When the Carpenters’ sixth studio album Horizon was launched on June 6, 1975, it already boasted two smash hits, with a 3rd simply weeks away. By the tip of July, the LP itself was beginning a second spell at No.1 in one of many bedrocks of the duo’s fan base, the UK.
It was the Carpenters’ intelligent alternative of singles, launched forward of the album, that helped Horizon to be such an outstanding success. First up was their cowl of the Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman,” launched in November 1974, which went to No.1 within the US and Australia and was a significant success around the globe.
A remaining US High 10 hit
Their subsequent single launch from the album was “Only Yesterday,” a music written by Richard and longtime collaborator, John Bettis. It made No.4 on the Billboard Scorching 100 on March 29, 1974 and have become a High 5 world single; it additionally has the excellence of being the duo’s twelfth and final High 10 American hit. For his or her subsequent transfer, Richard and Karen Carpenter would launch their model of Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody’s “Solitaire,” which grew to become one other hit. However earlier than the July launch of that single, Horizon itself was within the highlight.
It debuted on the Billboard album chart at No.38 and climbed into the High 20 in its fourth week, however maybe surprisingly, its progress then slowed down. The LP ran out of momentum in a three-week keep at No.13, however the set would however turn out to be the duo’s sixth consecutive US platinum launch. Horizon topped the worldwide countdown in Japan, and had two spells at No.1 within the UK: for 2 weeks from July 5, and three extra from July 26.
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The opposite points of interest on the report included a model of the Nineteen Thirties copyright (and 1949 Andrews Sisters hit) “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” and a canopy of the Eagles’ “Desperado.” Mockingly, the album climbed to No.13 within the US within the week that that band hit the highest of the checklist with their One Of These Nights LP.
‘Diaphonous multiharmonies’
In a optimistic evaluate for Rolling Stone on the time, Stephen Holden wrote: “Against the carefully structured sound of the Carpenter formula, wherein Karen’s solos burst in and out of diaphonous multiharmonies, Richard has imposed more elaborately orchestrated textures than before and wisely mixed them at a level that doesn’t distract attention from Karen’s intimately mixed singing.”
Billboard, for his or her half, noticed that the “grand, eloquent sound of their superb backup arrangements gives this act a special launching pad with which to catapult its vocal sound.”
Purchase or stream the Carpenters’ Horizon.
