Horizon (Carpenters album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Horizon | ||
 |
||
| Studio album by Carpenters | ||
| Released | June 6, 1975 | |
| Recorded | 1975 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Label | A&M Records | |
| Producer(s) | Jack Daugherty | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Carpenters chronology | ||
| The Singles: 1969-1973 (1973) |
Horizon (1975) |
A Kind of Hush (1976) |
Horizon is a 1975 album by musical American duo The Carpenters. It contained several hit singles for them including "Please Mr Postman", "Only Yesterday" and "Solitaire".
[edit] Track Listing
- "Aurora"
- "Only Yesterday"
- "Desperado"
- "Please Mr. Postman"
- "I Can Dream, Can't I?"
- "Solitaire"
- "Happy"
- "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You"
- "Love Me For What I Am
- "Eventide"
[edit] Singles
- Please Mr. Postman
US 7" single (1974) A&M 1646 1.Please Mr. Postman 2.This Masquerade
- Only Yesterday
US 7" single (1975) A&M 1677 1.Only Yesterday 2.Happy
- Solitaire
US 7" single (1975) A&M 1721 1.Solitaire 2.Love Me For What I Am
| The Carpenters |
|---|
| Their Albums |
|
1969: Offering • (repackaged as "Ticket to Ride") • 1970: Close to You • 1971: Carpenters • 1972: A Song for You • 1973: Now & Then • 1975: Horizon |
| Their Compilations |
|
1973: The Singles: 1969-1973 • 1978: The Singles: 1974-1978 • 1985: Yesterday Once More • 1991: From The Top• 1995: Interpretations • 1997: Love Songs • 1998: Reflections • 2000: The Singles: 1969-1981 • 2002: The Essential Collection • 2003: Carpenters Perform Carpenter • 2004: Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition |
| Live Performances |
|
1971: Carpenters Live at the BBC • 1974: Live in Japan • Live at Budokan • 1976: Live at the Palladium • Live at Holland • Live at the London Theatre • Live in Osaka |
| Solo Albums |
|
1987: Time (Richard Carpenter) • 1974: Karen Carpenter (Karen Carpenter) • 1976: Pianist Arranger Composer Conductor (Richard Carpenter) |
| Their DVDs |
|
1985: Yesterday Once More • 1995: Interpretations • 1997: Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters • 2002: Gold: Greatest Hits |
| Biographies |
|
1995: The Untold Story 2000: Yesterday Once More |
[edit] Track Listing Information
HORIZON (Morning opens quietly, a shadow vision over me)
Horizon is the album which most Carpenters fans claim to be their favorite amongst all Carpenters releases. Released on June 6, 1975, critics hail this to be the most sophisticated Carpenters album to date. The album is a technical triumph. It was recorded at A&M Records mainly in Studio D using state of the art 24-track recording technology, 30 Dolby, and recorded at 30 inches per second to create the cleanest and clearest sound possible.
The Carpenters took the patience to spend a good amount of time and many long hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects. One of the most astonishing techniques used on the album is the multitude of separate mikings. Every single instrument and voice has its own microphone. This helped to create a broad, full sound. The drums were recorded on four separate tracks, one for the kick, one for the snare and one each for the left and right tom-toms. On the song "Only Yesterday" a tape delay is used on the saxophone, this effect accents the instrument and lifts it above the canvas and gives it an extra dimension.
"Horizon" was the Carpenters' sixth studio album. After five consecutive albums peaking inside the U.S. top 5 "Horizon" broke this run by reaching U.S. # 13. the album has been certified PLATINUM by the RIAA for selling over a million copies and most likely will soon be certified DOUBLE PLATINUM. "Horizon" was one of Carpenters' biggest universal sellers reaching # 1 in both Japan and England and charting high in almost every country in around the world.
Richard Carpenter stated his goal was to produce an album where every song could be a single. With "Horizon" he achieved this goal as each song on this album could have easily been a hit in 1975.
AURORA (Richard Carpenter and John Bettis) Horizon opens and closes with a pair of distant yet warmly familiar bookend songs; "Aurora" and "Eventide". Each song is identical in its somber mood with a chilling sense of sunrise and sunset.
ONLY YESTERDAY (Richard Carpenter and John Bettis) From "Aurora" the album moves rightion to "Only Yesterday", which many consider to be the album's strongest track. Written by Richard Carpenter and lyricist John Bettis, the song was a huge hit worldwide. Believing the song would not be a hit Carpenter and Bettis lost a one-thousand dollar bet to their recording engineer Roger Young. Since the melody was upbeat, Richard asked Bettis to make sure the lyric was not completely sad, so the outlook of the song changes midstream. It goes from dark and deep to bright and propulsive. Bettis described "Only Yesterday" as, "a manipulated positive song". The song is an impressive "wall of sound" with each instrument clearly recognizeable. It has the feel of the sixties with castanets and chimes and the technology of the 70's with electric guitar chords and soulful saxophone progressions. With all this outstanding technology it's Karen's voice that remains the focal point. She opens with a haunting Low E Flat and moves gracefully through the range of the song and her voice with ease. "Only Yesterday" is two songs in one with a lush ballad verse which effectively gives way to an uptempo progressive pop chorus.
Only Yesterday reached U.S. #4, UK #7, Canada #7 for two weeks and was certified GOLD in Japan. The song also won the prestigious GRAND PRIX award in Japan.
DESPERADO (Don Henley and Glen Frey) This song received the most attention from the critics stating this was a logical choice for release as a single. This intenesely emotional song received rave reviews. It was an instant favorite amongst fans and critics alike. Karen put every bit of soul she had into this song. She sang it like she really meant it. Accenting the overall aura of the song is the harmonica by Tommy Morgan, his haunting performance adds to the song's melancholy mood.
"Desperado" was originally recorded by the Eagles in 1973 and was the center piece of their classic cowboy themed album also named "Desperado". Several others have recorded this song including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, and Kenny Rogers.
PLEASE MR. POSTMAN (W. Garrett, B. Holland, F. Gorman, G. Dobbbins, R. Bateman) "Please Mr. Postman" was the album's biggest hit single and also The Carpenters' biggest hit ever worldwide. It reached # 1 in the U.S., Australia, Germany, Japan and several other countries in the world, as well as reaching # 2 in the UK and Canada. This driving rhythm based tune features Karen on drums and a great Tony Peluso guitar solo.
"Please Mr. Postman" is one of a handful of song to be a U.S. #1 hit more than once. It reached #1 first in 1961 for the female Motown vocal group the Marvelettes. The song also gained further acclaim when the Beatles included it on their 1963 album "With The Beatles".
I CAN DREAM CAN'T I (Irving Kahal and Sammy Fain) One of the highlights of the album is an atmospheric interpretation of the 1949 Andrews Sisters hit, "I Can Dream Can't I". To maintain an authentic quality Karen and Richard hired veteran Billy May to help orchestrate the song. May has worked with legends such as; Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. The song features the Billy May Orchestra which adds to the authenticity of the overall sound. One gets the mental picture of Karen dressed in a formal gown, her hair perfectly coifed as she fronts a fabulous 40's style big band to perform the dreamy number. Just a bit of trivia about the song. John Bahler is in the chorus of background singers. Bahler and his brother Tom (whom Karen dated) hired Karen and Richard in early 1969 to promote the Ford Motor Company most prominently the new car, the Maverick.
SOLITAIRE (Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody) Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody wrote "Solitaire" which was the third single from "Horizon". It reached # 15 in the U.S. and the top 40 in several other countries around the world. The richness of strings and Karen's deep full-bodied voice give this song that chill factor that Richard looked for in a song. Many people consider this to be one of Karen's most intense and finest readings.
HAPPY (Tony Peluso, Diane Rubin and John Bettis) "Happy" was another technological sensation. One of the main attractions of this power pop tune is the ARP Odyssey Synthesizer solo at the end of the song. This really brought the song alive and gave it that rocking out of this world feel. The melody and music for "Happy" was written by Carpenters guitarist extraordinaire, Tony Peluso, so of course this song is based on driving guitar chords.
(I'M CAUGHT BETWEEN) GOODBYE AND I LOVE YOU (Richard Carpenter and John Bettis) Karen delivered this song with such a convincing soulfulness, that some speculate it may have been a reflection on her recent breakup with David Alley (a longtime associate of the Carpenters). The song like 1976's "I Need To Be In Love" was autobiographical of the Carpenters' romantic dilemmas. At the time of the release of "Horizon" lyricist John Bettis claimed "Goodbye And I Love You" to be his and Richard's best collaboration.
LOVE ME FOR WHAT I AM (John Bettis and Palma Pascale) "Love Me For What I Am" brings "Horizon" close to its sunset. The message is a bold one which is self explanatory by the song's title. Once again Karen is so completely convincing, that you yourself feel like you're living the lines of the song. This is one of the album's most convincing tunes featuring Karen's hauntingly bold and soulful vocal which helps create that trademark "chill factor", which is prevalent in many Carpenters songs. This song has a slightly stronger edge to it and reaches its pinnacle with a burning fuzz guitar solo by the legendary Tony Peluso. With this song The Carpenters prove they are masters of the power ballad.
EVENTIDE (Richard Carpenter and John Bettis) After eight wonderfully crafted pop tunes which include a variety ranging from 40's big band, dark soulful ballads and propulsive progressive power pop tunes the album says goodnight with the second bookend piece "Eventide", which gently fades off into the horizon. - contributed by Rick Henry of The Carpenters Online
