We’ve Only Just Begun –

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft –

How to start off a brand new year?? Well I’ll give it my darndest shot.

Yesterday Once More (1985) by the Carpenters. Before you say “Finally an album from the 80s!” I want to point out that this is actually just a compilation album of the Carpenters’ work, most of which is actually from the 70s 😛

For being just a compilation album though it went Platinum in three countries and double Platinum in the US! The Carpenters were often disliked by critics, who described their music as slow Pop music that was too bland. However other music artists often cite them for inspiration (Sir Paul McCartney is quoted for describing Karen Carpenter as the best female vocalist ever). Whatever the case was, their career was cut short with Karen’s tragic death in 1983 at the age of 33 due to complications with anorexia. The band consisted primarily of the brother sister team of Karen on drums and Richard on the keyboard.

Apart from being one of their most loved songs, “We’ve Only Just Begun” felt like the best way to start the year off fresh to me. “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” isn’t actually one of the songs they wrote, but it’s one that they made popular and is personally one of my favorites. If their style of music just ain’t your cup of tea, I would heavily suggest you listen the album “If I Were A Carpenter” (1994) which is an album made up of Carpenter songs re-imagined by Alternate Rock bands from the early 90s that dishes up a cool clash of generations.