Carpenters - Now & Then (200g, Japanese edition)
Rarity - Sealed
Vocals – Karen Carpenter, Richard Carpenter
Backing vocals – The Jimmy Joyce Children's Chorus (A1)
Voice of D.J. – Tony Peluso
Drums – Karen Carpenter
Drums – Hal Blaine (A4)
Keyboards – Richard Carpenter
Baritone Saxophone – Doug Strawn
Bass – Joe Osborn
Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Bob Messenger
Guitar – Gary Sims, Tony Peluso
Oboe, Bass Oboe, English Horn – Earl Dumler
Steel Guitar – Buddy Emmons, Jay Dee Maness
Arranged and orchestrated by Richard Carpenter
Written by Joe Raposo (A1), Leon Russell (A2), Johnny Pearson (A3), Hank Williams (A4), Randy Edelman (A5), John Bettis (B1, B3), Richard Carpenter (B1, B3), Brian Wilson (B2a), Mike Love (B2a), Arthur Kent (B2b), Sylvia Dee (B2b), Ellie Greenwich (B2c), Jeff Barry (B2c), Phil Spector (B2c), Jan Berry (B2d), Roger Christian (B2d), Wilson (B2d), Artie Kornfeld (B2d), Lyn Duddy (B2e), Lee Pockriss (B2e), Benjamin Weisman (B2f), Dorothy Wayne (B2f), Marilynn Garrett (B2f), Bob Hilliard (B2g), Mort Garson (B2g), Carole King (B2h), Gerry Goffin (B2h)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 200g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified (Japan)
Label : Universal Japan
Original Label : A&M Records
Recorded 1972–1973 at A&M Studio in Hollywood
Recorded by Tom Scott
Engineered by Ray Gerhardt
Produced by Karen Carpenter, Richard Carpenter
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Photography by Jim McCrary
Originally released in May 1973
Reissued in August 2007
Tracks:
Side A:
- Sing
- This Masquerade
- Heather
- Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
- I Can't Make Music
Side B:
- Yesterday Once More
- Medley:
- Yesterday Once More (Reprise)
Reviews :
“It was with the release of Now & Then that the Carpenters lost any pretense of being even dorky cool. The album jacket was a giveaway, depicting them in a car in front of a suburban home. The problem also laid in the relentlessly cheerful children's chorus on "Sing," which seemed to come out of every public music outlet that spring and summer; the silly version of "Jambalaya" on side one; and the oldies medley on the second side, which at least predated Happy Days going on the air but still botched its job, mixing Karen Carpenter's haunting rendition of "Johnny Angel" and her spirited version of "One Fine Day" (anticipating her white-bread but effective version of "Beechwood 4-5789") with filler like "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Dead Man's Curve," all interspersed with Tony Peluso doing his best (i.e., worst) imitation of an obnoxious disc jockey. Whatever the reason, from the moment of the release of Now & Then, listeners under 30 buying a Carpenters album would have good reason to go to a neighborhood where no one knew them to make the purchase, and hide it from their friends. The pity is that the medley paled next to its framing song, the wistful "Yesterday Once More," the last really memorable song that the duo introduced, which summed up in four minutes all of the emotions and sensations that the medley took 15 to deliver. And that song was botched in its album edit, which, instead of giving it an ending, made it part of the medley, with an annoying segue into the latter.” AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
Ratings :
AllMusic : 2.5 / 5 , Discogs : 4.75 / 5