Mariah Carey is on the verge of becoming the biggest musical act ever. Her 18 number-one singles makes her second to only the Beatles, and she’s just a shade behind Elvis for the ‘most weeks spent on top of the charts’ record. What’s more, I promise you that after her new album E=MC² hits stores it’s only a matter of time until she breaks both records. It’s been a good run boys, time to step aside for the queen.
In case you didn’t catch it the first time, Mariah Carey…is on the verge of becoming…the biggest musical act…ever. Take a moment to think that over. Now, I’m not one to play the hater card, but considering the voluptuous siren’s undeniable dominance Mariah gets a shocking lack of respect from critics. I mean she’s had more hits than f**king Elvis! So why are the critics, in a word, hating? I’ll let you in on a little secret; the vast majority of music critics are male music snobs. If Mariah wore thrift store clothes and played avant-garde banjo they’d love her, but it seems the uptight bastards just can’t handle a hot, talented woman who makes music, first and foremost, for women. Not me. E=MC² won’t exactly inspire a generation to greatness, but it’s easily the best rhythm and pop album of the last year. So, break out your most glittery charm bracelet and start day dreaming about rainbows, cause I’m about to emancipate your inner-Mimi.
There’s no better place to start than with Touch My Body. This is exactly the type of record most critics line-up to criticize Mariah for; the production is feather-light and her vocals are dripping with more empty sweetness than a Splenda packet. All those criticisms are true, but they also miss the point. See, beneath Mariah’s sometimes delicate musical appearance is a hidden sense of humor and complexity. Just listen to the menace she puts behind “I will hunt you down,” or the subtle eroticism she sneaks into “come on and give me what I deserve.” In fact, if she deserves credit for anything it’s including unexpected guest artists on her albums. Let’s not forget she once bravely did a duet with O.D.B. and the surprises continue with the reggae-tinged Cruise Control. I guarantee you Damian Marley was not the label’s first choice of guest artist, but maybe he’s the reason Mariah’s able to adopt an inexplicably passable Jamaican accent for the second verse. Fine, so Cruise Control isn’t earth shattering. It’s not supposed to be, it’s pop music.
Which bring me to the criticism that E=MC² sounds exactly like The Emancipation of Mimi. First off, the album title does stand for the emancipation of Mariah Carey, part two (what you thought she was a secret physics theorist?). Second, if her last album was dope, and this album sounds exactly like her last album, doesn’t that make E=MC² dope too? Mariah found her musical soul mate in Jermaine Dupri’s perpetually bouncing beats, and the J.D. hit machine is in fine form once again on Thanx 4 Nothing, 2008’s version of Shake It Off. Thanx 4 Nothing may have decidedly more subdued production, but Mariah’s independent woman lyrics delivered in pitch perfect harmony has a similarly mesmerizing effect, right down to J.D.’s ever-present ad-libs. Despite the power of the world’s shortest hit-maker, Mariah turned to the decidedly newer (and taller) Danja for the beat to her second single, Migrate. Like some sort of musical loose tooth, Migrate doesn’t feel good, but damned if you can’t stop messing with it. Danja turns Mariah’s ridiculously high vocal sample into a whistling melody line floating over darkly snapping percussion, and while I keep waiting for T-Pain’s voice-box shtick to get old, he manages to pull-off yet another addictively catchy guest verse. Personally I wouldn’t compare club-hopping to the movement of large aquatic mammals and birds in the winter, but that’s just me.
E=MC² isn’t an exact duplicate of The Emancipation of Mimi, it does contain some of the infamously distant Mariah’s most personal material to date. Side Effects details her abusive marriage to label-mogul Tommy Motola with gripping detail, and while the swaggering Young Jeezy was far from the best choice for a verse, it’s not enough to derail the emotional intensity. She may not be able to hit the gut-wrenching level of Mary J., but that’s why they’re different artists. Listen, E=MC² isn’t a classic album, but today I’m leaving the negativity to my critical brethren. I’d rather just sit back and enjoy music’s undisputed greatest hit-maker of all-time, Mariah Carey.
She is seriously the queen of R&B, good write up Nathan, I honestly havnt heard the whole album yet, just 4 songs (Touch My Body, Migrate, Side Effects, & Bye Bye) and already this album seems to be a banger! I will rate on what I have heard so far, and she seems to have seriously done work on this and put a lot of effort and work into it, can't wait to hear the whole album!
This is a great album! She has a lot of potential singles on here to help her repeat the success of her last album, even though I personally think Bye Bye is a bad choice for single #2. Great review, get this album
Been listening to this album for a while now. She is a solid part of the RnB music industry. If I could reach some of the notes she can I'd have no balls. Good album.
I wasn't a real big fan of Mariah Carey until a few years ago when I went back and listened to a lot of her old catalogue. But between her last album and this album I feel she's finally almost returning to the Mariah Carey she used to be but obviously updated for the new generation. Hey it's better than the vapid emptiness of Honey or Glitter lol
The only albums I've listened to were the last one and this one, and I honestly think this one is better. I am always surprised though that the songs routinely disliked by the reviewers are my favs. Take Migrate. I'm not sure how, musically, this song doesn't feel good. Also, feather-light production and empty vocal sweetness... come on most people can't handle heavy production. Most people, especially girls, don't really appreciate heavy production (unless it's a booty-poppin beat). No one seems to offer an example of what she should be doing. I do agree though, she brings lots of sophistication subtly, probably why I love listenin to her. I will go back and listen to the last album to better compare them. Yes, Nathan S, i've been in touch wit my inner-Mimi for quite some time now haha
Good review. Been trying to understand the lack of enthusiasm from the critics. If beyonce did this album, they probably would've praised everything.
I agree that the ablum has flaws, but if you think of the bigger picture and the career she's had, it's really amazing she sounds this fresh. I think everyone involved in a Mariah album lifts their game knowing the kind of records she's breaking. Overall, the quailty is there, if it lacks anything it's probably risks; but it's got lots of fun, safe songs.
i haven gotten it yet but i will amd camt understand the hate she gets. just cause she's ight skinned. if darker skinned mary j or beyonce did this album, people would be on their nuts. light skin haters! jus playin
Nathan S. this album might gross near the total units that emancipation of mimi did. What you think? There is 5 straight singles: 1. migrate 2. i stay in love 3. cruise control 4. for the record 5. bye bye (those are also the top five tracks in order).
Here's my take on it. I never understood the whole Beatles phenom. Because their first half of their(before the LSD) they were the 60's 'N Sync and then after the LSD they got really weird so don't understand how they are musical icons. Mariah has done it again. Mariah has always been an artist that has been ignored by everyone, but yet keeps the hits coming. She doesn't get respect as a songwriter and surely doesn't get the respect she deserves for what she has done in music. There's always talk who's better Madonna, Janet, or Mariah...no contest. For Madonna nor Janet can sing, and without Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Janet can;t make good songs either...as her last three albums proved. Anyway, E=mc2 is phenomenal. For the Record has finally taken over as MC's favorite song from Can't Let Go's long reign...For the Record should have been her second single(it is so 2008's Don't Forget About Us.) Her auto-biographic song "Side Effects" is something that rivals MJB's soulful "No More Drama" and "Deep Inside". All I can say is let's wait and see Beyonce do an album like this after 18 years in the industry. She can't do this now...hello, B-Day sucked.
This CD is very nice. I didn't really know what to expect from Mariah Carey after "The Emancipation of Mimi"; I just wasn't sure if she could get it right again. I can, in all honesty, listen to "E=MC2" in its entirety. I don't have to skip a single track. I love it.
"Personally I wouldn’t compare club-hopping to the movement of large aquatic mammals and birds in the winter, but that’s just me." lmao^
but i lyk everything ive heard so far ive been in touch with my inner mim i hated migrate at 1st but im slowly warmin up 2 it
Ok, there are a lot of great potential singles on this album. "I Stay In Love" is a lot like her hits from her last album, as is "Love Story," "Last Kiss," and "Thanx 4 Nothin." "Side Effects" is a standout song that commands attention because of the emotion that pours out of it and because you know what she's singing about. I might get addicted to some other songs off this album, but I believe the #1 song on this album is "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time." DJ Toomp tried his hand at R&B and struck gold wit Mariah! "Migrate" is also a good club song. I think her "Emancipation of Mimi" album is slightly better tho, but only slightly.
Posted on Apr 30, 2008
You must be logged in to post comments. Please log in below or Register.
Email this page to a friend
