Sometimes we outgrow the music we love when we're young and sometimes it stays with us our whole lives. Over the years I've lost my passion for, say, Duran Duran, even though I still love "New Moon On Monday" and "Come Undone" (I will never not like "Come Undone." It is moody and deep and totally surrenders to the sensuality underscoring the song.)
But the Carpenters, specifically Karen's voice, will always be with me. I get Richard's genius with musical arrangements, I do, but his approach to music is almost too methodical. It was always, always, Karen's lovely register and heartfelt (if sometimes understated) commitment to song I loved more than anything and still do.
Maybe it's because her health started to decline around the same time, but I've always thought their best years were 1969-1973, which are the years covered in their best-selling Singles album. It's not that their later records didn't sound good ( Horizon, for instance, is just gorgeous, but it's saturated in a sadness that was present in its initial release and not a lingering association with Karen's tragic death.)
The Carpenters are still loved by many these days and their sound remains wonderful, but I always wondered if album covers like the one for Close To You did more harm than good in helping them be more respected in the music business. It's totally adorable in a completely dorky way, but it might have been one of the reasons it was uncool to admit you liked them in the 70s:
This article explores the pains and perks of being a Carpenters fan. I can't wait for the writer's book on this subject to be released:
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