Horizon | ||||
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Studio album by Carpenters | ||||
Released | June 6, 1975 | |||
Recorded | september 1974 - April 1975 | |||
Genre | Pop, easy listening, adult contemporary | |||
Length | 34:53 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Producer | Richard Carpenter/Associate Producer - Karen Carpenter | |||
Carpenters chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Rolling Stone | (Positive) |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide |
Horizon is the sixth consecutive platinum-certified album by American musical duo Carpenters. It was recorded at A&M Studios (mainly in Studio "D" using then-state-of-the-art 24-track recording technology, 30 Dolby, and recorded at 30 inches per second). The Carpenters spent many hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects.
After five consecutive albums peaking inside the US top five, Horizon broke this run by reaching no. 13. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipments of 1 million copies. It was particularly successful in the United Kingdom and Japan, topping the charts and becoming one of the best-selling albums of 1975 in those countries. Horizon also reached no. 3 in New Zealand, no. 4 in Canada and no. 5 in Norway.
The album's first single, "Please Mr. Postman" (released some seven months earlier), became the album's biggest hit single and also the Carpenters' biggest hit single worldwide. It reached no. 1 in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, as well as reaching no. 2 in the UK and Ireland. This tune features Karen on drums and Tony Peluso on guitar solo. The following single, "Only Yesterday", was also a success, reaching no. 2 in Canada and France, no. 4 in the US, no. 5 in Ireland, no. 7 in the UK, no. 10 in New Zealand and was certified gold in Japan. The song also won the prestigious Grand Prix award in Japan. A third single, "Solitaire", reached no. 17 in the US and the top 40 in several other countries around the world. According to Richard, Karen never particularly liked the song. The Carpenters' version of this song leaves out lyrics included in the original.
"Desperado" was originally recorded by The Eagles in 1973 for the album of the same name. Several others have recorded this song including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, and Kenny Rogers. Due to the fact that the song was already well known, A&M decided not to release the song as a single. Another cover, "I Can Dream, Can't I" is an interpretation of the 1949 Andrews Sisters hit, and was originally written in 1937. Karen and Richard hired Billy May, who has worked with artists such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, to help orchestrate the song. The song features the Billy May Orchestra. John Bahler is in the chorus of background singers.