Their early albums are rather mixed and have some quirky things on, but are fun. The second album, Close To You, (1970), has the wonderful title track and begins with We’ve Only Just Begun. Those harmonies are just incredible.
Close To You, or rather (They Long To Be) Close To You was their first big hit.
Carpenters toured and had a regular band. They recreated the harmonies on stage as accurately as they could, but the recordings are always better.