Horizon (The Carpenters album)

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Horizon
Horizon (Carpenters Album).jpg
Studio album by The Carpenters
Released June 12, 1975
Recorded 1974 - 1975 at A&M Studios, Los Angeles
Genre Pop, easy listening, adult contemporary
Length 34:53
Label A&M
Producer Richard Carpenter/Associate Producer - Karen Carpenter
The Carpenters chronology
Live in Japan
(1973)Live in Japan1973		 Horizon
(1975)		 A Kind of Hush
(1976)A Kind of Hush1976

Horizon is the sixth consecutive platinum-certified album by American musical duo Carpenters. It was recorded at A&M Studios (mainly in Studio "D" using then-state-of-the-art 24-track recording technology, 30 Dolby, and recorded at 30 inches per second). The Carpenters spent many hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects.[1]

After five consecutive albums peaking inside the US top five, Horizon broke this run by reaching no. 13. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipments of 1 million copies. It was particularly successful in the United Kingdom and Japan, topping the charts and becoming one of best-selling albums of 1975 in those countries. Horizon also reached no. 3 in New Zealand, no. 4 in Canada and no. 5 in Norway.

Overview

The album's first single, "Please Mr. Postman" (released some seven months earlier), became the album's biggest hit single and also the Carpenters' biggest hit single worldwide. It reached no. 1 in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, as well as reaching no. 2 in the UK and Ireland.[2] This tune features Karen on drums and Tony Peluso on guitar solo. The following single, "Only Yesterday", was also a success, reaching no. 2 in Canada and France, no. 4 in the US, no. 5 in Ireland, no. 7 in the UK, no. 10 in New Zealand and was certified gold in Japan. The song also won the prestigious Grand Prix award in Japan.[3] A third single, "Solitaire", reached no. 17 in the US and the top 40 in several other countries around the world.[citation needed] According to Richard,[citation needed] Karen never particularly liked the song. The Carpenters' version of this song leaves out lyrics included in the original.

"Desperado" was originally recorded by The Eagles in 1973 for the album of the same name. Several others have recorded this song including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, and Kenny Rogers. Due to the fact that the song was already well known, A&M decided not to release the song as a single.[original research?] Another cover, "I Can Dream, Can't I" is an interpretation of the 1949 Andrews Sisters hit, and was originally written in 1937. Karen and Richard hired Billy May, who has worked with artists such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, to help orchestrate the song. The song features the Billy May Orchestra. John Bahler is in the chorus of background singers.[citation needed]

At the time of the release of Horizon, lyricist John Bettis claimed "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You" to be his and Richard's best collaboration.[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 2/5 stars[5]
Rolling Stone (Positive)[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 2.5/5 stars[7]

Rolling Stone reviewer Stephen Holden acclaimed Horizon, calling it "the Carpenters' most musically sophisticated album to date."[6] However AllMusic gave the album a less enthusiastic review and cited flaws despite a good production.

Track listing

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Aurora"   Richard Carpenter, John Bettis 1:32
2. "Only Yesterday"   Carpenter, Bettis 4:11
3. "Desperado"   Don Henley, Glenn Frey 3:38
4. "Please Mr. Postman"   Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman 2:53
5. "I Can Dream, Can't I?"   Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal 4:59
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. "Solitaire"   Neil Sedaka, Phil Cody 4:40
7. "Happy"   Tony Peluso, Diane Rubin, Bettis 3:51
8. "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You"   Carpenter, Bettis 4:06
9. "Love Me for What I Am"   Palma Pascale, Bettis 3:30
10. "Eventide"   Carpenter, Bettis 1:33
  • All vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
  • Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
  • Bass: Joe Osborn
  • Drums: Karen Carpenter, Jim Gordon
  • Guitars: Tony Peluso
  • Tenor saxophone: Bob Messenger
  • Baritone saxophone: Doug Strawn
  • Oboe and English horn: Earl Dumler
  • Pedal steel guitar: Thad Maxwell, Red Rhodes
  • Harmonica: Tommy Morgan
  • Harp: Gayle Levant

Although percussion is audible on some of the songs, notably "Only Yesterday", it is not specified who the percussionist is, but this would change with the experimental album Passage, released in 1977.

Engineers: Roger Young, Ray Gerhardt Assistant engineer: Dave Iveland

Photography: Ed Caraeff

Arranged, orchestrated and conducted by Richard Carpenter

"I Can Dream, Can't I?" featured guest performances by:

  • Bass: Joe Mondragon
  • Drums: Alvin Stoller
  • Keyboards: Pete Jolly
  • Vibes: Frank Flynn
  • Guitar: Bob Bain

Singles

  • "Please Mr. Postman" US 7" single (1974) – A&M 1646
  1. "Please Mr. Postman"
  2. "This Masquerade"
  • "Only Yesterday" US 7" single (1975) – A&M 1677
  1. "Only Yesterday"
  2. "Happy"
  • "Solitaire" US 7" single (1975) – A&M 1721
  1. "Solitaire"
  2. "Love Me for What I Am"

Charts

References

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Preceded by
Kaze First by Kaze
 Japanese Oricon LP Chart number-one album
June 30–July 28, 1975		 Succeeded by
Good Pages by Yosui Inoue
Preceded by
Venus and Mars by Wings
Venus and Mars by Wings
 UK number-one album
July 5–12, 1975
July 26–August 9, 1975		 Succeeded by
Venus and Mars by Wings
The Best of the Stylistics by The Stylistics

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  1. ↑ Carpenter, Richard: "Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music", page 87. Tiny Ripple Books, 2000
  2. ↑ http://leadsister.com/?page_id=725
  3. ↑ Carpenters Decade back cover; sold through the original fan club
  4. ↑ The Carpenters: The Untold Story - An Authorized Biography by Ray Coleman
  5. ↑ Eder, Bruce. Horizon at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  14. ↑ Allmusic Carpenters > Horizon > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
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  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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