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I understand that people choose the Horizon album to be the best due to Karen's amazing vocals on every note of the album...and richard doesnt sing at all, which was nice...but if you really think about it, her "healthiest voice" was on the first few albums, the best being Now and Then. She not only recorded Now and Then in 1973, but also their singles album, and rerecorded Ticket. I choose 1973 to be her best year of song.

"Now & Then" had its moments like "This Masquerade" and "I Can't Make Music" which was a prelude to what we would experience on "Horizon." To my ear, "Horizon" was the peak and it may not have been just the quality of her voice but the material and the style of the music.

I agree that the Horizon's genre of music was the best suited for Karen's style of singing...and her solo album was the worst genre....and i am not saying that Now and Then is there best album. I am just saying that in 1973, Karen looked the healthiest, they were at their career peak, and her voice was at its best. Does anyone understand what I am trying to get across, here?

Well, I don't.

I sort of get what you are saying, and agree that some of the vocals on Now&Then are great such as This Masquerade.

But on Horizon, Karens voice was even more perfected and the songs somewhat more classy and difficult to sing. Karen displayed a whole new sound in her voice I feel, some of those readings are difficult but Karen delivers as always. The way she sings the ending on Solitaire just knocks me out.
Great album, great songs and as always, sublime vocals by Karen.

I completely agree Christian. Horizon has 'class' written all over it. Karen's voice on this album is like 'honey'. It's sublime! And definately the best it ever sounded (alongside A Christmas Portrait).
Also the choice of songs and the album artwork. Wonderful.
Paul

Glad to see we can agree every now and then Paul

Yep, Horizon is the album which set a new standard in music for me. It is just so well produced, everything from the music, the vocals to the artwork. The way Karen sings the songs are beyond this world. The ending of Solitaire is just amazing, the way she holds the note forever. Amazing!
I also feel that Horizon is the most "complete" one, every song is great, it is an even package. Some of the earlier albums always had a weaker link of two, whereas on Horizon it just goes from one great song to another.

Alright folks! I guess I just can't explain what I am getting at. But I just thought that the rerecording of my favorite Carpenter's song, Yesterday Once More, Ticket, etc.....made 1973 her BEST VOCAL YEAR....not their best albums. Horizon is my favorite album as well...Aurora and Eventide were the perfect ending and beginning, and the album was amazing...but I just think that 1973 was Karen's best year.
Also....since Horizon was such an amazing album...was it just too "squeaky clean" for it to be their top selling album?

What did you mean exactly by "the healthiest voice"? It wasn`t Karens voice which got ill, it was Karen

But I sorta of get what you are meaning, that Karen was not ill in 1973 and therefor healthy and great sounding.

Karen and RFichard may have been tired when they recorded Horizon but Karens voice never sounded better, the production was better and this album is the Carpenters masterpiece. They were more prolific in 1973 and their health was better, (especially Karens) but her voice was first class on Horizon and so was the material . As far as her best voice year I would go with 1975 though she never had a bad voice at any stage in her career; the song and material changed an so did her vocal style but the voice was always first class all her career including her solo record(s).