"Horizon" a true masterpiece

"Horizon" is easily the Carpenters most technically advanced album musically and Karen's most alarmingly intense vocal work of her entire career. The album contains three great hits "Please Mr. Postman","Solitaire" and fan favorite "Only Yesterday". Yet there are many other wonderful songs.



"I Can Dream Can't I" is an excellent big band song which remains true to the style of the 1940's with the technology of the 1970's and is arranged by veteran Billy May.



The Carpenters' rendition of the Eagles' "Desperado" is absolutely mind blowing. Karen's vocal on this song is chillingly dark and soulful. And Tommy Morgan's harmoica adds a mystique to the song.



"(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You" is a country flavored bittersweet song which in it's simplicity is absolutely effective in showcasing Karen's soulful yearning.



"Love Me For What I Am" is one of the Carpenters finest power pop ballads with electric guitar and stirring lyrics. The message in this song is strong and is delivered by a impeccably by Karen.



"Happy" is highlight of this album. It's a great upbeat song with some sythesizer effects toward the end which give this song an otherworldly appeal. Carpenters guitarist extraordinaire Tony Peluso wrote this song and of course contributes all the guitar parts including a great guitar solo.



This album moved along seemlessly from one great song to the next. Every song on this album is outstanding.

greatest carpenters album

this has got to be the best carpenters album ever released. I love every track on this album. I cannot name a favorite cut on this album since I love every track. Karen's voice has seemed to reach a new maturity with this album that her voice seems flawless. From start to finish this is karen's album. I think they should have included the track tryin to get the feelin again on this album it would have been a standout track if included. two of my favorite tracks are despardo and I am caught between goodbye and I love you. Karen's voice has never been more beautiful. Please mr postman, I love this track espically karen's drumming, it is sure nice to hear her on the drum stool once again. From this track you can hear that she was an excellant drummer. once again you will not be dissapointed every track is great and contray to richard carpenter this is not a let down. hope you enjoy.

WE CAN DREAM, CAN'T WE? {*Yeah, sure.*}

Richard Carpenter has expressed a slight dissatisfaction in HORIZON, and although I am a HUGE fan of The Carpenters {*He exaggerates; don't listen to him. He weighs about 165.*} I fear I must concur with Richard's assessment. This collection is akin to finding a few purebred Golden Retrievers running with a pack of common dogs. {*A really bad analogy, Stephen! Remember, man, this is the world's greatest singer you're talking about here.*}



The album opens and closes with the very brief, atmospheric mood pieces, AURORA and EVENTIDE - so good you're actually left disappointed that they weren't expanded. In between is the memorable, but widely available hit, ONLY YESTERDAY, and the haunting SOLITAIRE. Unquestionably, the big knockout track here is the dreamy, I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I, and this is really saying something when you consider that this collection also includes Karen's heartfelt reading of Frey & Henley's movingly plaintive and lyrically brilliant, DESPERADO - a song that would be the major highlight on any number of other albums!



Richard once lamented that had he only known how little time he and his sister would have together, they wouldn't have wasted any of it recording songs like Beechwood 4-5789. Although it went to Number 1 on the U.S. charts, and was a runaway monster in Japan {*You mean like Godzilla?*}, I have to believe that Richard would have included PLEASE MR. POSTMAN in this lamentable category. It's just pure radio fluff; about as satisfying as a Popsicle! For me, the other three cuts (#7, 8 & 9) are nearly equally forgettable.



Oh, but did I mention, I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I? {*Forgive him, folks. He's starting to get long in the tooth, and one's memory is always the first thing to go!*} It's bittersweet. Sweet in that Karen's exquisite, intimate voice and delicious delivery are perfectly framed by the crystalline, rock candy piano at the forefront and by the warm, melty, white chocolate strings in the background! {*Stephen, you hungry maybe?*} It's just GORGEOUS! A light wisp of smoke, tenderly wrapped in gauze and gently placed in a bed of softly folded lace. And it's bitter in that this is the only taste of it that we are ever going to get. Just a glimpse of an unrealized potential. What a treasure we would have possessed if The Carpenters had recorded an entire album of time-tested standards with similar stylistically luscious arrangements. It could have been called CLASSIC KAREN and included songs such as, Stardust; You Belong To Me; Misty; September Song; and Smokin' In The Boy's Room. {*SMOKIN' IN THE BOY'S ROOM?!!*} No, I meant, Smoke On The Water. {*SAY WHAT?!*} Smoke Gets In Your Eyes? {*Yeah, well that's a little more like it. Man, they'll let just about anybody post reviews on Amazon, won't they?*} But I suppose it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. {*Good line, Stephen, but it sounds familiar.*} Alas, we're never going to get CLASSIC KAREN, but still we can listen to this one shimmering moment over and over, and we can dream, can't we? {*Yeah, I know he's kind of sappy, but you get used to him.*}



In addition to the music, there are two REALLY NICE photos of Karen on the front and back cover {*Alright, Stephen, take it easy!*} and musically, the mountaintops are so majestic on this slightly uneven recording that they cast their shadows down into the valleys and render them passable. If you are new to The Carpenters, you could do worse than this collection, and if you are already a fan, then purchasing this compact disc should be on your immediate HORIZON. {*Ok, you done now? Let's log off, get out of these pajamas, and go get something to eat already. Man, I'm starving!*}

Carpenters' Horizon

I bought this when it was on LP. As all ways, Karen Carpenter has that warm soothing sound. Her voice is the most mellow, most intimate I have ever heard. I love her cover of Desperado. I like it better than the Eagles or Linda Rondstadt. Good arrangement. My two favorites on the album are I Can Dream Can't I which is a big band song. The Andrew Sisters did this. This has the intro as well as the main part of the song with a harmony section. Very sad, intimate song but beautiful just the same. My other favorite is Love Me For What I Am. This is a great melody and has that rock guitar solo so it's similar to Goodbye to Love, another hit of theirs. I think the two I mentioned could have been hits. Also, I Can Dream, Can't I was also covered by Mama Cass Elliot. Hers is not bad either but Karen's is the best. This album also includes Only Yesterday and Please Mr. Postman and Solitaire which were all hits. Please was number 1. I think you will like this album if you buy it. It's one of my favorites of theirs mostly for Desperado, I Can Dream, and Love Me For What I Am