Yes, one of the things I love about her voice is that she sounds so freakin’ kind.
I think Superstar might have been the Carpenters’ best song…and Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft the worst!
I like their version of Ticket to Ride better than the original.
Her voice had such a smile in it. Can’t help but liking to hear it.
This seems a goof place to ask: What do the Carpenters fans here think of Rumer? As far as I can tell, this isn’t deliberate mimicry, it’s just someone who happens to sound like Karen Carpenter.
genuflects at Karen Carpenter’s voice One of the most beautiful ever ever for sure. I thought that when I was a teenybopper buying Carpenters LPs (and getting shit from my brother for it), and I think that now. There are singers I like more (Kate Bush, Happy Rhodes, Jane Siberry), for various reasons, but Karen’s voice is very special to me.
She has a nice voice, but she doesn’t sound anything like Karen to me. There are tons of singers out there with as good or better voices. Not to take anything away from Rumer (who I’ve known about since her La Honda days), it’s just that her voice is not that special. Meaning, a beautiful voice, but not uniquely beautiful.
Karen is unique. The only singer I can think of who even compares to her, regarding having a voice of liquid gold, is Eva Cassidy.
I think their music holds up very well, especially if you like soft rock.
Karen Carpenter is one of the best singers of the 20th Century.
“Rainy Days & Mondays.”
No.
Raises hand slowly from the back of the room.
I generally do not like any type of soft music but I was captivated with Karen Carpenter’s voice the first time I heard her TV when I was young and it stayed that way. She had a voice that still stops me cold. It hauntingly beautiful. I wish that she could have lived to do more modern types of songs.
Yep. My mom always like the Carpenters and she had a couple of their records, which I always used to listen to.
One of my guilty pleasures, since I’m not one for soft rock.
I’m not hearing the similarity at all. It’s like if you start out with Carpenter, and remove the warmth, the heart, the honey, the smile . . . .
Damn, this thread makes me cry.
Yep. I love her voice, and I admit to a sneaking fondness for Calling Occupants, too. B’wana She No Home, on the other hand, I can do without.
A singer who occasionally gives me the kind of chills Karen Carpenter’s voice does is Neko Case. But it’s a different quality - Neko’s voice isn’t as warm and friendly.
From a critical standpoint, the Carpenters had the misfortune of recording in a decade where all the rock critics were just itching to jump all over anything even remotely MOR. I think they would have gotten a much better critical reception ten years earlier or ten years later. If they were around today they’d probably be indie heroes.
Karen Carpenter was one of the greatest singers of the century.
I was just a kid when the Carpenters were at their peak, but I remember that they were considered the punchline of a joke by young adults, sort of like Michael Bolton or Vanilla Ice years later. As Sam Stone says, MOR was out of style then. It didn’t help when President Nixon praised them. There were concert reviews that ignored their music while dwelling on their ‘square’ clothing and haircuts.
It was amazing how quickly everyone forgot this in the wake of Karen’s tragic death. The adage of having to suffer to create great art was well-served: as one writer put it, ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’ never sounded the same again.
On reflection, I think this was very much the wrong place to ask the question. Please (everyone) disregard my post above and the discussion can take place elsewhere, if necessary.
Shhh!
You are not supposed to say you like the Carpenters. Or Abba.
I’m a rebel! You can’t stop me. I like Air Supply too!
I not only like Abba, I also like John Denver and the Bee Gees.
Top that, if you dare!
I’ll see your Abba, John Denver, Bee Gees and the aforementioned Carpenters ad raise you a Michael Bolton.
Can anyone beat THAT hand??
I own several Barbra Streisand records, records by both David and Shaun Cassidy, and a Monkees collection.
Barry Manilow has been my imaginary husband since about 1974.
Oh… how could I forget Barry Manilow??? I think he has one of the most beautiful voices ever.
I also like Celine Dione.
AND… I have several Monkees CDs, The Partridge Family’s Greatest hits, Shaun Cassidy’s greatest hits,and…
The Osmond Brothers.
I win.
Based on this thread I’m guessing you and I could share a long drive and never fight over what music was playing.