Insights and Sounds: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Showing posts with label Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Show all posts

October 17, 2022

Something New from the Carpenters Just in Time for the Christmas Holidays

Just when I thought I wouldn't see anything new by Carpenters for the holidays, here comes An Old Fashioned Christmas on CD for the first time ever. Released a couple of years after Karen's tragic passing in 1983, the second holiday release is full of that voice the world loves.

There's just not enough of it, but oh boy, are there some great cuts here! Little Altar Boy may be one of Karen Carpenter's best for those incredible low notes, but there's also Home For the Holidays, a stellar version of Do You Hear What I Hear?

My personal favorite, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? is just a slice of 40s coolness with a vocal performance that equals their classic Merry Christmas Darling. Richard fills out the seven vocal cuts by his sister with a variety of beautiful instrumentals. O Holy Night is among the best and brightest.

It's an import from Japan, so the price is a bit higher. But it is so worth it! A perfect companion piece to their iconic Christmas Portrait.

July 14, 2021

Gifts of Love

My love, my soul mate, my wife, gave me a brand new turntable for my birthday. (This photo is not it. 😀) However, what she really gave me was a reminder of how much she knows me and loves me! Of course, once we set it up, the first album played had to be Carpenters. No surprise, right?

To hear Karen Carpenter's rich, luxurious voice backed by Richard Carpenter's wonderful arrangements on their album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was quite an experience. The compact disc is great, but the warmth of vinyl brought out nuances I had not previously heard. I sat in the center of the room, soaking it all in. It really was yesterday once more, and I was 13 all over again.

Then for a change of pace, the epic Off The Wall by Michael Jackson was spun. Hearing Don't Stop Til You Get Enough- wow. The song just feels as modern and fresh as it did when it first came out. Then it was back to the duo and the underrated Lovelines. Such a missed gem in the Carpenters collection.

All my gifts were special and well thought out. Everyone should be so blessed to have the family God has given me....

January 22, 2021

From Herb Alpert to Karen and Richard Carpenter

Although music industry executives thought he was crazy, Herb Alpert gave Karen and Richard Carpenter the chance to record on A&M Records, and he remained a friend and personal fan of the duo ever since. Carpenters first disc Offering (later retitled Ticket to Ride after their single 45 remake of the Beatles song) was not a moneymaker. That didn't deter Herb, who was sure something special was there. he was right. The next single was (They Long to Be) Close to You, a number one smash on the Billboard charts. And the rest is history.

In November of 1973, A&M released The Singles 1969-1973, a true greatest hits records chocked full of surprises as it presented nine gold records as part of the collection. In celebrating their accomplishments, Herb took out this nice introductory ad. The text reads, "When you know a good song...when you can write a good song...and when you have talent, watch out- 'cause it can go on forever. Love you Richard & Karen and congratulations. Herb Alpert".

How we wish it did go on forever, and yet it does! Karen may have passed, but the music lives on. Richard's latest masterstroke is his reworking of their beloved songs with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. May there be more to come.

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This post is just one of many on the blog. Rare photos, an article on The Night I Met Karen Carpenter, and more can be found on this blog. Below is the list of my initial reviews of the Carpenters albums and then my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews a decade later. On these, I'm recently completed The Singles 1969-1973. The next is Live in Japan, and it's coming in next month.

My Initial Reviews of the albums:

Offering/Ticket to Ride

The Singles 1969-1973

Live In Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage