If I Were a Carpenter [A&M] (1994)

About this title: Released among a bevy of tribute albums toasting the likes of Charles Mingus and Neil Young, If I Were a Carpenter registers as one of the best of the lot, with spot-on performances of Carpenters classics from the '70s. Unlike many tribute collections, this CD gets it right most of the time, thanks to a lineup of artists suited to the duo's wide-screen pop mix. Matthew Sweet, the Cranberries, Sheryl Crow, Grant Lee Buffalo, and Cracker deliver the most straightforward interpretations here, informing the likes of "Solitaire" and "We've Only Just Begun" with the same amount of moody tenderness ... read more

Tracks:

1. Goodbye to Love [Carpenter/Bettis]
2. Top of the World [Busby/Bettis]
3. Superstar [Russell/Bramlett]
4. (They Long to Be) Close to You [Bacharach/David]
5. For All We Know [Griffin/Karlin/Wils]
6. It's Going to Take Some Time [King/Stern]
7. Solitaire [Sedaka/Cody]
8. Hurting Each Other [Udell/Geld]
9. Yesterday Once More [Carpenter/Bettis]
10. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft [Klaatu]
11. Rainy Days and Mondays [Williams/Nichols]
12. Let Me Be the One [Nichols/Williams]
13. Bless the Beasts and Children [Devorzon/Botkin]
14. We've Only Just Begun [Williams/Nichols]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.