The Carpenters: Karen Carpenter (vocals); Richard Carpenter (keyboards).

Additional personnel: Tim May (acoustic & electric guitars); Tony Peluso (electric guitar); Dennis Budmire, Fred Tackett (acoustic guitar); Jay Dee Maness (pedal steel guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Sheridon Stokes (flute, recorder); Earl Dumler (oboe, English horn); John Phillips, Tom Scott (tenor saxophone); Chuck Findley, Ron Gorow, John Audino (flugelhorn); Shaun Furlong (synthesizers); Joe Osborn (bass); Ron Tutt, Ed Greene, Larrie Londin (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Peter Limonick (percussion); The O.K. Chorale (background vocals).

Digitally remastered by Richard Carpenter.

VOICE OF THE HEART, released in October 1983 (only months after Karen Carpenter's death at the age of 32), contains her final recordings. The album was finished posthumously and dedicated to her memory by Karen's brother, Richard. Aside from the solemnity of the packaging, it's a fine late-period Carpenters album, the highpoint being the lovely and poignant opener "Now." The CD was remastered by Richard Carpenter in 1998 as part of a general overhaul of the Carpenters' A&M catalogue. A limited-edition Japanese version features 32-bit digital remastering and an LP-style slipcase.

CD Review - Performance 8 / Sound 8.5

CD Review Reader Consensus - Performance 8.8 / Sound 8.8