Album A Kind Of Hush

It was released on June 11, 1976.

A Kind of Hush
Studio album by Carpenters
Released	June 11, 1976
Recorded	December 1975 - April 1976
Studio	A&M Studios, Hollywood
Genre	Pop, easy listening, adult contemporary
Length	34:00
Label	A&M
Producer	Richard Carpenter/Associate Producer - Karen Carpenter
Carpenters chronology
Horizon (1975) A Kind of Hush (1976) Passage (1977)
Singles from A Kind of Hush
"There's a Kind of Hush" Released: February 12, 1976 "I Need to Be in Love" Released: May 21, 1976 "Goofus" Released: June 11, 1976 "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" Released: 1976 "You" Released: 1976 "I Have You" Released: 1976

By the time of the album's recording, Richard Carpenter's addiction to sleeping pills had begun to affect him professionally, and he blames this for the album being, in his opinion, sub-par. All three excerpted singles became hits. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)", a cover of a 1960s song by Herman's Hermits, broke both the UK Top 30 and US Top 20, as well as topping the adult contemporary chart. "I Need to Be in Love" hit number 25 in the US and number 36 in the UK. "Goofus" was only a minor success, stalling at number 56 on the Billboard chart, though it did crack the adult contemporary top 10.

John Bettis called "I Need to Be in Love" the favorite lyrics he ever wrote for Karen Carpenter. "If there was ever anything that came out of my heart straight to Karen's I would say that was it. I was very proud of it for that." Richard Carpenter recalled that the song "became Karen's favorite Carpenters song". The album was also the first not to have Karen playing drums on any tracks, which were performed by Los Angeles session drummer Jim Gordon (except two, "Goofus" and "Sandy," by Cubby O'Brien).

Despite being certified Gold, the album was a relative commercial disappointment in the US, where its chart peak was outside the Top 30. Like its predecessor Horizon, it performed better in the UK, reaching number three in the UK Albums Chart. The CD has been out of print since 2006 except in the Japanese market.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

While noting that there are occasional highlights, AllMusic's retrospective review was generally negative, calling the album "pleasant, well-sung, and well-played, but basically bland". They particularly criticized the selection of material and the overt similarity of the album's formula to that of previous Carpenters albums.

• "There's a Kind of Hush"
  • US 7" single (1976) – A&M 1800

1. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
2. "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You"

• • UK 7" single (1976) – AMS7219

1. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
2. "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You"

• • JP 7" single (1976) – CM-2001

1. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
2. "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You"

• "I Need to Be in Love"
  • 7" single (1976) – A&M 1828

1. "I Need to Be in Love"
2. "Sandy"

• • JP 7" promo (1976) – CM-2020

1. "I Need to Be in Love"
2. "Sandy"

• • JP CD single (1995) – PODM-1060

1. "I Need to Be in Love"
2. "Top of the World"

• "Goofus"
  • US 7" single (1976) – A&M 1859

1. "Goofus"
2. "Boat to Sail"

• "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
  • JP 7" single (1976) – CM-2025

1. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
2. "I Have You"

• "I Have You"
  • MX 7" single (1978) – AM-064

1. "I Have You"
2. "Sweet, Sweet Smile"

• Ed Caraeff - Photography
• Karen Carpenter - Drums, Vibraphone, Vocals, Background Vocals
• Richard Carpenter - Arranger, Keyboards, Orchestration, Vibraphone, Vocals, Background Vocals
• Frank DeLuna - Mastering
• Earl Dumler - English Horn, Oboe
• Ray Gerhardt - Engineer
• Jim Gordon - Drums
• Jim Horn - Baritone Saxophone
• Dave Iveland - Assistant Engineer
• Wes Jacobs - Tuba
• Gayle Levant - Harp
• Bob Messenger - Flute, Tenor Saxophone
• Cubby O'Brien - Drums
• Joe Osborn - Bass
• Tony Peluso - Guitar
• J. Scarkino & Co. - Album Concept, Design
• Tom Scott - Clarinet, Flute
• David Shostac - Flute
• Doug Strawn - Whistle
• Roland Young - Art Direction