Carpenters: A Kind of Hush CD Track Listing

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Carpenters A Kind of Hush (1976)
Originally Released June 1976\nCD Edition Released ??\nRemastered CD Edition Released December 8, 1998\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: The formula behind the Carpenters' albums was starting to get fairly routine -- a hit single and an oldie or two (which sometimes was the single) surrounded by some well-produced soft pop/rock, driven by electric piano, strings, and a guitar solo or two cropping up. "There's a Kind of a Hush" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" are the two most memorable tracks on this pleasant, well-sung, and well-played, but basically bland, album, A Kind of Hush. There are virtues here -- "You" has a good guitar solo by Tony Peluso, and the vocals on "Sandy" are radiant, but this record was where the real rot began to set into the Carpenters' fortunes, in terms of remaining connected to rock. Instead of covering Leon Russell's or Carole King's contemporary material, they're doing songs like "Can't Smile Without You" -- the latter is very sweetly sung by Karen Carpenter, and gets a lyrical but spare arrangement from Richard Carpenter, but they needed something more credible to the under-30 audience (and especially material that, if not attractive to guys in that age range, at least wouldn't make them self-conscious about listening to it with their girlfriends) on this album, and it wasn't here. If you close your eyes, it's possible to imagine Captain & Tennille, not to mention Debby Boone, taking lessons from this release, although Karen's voice was still beyond comparison with any of them. -- Bruce Eder\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA Delightful Carpenter Album, August 4, 2005\nReviewer: James Koenig "Konedog4" (Fergus Falls, MN United States)\n \n"A Kind Of Hush" is a delightful soft-ballad album that has that pleasing Carpenter multi-layered sound. Briefly, this album has so many good tunes on it, I'd have to mention them all, as there are no "weak" tracks at all. You will enjoy this album from start to finish, it is personally one of my favorites, and I own all the Carpenter albums. The multi-layered Carpenter sound is Richard Carpenter's genius, and the vocal sound is the incomparible voice of his sister, Karen Carpenter. When you hear her sing one word, you know that voice is hers and hers alone. What a gift of song she had! Karen Carpenter was one of the most talented and pleasing female vocalists in the 20th century, and that is saying a lot! In my opinion, no one compares to the pure vocal talent of Karen. And she truly shines with the vocal and instrumental arrangements of brother Richard. He knew what key to produce the music in to maximize Karen's best vocal sound. It is Richard's arrangements with Karen's voice that constitutes that instantly recognizable Carpenter sound. \n\nSome particularly good tracks on this album are the title-tune, "A Kind of Hush", the beautifully composed love ballad "You", the very pleasing and soothing "Sandy", the jaunty and funny "Goofus", "Can't Smile Without You", "I Need To Be In Love", and the tribute to Neil Sedaka, "Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do". \n\n"A Kind of Hush", released in 1976, achieved "gold" status but failed to peak as high as previous Carpenter albums. The singles released from this album surprisingly did not track as high as previous efforts, with "There's a Kind of Hush", peaking at a very respectable #12, "I Need to Be in Love" at #25, while the novelty song "Goofus" failed to reach the Top 40 entirely - their first single to not crack the top-40 since they began recording in 1970. \n\nThis aside, the album is sure to please all Carpenter fans and I very highly recommend it! -- Jim "Konedog" Koenig \n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGood album from Carpenters' Middle Period, June 6, 2003\nReviewer: Joshua Smith (New Hartford, CT United States)\nI think of "A Kind of Hush" as the perfect middle point in the Carpenters' career. It is the album where they were simultaneously looking at where they had been in the past and where they were about to go with the daring "Passage" album. Richard has stated that he was never happy with the "Horizon" album, AKOH's immediate predecessor, because it dragged too much. If you look at "A Kind of Hush" in that context, you realize it really is an improvement over that album since it is much more light-hearted and moves along at a steady pace. I think the standouts on this album are the title track, "You," "Can't Smile Without You," and "Boat to Sail." I really don't mind the more silly excursions like "Goofus." That just shows that Karen and Richard had a sense of humor when it came to their albums.\n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nWarm and safe, April 9, 2002\nReviewer: JAMES W FENOS (COLUMBUS, OHIO United States)\nThe follow up to 1975's "Horizon" may have had some unfair pressure, so instead of trying to equal or surpass that effort, the Carpenters settle into familiar territory. The woodwinds are back, the warm overdubbs are as always, present, and the strings are bigger. The opening tune "A Kind Of Hush" is a cover version of the song by, I believe, Herman's Hermits. I've heard the original and I prefer the Carpenters smoother version. It's got a little glimmer of Las Vegas lounge glitz, but it's bossa nova pop fun. My all time favorite Carpenters tune "I Need To Be In Love" hails from this album as does another classic album favorite, "Sandy." "I Need To Be In Love" is the first ballad the Carpenters did that employs a choir. Richard would later use choir on subsequent releases. With the choir, "I Need To Be In Love" takes on an almost spiritual feeling and meaning. There is a saying about "hearing a smile" over the phone and radio, with that in mind, one can truly hear Karen's enjoyment in performing this song. She really believed in the lyric. The Carpenters beat Barry Manilow to the punch when they recorded "Can't Smile Without You" which was a single in England and failed to chart here. Barry camped up the song a bit and it was a smash. There exists a jazzy remix of this song, which I feel is better and it has an alternate vocal lead and lead lyric, available on the U.K. release "The Singles 1974-1978." Overall the material here is choral and verse ballads, save for the saloon style song "Ordinary Fool" which would have changed the direction of the Carpenters had it been released then, instead of langishing on the shelf until 1983, when it was released on "Voice Of The Heart."\n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSing Softly and Carry a Good Song, September 13, 2000\nReviewer: Bryan (Seattle, WA United States)\nThis album by the Carpenters isn't bad- not by a long shot- yet its overall presentation fails to fully satisfy due to a lack of top-notch material. The arrangements are more restrained than usual, often featuring Karen's gorgeous alto all alone with no overdubbing or harmonies. The standout tracks, in my opinion, are the stunning "One More Time", "I Have You" and of course, the album's masterpiece, "I Need To Be In Love". The remaining tracks are mostly very nice, but nothing exceptional. By the way, the fact that the moronic track "Goofus" was ever released as a single is beyond me. Almost any other song on this disc would've been a far better choice (as a single) for a hit record, and that includes their tepid remake of the classic "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do". Sigh. We miss you Karen, but have much to savor.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nMellow Yellow, February 18, 2000\nReviewer: A music fan (Seattle, WA)\nAt at time when the Carpenters were falling out of the mainstream in terms of public acceptance, they were in the studio making this, their seventh original studio album. Perhaps their personal problems, relentless touring and other outside influences (such as their spat with Neil Sedaka) had something to do with the rather lackluster theme of the album. Amongst such oddball cuts as "Goofus" & the cloying "Sandy" the listener will find a few gems and one masterpiece: "I Need to be in Love"- Karen's personal favorite. Written by John Bettis w/ assist from Al Hammond, the song stands out as anthemic and more than true to life. How many of us can share the sentiment as Karen sings "The hardest thing I've ever done is keep believing there's someone in this crazy world for me..."? Beyond this, two stand-out tracks include the beautiful "I Have You" and the soulful "One More Time". This album is really for Carpenters completists, not the casual fan. Look for a compilation with "I Need to be in Love" and you'll be fine.\n\n\n\nHalf.com Details \nContributing artists: Tom Scott \nProducer: Richard Carpenter \n\nAlbum Notes\nThe Carpenters: Richard Carpenter (vocals, keyboards); Karen Carpenter (vocals).\nAdditional personnel: Tony Peluso (guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Tom Scott (flute, clarinet); David Shostac (flute); Doug Strawn (whistle); Earl Dumler (oboe); Bob Messenger (tenor saxophone); Jim Horn (baritone saxophone); Wes Jacobs (tuba); Joe Osborn (bass); Jim Gordon, Cubby O'Brien (drums); MOR Chorale (background vocals).\n\nDigitally remastered by Richard Carpenter.\n\nA KIND OF HUSH is one of the albums most treasured by many Carpenters fans. Remastered by Richard Carpenter in 1998, the album is finally available on CD. The Gerry Goffin and Carole King-penned "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) and a ballad version of Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" display the duo's impressive interpretive skills, but most of the album was written by the songwriting team of Richard Carpenter and John Bettis. This team had already proven itself with hits like "Only Yesterday" and "Goodbye To Love." While the charmingly silly "Goofus" is a gem, it's Carpenter and Bettis' heartbreaking "I Need To Be In Love" that is both the album's standout and one of the finest performances of Karen Carpenter's career.
This misc cd contains 10 tracks and runs 33min 56sec.
Freedb: 7807f20a
Buy: from Amazon.com

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