Days and Mondays" have been recorded by over 225 artists. After all, it is the highest form of flattery to find you arrangement of a forgotten Bacharach song adopted by admiring colleagues in all corners of the music world. And even more flattering to have Bacharach like it.
The Carpenters' borad influence in music today is certainly justified by their public. From the Iowa State Fair to Las Vegas showrooms, their concert appearances have broken attendance records across the country. Throughout the world, their songs have been No. 1 in almost every country, compiling an international sales total to date of 20 million records.
White lace and promises...polkadots and moonbeams. The Carpenters' audiences are discovering that it doesnt' matter whether you are remembering the fun of dancing cheek-to-cheek or just learning how. There is a timeless pleasure in the lyrics of love.
And now, direct from the Starlight Room, high atop A&M Studios, we bring you a nostalgic trip back through the past four years with the Carpenters.
-DIGBY DIEHL.