Close To You

Not for me

Nope, they should have stuck to carpentry.

Nostalgia, man. Love it

A bit corny perhaps but I enjoy it, reminds me of days gone by

I like the Carpenters fine. Not the most exciting album, but inoffensive and a nice background to my morning.

Amazing

I get the appeal, but this was an incredible slog to get through. The most absolutely dull instrumentation and a general vibe of a cult. I find too much tragedy in the Carpenters story to find any real peace or hopefulness in the lyrics. 1.5/5 from me. Rating as a 2 because of respect for her voice and harmonies.

Solid collection of pop standards. Nothing I would consider definitive though

I cannot believe the number of awards this won at the Grammy's, jeez. The 70s were a different time, man. Many of these are not original songs. Of course, I already knew "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and recognized other artists' versions of some of the other songs. Karen had a lovely voice and it's a shame what happened to her. This easy listening adult pop thing is NOT my bag, though.

This album is incredible. I remember driving around with my mom listening to it when I was a kid. Karen Carpenter was such a talent and what a loss when she died.

4/5. Wow, was expecting something different from the first song. Sure, it matched the expectations of a soft pop album but the intricacies in the vocals and melodies really makes stand it. It's subtle too, one moment Karen is singing and the next she is using her voice in a way I didn't think was possible, just changing octaves so casually. It's so enchanting. And then every now and then, a drum breakdown or a series of vocal cadences akin to an instrument. The songs themselves are well written but I don't think all of them are perfect but it may require another listen to fully enjoy it. Despite it being slow, it didn't make me tired but I do think on the wrong day I could get bored. Most of the time it's an impressive feat of pop music. Best Song: They Long To Be Close To You, We've Only Just Begun, Maybe It's You

It's got some great songs on here, and I can see why they were so popular, but it's just not my jam.

Sweet folk music. I preferred side 1 to side 2. Stand-out: Maybe It's You, We've Only Just Begun

A reminder of my childhood and first dance at our wedding.

Cheesy, and a bit too candy sweet for me, but you can't knock the songwriting.

Soft rock isn't really my thing. But this is still very well done.

A beautiful soft pop album right from the tender age of the 70s. Karen Carpenter delivers a gorgeous vocal performance singing songs of love, heartbreak and struggles of getting over it. The vocal harmonies were really soothing to the ears and the backing vocals complimented it well. Being a soft pop album, you won't find much instrumental adventures but there are some playful passages. Loved the first six songs more than the rest. The song Mr. Guder, although hauntingly playful, felt out of place. Album ended well with the jazzy instrumental flourish in the closer 'Another Song'. All in all a pleasant listen. Loved it.

3/5 Some amazing songs on this album

Great vocals tragic life story. Still fresh after more than 50 years

mushy love stuffs

Boring. Not even okay for background noise

Enjoyed this a lot. Great singing voice from the lady and the music was very beautiful in general. That one song from The Simpsons is on it which is extra points in my book. Short and sweet. Good stuff

It was alright. She had a nice voice but it all felt the same.

Karen Carpenters story is tragic, she was clearly a very talented drummer and a lovely voice. A shame she died so young. It's a lovely album, It's just quite bland, background music I wasn't drawn in at all.

Karen had such a great voice ans so easily recognisable. The Carpenters songs are timeless and this is a really good album except for their cover of 'Help!' (Even worse than Bananarama). For me though The Carpenters are radio music and not something I would choose to listen to a whole album of.

She had a great voice that could cut through the rest of the music.

Gets an extra star for having Homer and Marge’s meet cute song.

well... it' better than you think . Yes, 54+ years old but there are seeds sown upon for future singing duets. pleasantly surprising

Dull and sappy

Amazing album cover by Hipgnosis, one of their best!

This is 70s pop feel good music! It doesn’t annoy me but it also doesn’t excite me too much. Close to you is a great and sweet song that has also been used in the newest Joker movie (not a movie recommendation)

Classic early 70s AM Gold

Karen’s (RIP) voice is beautiful but after a while, the album feels too sweet. The tracks are undeniably catchy, but they lean so far into easy-listening territory that I found myself wanting a bit more edge. One track that really stood out for me was ‘Mr. Guder.’ It caught my attention with its anti-establishment undertones, and I appreciated how it subtly critiqued conformity in a way that felt unexpected from the clean cut duo. Overall, the album is pleasant, and there are some interesting tracks, but after a while, I found myself craving something with a little more heaviness. Side note: Following this album I listened to If I Were A Carpenter for some brilliant Carpenters covers by various artists.

It's a bit sappy and sweet sounding, but sometimes that is refreshing. 4/5

Not strictly "bad", just really not for me.

We've Only Just Begun is a lovely song, and the modal shift in the chorus is great. From there though, it's all downhill. The cover of Help is just woeful - I'm not a fan of pre-Rubber Soul Beatles, but that is terrible. Also, the cover of Alan Partridge's Close To You is unnecessary.

I didn’t like the mix on this at all. It sounded so thin, like it was ran through an AM radio. Songs were all pretty forgettable, besides Close To You, which I heard everywhere growing up. The 70s were such a strange time for pop music.

Well, it's only just begun, and all the hits were gone. Very nice voice by the brother and sister from the band, but the album was quite underwhelming. Other than catchy opening song, there is nothing to write about.

Insufferable

Really not my type of music but there was some good stuff on here. The latter part of the album was more fun.

Thoughts before listening: I have always thought of the Carpenters as talented but ultimately extremely vanilla. Just 70s radio-friendly soft rock that would have very little critical appeal. Therefore it is surprising to see them on this list. This will certainly be my first time listening to one of their albums although I'm sure I've heard their music before. Review: Yeah. This isn't for me. I get that they're talented, but its just not something I would choose to listen to. This is despite having a couple extremely recognizable songs and a Beatles cover. 2-stars

Милый альбом группы, которая нравилась мне в детстве. Вчера случилось интересное совпадение: мне попался этот альбом, и в этот же день самая известная песня из альбома была во втором Джокере. Лучшая песня - Carpenters - (They Long to Be) Close to You.

solid good vibes

I f*cking hate The Carpenters.

Too slow

That godforsaken song has popped up in my life like half a dozen times for the past week. Please make it stop.

Correcto pero no va

Not really my style of music, but unoffensive in the background.

Boring, sappy and just downright claustrophobic. Going from Slayer yesterday to Carpenters today has to be one of the biggest energy swings possible within this project. You can probably tell by my rating which side of the pendulum I prefer.

It's like Christian music but they keep forgetting to mention Jesus.

I didn’t realise so many of these songs were the carpenters. Very optimistic, mellow sound- if the scores did decimals it would probably be a 3.5 but I’ll bump it to a 4 just as the album was so light and cohesive.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR (vegan) Artwork: 😬😬✝️ Produktion: 🎧😐🆗 Musik: 🍰🍬🍭🍫🧁...🦷💢🤕 Wertung: 🦷/5

Thought I would hate it, but surprisingly enjoyed it

Nice but a bit wishy washy. 2.5

I could listen to Karen Carpenter forever. Such a beautiful voice. Great collection of songs. Top marks from me.

Wow that’s a weird time capsule. Too saccharine. And I definitely didn’t need to hear Carpenters sap the energy from a Beatles song. Conversely, I can see why “cooler” artists would enjoy covering some of these songs b/c there are some decent melodies.

Karen Carpenter heeft een gouden keeltje, maar jemig, die arrangementen zijn echt zo afschuwelijk zoet dat het glazuur ervan van je tanden slaat. En dan ook nog die overbodige covers. Ik maak me geen enkele illusie, jullie hebben dit allebei een 1 gegeven, ik geef dan nog een 2 voor Karen d'r stem en nagedachtenis, en daarna zet ik 'm ook nooit meer op.

Prima gezongen. Daarom terecht in de lijst. Maar wat is dit saai en gedateerd zeg.

Zoetsappig en traag. Maar het zijn wel prachtige stemmen en mooie harmonieen. Het doet wat denken aan Bee Gees en Beach Boys. Het is alleen wel wat gezapig allemaal. Wat me sowieso opvalt, is hoeveel nummers van het album stiekem bekend zijn. De cover van de Beatles vond ik wel geinig. Het interessantste om te lezen vind ik dan hoe meisje Carpenter aan haar einde is gekomen. Ook wel treurig ergens. Geen sex, drugs en rock n roll, maar een eetstoornis. Wat dat betreft past het ergens wel in het brave karakter van de muziek. Maar wat geef je zo'n album dan. Het is te oud, te gedateerd, te gezapig. Je gaat dit normaal gesproken niet voor je lol opzetten. Zelfs moeders kijkt raar op als ze mijn kantoor binnen komt gewandeld en deze muziek opstaat, en die is met deze lijst toch heel wat gewend geraakt. Ik geef een 2, omdat het wel echt kwaliteit heeft en ik de zang schitterend vind. Maar deze muziek kan echt niet meer.

I could list all the synonyms I can find for sacharin, but I'll settle for that. Ms. Carpenter has a fantastic voice and she can use it well, but this sentimental schlock is way too sweet for me.

Well that's a funny coincidence. I just rated Sonic Youth's Goo, which contains the fantastic "Tunic (Song for Karen)", and now I get this. What's next, "Synchronicity" by The Police? That aside, this is a really good pop album. Sure it's a bit cheesy, they look like evangelist homeschoolers, and they definitely weren't pushing the envelope. But there's nothing wrong with a bit of pure pop music every now and then. Karen's voice was fantastic here, and I love her drumming on the last track. The Burt Bacharach songs are definitely the strong points on here.

Listened Before? N Wheeeww. This is some 70's elevator shit right here. It's fine, it's just not my cup of tea. Karen Carpenter had quite the voice, though. I didn't hate the album, it just put me to sleep. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Close To You

As much as you can't really criticise punk for sounding loud and aggressive, you can't really criticise The Carpenters for sounding sacharine and sickly sweet: it just is what it is. And Karen Carpenter possess a lovely, highly distinctive voice. It's good that records like this have made the list, just for sheer variety. I'd say the Carpenters would be Marge Simpson's favourite artist (and probably one my mum's favourite as well). Delicate and rather sweet music for delicate and rather sweet people.

Sacrine sweet singing, slow advert ready beats with string overkill. It sounds frankly horrible, however under all that you do get some intersting things happen musically, we need covers of these songs!!

Aural diabetes

Dreadful dreadful twee bollocks. Fills me with more rage than a death metal album.

Aww, this was rather lovely!

I do like the few songs by The Carpenters that I've heard in the past, but they're very delicate, and I wasn't in a particularly delicate mood this morning. Despite that, their version of Close To You is a classic. Help was a curiosity, and I enjoyed the quite out-of-place jam at the end of Another Song. I also just read up on the life of Karen. What a sad end she had :(

Hebe deze op LP~Best leuk

I don't mind the Carpenters in small amounts but this was verging on an overdose of artificial sweetener. I did enjoy track 1, their cover of Help! and the Bacharach tune. Almost a 4

One of my all-time favorite Altos. Karen has such a smooth and sultry voice! These are great songs and a very chill album.

im a sucker for sappy 70s music what can i say

Unexpectedly funky

At first listening to this was as interesting as eating vanilla ice cream, then realized it's pretty damn good vanilla ice cream.

Favorite Tracks: I’ll Never Fall In Love Again (They Long To Be) Close To You Mr. Guder

Los hermanos Carpenter consiguieron un gran éxito mundial cultivando un pop melódico y ligero que contrastaba con el ruidoso rock de los 70. En este, su segundo álbum, está una de las claves de su lanzamiento al estrellato: la canción "(They Long to Be) Close to You", una preciosa balada de amor paternal/maternal en la que brilla especialmente la voz tranquila de Karen Carpenter. En realidad los Carpenters construyeron el álbum en torno a la canción debido al sorprendente éxito que obtuvo, incluyendo canciones de gran nivel como "We've Only Just Begun", balada romántica sobre la esperanza de unos recién casados. Todo muy blanco y nada polémico, difícilmente podría ofender a nadie y sí, por muy cursi que pueda parecer, canciones que me gustan. Además de estos grandes temas, destacaría "Crescent Noon", donde le talento interpretativo de Karen sobresale especialmente cantando a la naturaleza y el paso de las estaciones; Y el cierre del disco "Another Song", con un sonido más cercano al rock, en el que también sobresale la capacidad de Karen como baterista, para hablarnos de ruptura sentimental. Lástima que su trágica muerte en 1983 acabara con la historia de un dúo tan especial.

Quite pleasant, if decidedly minor

Never knew they did all these songs

It is with begrudging hesitation that I give this one 3 stars. I really, really, don't like it ... but ... it is flawlessly produced and the album and the duo has clearly been influential. It is an album that I had only known through ironic mockery, and I think that is where it will remain for me.

It’s alright, she has a nice voice. Really old music almost show-tuney.

good pop vibes

Sometimes corny, but you can’t mistake their music, or songs. Great harmony. Lost Karen way too young. You definitely think of the 70’s when you hear them.

It's a nice album

Karen Carpenter had the most heavenly voice. I knew this album would be a treat solely because of her beautiful voice! And I was even surprised at how good Richard's vocals were in "I Kept On Loving You," which is definitely something he doesn't receive the proper acknowledgement for. Because of the focus on Karen's voice, she wasn't on the drums too much and I wish I discovered which drums she did perform on Close To You. Fascinatingly Hal Blaine filled in for her. There's an instrumental section in "Another Song" that I'm hoping was her drumming--and Richard's keyboards were great in that song, too. And speaking of "Another Song," Carpenters veered slightly into progressive territory despite being so pop-y! For some of the covers on this album, Carpenters' version is *the* definitive version. Karen's voice was something special, and I suspect that was a big reason why. More than that, this entire album is positively delightful and full of emotion. I sure had a smile on my face for the entire day and I have no complaints.

Karen Carpenter had such an angelic voice! This album really shows that voice off, too. All of the music here is incredibly mellow and very easy going pop with some subtle orchestral-type backing. It is an incredible melodic match for Karen's vocals and allows those vocals to shine through. That said, the music doesn't feel "one note"; there's a lot of variety on display here within the vocal pop genre.

Very comforting and nice to listen to. Also unexpectedly groovy in some places. Didn’t realise they had a Beatles cover on here too so that was interesting to hear. V funny how the Simpsons movie brought Close To You to another surge in popularity and introduced a lot of young people to it. Now most people associate it with the movie haha

It’s a solid 3.5 smooth so smooth. Great tunesmith and Karen was just a great vocalist

Great singer, great drummer. A shame she couldn't display the latter as much. Sometimes I like syrup.

Feels like a cozy blanket on a rainy day. The songs are simple but comforting. It’s like listening to early Simon & Garfunkel, where everything is just soft and easy. You don’t need to think too much, just enjoy the moment.

i should give this another listen

The is an album of AM Gold. Which really - I am not the target audience for. The Carpenters always seemed to be the butt of a joke when I was growing up and I made it a point not to listen to them, knowing that they sucked. Well time and Hollywood is a bitch - I knew most of these songs! Ugh. This is super vanilla, easy listening that is kitschy at best. Honestly the whole Karen Carpenter tragedy is more interesting(?) than their music.

Crescent moon! How have I never heard that song before!

This was sadly a bit painful. As I recall, the Carpenters were a distinct pop sound in the heavy psychedelic rock of the 70's In retrospect on this album in particular, a couple of well deserved top 40 hits but the rest of the album was just sad. The selection had one song in particular that didn't sound like it should have been sung in any key...

I started this album kicking and screaming, but by the end, I was holding hands and singing kumbaya with The Carpenters. I’ve been converted.

I understand why some wouldn't like this album. It's a little schmaltzy, and several of these songs have been played to death over the past 50 years. But Karen just has such a lovely, warm voice that it's difficult not to settle into it like your favorite cozy blanket. It seems that many of these tracks are covers, and they're a mixed bag -- some are unnecessary, while others may be the defining versions of those songs. Overall though, a pleasant listen for all but the most cynical and jaded. The Carpenters were sickly sweet, yes, but also tremendously talented.

Some classic love songs on here. Little to mellow and slow but vocals are top notch. Rounding down but on anothet day I would round up.

Classic, I guess

4/5

The music is so sweet that I got a toothache after 2 songs. I don't like German Schlager. Why should American soft pop be any better? 1/5

WAUW die opener! We've only just begon! Dat is dus 1 van mn favoriete scenes uit Room 1408. Heel vet om m nu weer eens te horen en me niet dood te schrikken, kleine PTSD effect an het begin. Maar fuck he, wat is dit album verder saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai Het is een soort matigere versie van Simon & Garfunkel, en die vind ik al verschrikkelijk!! Ontzettend saai album, ik ga hier nooit meer iets van luisteren. Heel misschien Weve only just begon, voor de memes. Maar verder? Albums to listen to before you die? Hell no, dit is juist een dodelijk saai album... Krijgt 1 sterretje erbij, omdat het niet slecht is, het heeft gewoon alle spanning en sensatie van een snee wit brood. FAVO: We've only just begon

I have always loved Karen Carpenter's voice - she has one of the sexiest alto voices of all time. And her brother Richard is a master arranger of music and this collection of songs shows his master's touch. Probably not going out to buy this...but did I say how much I absolutely love Karen's voice!

Soft cheese.

stars falls from the sky? this is about lucifer, right? she's talking about lucifer? guys? guys?

4.25

Beautiful, beach boys-y sound and that sort of happy-go-luckiness. Close to you, baby it's you and maybe it's you are the favourites. Gentle listening, great for the train - solid 3.3.

Not bad, but a bit too sickly sweet for my cold, dead heart.

I tried to listen at work, it nearly put me to sleep.

Very early childhood memories.

This is where I need to mention that Karen Carpenter is an incredible drummer. Also this first song started as a jingle for a bank commercial. You gotta be pretty hard up for a hit if ur swiping from a bank commercial.

I’m surprised to see how divisive this album is. It is completely inoffensive and easy listening. That said, it feels very similar in genre and sound to The Mamas and The Papas album I just had, and by comparison, that one id better.

There is really no meat here. It's so clean and perfect that it loses meaning as it costs everything it touches with sugary syrup. I'm old enough to remember the end of their career. People who didn't really listen to a lot of music LOVED the Carpenters. I suspect it was because it was so easy.

A bit too goody two shoes for my book. But can Karen sing or what?!

Not really a vibe

Close To You is a marvellous song. To pretend otherwise is nonsense and shows a profound lack of understanding of what makes a great, simple song. But that sound is unbelievably cloying when stretched over an album. Crescent Noon features a more dramatic arrangement (Scott Walker esque if he dialled it back a bit) and Karen has a terrific voice. So split the difference and call it a generous 3

3.5★. Some nice harmonies, and of course Karen's voice is quite heavenly—without being in love with its own beauty, crucially.

yysy没啥记忆点，还是昨日重现吧

Can hear the influence from the beach boys. A nice album about love.

Karen Carpenter has one of the best voices I've ever heard, and Richard Carpenter's arrangements are incredibly rich due to being severely classically influenced. However, the music is so soft and sweet that it's not really my cup of tea. The covers that mark most of this album are really hit and miss. Interestingly though, the standout track for me is "Mr. Guder," which is one of their own compositions.

Kauniisti laulettu. Hyviä eheitä kappaleita, jokainen on yksilönsä vaikka soundi on hyvin yhtenäinen. Mukava (!) välillä kuulla huilusoolo, samoin aikansa kuvana hammond (?). Tosi folk. Help-cover on turha, samoin lopun jazz-numero (hyi!!! Pilasi lopun…)

Se tuttu biisi on kyllä toimiva, ja paikoin muutama muukin, mutta tämä duo on liian kotonaan omassa pehmeydessään.

Karen ‘s voice is gorgeous. And I once had a blond blue-eyed baby boy that I carried in my arms and sang “Close To You” to daily. So I have a bit of a sentimental bias. But even so, too much sweet is not good for you. I also have to wonder if this is the Carpenters’ best album. There are so many clunkers. Guess I just need to find out if they have a greatest hits album!

It's just really nice music with a very beautiful voice.

2/3

Bit too lame and bit too aged for me. Even the hit-single "Close To You" doesn´t convince me at all.

This is a very pleasant album. Lots of familiar songs that I typically associate with another artist, but nothing wrong with these versions. Slight coincidence that I happened to see the Simpsons movie last week... Such a simple elegance to Karen's singing that makes it so easy to listen to. Not something that really holds up to modern radio standards, but that's getting to be a compliment these days. Good Sunday afternoon album. Favorite track "Close to you" 3/5

Nostalgia factor high for me on this album. This was the first album I can remember asking my mom to play for us in the car.

We’ve Only Just Begun is s banger.

Cheesy in a good way.

Some undeniably great songs, and Karen C’s voice is gorgeous, but the production is too sugary in spots.

Great vocals but a little sickeningly sweet at times. Karens singing on “Close to You” is magical

A nice pop record that makes you feel good

Soppy

absolutely hated it

I would call this country pop. Not quite in either camp and doesnt excite like either actually could. Fine but not getting a second play

++: Another Song +: We've Only Just Begun, Love Is Surrender, Maybe It's You, I'll Never Fall in Love Again, Mr. Guder, Crescent Noon, I Kept On Loving You +-: Reason to Believe, Help, (They Long to Be) Close to You, Baby It's You 7,3/10

It’s hard not to love this album. I could listen to Karen Carpenter sing Metallica, or well, anything. Great melodies and a beautiful voice add up to a really good album. This is my kind of music, but maybe not my favorite of theirs.

It was an album. I just don't know how I would describe it to someone, because it does not stick out.

Cheese. Listen to this if you want to hear the worst cover of a Beatles song (Help), in recorded history. I don't understand a lot of the production decisions. Overall, it's not good.

Eh. It's fine. It's kind of like the 1970s equivalent of that Norah Jones album I got earlier. It's perfectly fine, but it doesn't really stand out. Both of the singers are solid. I do like Karen Carpenter's singing more though. The instrumental sounds are also fairly decent. A bit samey, but it's not too big of a problem, especially since the sound is good. The writing is perfectly fine as well. This album is one that I can see someone either loving or hating. Except me of course. I'm in the middle. I think it's alright, but I can see why others don't like it that much. 3/5.

Un buen álbum de pop, se siente algo sesentero todavía. Tiene buenos arreglos de cuerdas y con percusiones. También tienen bonita voz. 4/5

What a sweet album for these ears to take in. I enjoyed every track except the one where Richard sang and whatever the heck that last experimental one was.

Karen Carpenter has a lovely voice, obviously, but this is too saccharine for me.

There’s a few classic songs that still hold up. But most of this record is bland. What even is that “Help” cover? 2.5/5

What a beautiful album. Just gorgeous

Truly one of the masters of music for this short lived brilliant couple

What a voice!

3+ Herkkää, hempeää ja hiljaista.

first listen i am a sucker for jazz oriented pop

Very nice stuff, never gonna listen to it again.

Karen Carpenter can really sing, but i cannot get out of my head that this extremely talented woman starve herself to death.

Surprisingly, this really didn't do it for me. The songs I liked were, of course, fantastic, even the ones I was not previously familiar with. But the covers ("Reason to Believe," "Help," and to a lesser extent "Baby It's You" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again") were just bad.

Tegen de tijd dat “Help” kwam, riep ik zelf help. Saai, nietszeggend, niet vernieuwend, niet mijn ding.

mid

118/1001 2.5/5

She had a great voice. AM radio 1970.

Carpenters are so beautiful, the wind instruments and harmonies are just beautiful

Interesting for vocal pop, very 70s

Reminds me of music my parents would listen to, but I enjoyed it. I get it now

straight from the AOR archives of the genius of Burt Bacharach comes the Carpenters. Regularly seen as a joke band today, it is easy to forget what a monster act this band is/was and what a compliment it was to work with Bacharach. 4/5

What a lovely voice, carrying beautiful music. This is the type of stuff that could be cheesy if it weren’t so eloquently executed. Fortunately we get to enjoy some tame soft rock that allows her to show off her incredible range and control.

love

This is entirely beautiful. Lovey dovey euphoria of perfect happy romance world. Didn’t need the “Help” cover and most of the other covers didn’t need to be included either. Points off as well for the songs being a little samsies, but otherwise, pure bliss. 3/5

This was more interesting than I thought it would be, but there are only so many songs about falling in love with each other I can take on an album. After the Help cover, I pretty much just felt "We got it already".

I’m struggling to understand why I didn’t like this better. She has a lovely voice, and their style is reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel. But something about it just doesn’t strike my fancy. Maybe it’s because the songs themselves are a bit dopey and cliché?

Great vocals, but not my cup of tea. Music to make one sad.

Oozing with sounds of the 70s, not my favorite sounds, but it's nice and Karen Carpenter has a lovely voice. I actually really enjoyed their versions of the covers and the sound varied more than I expected throughout the album. The light jamming at the end of the album was a surprise.

Karen Carpenter's voice is so good. I don't want to hear it though. I'm not into it.

Karen's voice is just lovely, no doubt about it. Very clean, talented arrangements. But it's just kinda boring overall to me. If I'm ever in the mood to drink a conservative amount of wine with a reasonable amount of friends at a scenic location with pleasant weather, I'll probably pop this album on in the background.

Not for me….

5/10

Not the sort of music I would listen to, but I can still appreciate the level of songwriting. Songs like We've only just begun and Close to you are instantly memorable. It invokes a level of sadness knowing Karen Carpenter died so young.

Preferences aside, this is, objectively, a very good album. I’ve heard some of the songs many, many times, but never really listened to them, much less the whole album. Vocals are fantastic, especially the backing harmonies. However, for me it is just too…corny is I guess the word. Perhaps it’s my dark heart, but sap sap oozes off almost every song. It’s so good I want to enjoy it more than I do. But I won’t penalize it for my own issues.

Being into a range of genres and eras allows you a certain privilege to transcend the tribal trappings of musical culture. I like 70's punk and hard rock, for instance, but back then you were either A PUNK or NOT PUNK. Whether it's punk, funk, or 90's hip hop or whatever the case, the only metric I tend to apply when hearing music is whether the emotion that's being conveyed is authentically taking me there. I guess what I'm saying is that while they used to be considered soft rock radio commercial schmaltz, when they sing songs about vulnerability, the Carpenters take me there HARD. Like anyone else in the industry, they navigated addiction, disordered eating, heartbreak, divorce, and at the end, Karen tragically dying at age 32. As if she saw the big picture early, all life's bittersweet joy & sorrow feels channeled into Karen's voice, wise beyond her years. Buttressed by brother Richard's soaring arrangements, the siblings convey compositions as smooth as the summer sun shining on your shoulders. I'll go so far as to say there's even some redeemable work on their worst album, 1977's bonkers epic "Passage". If you want to hear Karen Carpenter cover a song by rock band Klaatu pleading with aliens from outer space to give humanity a chance, then check out "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day)" because it is a wild ride.

that was a lovely listen

Sweet one

Beautiful stuff. I really loved the way it was recorded. I saved it to my Spotify because it’s also rare to find an album I can play in my preschool class.

Honestly an innovative and well written album. Great voice and writing though sometimes with fluff

Loved this album. Karen's voice is both powerful but capable of softness that really compliments the instrumentation. The only thing that I think knocks the album is occasionally during long tracks of just the instruments I can definitely feel the lack of the fullness her voice provides

Whimsical, a little melancholy. Overall a great album.

3.5

Amazing voice

This was pleasant

Sure there are more than a few pleasant harmonies here, but cmon. This is late 60s cheese at its highest form. And the covers?🤮

It's sappy and "dated" but there's certainly some appealing, guilty pleasure type stuff here. Overall it isn't great and some of the songs are dull dull dull but I didn't exactly dislike the experience.

Shout out to the carpenters for writing half the songs that i hear whenever I walk through a retail department store

Lovely, soothing, beautifully sung and produced pop song, with Just a couple of skippable songs. Standout tracks: Close to you & the surprisingly funky Another song.

Saccharine.

I do love me some Carpenters

Production schmaltz ruining some otherwise ok songs. Music like this was really only needed to fuel the outrage for other groups to re-invent the recording industry. This kind of album is manipulative like a Disney movie trying to enforce a certain emotional state via musical tropes and manipulations rather than actually letting the content work. The philosophical term "inauthentic" was created for things like this. I look forward to NIN re-recording this.

3.5

Cursi y empalagoso como miel. No me gusta mucho.

Classic 70’s rock album,

20 mg of THC was not helping this album at all.

This is the whitest music I've ever heard. It's so...... Beige. Like salted cardboard. Easy listening for sure, but my fuck is it ever bland. Like.... This is the lame shit that white suburban parents listened to. I will say, their cover of The Beatles song Help is pretty solid. (They Long to Be) Close to You reminds me of a Simpsons episode where Marge installs a new Doorbell that plays that jingle but it gets stuck on and keeps looping over and over. Why do birds.... Suddenly appear... Fuck that album was boring. I had to listen to it in spurts throughout the day so I didn't fall asleep at work. Favourite songs: Reason to Believe, Help, Love Is Surrender, We've Only Just Begun, I Kept on Loving You Least favourite songs: (They Long to Be) Close to You, Another Song, 3/5

The smoothest, softest rock imaginable. Also sweet and brimming with innocent charm.

Not what I was expecting! Used to the slower, sadder songs - but there was much more versatility on this album than what I was expecting. Karen Carpenter’s voice is obviously stunning. Not usually a fan of ‘soft rock’ but this is an exception. Great listen for a slow day with beautiful vibes.

Good

Her voice is beautiful. Very traditional sounding warm pop from the time but it was a hit for a reason. The amount of covers is always a bit surprising on a big album but they weren't huge song writers.

There are some hits here and some odd covers. Pretty good arrangements. Everything sounds fine, but it's like the music version pastel. Like the equivalent of when they shoot film through a lens with Vaseline on it to soften the look. I wish the production was a little crisper.

I actually let out an audible moan when this came up. Yet I listened to the album all the way through, just like every other. I have to admit Karen has a great voice, and most of the songs are well crafted. But omg, it's so sugary sweet that I had to call an ambulance because I was about to fall into a diabetic coma from listening to this.

Pocas bandas cuentan con el talento de los Carpenters al momento de interpretar canciones que ni siquiera escribieron ellos. La voz de Karen Carpenter es impresionante y su desplante en la batería es tan, si no, más sorprendente. Un muy buen trabajo y un ejemplo perfecto del pop barroco que se tomó a Estados Unidos por sorpresa en los '70s. Sumamente recomendable.

Ugh. I knew the songs.

Fine enough, so 70s - nothing too crazy

It doesn't get more easy listening than this.

At first, I was surprised at all the negative reviews, but as the album went on, I understood. The main thought I had while listening was "oh god, this will be showing up in my spotify playlists now". Nevertheless, I finished it and cannot categorize it as completely unlistenable. More like: boring and derivative. Would rate it 2.5

Full of nostalgia, with the strings and pretty vocals of Karen Carpenter creating a calming atmosphere. Maybe It's You is a standout in the first half. The title track is a hit I didn't realize I knew ("why do birds suddenly appear...") There's a fantasy, dreamlike quality about a lot of this, but especially the slower songs in the second half like Crescent Noon and Mr Guder. Another Song even goes a bit proggy at the end. Uneven, but enough of this is very interesting.

Goddamn is Close to You a near-perfect pop love song. This album is a peak on the soft-rock mountain range, and even if it’s not my cuppa tea, I cannot disrespect Karen Carpenter’s voice.

Album top de una voz celestial y élfica

Pure '70s musical valium. The breathiness in the first moments of "Only Just Begun" reads like a musical effect to make one have a laugh about the lame '70s, until one's irony radar dips and one realizes this was exactly what one's mother would have loved about this back then. On the plus side of the ledger, there is Karen's pure voice, the lounge-y Bacharach feel, and the near chamber-pop vibes of several cuts. There is an odd but undeniable earworm-y quality of "Close To You" and the groovy jam-band effect of the closer, which suggests where they might have gone. Indeed, the last 2:28 of the record actually sounds cool and very much in a far-out '70s kind of way; this is music one could get high to, if any Carpenters' fans did such. To be clear, this is hard to credit musically; the covers are particuarly embarrasing, even downgrading on a curve to the low standards of the reason. Rod Stewart's "Reason to Believe" is forever ruined after hearing this version and could have Lennon/McCartney got a restraining order for "Help"? Yikes. Still, one's glad this was included on tihs list and that the editors valued mass appeal. That is a factor to be assessed, but wonder where the line should be drawn – if the Carpenters merit hearing, why not similar broadly popular acts of that and adjacent eras, often hocked via ads run during the worst sort of reruns and mail-order fulfillment – Neil Diamond, say, or Zamfir (master of the pan flute), or Boxcar Willie or Slim Whitman? Their making the world safe for Air Supply is more bug than feature, it must be said. And one must decide if music one's parents love is a merit or a demerit.

When I was younger, I never liked the carpenters music, I felt it was of a different generation. Having listened to it now with the benefit of age and musical maturity I get it a little more and appreciate for its time. It was quite different and forward sounding. It's a shame that Karen Carpenter had so many issues, maybe that's what makes them who they are today but it would have been interesting to see how her music would have developed. Has she lived on.

Very lush. I loved the vocal harmonies, and just Karen Carpenter's voice in general. I wasn't in love with a couple tracks, but this is a really pleasant listen overall.

Technically a collection of songs. The definition of soft.

The "Help" song confused me a bit but I double-checked and the Beatles had released it 5 years before this album came out, so yes.. had to check, just in case I was wrong. Overall, decent album, nice little background vibes, nothing too exciting.

In retrospect this album is a really good example of the shifting culture between the 1960s and 1970s. While folk was in due to people like Bob Dylan and the Mamas and the Papas, the Carpenters seemed to put a chill pop aesthetic over top of it. The album seems to usher in the new age of 70s folk. Overall, it's an enjoyable album, but I don't think I need to revisit every song. Best Songs: Reason to Believe, Help, (They Long To Be) Close To You Worst Songs: Love Is Surrender, I Kept On Loving You,

Soothing harmonies, easy-going voices, lyrics about love. Very chill.

The kind of your Nanna is going to love and quite possibly the most lifeless Beatles cover in existence, in saying that it does get an extra point for some interesting harmonic movements

I’d forgotten about her great voice. Outstanding.

Brought back memories

2 stars only because I remember a couple songs from when I was a kid. Would be 1 star if I had to listen again.

The cover of Help is reason enough to skip this album.

Too depressing. Although beautiful

Not really my sort of thing - however i didnt expect to like it at all yet a good few songs were really nice and soft, good listen.

I got a sweet tooth, but this was too sweet for me

the 70's version of Drake. it's nice, easy listening songs that are mostly forgettable. great if you just want "generic 70's pop", which i mean sometimes is the vibe.

The Carpenters make me question everything about music. I can’t think of a scenario where putting this album on would be appropriate. But then when I think of most other albums I can’t think of it either. They are obviously loved and talented, but gotta say a lil bit dull.

There's a few songs that drag on and on here, but the vocal layering and harmonies are pretty ear catching. The final song is solid and I would have enjoyed more of that. 2.5, rounding down.

Meh

1. only juzt begun - 1 2. love i zurrender - 0 3. maybe itz you - 1 4. reazon to believe - 0 5. help - 0 6. cloze to you - 1.5 7. baby itz you - 1 8. love again - 0 9. noon - 1 10. mr guder - 0 11. loving you - 0 12. another zong - 0

Not good. Not bad. Perfectly bland.

Boring

Found most of this pretty boring, the Beatles covers didn’t make it better

Was not very interesting until the last song

Lovely songs. Close to You is an absolute masterpiece

sickly sweet and more enjoyable than i expected.

It's very happy....im not very happy. Its probably too nice and airy fairy for me. However she has a lovely voice even if his isn't and it's probably fine to listen too if you aren't dead inside.

The softest of soft rock. So tepid they deserve kudos for the audacity.

Beautiful vocals. Not something I’d choose to listen to, thinking “I’m familiar with The Carpenters, and her tragic death”. I never really listened. What surprised me … the studio musicians. The sax, and the jazzy flute. Not a fan of the cover of Help. This album absolutely is one that brings back the nostalgia and feel for an era.

Great voice, bad songs

Exactly as schmaltzy as you think it might be. High quality shmaltz, but despite that voice, it all sounds strangely bloodless Easy listening for stepford wives

Dull. Dull. Dull

Pleasantly surprised to be honest! Smooth vibes, recognized a few songs, enjoyed it even though this isnt the style of music I would normally seek out.

Top 40 Soft Rock 70s…memories of the 2 hits playing throughout the decade. Definitely talented & a tragedy years later. Lots of covers including Help. It’s a shame Karen couldn’t get enough…help.

Beautiful voice. Top notch vocal arrangements. I really liked listening to this

A couple of standout songs, otherwise just ok

Boring…

Got about halfway through and couldnt do anymore. There’s only so many harmonies about love I can possibly take. So squeaky clean I feel dirty.

The Carpenters are definitely good at what they do, Im just not sure I'm on board with it. It's the least edgy music ever produced, very nice and relaxing but almost unnervingly so. Another example of music that would be good in a horror film because its positive to the point of unsettling. For one listen I did quite enjoy it and I completely understand why somebody might give it a five but if I went back to it I'd probably go insane. 2.5.

I quite liked Mr. Guder and the cover of Help, but this was a bit too saccharine. Lovely voice she had though.

Just not for me at all.

Think this gave me diabetes.... So sickly sweet. Not for me. Recognised the hits but don't want to ever have to listen to this album again

Alright

The album is oozing with a mid-70s vibe.

meh once again, not impressed

I tapped out around Help. Don’t plan to finish or revisit.

Tiene dos tremendas canciones, el resto es mediocre

Wasn’t a fan then and not a fan now.

Che noia!

Middle of the road syrupy pop music. A couple of big hits and an angelic voice help make it stand out...a little. Just not realy a fan of overly sentimental pap. 2 stars

I was going to give it a 1.5 and round it down to 1, but that last minute of the last track really picked it up to a 2. what is wrong with me.

did they just not make any good music in 1970 why is this momentous in any way

I love the silkiness of the vocal harmonies. Something about 1960s pop just always is so soothing.

i have enjoyed this album in the past but today? a slog. such is life. 1.5

ugghhh I'm sorry to Karen Carpenter but I find this nearly unlistenable. this hits a lot of critiques of pop music for me - maybe if I could parse lyrics I'd find them full of meaning but it feels samey and bland.

I feel like this album is THE perfect example of "nothing special but innofensive". Like, I really have absolutely nothing interesting to say about this album, positive or negative. It was perfectly fine, easy to listen to. But nothing really grabbed me or stood out to me as being particularly good. Music doesn't get more average than this.

Definitely not my taste. Way too cheesy. This is what I'd imagine would be playing at a Junior High dance in the 70's. I'm assuming the people who love this album love it for the nostalgic factor. It's shocking to me that this album is ranked in Rolling Stones top 500 albums and that it received 8 Grammy nominations. 1.5⭐

Every song sounds like the theme song from a 70s sitcom

Meh

The songs are good, but the performance and production are way too sweet for my taste. Especially the singing. Favorite song: love is surrender.

My gosh that was nice. So nice. If I were in the 1970's I would be filled with niceness after listening to that. Rasbery Jelly, vanilla ice cream, driving long distances in an open soft-top convertible listening to crackly AM radio, wondering at how a mechanical device like a space ship can fly let along orbit the world, holding rotary phones in my hand connected to the wall so I can call anyone with a number (as long as the switchboard is staffed) and being absolutely delighted at listening to harmonious voices being recorded like that on a utterly wizard record made of Vinal. Today, its sweetness is a parody from shopping malls and tired radio repeats somewhere, but back then, its magic was undeniable. I choose to give it 4 stars because of that past magic. One star removed because of the parody sweetness, and one star returned after the tragedy of Karen Carpenter. Thanks for this. I could very much listen to it (and be transported to a particular type of 1970's) again.

Hippy dippy music.

Great singing, great harmonies. Songs are a little bit repetitive. Album is probably a 3/5 for me. But +.25 for a singing drummer, +.25 for a Beatles cover, and +.5 because one of my oldest memories is @dwander singing "Close to You" to me as a young kid.

Simply "THE VOICE". Never be another one like her....additionally, as a young drummer this was the first group where I could play along...extra points for that!

The Carpenters were a sibling family band consisting of Karen and Richard. While Richard was the songwriter of the two, the real shining star was Karen and her dynamism on both vocals and drums. You may recognize her chops from a video that circulated the internet of her 1968 performance of Dancing in the Street on Your All-American College Show. While that song is not on this album, her fantastic drumming skills are in no short supply. Close To You has a lot of the soft, almost adult contemporary style of music that would inspire the radio-friendly pop and soft rock genres of 70s and early 80s. While I am not personally a fan of these kinds of songs, the Carpenters perform them exceptionally well. The Beatles cover is unfortunately unnecessary, but the rest of the album makes up for it. Performances are also contributed by the amazing Wrecking Crew, who undoubtedly gave their all for these recordings. Lots to appreciate on an album where the songs themselves aren't much to write home about. Just did a fantastic job with this!

Not bad.

this album was alright, it was a bit boring in places and i found some songs to be too sappy but besides that there’s nothing really bad about it. i don’t have a strong opinion.

Man I like Karen Carpenter's voice. Bubbly album, light hearted and fun to listen to. Close to You is great here, but I also really liked we've Only Just Begun, Mr. Guder, and Another Song.

We've only just begun is a classic Love is Surrender is an odd song for a brother/sister duo to sing Not really my thing, but the vocals are nice Carpenters version of 'Help' was excellent Another Song was out of character for the album, probably my favourite track from the album

Album Nr. 36 Eine Schnulze nach der anderen. Kein wirklicher Weltuntergang aber eintönig.

This is another album that I'd probably give 3 stars for my own personal enjoyment, but I have so much respect for the talent and skill and songwriting that I have to give it 4 stars. While The Carpenters still aren't likely going to be something I pick to listen to, they are very pleasant when I do hear them, and I can hear the brilliance in their songwriting. Listening to them yesterday morning was a nice way to start a morning, and there are several songs like "We've Only Just Begun" that I genuinely really like.

What a beautiful album. Lovely harmonies and Karen's drumming is insane, especially on the closing track

Pretty cool to listen while cleaning the house

Its not perfect but its pretty close - would likely be around a 4.75 Its clearly targeted to a very specific audience which is resulting in some low scores but I don't think this is a flaw in itself

Ez 3.

Uplifting and enjoyable 3.5

I’m unsure how many Carpenters songs I could name, but I do know that I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve heard so far. I have a feeling that my dad told me when I was a kid that they were one of his favourite artists when he was a kid, but I very well could have made that up. Songs I already knew: We’ve Only Just Begun, Help, (They Long To Be) Close To You, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again Favourites: literally all of them (but extra for Close To You) This album might just be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. Close To You gave me full body goosebumps and brought a tear to my eye. Karen Carpenter’s voice is so soft and angelic, like an auditory blanket of soothing sleepiness. I can’t fault anything here. It’s just so lovely.

I used to groan when my mother spun the Carpenters as a kid, but now I celebrate their genius and Karen’s syrupy comfort voice

Not bad

Ok

Svo gott í hjartað. Algjört elsk <3

Karen Carpenter's voice is really beautiful and definitely the highlight of this album. The album itself is very sweet, mellow and tender; definitely nice if you want some calming music to listen to.

Puke

Correctos.

I didn't love this one.. I think I can appreciate it for what it is but probably will never revisit.

Meticulously produced, everything sounds so good!!

Maybe someday I’ll give this another listen, but after 1 play through, I’m not a fan. The slow song pace of every track, the vocals are good, but when it comes to the covers, I appreciate the originals more. The Carpenters are a band that many have held in high regard , but they’re not for me. 2/5.

Karen Carpenter - such a wonderful voice! Loves the album

This was unexpectedly pretty great. Seemed like they were ahead of the times

<3

Great album with some classics. Good for mornings or chill background.

I wish this did more for me; but it really doesn't. The title track is pretty iconic, I really like the way the chorus comes back in one more time when you think it's done. Other than that, the record is enjoyable yet pretty forgettable, sadly. Pretty solid 3 stars.