Post by GoodOldDreams on Nov 14, 2005 15:31:59 GMT -5
Several years ago, a friend of mine (who worked as a karaoke d.j. and was very much into dance music as well) told me about someone whose voice sounded like that of Karen Carpenter's. Having heard some tribute bands and Karen-wannabes who make me miss the real Karen all the more, I was very skeptical. Listening to my friend's version of "Close to You," however, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a deep, rich alto voice that was remarkably similar to that of Karen's. Her name was Jackie Clune, a colorful British comic who for a time capitalized on this fact and even had snippets of her singing on her website. My friend had the full-length "Close to You (Chick with Flick Mix)" version, in which Clune's tranquil vocals hold up on their own against a frenetic techno beat.
Another unexpected sound-alike of the Carpenters was tucked into a passage in the song "One More Time," as recorded by the male duo Seals and Crofts. In the opening chorus of "ooo..." before the first verse, the shifting close harmonies are very reminiscent of the "fat" chords that were so much a signature sound of the Carpenters, especially in the early years of their career.
If anyone knows of any other recording of sound-alikes of the Carpenters that are worth checking out, please add to this discussion thread. Thanks!
Another unexpected sound-alike of the Carpenters was tucked into a passage in the song "One More Time," as recorded by the male duo Seals and Crofts. In the opening chorus of "ooo..." before the first verse, the shifting close harmonies are very reminiscent of the "fat" chords that were so much a signature sound of the Carpenters, especially in the early years of their career.
If anyone knows of any other recording of sound-alikes of the Carpenters that are worth checking out, please add to this discussion thread. Thanks!
The one album that to me still stands out as the all time Karen sound alike is Aliko's City of Angels. I have played this album for non Carpenter fans and they were shocked when I told them it was not Karen. The one and only time I heard a selection from this album played on the radio, I was completely confounded! Later when I called the station and ordered the album back in 88,? It made more sense. It was produced by Richard and the backing vocals are arranged exactly like a Carpenters album, obscuring Akikos Japanese accent that is apparent on many songs, a few tracks from the album are performed entirely with Japanese lyrics.