Interpretations 25th Anniv 21 Track Version + Remixes identified*

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Rick-An Ordinary Fool

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I'm sure this has been discussed before but I saw this listing on ebay and I'm a bit confused with the UK release.

I own the US version (16 tracks) and the Canadian version (21 tracks). When looking at the CD's inside they look almost identical, just a slightly different shade of color which matches to the color of the insert jacket bluish/green color. I can't see anywhere that states it's remastered.

Looking at this ebay listing of the UK version (21 tracks) it says digitally remastered and the black/red CD Interpretations reminds me of the "remastered classics" series. Why would the CD not look like the US or Canadian color. In addition, does this mean the UK version has a different sound since the jewelcase shows remastered. That 30th anniv sticker is messing me up. I thought for a moment that maybe the jewel case is just wrong but then the black/red color of the CD is also got me confused because I associate that with the remastered classics series.


carpenters25th.jpg
 
Something that always bugged me was the missing INTERPRETATIONS Remastered Classic. When they were issued, I sought to find them all, but never found any copy of INTERPRETATIONS other than the black-spined one. Never a clear-spined version.

As I recall, someone here once pointed out that that it was only ever released that way in the UK, and yet, all of the clear-tray images featured a picture of INTERPRETATIONS in the lower right corner:

scan0002.jpg

So this eBay auction confirms, visually, that it DID exist! Thanks for finding that Chris.

Harry
 
Oh I forgot about looking at that insert under the CD. I just looked at my remastered classics Close to You, got out my magnfying glass and the catalog # shows 31454 0251 2 so then there must be a US version.

According to our resource site:
http://carpenters.amcorner.com/album/interpretations

Interpretations came out in 1994 for the UK and Canada and 1995 for the US version. I thought that the remastered classics came out in 1998 (which would make the 30th anniv sticker correct) so then there are 2 versions of the UK for Interpretations? 1 released in 94 and this one above from 1998? I wonder how the sound differs on the 2
 
Good question. Did the Brits use a straight digital copy of their 21 track version? Or did they update it with the slightly altered "From This Moment On" that Richard tweaked for the US release a year later?

Harry
 
As I said, I never ran across a US Remastered INTERPRETATIONS, though I did look for it for years just based on the tray information. But all I ever saw was the standard black-spined version from 1995. I'm guessing that even though A&M gave it a catalog number, they never actually issued it, probably because there was nothing really changed or "remastered" about it. It had only been out three years, so there was no need to revisit the mastering of it.

But now we know that the UK did issue an entry in their Remastered series, but whether or not it was actually "Remastered" remains a question mark. I suspect it's a digital clone of their prior issue, given the catalog number remaining static. The picture above shows 540 251-2, which is the same catalog number they'd released it in back in 1994.

Harry
 
Interesting stuff. I can remember how hard it was trying to find the 21 track version years after 94, I managed to find one in Canada, I just had to get that mono version of “From This Moment On”. I hope someone from the UK can chime in and provide more details about the remastered classics version and how it compares to the 94 release.

I'd also like to know for sure if there ever was a US remastered classics of this CD released in 98
 
I can tell you one VERY specific difference between the 1994 UK version with the blue CD compared to the 1995 U.S. version:

The 1994 version features Karen's lead of "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" with all the sounds intact. In other words, in the UK version, you hear the saliva in Karen's mouth VERY CLEARLY throughout the entire song (especially the first verse). When it came out in the U.S. in 1995, they had cleaned up the saliva sound and removed virtually all of it. In fact, there is a noticeable edit in the word 'feeling' in the second verse they had to do to remove the saliva sound. It is very subtle around 2:25 where it sounds more like 'fee-ing' again after it's cleaned up.

Maybe this is old news to diehards, but take a listen to the 1994 UK CD if you don't believe me. :wink: But that would happen when you sing so closely to the mike. It helped give Karen's amazing voice such a punch and overall presence.
 
I can tell you one VERY specific difference between the 1994 UK version with the blue CD compared to the 1995 U.S. version:

The 1994 version features Karen's lead of "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" with all the sounds intact. In other words, in the UK version, you hear the saliva in Karen's mouth VERY CLEARLY throughout the entire song (especially the first verse). When it came out in the U.S. in 1995, they had cleaned up the saliva sound and removed virtually all of it. In fact, there is a noticeable edit in the word 'feeling' in the second verse they had to do to remove the saliva sound. It is very subtle around 2:25 where it sounds more like 'fee-ing' again after it's cleaned up.

Maybe this is old news to diehards, but take a listen to the 1994 UK CD if you don't believe me. :wink: But that would happen when you sing so closely to the mike. It helped give Karen's amazing voice such a punch and overall presence.

I have both the original UK 1994 and US 1995 versions of 'Interpretations' and this is correct. AND not only has the vocal been tidied up, but the snare drum sound just before the chorus on the line "as fast as it came" has been sharpened (or possibly re-recorded) as well.
 
I can tell you one VERY specific difference between the 1994 UK version with the blue CD compared to the 1995 U.S. version:

The 1994 version features Karen's lead of "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" with all the sounds intact. In other words, in the UK version, you hear the saliva in Karen's mouth VERY CLEARLY throughout the entire song (especially the first verse). When it came out in the U.S. in 1995, they had cleaned up the saliva sound and removed virtually all of it. In fact, there is a noticeable edit in the word 'feeling' in the second verse they had to do to remove the saliva sound. It is very subtle around 2:25 where it sounds more like 'fee-ing' again after it's cleaned up.

Maybe this is old news to diehards, but take a listen to the 1994 UK CD if you don't believe me. :wink: But that would happen when you sing so closely to the mike. It helped give Karen's amazing voice such a punch and overall presence.

This is truly a fascinating discovery and one that we'll be able to add to the Carpenters Complete Recording Resource. It's one of those stealth alterations that largely went unnoticed, certainly by me. Thanks so much for pointing it out. I've got a bit of work ahead determining where the "remix" occurs, and where the original is used - and then I'll need to update the Resource.

Thanks again.

Harry
 
Update: our system used for the Resource is so easy and flexible that it's all updated within just a half-hour.

Harry
 
I agree with Harry, this is new to me. Thanks A&M Retro. Do you think this is also on the Canadian Intrerpretation with all the sounds intact? I need to pull out my CD and take a listen & compare it to my US version.

It also makes me wonder what versions are on the other albums, the untouched mix or the cleaned up mix?
(Sweet 16 CD, Essential Collection, Carpenters Gold)
 
I also wanted to mention that if you think the covers are exactly the same, there are some slight differences.

My Canadian CD if you look closely at the lettering at the bottom "A 25th Anniversary Celebration" The words are spaced a bit farther apart (slightly bigger lettering), the 25th starts a bit further to the left of the picture corner as reference, than the US version, check it out.
 
Well, since I have all these in my itunes library it was easy to compare these. A&M Retro is right, this untouched version on the UK of "Tryin To Get The Feeling Again" is also found on the Canadian CD. Listening to this, I have heard these sounds before and thought in the back of my head what the heck is that but never really brought it up thinking it was a demo and never took the time to compare the versions.

Of all the other CD I have with this track, it's only on my Canadian version of Interpretations. The others are the cleaned up version. I was also thinking, this leads me to wonder if the UK remastered classics CD I posted above from ebay contains the untouched version or the cleaned up one on this track? This would put some light on what master tapes were used, right? Darn, I should have bought that CD but it's been sold.
 
You know, intuitively, as I've listened to some of the compilations over the years, knowing that the page-turning sound was there and that it was a demo track, it somehow felt to me that the demo-ness of the track had improved. I'm not sure, but I think they were even able to tone down that page-turn sound just a little bit.

But I never thought to listen for those details when doing the CRR and incorrectly assumed they were all the same. It just goes to prove that you learn something every day - and thanks to both A&M Retro for bring this to our attention, and to Chris for is constant dedication to this little Carpenters hobby in finding that listing on eBay in the first place that stirred the conversation.

Harry
 
Glad I could contribute! I think there might also be a version of "Solitaire" someplace that has the saliva sound removed. I think it's on one of the many compilations, but not sure which. I'll see what I can find.
 
Glad I could contribute! I think there might also be a version of "Solitaire" someplace that has the saliva sound removed. I think it's on one of the many compilations, but not sure which. I'll see what I can find.

Another pointer! Here's what I found on "Solitaire" and it happened past the INTERPRETATIONS period, so it wasn't done at the same time as "Tryin' To Get The Felling Again".

It looks like it happens first on ESSENTIAL COLLECTION. Listen to the opening vocal line on any prior issue. You'll hear Karen sing "There was a maaaaaa-aaaan, a looo-oonely..." In those earlier versions on HORIZON or any compilation prior to 2002, you'll hear three mouth/saliva clicks. The first at the very end on "maaaaaa-aaaan", then one at or after the word "a", and one in the middle of "looo-oonely".

Starting in 2002, with ESSENTIAL COLLECTION, several compilations have the first two of those mouth clicks removed. I'm not detecting a ton of this kind of activity throughout the track - it sounds liked they didn't go overboard trying to edit those out, but I guess those first two bothered Richard enough that he had them removed.

Isn't it interesting that a natural thing like a saliva click would bother him, yet he has in the past been OK with inserting his own breath-intake sounds, to MAKE it sound more natural.

Updating the CRR with the "2002 remix" of "Solitaire" which also appears on both 40/40 compilations and the ULTIMATE COLLECTION from the UK.

Harry
 
Very cool, Harry! You did my detective work for me. What about "Desperado"? That's another one where the saliva sound is quite prominent. What I find interesting is how long it took Richard to 'fix' the saliva clicks! LOL>> You would have thought he'd have tackled that one years ago.
 
Very cool, Harry! You did my detective work for me. What about "Desperado"? That's another one where the saliva sound is quite prominent. What I find interesting is how long it took Richard to 'fix' the saliva clicks! LOL>> You would have thought he'd have tackled that one years ago.

Well, as technology gets better, it becomes easier to do these kinds of things. I was recently attempting some cleanup of the Carpenters mono singles in Audacity and worked on "Solitaire." When I went back to listen to all of these, including my own, it turns out that I had inadvertently eliminated one of the three saliva-clicks at the start of "Solitaire." The middle one was gone - and I must have done it while zeroing in on noise elements.

Back in the old analog tape days, this kind of work would have been unthinkable.

Harry
 
Did they even have the technology back when Karen and Richard were recording to eliminate these defects? I mean obviously they could hear it upon playback, right?

I agree that "Trying To Get The Feeling Again" is a huge improvement with the clicks removed but do we risk going too far into altering the catalog? I guess this is up for discussion. I mean look how Richard has remixed so much but then we always have the originals.

For me, I've never been a fan of those programs to remove the clicks and pops from my 45's & LP's, sometimes they tend to compress the sound and you start losing all the great qualities that come from listening to 45's.
 
Did they even have the technology back when Karen and Richard were recording to eliminate these defects? I mean obviously they could hear it upon playback, right?

When they were recording in the '70s, only judicious editing of tape would have been possible, or the use of frequency filtering. Naturally, they would have done this stuff on copies and not the masters.

I agree that "Trying To Get The Feeling Again" is a huge improvement with the clicks removed but do we risk going too far into altering the catalog? I guess this is up for discussion. I mean look how Richard has remixed so much but then we always have the originals.

I began to think the same thing and wonder if future versions will stray even farther from the originals.

For me, I've never been a fan of those programs to remove the clicks and pops from my 45's & LP's, sometimes they tend to compress the sound and you start losing all the great qualities that come from listening to 45's.

I don't use automated click removers, as I want to maintain total control and remain as close to the natural fidelity of the track. Rather, I do one click at a time, attempting to make sure that the track is only improved. Generally, solitary ticks are pretty easy. It's when you get a really beat-up record that it's nearly impossible to spot the noise. And removing that noise with filters often leaves behind digital artifacts that are very unpleasant.

Harry
 
Good morning everyone,

I had a listen to my 21 track interpretations cd - i live in the UK but happened to pick up a UK copy when i was on holiday in Australia in 2000!

On the tracks they include the noises, i prefer to think of them as lip movements rather then saliva noises, its like the saying ' horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow! ' - Karen wouldnt be associated with saliva!! <G>

On the 21 track digitally remastered series cd i have the noises are there, but everyone is correct in saying, on the ULTIMATE 2 cd UK collection they have been removed. HOWEVER, the turning page noise on 'trying' is STILL there!! I guess it was either impossible to remove or Richard decided he wanted to keep it in there.

I also listened to Solitaire on the horizon album and on my 1974-78 singles cd , and i prefer the originals, noises intact. The unclicked versions have too much reverb on them, for my taste. I always liked those noises from the horizon period......... it made me feel as though Karen really was ' right there in the room singing'. When things were so incredibly good to start with, i dont see the need to keep fiddling, trying to improve on perfection......... thats just my thought of course!

Regards
Bob
 
... the turning page noise on 'trying' is STILL there!! I guess it was either impossible to remove or Richard decided he wanted to keep it in there.

This is true, and I was not remembering this correctly. It seemed to me that there might have been attempts at cleaning up the page-turning noise, but in fact, for the latter versions where some mouth sounds were removed, the page-turning sound actually seems louder and more distinct. But this may just be the fact that the latter versions are also mastered generally louder overall than the earlier CD counterparts.

So you're correct Robert. Thanks for mentioning this part of the topic and reminding me that I'd forgotten to follow through on it.

Harry
 
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