Search - Richard Carpenter :: Time

A Welcome Departure

James Fenos | Columbus, OH United States | 11/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Richard started recording "Time," his first solo lp, in 1985 two years after the death of Karen. Richard held up production for a year because A&M was being remodeled. The resulting album was released in August of 1987 to mixed reviews. This lp served as a departure for Richard, indeed while he was a Carpenter he wouldn't have allowed a track anything like the opener "Say Yeah" to be released. I bought this cd when it was first released in 1987 and I hear that a remastered version is available in Japan, where the Carpenters still rule. Aside from the upbeat songs, there are a handful of songs best described as "Carpenteresque." The beautiful "Something In Your Eyes" featuring a subdued lead by Dusty Springfield with Richard handling the multi-overdubbed background vocal, the Dionne Warwick sung "In Love Alone" with the same background treatment, and my favorite Richard sung album closer "I'm Still Not Over You" which should have been culled as a single over the country tinged "Calling Your Name Again," also a Richard lead. Interesting about "In Love Alone," it was written especially for Karen and the arrangement is similar to "Hurting Each Other." The song was written about the time the Carpenters were working on what ultimately was Karen's final album, the yet unnamed "Voice Of The Heart." Richard and his long time writing partner John Bettis finished the composition and called Karen by phone to asked her to drive from her Century City condo to Richard's to hear the piece and she declined because it was raining really hard and she simply didn't want to drive. She died before getting to hear the song and Richard shelved it, having to be convinced to let it go for his "Time" album and Dionne's lead. The collaboration indicates what an entire album recorded by the duo would sound like. Richard took actor Scott Grimes of "Critters" fame under his wing and Scott's debut recording "That's What I Believe" is pure bubblegum, an indicator of Scott's 1989 self-titled debut album produced by Richard featuring Carpenter-Oland originals and a techno (!) cover of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." While the cd had it's moments like the slickly produced "You're The Voice," Scott's debut went nowhere and was relegated to the bargain bins. Ten long years would pass between Richard's solo releases, he gave up lead vocals in favor of instrumental versions of solo songs and Carpenters hits for 1997's "Pianist, Composer, Conductor" and as of this writing is working on a holiday album scheduled for release in 2007. Richard stated in an interview recently that he plans on releasing an album once every ten years wether it's needed or not, on the A&M label."

Great CD!

Mike Pierce | Tillamook, Oregon | 05/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is so bad that this CD is no longer available. It has several great songs on it. "Who do you Love", "Something in Your Eyes", "Time", and my favorite, "That's What I Believe". The first song "Say Yeah" is so out of place on this CD that it should have been left off. But outside of that one track the rest of the CD is great."