Carpenters "Passage" LP (1977)

Details: Carpenters, "Passage" LP on A&M Records (1977). Vocal, pop-rock, easy listening. Includes the Carpenters reimagining of Klaatu's track, "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)." Pure magic. Beautiful condition, glossy cover still looks pretty and there are only a few signs of shelf-wear and storage. Media is mint. Carpenters all day long.

Description:  "Prior to the album's recording, a search was made for a new Carpenters producer, prompted by the band's decreasing popularity and Richard Carpenter's struggle with production duties (caused by his addiction to sleeping pills). However, according to Richard Carpenter, "not one major producer would sign on; radio was not quite as friendly at that time to our type of sound, and to be honest, my track record, on the whole, was a tough act to follow. Accordingly, I remained producer, but I did try to approach this new project from a different angle, hence my selection of songs for this album made Passage a bit of a departure from our previous recordings."

Richard Carpenter recalled that "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was "submitted to us by the publisher, and I immediately felt it was perfect for Karen, though now I feel differently, as I believe the song doesn't linger long enough in a lower register, a great area for Karen's voice. We contacted England's late, great Peter Knight to orchestrate the song, and two others on Passage. Peter flew to Los Angeles to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the recording. (Due to a contractual agreement their name was not allowed in the credits, hence the credit of the "Overbudget Philharmonic"). Between the 100-plus member "Phil" and the 50-voice Gregg Smith Singers, the recording session had to take place on the A&M Sound Stage and was then wired into Studio D."

Grade: VG+ (Cover) / NM (Record)

TRACK LISTING SIDE A:

A1. B'Wana She No Home
A2. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
A3. I Just Fall In Love Again
A4. On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada/Don't Cry for Me Argentina (From the Opera "Evita")

TRACK LISTING SIDE B:

B1. Sweet, Sweet Smile
B2. Two Sides
B3. Man Smart, Woman Smarter
B4. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day)