Even though I consider HORIZON to be a solid, unforgettable Carpenters' album, I hardly ever listen to it, not because I don't like it, but because this album is often painful emotionally. With the exception of the breezy, (almost) happy "Please Mr. Postman" most of the songs attack your heart and leave you incredibly sad. Part of that, of course, has to do with Karen Carpenter's tragic death and the temptation to "read" into the feelings we think she must have been experiencing during her struggle with anorexia nervosa. The gloomy cover (perhaps a response to criticism of their previously "cheesy" album photos) certainly doesn't help.

"Love Me for What I Am" can especially pull at the listener because it eerily echoes what many women with eating disorders go through: a non-verbal plea to be accepted and loved for who they want to be, not who they SHOULD be. I am probably guilty of reading WAY TOO much into this track, but I can't shake the idea that this song resonated with Karen more than some of the other ones. "Solitaire," while an incredibly beautiful song, doesn't share the same intensity. I remember reading years ago that Karen didn't particularly care for this Neil Sedaka-penned song.

The sadness also seeps into songs you would think would be perkier ("Happy" and "Only Yesterday" are both supposed to be about the transformation of successful love yet hang wearily in the air.) One of the great things about Karen's voice was how it automatically lent dignity to even the most silly of songs (this applies to later albums such as "Made in America" and "Voice of the Heart"). Her great legacy includes the talent she had for giving layer (and sometimes irony) to each song she recorded. No other Carpenters album illustrates just how great and mature Karen was as a vocalist AND that, given more time and credit from harsh critics, she would have been known more for being a classy, first-rate singer than for being the victim of a devastating disease.


(sidenote: Personal favorites of mine include the delightfully pensive "I Can Dream, Can't I?" and the touching, sincere cover of "Desperado.")

"Horizon" is easily the Carpenters most technically advanced album musically and Karen's most alarmingly intense vocal work of her entire career. The album contains three great hits "Please Mr. Postman","Solitaire" and fan favorite "Only Yesterday". Yet there are many other wonderful songs.

"I Can Dream Can't I" is an excellent big band song which remains true to the style of the 1940's with the technology of the 1970's and is arranged by veteran Billy May.

The Carpenters' rendition of the Eagles' "Desperado" is absolutely mind blowing. Karen's vocal on this song is chillingly dark and soulful. And Tommy Morgan's harmoica adds a mystique to the song.

"(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You" is a country flavored bittersweet song which in it's simplicity is absolutely effective in showcasing Karen's soulful yearning.

"Love Me For What I Am" is one of the Carpenters finest power pop ballads with electric guitar and stirring lyrics. The message in this song is strong and is delivered by a impeccably by Karen.

"Happy" is highlight of this album. It's a great upbeat song with some sythesizer effects toward the end which give this song an otherworldly appeal. Carpenters guitarist extraordinaire Tony Peluso wrote this song and of course contributes all the guitar parts including a great guitar solo.

This album moved along seemlessly from one great song to the next. Every song on this album is outstanding.

After a break from recording in 1974, Karen and Richard returned to the studio for their 6th studio album with new material. Opening with the simple "Aurora", this album takes you on a journey through several wonderful songs. "Only Yesterday", the group's #4 and last top ten hit, is clearly the standout song, although the group's reading of the Eagles' "Desperado" deserves to be heard, along with their #1 smash, "Please Mr. Postman." "I Can Dream, Can't I" is pretty, but seems to drag. The single, "Solitaire", is one of the group's most "welldone" songs, blending Karen's longing voice to a great lyric and enhancing strings. "Solitaire" went to #17 on the charts. "Happy" is a good little tune, and so is "Goodbye and I Love You," but clearly, the most underrated song on this album is "Love Me for What I Am." This song rocks! From start to finish, this album is breathtaking, and it is one superb journey through several notable songs.

From several different perspectives, these are some of the finest recordings the Carpenters have ever made. This album stands out in my mind because of the warmth and presence of Karen's voice. Her lower register is showcased beautifully here. The audio quality is exceptional (especially given the fact that it was recorded way back in 1974!). The arrangements are rich and smooth and it shows that this was a work of art that was not rushed or thrown together. Not many artists nowadays create music this high in overall quality. My only disappointment is that the album is relatively short. But it was to be released on vinyl so that's the reason. On a technical note, this is the first Carpenters album that was recorded using a 24 track recorder running at 30 inches per second. Their previous albums were recorded on tape traveling at 1/2 that speed so this album marked a big improvement in the quality of their recordings. Get it and enjoy it!

Horizon, the album recorded smack dab in the middle of the Carpenters twelve-year career, introduces a more mature musical sound while revealing an emotional depth that was somewhat missing on Now and Then. Karen's voice is in prime form while the Carpenters sound has reached sublime perfection. The music in Horizon perfectly gels with Karen's impeccable voice to create a listening experience unrivaled with any other Carpenters album. The opening "Aurora" introduces us to several lyrically vivid images set up against a dream-like piano solo. The strings enhance an opening song which is too beautiful and all too short. (1:00) From this moment, we realize we are not embarking into a regular Carpenters album. Karen's voice is never in better form as it is in "Only Yesterday", the first full song on the album, and second single (#4 in 1975). She begins with the husky low "After long enough of being alone" before rising to the "Only yesterday when I was sad and I was lonely" of the chorus. Few other Carpenters songs highlight her incredible range as this one. The song is even built differently than a regular Carpenters song, segueing into the electric guitar solo after the first chorus rather than after a bridge. From the bouncing "Only Yesterday", we slide right into a great cover of the Eagles' "Desperado." The song and lyric prove to be perfectly suited for Karen's voice and reading. And the classic harmonica only heightens the longing. One of the album's highlights comes next with "Please Mr. Postman", a #1 hit single that is just too much fun. Karen and Richard's playful arrangement of this Marvelette's song is irresistible to radio and fits in perfectly on an album which has already shown much variety. "I Can Dream, Can't I" is a beautiful melody matched with a timeless lyric, which almost sounds like a 1940's ballad. This song showcases the depth of Karen's voice while adding some 1940's harmony in several places. "Dreams are just like wine and I am drunk with mine," she sings with longing in every word. The second half of this collection begins with the top-twenty single "Solitaire." The duo's rendition of this song and haunting string arrangement become an instant album highlight. "Happy" mixes a pop melody with a delightful lyric and some 70's synthesizers to create a listening experience, again, unusual for a Carpenters song. "Goodbye and I Love You" and "Love Me for What I Am" bring together longing lyrics and beautiful readings by Karen. These underrated songs shine as some of the group's best. The closing of the album is the stirring "Eventide" which appears and disappears just like "Aurora." And with that, the dream is over. The only possible flaw that could come against this album of songs would be its length. With just 8 full songs, the album is all too short. Several songs were recorded for Horizon, but not included due to the high standard of songs on the album already. "Sailing on the Tide" and "You're Enough" were both recorded during these sessions, but would not be placed on an album until after Karen's death. Both these songs do not live up the expectations of "Only Yesterday" or "Love Me for What I Am." "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" was another song not included on an album until 1995, but Richard believed there were enough ballads on Horizon already. And what remains is the Carpenters peak recording. Horizon is the definitive Carpenters legacy.