The Karen Carpenter Connection
My following of Aimee Mann’s career has been bizarre to say the least. One of these days I might go in to all the particulars, but that would get in the way of the epiphany I had just mere seconds ago. I purchased Mann’s Bachelor No. 2 album tonight (don’t ask why this is happening a full seven years after its release, I told you… it’s bizarre).
While listening to “The Fall of The World’s Own Optimist” it hit me: Aimee Mann’s voice occasionally reminds me of Karen Carpenter!
The Carpenters sang many schmaltzy, saccharine-soaked turds, but Karen Carpenter had an amazingly warm and beautiful voice. She made some very bad lyrics and overblown arrangements more than passable. On occasion, the material wasn’t terrible and that made it all the better. Mann’s voice is not a carbon copy of Carpenter’s voice and their respective musical styles are quite different. Their vocal styles are as well, but there are moments during a song when Mann’s voice approaches the sound and timbre of Karen Carpenter- and I mean that as a compliment.
Now, for all of you smartasses- I don’t own any Carpenters’ CDs. However, we didn’t have a vehicle with an FM radio in it until after my 16th birthday. We had them in the house, but not the cars. That means I listened to a lot of AM radio as a kid, which in turn means I heard a few Carpenters’ songs. Say whatever you want about them.
Filed under: Tags: Aimee Mann, The Carpenters
