| A Kind of Hush | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 11, 1976 | |||
| Recorded | December 1975 – April 1976 | |||
| Studio | A&M Studios, Hollywood | |||
| Genre | Pop, easy listening, adult contemporary | |||
| Length | 34:00 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Richard Carpenter/Associate Producer - Karen Carpenter | |||
| Carpenters chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Kind of Hush | ||||
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A Kind of Hush is the seventh studio album by the American music duo Carpenters. It was released on June 11, 1976.
By the time of the album's recording, Richard Carpenter's addiction to sleeping pills had begun to affect him professionally, and he blames this for the album being, in his opinion, sub-par. [1]
John Bettis called "I Need to Be in Love" the favorite lyrics he ever wrote for Karen Carpenter. "If there was ever anything that came out of my heart straight to Karen's I would say that was it. I was very proud of it for that." [2] Richard Carpenter recalled that the song "became Karen's favorite Carpenters song". [1]
The album was also the first not to have Karen playing drums on any tracks, which were performed by Los Angeles session drummer Jim Gordon (except two, "Goofus" and "Sandy," by Cubby O'Brien).
"There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)", a cover of a 1960s song by Herman's Hermits, was released as a lead singleand topped the adult contemporary chart, however reached only #12 on the main US chart. [3] It also reached the UK Top 30 [4]
"I Need to Be in Love" hit number 25 in the US [5] and number 36 in the UK. [4]
"Goofus" was only a minor success, stalling at number 56 on the Billboard chart, though it did crack the adult contemporary top 10. [6]
Despite being certified Gold, the album was a relative commercial disappointment in the US, where its chart peak was outside the Top 30 and it's lead single peaking outside the Top 10, the first time since Close to You in 1970. [7] and
Like its predecessor Horizon , it performed better in the UK, reaching number three in the UK Albums Chart.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [9] |
In their review of the album, Billboard called it an "exceptionally pretty album, with even more emphasis on Karen Carpenter's versatile, excellent vocals than in past efforts. Soft, easy ballads filled with the lush production of Richard Carpenter dominate the set, though the material alternates from the straight ballad form to easy rock to almost vaudevillian material to supper club, piano bar styled music. Keyboards handled well by Richard, who has always takes somewhat of a backseat when it comes to performing but does as good a job of production as anyone in the business. Most impressive and noticeable change is the different arrangements and styles tackled by Karen." [10]
Cashbox praised the album, stating that "the dynamic duo of the MOR/easy listening idiom have come up with another winner. “A Kind Of Hush" is a clean collection of tunes that is truly representative of the kind of music that the Carpenters are famous for — smooth, ingratiating melodies that bear their contemporary trademark. This LP is bound to be an instant success with both the pop and MOR audiences, with the title tune and their cover of the Neil Sedaka hit, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” standing out as prime shots for the AM market." [11]
AllMusic's retrospective review was more mixed, calling the album "pleasant, well-sung, and well-played, but basically bland....If you close your eyes, it's possible to imagine Captain & Tennille, not to mention Debby Boone, taking lessons from this release, although Karen's voice was still beyond comparison with any of them". [8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "There's a Kind of Hush" | 2:57 | |
| 2. | "You" | Randy Edelman | 3:52 |
| 3. | "Sandy" |
| 3:42 |
| 4. | "Goofus" |
| 3:09 |
| 5. | "Can't Smile Without You" | 3:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "I Need to Be in Love" |
| 3:47 |
| 7. | "One More Time" | Lewis Anderson | 3:32 |
| 8. | "Boat to Sail" | Jackie DeShannon | 3:31 |
| 9. | "I Have You" |
| 3:27 |
| 10. | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" | 2:35 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [20] | Gold | 10,000* |
| Japan (RIAJ) | — | 81,000 [21] |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [22] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) [23] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Close to You is the second studio album by the American music duo the Carpenters, released on August 19, 1970. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 175 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list. The album contains the hit singles "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun". The success of the title track earned Carpenters an international reputation. The album topped the Canadian Albums Chart and peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard albums chart. It was also successful in the United Kingdom, entering the top 50 of the official chart for 76 weeks during the first half of the 1970s.
Carole King Music is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Carole King. The album was released in December 1971.
"Goofus" is a 1930 popular song with music written by Wayne King and William Harold and lyrics by Gus Kahn.
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David with sections of the early version written by Cathy Steeves. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You (1970) and produced by Jack Daugherty. Released on May 14, 1970, the single topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It also reached the top of the Canadian and Australian charts and peaked at number six on the charts of both the UK and Ireland. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 1970.
"Sing" is a 1971 song written by Joe Raposo for the children's television show Sesame Street as its signature song. In 1973, it gained popularity when performed by the Carpenters, a number 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
"There's a Kind of Hush" is a popular song written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephens. Originally recorded by Stephens' group the New Vaudeville Band in 1967 as a neo-British music hall number, this version of the track became a hit in Australia and South Africa. However, in the rest of the world, a near-simultaneous cover was a big hit for Herman's Hermits. The song was a mild hit in 1976 for the Carpenters.
A Song for You is the fourth studio album by the American music duo the Carpenters, released on June 22, 1972. According to Richard Carpenter, A Song for You was intended to be a concept album with the title tune opening and closing the set and the bookended selections comprising the 'song'. "A Song for You" was written by songwriter Leon Russell.
Now & Then is the fifth studio album by the American music duo the Carpenters, released on May 1, 1973. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart on July 21, 1973, and ranked No. 20 on the Cash Box year-end pop albums chart. The title, suggested by Karen and Richard's mother Agnes, was taken from a leftover song that did not appear on the album.
Made in America is the tenth studio album by the American music duo The Carpenters, released in June 1981. Karen Carpenter died less than two years later, making it their final album released in her lifetime. It reached number 52 in the US and number 12 in the UK.
Ticket to Ride is the debut studio album by the American music duo Carpenters.
Horizon is the sixth studio album by the American musical duo the Carpenters. It was recorded at A&M Studios. The Carpenters spent many hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects.
Passage is the eighth studio album by the American music duo the Carpenters. Released in 1977, it produced the hit singles "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song", "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" and "Sweet, Sweet Smile". The Carpenters' "Sweet, Sweet Smile" was picked up by Country radio and put the duo in the top ten of Billboard's Country chart in the spring of 1978.
Voice of the Heart is the eleventh studio album by American music duo Carpenters. It was released in 1983 after Karen's death earlier that year.
"I Need to Be in Love" is a song written by Richard Carpenter, Albert Hammond and John Bettis. It was released as a single on May 21, 1976. It was featured on the A Kind of Hush album, which was released on June 11 of the same year.
"All You Get from Love Is a Love Song" is a song composed by Steve Eaton. Previously recorded by The Righteous Brothers in 1975, it was popularized by the Carpenters in 1977. It was released to the public on May 21, 1977. Its B-side was "I Have You", a song released on the A Kind of Hush album in 1976. The song was also included on their 1977 album, Passage.
The Ultimate Collection is a 3-CD set by The Carpenters released in 2006. It contains many of their popular songs, like "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "Top of the World", and their album cuts, like "Desperado" and "Jambalaya ". All of the songs are taken directly from the original album. In the case of "Yesterday Once More", it fades into a motorcycle engine, which subsequently fades into the oldies medley on the Now & Then album.
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter. They produced a distinctive soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's harmonizing, arranging, and composition. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with many singles and several television specials.
The discography of the American pop group the Carpenters consists of 14 studio albums, two Christmas albums, two live albums, 49 singles, and numerous compilation albums. The duo was made up of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter.
"I Believe You" is a love ballad composed by Don and Dick Addrisi which was a 1977 single for Dorothy Moore; taken from her self-titled Dorothy Moore album. "I Believe You" reached #5 R&B and crossed over to the US Pop Top 30 at number 27. The track also reached number 20 in the UK.
Carpenters is the third studio album by American music duo the Carpenters. Released on May 14, 1971, it was their most successful studio album, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 chart and number 12 in the UK, as well as being certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA. The album contained the hit songs "For All We Know", "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Superstar".
rolling stone carpenters album guide.
