The Carpenters - Live At The Palladium (1984) (LP) - €10,00

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Live at the Palladium is the second live album by the American music duo The Carpenters. It was recorded during a week of live concerts at the London Palladium in November 1976. 

With a back catalogue of hits at their disposal - not to mention one of the greatest female voices in pop music - you would be excused for thinking that a live album would represent the perfect vehicle for the Carpenters to show off their musical wares. Too bad then that they decided to release this load of junk instead.

There are moments when the duo's incredible success still seems a little difficult to comprehend. Side One of this album is a case in point. Rather than focussing on their hits the concert is set up more like a biographical cabaret performance. 

So alongside only two recognised Carpenters songs, this first side also sees Richard talking about the young Karen's drumming (followed by a drum duet between her and Cubby O'Brien). 

Then you have Karen talking about Richard's musicality (followed by a rendition of the Warsaw Concerto backed by an orchestra). I tried to imagine myself as a member of the Palladium audience, having waited weeks to hear them perform my favourite Carpenters song - in my case "Superstar" - only to be served up this slightly bizarre entertainment instead.

Things don't improve on Side Two. 

I've always disliked medleys and not even Karen's voice can make the first fifteen minutes seem worthwhile as they speed through ten of their best known songs. 

The closing "We've Only Just Begun" is at least performed in full but it doesn't come anywhere near to rescuing the album as a whole.

For sheer weirdness, the rendition of "Warsaw Concerto" might just be the most interesting thing on here but, trust me, unless you're a hardened Carpenters fan there is little reason to go and track down a copy. Stick with The Singles 1969-1973 instead.

No singles were released from the album, although it reached number 28 on the UK Albums Chart. 

On the cover of the record, Karen is wearing the same dress as in The Carpenters' First Television Special. 

The album was remastered and reissued in the 1980s on the budget Pickwick music label and went Gold in the UK. This album was not released in the U.S. but was widely available as an import. 

Side A

A1.  Flat Baroque - 1:33

A2.  There’s A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) - 2:16

A3.  Jambalaya (On The Bayou) - 2:51

A4.  Medley - 5:34

       (a) Piano Picker

       (b) Strike Up The Band

       (c) S’Wonderful

       (d) Fascinatin’ Rhythm

A5.  Warsaw Concerto - 6:35

A6.  From This Moment On - 2:11

Side B

B1.  Medley - 15:44

       (a) (They Long To Be) Close To You

       (b) For All We Know

       (c) Top Of The World

       (d) Ticket To Ride

       (e) Only Yesterday

       (f) I Won’t Last A Day Without You

       (g) Hurting Each Other

       (h) Superstar

       (i) Rainy Days And Mondays

       (j) Goodbye To Love

B2.  We’ve Only Just Begun - 3:52

Companies, etc.

• Licensed From – A&M Records
• Marketed By – Pickwick International Inc. (GB) Ltd.
• Published By – Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
• Published By – Donna Music
• Published By – Acuff Rose Music
• Published By – Big 3 Music
• Published By – CBS Songs
• Published By – Chappell Music
• Published By – Keith Prowse Music
• Published By – Carlin Music Corp.
• Published By – MCA Music
• Published By – Northern Songs
• Published By – Heath Levy Music
• Published By – Teddy Jack Music
• Lacquer Cut At – Tape One
• Recorded By – Basing Street Mobile
• Mixed At – Air Studios
• Mastered At – Pye Studios
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – A&M Records, Inc.
• Copyright © – A&M Records

    

Credits

• Arranged By, Orchestrated By – Richard Carpenter
• Art Direction – Roland Young
• Bass, Keyboards, Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Messenger
• Bass, Vocals – Dan Woodhams
• Conductor [Orchestra] – Dick Palombi (tracks: A1 to A4, A6 to B2)
• Design [Art Design] – Chuck Beeson
• Drums – Cubby O'Brien
• Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Karen Carpenter
• Engineer – Ray Gerhardt
• Engineer [Air Studios], Mixed By – Jon Kelly
• Engineer [Basing Street] – Frank Owen
• Engineer [Pye Studios], Mastered By – Malcolm Davies
• Guitar, Keyboards, Bass – Tony Peluso
• Keyboards, Clarinet, Vocals – Doug Strawn
• Keyboards, Vocals – Richard Carpenter
• Lacquer Cut By – Pounda
• Management – Management 111 Ltd.
• Management [Personal] – Jerry Weintraub
• Producer – Richard Carpenter
• Producer [Associate] – Karen Carpenter

Notes

Released:  1984 (Reissue)

Format:  Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue

Genre:  Soft Pop

Label:  Hallmark Records  

Catalog#  SHM 3142

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10:00