Another Carpenters listener here. I have the Best if the Carpenters SACD and LOVE it. Hope you will as well, Mark.
Indeed, she had an INCREDIBLE voice. I vacillate between utter despair that we will never hear any new material performed by that lush, warm voice, and uncontrolled anger with her for doing what she did to herself thereby depriving us of that voice. It drives me crazy.
Also, after examining their material, I think Richard doesn't get his due as a pianist, and arranger. He really played some (but not all) tasty piano parts, and came up with some inventive, tasteful arrangements. It is not necessary to like the songs or arrangements in order to appreciate the talent involved in creating them.
