Carpenters in general

We’ve Only Just Begun OK, I admit it: I’m a huge Carpenters fan. I’ve been one for as long as I dare to remember. And after much thought, and with a just a snatch of trepidation, I have determined to set out and trace their musical life and legacy for all those who, like me, love their unforgettable music - and that unmistakable voice. ‘When I was young, I’d listen to the radio..’ 1 Karen Anne Carpenter was born in New Haven, Connecticut on March 2 1950. She had a brother, Richard, and the two of them grew up to become very, very close as siblings. In 1963, Karen and Richard moved with their parents to ...  Read the complete review

When I was young I would listen to The Carpenters. It was my dad's record, a creased, brown album with Karen and Richard's faces peering at you cheerfully. I used to play it incessantly, over and over and over again, lifting the stylus backwards and forwards to my favourite tracks. That album is now back in my parent's attic somewhere, squashed between dolls and Lego, silent and collecting dust. That record introduced me to probably the most beautiful, well-rounded music I have ever heard. Everyone must have heard of The Carpenters, and most people will know that they are a brother and sister band that 'made good'. Their story ...  Read the complete review

Last week I was at a wedding. During the meal a Carpenters compilation album was playing which provided no end of entertainment to our table! Having not heard such Radio 2 friendly classics such as "We've Only Just Begun", "Only Yesterday" and "Close To You" for ages got me thinking. Without doubt the Carpenters were the Kings & Queens of cheesy listening. Looking back, it is difficult to imagine being able to play any other music at a family gathering. Who could the Carpenters possibly offend? Mum and Dad. Err no (they probably bought some of their LPs), Nan and Grandad (err no they probably used to listen to ...  Read the complete review

What can I say about Richard and Karen Carpenter - especially Karen - that hasn't been said a million times before? Karen Carpenter and her brother Richard were the duo behind many hit songs such as 'Close To You,' 'Only Yesterday,' 'Hurting Each Other' and many, many more. The combined talents of Richard on vocals and piano and Karen singing mainly vocals but occasionally playing drums too, spelt instant success for them both.....and I thought they were fantastic. The songs were all catchy, but Karen's beautiful rich voice was the main reason they were as popular as they were. She simply couldn't put a foot wrong. ...  Read the complete review

I am a huge carpenters fan and really miss those lovely people.Those were the days when you didnt have to get high on drugs to listen to what they laughingly today call music,lol It was tragic what happened to karen and i wish she was still with us,she had so much to give and we were robbed when she passed. On the positive side there is a new cd out soon called The Rainbow Connection and the songs are lovely and several have never been heard before. The song Rainbow Connection is very haunting and karen as ever sings her heart out and her reading of it is superb. Other songs on disc ...  Read the complete review