A ‘MARVELLOUSLY TALENTED’ SINGER
Richard Carpenter remembers his famous sister Karen as duo returns on vinyl
Carpenters fans have a dozen reasons to be on top of the world.
Nearly 30 years since the last LP album of new Carpenters material was released, remastered vinyl versions of 12 of the duo’s albums were released Nov. 17, offering fans clearer versions of tracks including the pop classics We’ve Only Just Begun and Top of the World.
A&M/UMe will be selling the albums individually, as well as in the box set, Carpenters — The Vinyl Collection.
“I know there’s been interest in it, certainly for the audiophiles, ever since the CD (format) came out, because a number of people, of course, believe that CDs aren’t as warm (sounding),” Richard Carpenter said in an interview at his home recently.
The new Carpenters’ releases are made to accommodate those with pricey sound systems. Each record is pressed on extra-hefty 180g vinyl, which is less prone to warping and offers potential benefits such as less noise.
Vinyl is no longer just for audiophiles.
Records are expected to generate approximately $1 billion in sales for the first time since the 1980s, representing about six per cent of all global music revenues, according to a January report by Deloitte.
Carpenter, 71, has collected records since childhood and said he was delighted by vinyl’s resurgence.
The Carpenters have been a bestselling recording act ever since their 1970 breakthrough Close to You and they remain popular. The duo’s music last year climbed to No. 2 on the U.K. pop-album chart with the compilation The Nation’s Favourite Songs, tied to the popular TV series.
Carpenter has spent most of his life after sister Karen’s 1983 death from complications of anorexia nervosa as caretaker of the Carpenters legacy — preserving the integrity of the Carpenters brand and recordings and assuring the estate is compensated.
(In January, he filed a $2-million lawsuit against A&M/UMe for non-payment of royalties — a case settled in May.)
After Karen’s death, Carpenter produced four albums of unreleased Carpenters recordings, as well as numerous compilations. He recorded two solo albums, oversaw the release of his sister’s long-unreleased solo album and produced albums for others. He performs occasional concerts and is active in humanitarian efforts.
Carpenter didn’t directly oversee the remastering process, but had to approve every LP.
The essential differences between the original albums and the new releases have “the audio quality of the originals, with (fewer) pops, clicks and all the other stuff that comes along with them,” he said.
Carpenter said he rarely listens to Carpenters recordings for pleasure. “I’ve heard our stuff plenty,” he said, chuckling.
“Friends will look at the records in my jukebox and ask, ‘Where are yours?’” he said.
He said he does, on occasion, pull out a personal Carpenters favourite. Among them: the 1971 smash, For All We Know.
The process of approving the remastered albums required him to go back and reflect on the works he and his sister produced — some as long as 50 years ago.
His takeaway?
“Just how marvellously talented Karen was,” Carpenter said. “Karen was a true, an honest-to-God singer. Before any auto-tuning, or anything else, that’s us. But the whole Carpenters sound is, I hope, appreciated for just how marvellous it is.”
I’ve heard our stuff plenty. Friends will look at the records in my jukebox and ask, ‘Where are yours?’ RICHARD CARPENTER