I searched far and wide for a C/NC of The Carpenters and could not find one. Not even in the archives.

Growing up, my parents used to listen to them. I used to have a visceral hatred for Karen Carpenter's voice, which led my mom to once think I was her mother reborn, the only other person she knew who hated Karen's voice so much. Not even the If I Were a Carpenter tribute album, containing many covers from bands I like, could change my mind back then, nor even knowing that some of those bands actually must have liked them.

Well lately I've been listening to some of my dad's old albums and just finished listening to an early compilation of their singles. There are still some overly slick, barf-in-my-mouth, pop harmonies that sound straight out of a '70s TV or radio advertisement, but I hate her voice a lot less now. Which has left me confused.

Please help.

jfv wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:47 pm I used to have a visceral hatred for Karen Carpenter's voice

One of my earliest memories about music was marvelling at Karen Carpenter's tone and how vibrantly expressive it is for such a low range. Rich and emotional. What did you hate about it?



I've loved Carpenters far before the punks reassessed her, but I've got a mad itch for highly-melodic, emotionally-weighted pop music. She's also excellent on the tubs. Richard and Karen were excellent musicians who made pretty music while going through a lot of pain.

Not Crap

rsmurphy wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 6:36 pm

jfv wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:47 pm I used to have a visceral hatred for Karen Carpenter's voice

One of my earliest memories about music was marvelling at Karen Carpenter's tone and how vibrantly expressive it is for such a low range. Rich and emotional. What did you hate about it?

The way she sings the last syllable of every line in the verses of this song (and others). It makes me want to pick up the nearest object and throw it against the wall, just maybe not as violently as when I was a kid.

jfv wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 6:49 pm

What do you have against control of your own vocal range?

"Top of the World" is my favorite Carpenter's song but admit to having "Goodbye to Love" stuck in my head since the appearance of this thread. I've always wanted a courageous guitar player to replicate Anthony Paluso's guitar tone in a personal song.

rsmurphy wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 7:10 pm What do you have against control of your own vocal range?

I don’t. I think?

I guess it’s her use of vibrato combined with her tone?

An acquaintance recently pointed out some similarites between her’s and Chrissie Hynde’s singing styles, which initially surprised me, but makes some sense. And now I’m mad because I can’t unhear it.

Anyway, I fully acknowledge that I might be crazy.

jfv wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 7:43 pm

rsmurphy wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 7:10 pm What do you have against control of your own vocal range?

I don’t. I think?

I guess it’s her use of vibrato combined with her tone?

Anyway, I fully acknowledge that I might be crazy.

No, I get it. That kind of technique and shaping requires expertise *but* it's easy to associate the smooth glide into vibrato on every longer note with some square, fuddy duddy music. It's not very rock and roll.

I think the Carpenters have this extra layer added by listeners like Thurston Moore who've championed them. There is a legitimate appreciation for their craft, but on top of it there's some kind of irony or kitsch to it. Like anything that shiny feels a bit creepy to a certain type of person. It's like two different people could be digging a Carpenters song with opposite perspectives on it. That's kind of magical, really.

I kind of fall in to that a bit, but I relate to it more with old stuff like Sons of the Pioneers, The Walker Brothers, Ink Spots. Some of that old showmanship is supposed to be fluff but it gets more profound when you sense darkness in it.

Horrible AM kitsch.

I wish she was still here to rework "Outdoor Miner."

zorg wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2025 9:23 pm Horrible AM kitsch.

schmaltz, even

I've loved "Superstar" ever since Tommy Boy.



Sometime in this past decade I started checking out other Carpenters tunes and I like the brain massage effect of their soft melodies and orchestration. I find some, like "Superstar," "We've Only Just Begun" and "Only Yesterday" have a dark, almost creepy quality despite their dreamy and poppy compositions. "Close To You" is a classic thanks to The Muppets. I think her voice is magical. It's so sweet seeing her genuine joy when she played drums. Anorexia is brutal.