Carpenter

Christmas Collection
$22.98
I don't know if this is the best Christmas collection ever, but it's surely on the short list along with the Boston Pops, Percy Faith, Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby. The vocals are excellent (particularly "Little Altar Boy", the "First Snow/Let It Snow!" pairing and "Merry Christmas Darling." The arrangements? Impeccable. The only weak selection: "Ave Maria." It just doesn't work -- but that's four minutes out of almost two hours, and I'll take that any day.

Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas
$17.98

I ask for this CD as I like christmas songs not well-known.And Mary Carpenter sings gently...it is good for soul.

Singles 1969-1981
$13.98
I don't actually own this. This is the case for three reasons. First, I have already taken the plunge on four other Carpenters hits collections, none of which is completely satisfying. Second, while the supplements to the original 1969-1973 disc are nice, too much is still missing. Third, Richard's remixes mean these aren't the original versions. He is a skilled remixer but these are simply not the singles as we heard them on the radio. Fourth, Karen's facial expression on the cover is truly eerie and I can't have it in my home.

40/40
$19.98
Carpenters 40/40 is overall a fine retrospective of the Carpenters music catalog. This one has several tracks never before on such a compilation, most notably the beautiful "When You've Got What it Takes", an outstanding song from the "Made In America" album of 1981. This set showcases the impeccable vocal stylings of Karen Carpenter, one of the finest pop singers in American music history. The sound and mastering are wonderful, though I would dearly love to hear some of the tracks as they originally were on the original albums of years ago. And I do wonder why Richard, who has control of their music catalog, has not yet seen fit to let the fans hear and own the unreleased tracks from Karen's solo album. I would also have liked to see a more detailed booklet with more photos and some more personal reflections from Richard. Still, it is great to see that new compilations are being brought out to keep the Carpenters' legacy alive. For anyone interested in their music, this is a worthy release and should not be missed.