The Carpenters

• The Singles 1969-1973 [A&M, 1973] C+

Consumer Guide Reviews:

The Singles 1969-1973 [A&M, 1973]
The combination of Karen Carpenter's ductile, dispassionate contralto and Richard Carpenter's meticulous studio technique is admittedly more musical than the clatter of voices and silverware in a cafeteria, but it's just as impervious to criticism. That is, the duo's success is essentially statistical: I'll tell you that I very much like "We've Only Just Begun" and detest "Sing," but those aren't so much aesthetic judgments as points on a graph. C+