New Mariah Carey album

[GoldDustOrphan]

It's heinous. Multi-tracked whispering is not singing and cobbling together inside jokes is not song-writing.

[vermicious knid]

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[Lee]

It's heinous. Multi-tracked whispering is not singing and cobbling together inside jokes is not song-writing.

Not surprised. I missed her when she was on SNL last month (subconsciously probably on purpose). My brother watched it & said that he could hardly hear her. He didn't know if it was her band drowning her out or her mike wasn't on right. Now we know it was her. I'm not a fan of hers anyway. :shrug:

Lee :)

[GoldDustOrphan]

To be fair - if only to make my point - when Mariah performed on MTV's Unplugged way back in 1992, she proved herself a great live singer. She was proud that she had written a song with Carole King (If It's Over), which she performed. 16 years later, Mariah probably thinks Carole King is some old housekeeper she fired.
Her SNL performance of Migrate - which has no obvious melody - consisted of her whisper-singing and putting on mirrored sunglasses. During the finale she attempted a few throwaway runs that weren't connected to the song at hand. I wouldn't be surprised if her manager held up a cue card that read "Mooriah, you forgot to sing again, throw in a run! The champagne and compliments are waiting for you backstage!" The same goes for Touch My Body. Both are on Youtube. She can't be bothered to write or cowrite a song with a decent, memorable melody or even actually sing on any of the songs earmarked as a potential single. Janet's excuse is that she simply can't sing and every single track is Auto-Tuned to death. (Her album is dead in the water, with a fourth, failed single released to urban radio.) But, Mariah can still sing, but she rather put on this cougar-sex kitten purring act.
I love that Leona Lewis blew right past her to number one on the Hot 100, while Mariah's label staggered the video release, radio release, & iTunes release to manipulate the chart so Touch My Body would hit number one. The track tumbled from 12 to 14 before leaping to number one when it finally went onsale at iTunes.
Leona's album is much better than Mariah's, but the material isn't very strong. But, at least she sings it.
The Madonna/Mariah/Leona etc. diva battle during summer 2008 will be won by Carrie Underwood, whose third single will be her new disc's biggest.

[GarboSpeaks!]

I can't stand this woman. Can't stand a single thing she's done since her debut album. She's spiralled out of control, and completely forgotten that she is a singer. Instead revels in her "i'm a sex magnet" image. It's sad really, to see so much talent go in the crapper. I can't even give her a listen anymore since I can't get past that ego of hers. Her & Whitney are 2 of music's saddest demises. Forget Brittney. She;ll be back, and I think people will still care...(I AM NOT ONE) but I would be interested. W/ Moo-riah & Whiffney, no longer care.

[GoldDustOrphan]

Britney looked great - and appeared to be on point - during her recent TV appearance on How I Met My Mother. Her CD has generated two hits and Rolling Stone called one of 2007's 50 best CDs. The third single doesn't appear to be clicking at top 40 but is a hit in clubs. Projected fourth single is considered the disc's best cut (Toy Soldier). I could never stand her until this disc and the paparazzi footage of her staggering down her driveway, crying, and South Park's strangely effective pro-Britney episode, earned her some sympathy points with me and I'm merciless. I think she just needs to spend some time with Ann & Nancy Wilson.

[baboles]

Britney looked great - and appeared to be on point - during her recent TV appearance on How I Met My Mother. Her CD has generated two hits and Rolling Stone called one of 2007's 50 best CDs. The third single doesn't appear to be clicking at top 40 but is a hit in clubs. Projected fourth single is considered the disc's best cut (Toy Soldier). I could never stand her until this disc and the paparazzi footage of her staggering down her driveway, crying, and South Park's strangely effective pro-Britney episode, earned her some sympathy points with me and I'm merciless. I think she just needs to spend some time with Ann & Nancy Wilson.

Britney's album isn't selling very well....I don't even think its gone Gold yet. But I have never been a fan...but I did gain respect for her with these two recent singles (Gimme More and Piece of Me). I thought they were pretty groovy songs. Much darker than her previous singles. I would buy that album, but it is against my religion. Haha. It's kinda like my guilty pleasure. I will purchase it one of these days.

[MacMan]

Instead revels in her "i'm a sex magnet" image. It's sad really, to see so much talent go in the crapper.

This is precisely what confuses me about the woman... SHE CAN SING! Why does she need to rely on breast implants and her body to gain attention.... I still like some of her music, but to have to stoop to a point where you think the only way to get attention is to basically look like a stripper in your videos confuses me.

[GoldDustOrphan]

Blackout has actually done much better than some misinformed media outlets have reported (i.e. gossip rags and trash blogs that don't verify soundscan data or read Billboard). Blackout has 3 million in global sales, with just over 900,000 units sold in the U.S. (By comparison, Rihanna's recent album has sold 1,093,800 copies with tons of personal promo, videos, and 4 hit singles. Daughty only sold 4 million units to be 2007's top-selling CD). Gimme More was certified platinum and Piece of Me was certified Gold, which are amazing numbers. Most hit singles - because of illegal downloading - don't approach Gold status, never mind platinum. If she continues to get her act together and go on tour, that will be the real indicator of her commercial value.

[JazmenFlowers]

Mariah's album is actually better than most people will admit. I have never been ashamed of my fandom of Mariah. I'm not really a superfan, but she's one of a few artists that I will buy anything they do. while I agree that Mariah has lost a lot of range and control of her voice (I can't stand to hear her live), her songwriting and vocal skills are still some of the best. she is very talented and quite a joy to listen to, imo. I think her image and the real Mariah are often conflicted by her detractors just because most people can't reconcile someone being sexy and sensual and also being very sweet and smart. she likes to look what some would consider slutty. she's comfortable with that image. I like to look slutty as well, but that's just one side of me. Mariah is often covered from head to toe as well.

E=MC2 is one of those albums that takes about 3 listens to really enjoy.

I'm not arguing with anyone's opinions, just offering my own take. if you don't care for her music or her singing style, that's fine. I won't take bullets for MC like I would SLN. I just wanted to put a fan's opinion in the mix.

[SpyNote]

Interesting comments.

I like the new album. If you typically avoid R&B and hip-hop or have issues with Mariah Carey's diva image, you probably won't like what's on the new CD, as the music plays up those influences. But I find the songs "Migrate," "I'm That Chick," and "OOC" to be a lot of fun. I gravitate more towards R&B and mid-tempo ballads these days, so I can dig it. (Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole, Leona Lewis, and John Legend are also on my playlist.)

But for people here, "Loving You Long Time" is most like the old Mariah and, in my opinion, the best pop song she's written in years. Great vocal with a classic, Motown pop hook. If you download anything, that's the one.

Regarding the implants, she's denied having them. In inteviews, she's said her bustier appearance is due to weight gain and specially made water-and-gel-filled push-up bras from Victoria's Secret. I generally get the feeling she's opposed to plastic surgery for herself, just going by her interviews.

[JazmenFlowers]

^^^
agreed, except about the boobs. she can say what she wants, but if her luscious rack is the cause of weight gain, we'd be seeing a lot of girls gaining weight only to lose it and maintain a fabulous rack. they're implants, I am as sure as I can be without being her surgeon. she had absolutley no breasts and weight gain, while it may increase your bust size, does not create such beautiful boobs. did you see them during her mentoring on American Idol? wow. they look amazing, but they aren't all hers. they look ultra natural these days though because she had a great boob job and they've had time to settle.

I freakin love I'm That Chick. love it.

[kathy1]

hi jazmen i just got the cd today in the mail. i haven't listened to it yet.

[petep9000]

I hate all this 'runs' things now that every R&B diva or crooner feels they need to lather their songs with. The ultimate? Luther and Mariah's rendition of 'Endless Love'. I remember years ago when it came out, it was like a 2 minute segment where they were both trying to out 'uhuhuhuhuhooouhuhuhahhhh' each other. Some girl in my department was like "Oh My God please turn the station".

Show some restraint. Less is sometimes more. Another reason why I can't watch 'American Idol' either. (Well, actually I don't watch any TV. But if I did, I wouldn't)

[GoldDustOrphan]

I loved "MTV Unplugged"-era Mariah and I wish she could recapture some the spontaneity of her earlier days. She just appears - and sounds - so detached.

Thankfully, she's re-recording her vocals for David Morales' remix of Touch My Body - just like she did for his remix of Say Something. I'm looking forward to that.

I have a bunch of unreleased Mariah tracks - including two from the new album - if anyone is interested.

p.s. Leona Lewis debuted at number one on this week's album chart and Bleeding Love shot back to number one on the digital download chart.

[goldie]

wow - and I just read a good review about the new album in the paper the other day. I was actually considering checking it out, the review was THAT good.

[TrueFaith77]

I don't claim expertise, but to my ears: Mariah Carey's e=mc^2 is the first great album of 2008. Every track is single-worthy. The whole thing is full of gaspably brilliant, insightful, NECESSARY moments. Just a sampling:

On "Love Story," she takes Casablanca to task - this constitutes a major cultural advance; finally a pop artist explicitly taking that totem of hegemony: wow!

On "Migrate" and "Touch My Body," Mimi rivals R. Kelly for chronicling modern romantic-sexual rites: from male/female habits on a night on the town to YouTube-era moral quandaries -- and righteousness ("I will hunt you down!" - da*n!)

On "I'm That Chick" and, explictly, on "OCC," the undeniable grooves and tight rhythmic vocals challenge the lover/listener to answer for the era's essential loss: "What ever happened to empathy?"

On " Side Effects," she challenges both hiphop machismo and, through hiphop license, Rolling Stones misogyny (the reference to "Under My Thumb")

On "Bye Bye," the details are recognizable but not cliche; the vocals and arrangement are deeply, movingly cathartic; it makes me "cry cry"

Then she extends that song's spiritual gesture (arms outstretched) on "I Wish You Well," offering love to the album's abusive recurring partner. She does so in the terms (the rhetoric) infusing contemporary political dilemma (Wright-Obama), emancipating that language from media redaction and Obama's juggling of political pressures. She accomplishes this by applying the language to the heartache everyone understands : "The Word said it / Love your enemies."

[GoldDustOrphan]

Reviews I can get behind:

Like so much of Emancipation and E=MC2, which is a virtual replica of its predecessor in almost every way, "Touch My Body" is all about sound, rhythm, and texture and not so much about song, something that helps sustain Mariah Carey's run at the top the charts, but something that also pushes melodic hooks, and in the process singing, into the background. As Carey's multi-octave voice has always been her calling card, the one thing that even her biggest critics have grudgingly acknowledged as her unassailable strength, this is a little odd -- especially on the T-Pain duet "Migrate," where she succumbs to auto-tune -- but it not only makes Mariah modern, it also camouflages her slightly diminishing range.

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In the argument over Mariah Carey’s place in pop music history, I keep referring to her absence on that VH-1 countdown of the greatest female artistes of rock that aired in 1998. It aired a full eight years after Carey surfaced as the cash cow for Sony and bride-to-be for boss Tommy Mottola. The extent of the snub by her peers then was so evident (gleefully, that other '90s cash cow, Celine Dion, wasn’t listed either) that even the barely year-old career of Erykah Badu was deemed more worthy, getting ankh-wearing singer on the list ahead of Carey.

It’s hard to level a year’s work against eight years' worth but the interchangeability of Carey’s music makes it not only possible but tedious to even try drawing comparisons to her with anyone other than Whitney Houston. Houston at least started to shake things up once her squeaky clean image eroded even though it did no good in the end. Carey is the most successful of the Houston clones that crowded the '90s, but we’re in a different decade now and she is no longer the pop princess in a bubble we’re prepared to be dazzled by. I don't expect her to get away with crap like "Through the Rain" again because even hardcore fans grew weary of Charmbracelet.

The title of Carey’s eleventh album hints at some kind of scientific formula from which she derives her songs but there’s nothing scientific about them really. I’d more use the term "calculating" as her main driving force here as well as "economics". It’s interesting that this album sounds just as carefully constructed as her albums before the Mottola split that seemingly unhinged the more "lustful" sound she’s been parading this decade. Which brings me back to the interchangeability of the woman and how it dents everything she touches. "Touch My Body", lead single and umpteenth hit of her career, starts out with the same production that begat the horrible "We Belong Together". It's equally trite (I wouldn't even tarry on the near-nude Carey, at thirty-eight, still trying to pass and appeal to her fans as if she were eighteen instead, in the video), especially the lyrics she repeats like "on YouTube, YouTube". Damien Marley somehow gets drafted into this project with a vocal nod on "Cruise Control", where Mariah, gulp, tries reggae briefly.

The biggest problem facing Carey, though, in her desire to represent a kind of street/good girl slant is the underwhelming lyrical value she instills to her positions. It’s odd to use the word ‘positions’ in regard to her because the album changes its directive in a manner that conflicts with itself. A track like "Migraine", that features T-Pain, proves this because if Carey isn’t hitting hard as this already then he’s hardly the real deal either. Both are fake-Gucci goods in a Gucci-driven market: passable enough to wear but not highly valued and thrust aside once the real and priceless thing presents itself. It’s a fact too that Carey’s long career has been slumbering in this vein for far too long and such collaborations and subsequent remixes are mere intravenous drips that keep her image alive but fail to enhance it.

In this regard, the formulaic album title is apt because it does run the full gamut of her manipulation. That means she splits the time hangin’ with the boys and being lovesick over them with cliché ballads. In both instances, Carey sacrifices any possible addictive groove for her tepid vocals. Yes, she no longer floods every track with her high-octave vocals but its minimalist use isn’t exactly working wonders either. Besides she is more concerned with safe song structures to dare taking a risk with both her sound and lyrical content. Unless her American fans finally tire of her adolescent pandering, she’ll stick to such formulae and continue to churn out irritating tracks like "O.O.C", where she at least admits that she’s "out of control".

I single out her American fans because it is only in such a homogeneous pop market that Carey can survive with her ridiculous shenanigans. She may be celebrating an eighteenth #1 Billboard hit but it isn’t mere coincidence that she’s only topped the British charts twice; both times with cover versions and that the reception to her globally doesn’t seriously rival that of her contemporaries. Carey can continue to avoid taking risks with her safe collaborations because she knows her market very well.

She’s an ideal, genetically-blessed pop star who prefers to have you take her flippancy for something far more genuine than her songs. Based on her gargantuan album sales, it's clear then that Carey realizes that people, especially adolescents, keep returning to her. This is because she present no challenge to the harshness they face in personal identities, change and otherwise. In such a regard, she’s a shrewd musician but she’d be even shrewder if she realized that such an idealized state cannot last forever. In this, the eighteenth year of her career, time is running as short as those mini-dresses she loves to parade in.

RATING: 4/10

[JazmenFlowers]

the first guy's review doesn't really say anything. the second guy obviously doesn't like Mariah so he's a tad biased anyway and it's not really worth responding to, but I have to point out a couple things.

A track like "Migraine"
it's actually called Migrate

Based on her gargantuan album sales, it's clear then that Carey realizes that people, especially adolescents, keep returning to her. This is because she present no challenge to the harshness they face in personal identities, change and otherwise.
are you kidding me?

btw, he really needs some grammar and spelling classes if he is going to be writing reviews. do you mind providing the source of these reviews?

[GoldDustOrphan]

All Music Guide
Blog Critics Magazine

My favorite place for reviews is www.metacritic.com.

E=MC2 currently has a 69% favorable rate (which is good) with 12 reviews collected.