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A Kind of Hush (album)

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A Kind of Hush
Studio album by
Carpenters
ReleasedJune 11, 1976
RecordedDecember 1975 – April 1976
StudioA&M Studios, Hollywood
GenrePop, easy listening, adult contemporary
Length34:00
LabelA&M
ProducerRichard Carpenter/Associate Producer - Karen Carpenter
Carpenters chronology
Horizon
(1975) 		A Kind of Hush
(1976) 		Passage
(1977)
Singles from A Kind of Hush
  1. "There's a Kind of Hush"
    Released: February 12, 1976
  2. "I Need to Be in Love"
    Released: May 21, 1976
  3. "Goofus"
    Released: June 11, 1976
  4. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
    Released: 1976
  5. "You"
    Released: 1976
  6. "I Have You"
    Released: 1976

A Kind of Hush is the seventh studio album by the American music duo Carpenters. It was released on June 11, 1976.

Background

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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).

Commercial performance

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"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.

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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]

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."There's a Kind of Hush"
2:57
2."You"Randy Edelman3:52
3."Sandy"
3:42
4."Goofus"
  • William Harold
  • Gus Kahn
  • Wayne King
3:09
5."Can't Smile Without You"
3:28
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."I Need to Be in Love"
3:47
7."One More Time"Lewis Anderson3:32
8."Boat to Sail"Jackie DeShannon3:31
9."I Have You"
  • Carpenter
  • Bettis
3:27
10."Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
2:35

Personnel

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  • Ed Caraeff - Photography
  • Karen Carpenter - Drums, Vibraphone, Vocals, Background Vocals
  • Richard Carpenter - Arranger, Keyboards, Orchestration, Vibraphone, Vocals, Background Vocals
  • Frank DeLuna - Mastering
  • Earl Dumler - English Horn, Oboe
  • Ray Gerhardt - Engineer
  • Jim Gordon - Drums
  • Jim Horn - Baritone Saxophone
  • Dave Iveland - Assistant Engineer
  • Wes Jacobs - Tuba
  • Gayle Levant - Harp
  • Bob Messenger - Flute, Tenor Saxophone
  • Cubby O'Brien - Drums
  • Joe Osborn - Bass
  • Tony Peluso - Guitar
  • J. Scarkino & Co. - Album Concept, Design
  • Tom Scott - Clarinet, Flute
  • David Shostac - Flute
  • Doug Strawn - Whistle
  • Roland Young - Art Direction

Charts

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Certifications

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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.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b Richard Carpenter's comments on A Kind Of Hush, RichardAndKarenCarpenter.com.
  2. ^ Schmidt, Randy L. (2010). Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter (1st ed.). Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press. p. 156. ISBN 9781556529764.
  3. ^ "There's a Kind of Hush" US chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Carpenters UK chart history, The Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  5. ^ "I Need to Be in Love" US chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  6. ^ "Goofus" US chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  7. ^ Complete Guide to the music of The Carpenters, John Tobler, Omnibus Press ISBN 0-7119-6312-6
  8. ^ a b Eder, Bruce. A Kind of Hush at AllMusic
  9. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 140. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone carpenters album guide.
  10. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. No. 4 July 1976. p. 64. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  11. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 26 June 1976. p. 16. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4296a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  14. ^ "Yamachan Land (Japanese Chart Archives) - Albums Chart Daijiten - Carpenters" (in Japanese). Original Confidence. Retrieved September 21, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  15. ^ "Charts.nz – Carpenters – A Kind of Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  16. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Carpenters – A Kind of Hush". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  18. ^ "Carpenters Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  19. ^ "Japanese Year-End Albums Charts 1976". 1976年アルバム年間ヒットチャート (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  20. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  21. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  22. ^ "British album certifications – Carpenters – Kind of Hush". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  23. ^ "American album certifications – Carpenters – Kind of Hush". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
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