Horizon (Carpenters album)

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Horizon
Horizon cover
Studio album by The Carpenters
Released June 6, 1975
Recorded 1975
Genre Pop
Label A&M Records
Producer Richard Carpenter
Professional reviews
The Carpenters chronology
"Now & Then"
(1973)		 "Horizon"
(1975)		 "A Kind of Hush"
(1976)

Horizon is a 1975 album by musical American duo Carpenters. Horizon is an album which many Carpenters fans claim to be their favorite amongst all Carpenters releases. Released on June 6, 1975, critics hail this to be the one of the most sophisticated Carpenters albums to date. 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.[1]

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. "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.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Aurora"
  2. "Only Yesterday"
  3. "Desperado"
  4. "Please Mr. Postman"
  5. "I Can Dream, Can't I?"
  6. "Solitaire"
  7. "Happy"
  8. "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You"
  9. "Love Me For What I Am
  10. "Eventide"

[edit] Track listing Information

[edit] Aurora

Composed by 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.

[edit] Only Yesterday

Composed by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis From "Aurora", the album moves right on 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."[citation needed] The song is an impressive "wall of sound" with each instrument clearly recognizable. 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.

[edit] Desperado

Composed by Don Henley and Glenn Frey

This song received the most attention from the critics stating this was a logical choice for release as a single.[citation needed] This intensely 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. It was the fact that the song had already been released as a single and recorded by other artists that influenced A&M not to release the song as a single.

[edit] Please Mr. Postman

Composed by W. Garrett, B. Holland, F. Gorman, G. Dobbins and 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 United States, 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 songs 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."

[edit] I Can Dream, Can't I?

Composed by 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.

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.

The song was not entirely recorded by Richard and Karen Carpenter.[2]

  • Bass: Joe Mondragon
  • Drums: Alvin Stoller
  • Keyboards: Pete Jolly
  • Vibes: Frank Flynn
  • Guitar: Bob Bain

[edit] Solitaire

Composed by 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, although according to Richard she never particularly liked the song.

[edit] Happy

Composed by 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 a unique rock ambience. The melody and music for "Happy" were written by Carpenters resident guitarist, Tony Peluso. The lyric was written by Richard Carpenter's usual lyricist, John Bettis, and Diane Rubin.

[edit] (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You

Composed by 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).[citation needed] 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 "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You" to be his and Richard's best collaboration.[citation needed]

[edit] Love Me For What I Am

Composed by 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 convincing that one feels like one's 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 Tony Peluso, who contributed similarly blazing guitar work to "Goodbye to Love".

[edit] Eventide

Composed by 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.

[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

FR 7" single (1975)  A&M 625.041
1.Solitaire
2.Love Me For What I Am
  • (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You (credited as Prisonera Entre Un Adios Y Te Amo)
AR 7" single (1975)  A&M 0003
1.(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
2.??
v • d • e
The Carpenters
Karen Carpenter · Richard Carpenter
Discography
Ticket to Ride (1969) · Close to You (1970) · Carpenters (1971) · A Song for You (1972) · Now & Then (1973) · The Singles: 1969-1973 (1973) · Horizon (1975) · A Kind of Hush (1976) · Live at the Palladium (1976) · Passage (1977) · The Singles: 1974-1978 (1978) · Made in America (1981) · Voice of the Heart (1983) · Lovelines (1989) · As Time Goes By (2004)
Videography
Related articles

[edit] References

  1. ^ Carpenter, Richard: "Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music", page 87. Tiny Ripple Books, 2000
  2. ^ Horizon - Cardboard LP Jacket