The Carpenters' 2002 box set, The Essential Collection (1965-1997) is a revised version of their 1991 box set, From the Top. This time, Richard Carpenter has aimed more at a comprehensive treatment of The Carpenters' career, including all of their Top 40 hits (some with grudging remarks in the liner notes) in an expansion that adds 45 and a half minutes to the running time. There are also some more album cuts and rarities, though the only previously unreleased tracks are a commercial and a medley of standards by Karen Carpenter and Ella Fitzgerald from a television special. In total, he has added 17 tracks, while deleting four: a cover of the Beatles' "Goodnight"; a Spanish-language version of "Sing" (replaced by the English-language hit version that had been left off From the Top); and two songs from his sister's solo album (which he no longer describes as having been shelved in 1980 "at Karen's behest," but now "for reasons that are well-chronicled elsewhere," presumably in Ray Coleman's 1994 authorized biography), "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" and "Still Crazy After All These Years." Since that album finally saw release in 1996, he may have thought it was no longer necessary to represent so much of it. The result of the changes is a big improvement. From the Top didn't really justify its four discs; it could have fit on three. And it was a compromise between an all-out rarities set and a thorough career overview. This version uses its greater length to satisfy the latter goal. It is worth noting, too, that like From the Top, The Essential Collection (1965-1997) is a retouched version of The Carpenters' story. Richard Carpenter has not hesitated to remix, overdub, and otherwise spiff up the band's recordings. Purists may object, but the sound justifies the changes...... (Review by William Ruhlmann)


Tracklist
CD - 1: 1965-1970
01. Caravan
02. The Parting Of Our Ways
03. Looking For Love
04. I'll Be Yours
05. Iced Tea
06. You'll Love Me
07. All I Can Do
08. Don't Be Afraid
09. Invocation
10. Your Wonderful Parade
11. All Of My Life
12. Eve
13. Ticket To Ride
14. Get Together
15. Interview
16. Love Is Surrender
17. Maybe It's You
18. (They Long To Be) Close To You
19. Mr.Guder
20. We've Only Just Begun
21. Merry Christmas, Darling
22. For All We Know

CD - 2: 1971-1973
01. Rainy Days and Mondays
02. Superstar
03. Let Me Be The One
04. Bless The Beasts and The Children
05. Hurting Each Other
06. It's Going To Take Some Time
07. I Won't Last A Day Without You
08. A Song For You
09. Top Of The World
10. Goodbye To Love
11. This Masquerade
12. Sing
13. Jambalya (On The Bayou)
14. Yesterday Once More
15. Oldies Medley
16. Yesterday Once More (Reprise)
17. Radio Contest Outakes

CD - 3: 1974-1978
01. Morinaga Hi-Crown Chocolate Commercial
02. Please Mr.Postman
03. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
04. Only Yesterday
05. Solitaire
06. Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again
07. Good Friends are For Keeps
08. Ordinary Fool
09. Sandy
10. There's A Kind Of Hush
11. I Need To Be In Love
12. From This Moment On
13. Suntory Pop Jingle №1
14. Suntory Pop Jingle №2
15. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
16. Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft
17. Sweet, Sweet Smile
18. Christ Is Born
19. White Christmas
20. Little Altar Boy
21. Ave Maria

CD - 4: 1978-1997
01. Where Do I Go From Here
02. Little Girl Blue
03. I Believe You
04. If I Had You
05. Karen/Ella Medley
06. 1980 Medley
07. Make Believe It's Your First Time
08. Touch Me When We're Dancing
09. When It's Gone
10. Because We are In Love (The Wedding Song)
11. Those Good Old Dreams
12. Now
13. Karen's Theme