The Carpenters were born too late. Karen's impeccable phrasing and superb control combined with Richard's baroque sensibilities would have made them heroes in the 40s or 50's. But in the self-conscious, hipper-than-thou 70's, they got eaten alive. Success being the best revenge, they had the last laugh with their Grammy Awards and platinum albums. But all accounts say they suffered from their image - or the critical reaction to it - and this anxiety no doubt contributed to Karen's death from anorexia nervosa.

I'm not trying to defend their most saccharine material: "Sing," "Top Of The World," and "Please Mr. Postman" would curdle milk - though I love them all the same. But most of the Carpenters' hits, and even more of their album cuts, were beautifully rendered pop songs of the highest order. They worked with Burt Bacharach and Paul Williams, and they covered Leon Russell, Neil Sedaka, and Carole King. Richard's arranging skills were phenomenal; he stacked dozens of vocal tracks on top of strings, horns, and a full rhythm section to create some of the most astounding productions this side of Phil Spector. Really.

Take "(They Long To Be) Close To You," for instance. The duo took an old Bacharach song which, on the surface, appears as a sticky sweet cliché. The Carpenters work it into such a frenzy that, by the climax, you'll swear the angels really have gotten together and decided to create a dream come true! On others like "Rainy Days And Mondays" and "Superstar," the mournful, unquavering power of Karen's voice belies the polite arrangements. On songs such as those - and "Goodbye To Love" and "Solitaire," as well - the Carpenters proved themselves capable of delivering much heavier material than they are generally given credit for.

A&M recently remastered most of the Carpenters' discs, so feel free to replace your LP's. Close To You, The Carpenters, A Song For You, Now & Then, and Horizon are the best; Ticket To Ride and all the later albums are inconsistent. The Carpenters non-thematic approach lends itself very well to hits packages, and many fans will want to relive the wonderful parade of The Singles 1969-1973 (now remastered and expanded as 1969-1981). Even better is Yesterday Once More, a 28-song, career-spanning compendium of every hit plus key album tracks. The boxed set, From The Top, painstakingly compiled and annotated by Richard, is for the serious fan.