Just one thing - the duet with T-Pain is called MIGRATE not MIRAGE. Not that it matters much.

I completely disagree with Erlewine’s review. Her new CD is far from an artistic breakthrough or a creative endeavor, but it’s by far her most enjoyable pop record in over a decade. What shocked me most was how pristine her vocals sound. Maybe it’s due to the weight loss, or maybe she had throat surgery, but her voice doesn’t sound nearly as thin or shrill as it did on The Emancipation; she sounds like a powerhouse again, particularly on the track “I Stay In Love”. What annoyed me most about post-millenium Mariah was her heavy usage of breathy, almost undiscernable vocals. This record is almost entirely her belting it out like in the old days, (”I’ll Be Lovin U Long Time” took me all the way back to “Dreamlover”) and when it isn’t, you can actually understand what she’s singing.

If you’re looking for something innovative, then a Mariah Carey album shouldn’t be your bag, but if you want to hear a consistently solid, sing-a-long pop record drenched in delicious and inescapable melodies by one of the best vocalists of our era, then this disc is essential. The Emancipation of Mimi was only a tease, but this is the real deal. I honestly don’t think she’s made a better disc in her entire career, save maybe Butterfly.

Expect some big hits from this one: Migrate, For The Record, I Stay In Love, I’ll Be Lovin U Long Time, and Side Effects. The only tracks I could see myself skipping over would be the insipid “Bye Bye” and the cheese-fest lead single.

But I’ve never understood this thing with some critics to speak of “maturity” and “artistic accomplishment” and the like. I for one know that I’m not capable of producing anything of it’s caliber.

And it’s also somewhat confusing that when Carey plays it safe she is criticized, but when she steps into new territory (regardless if it’s a small step, a la “Glitter”) she is ridiculed.

I LOVE it!!!

It seems the only element missing was rock style songs, but other than that. Then album is one of the BEST albums I’ve heard.

The Ballads, the disco, the Hip-hop, the carribean flavors were all Incredibly GOOD!

More than half of the songs has Single potential!

I think haters just want some Rock, but didn’t get it, that’s all.

The lyrics on Bye Bye, was very Mature/Deep !

She intend to have fun, she feel like a 12-year old.

Not every song need to have that effect like Bye Bye.

And her True fans will Absolutely LOVE her lyrics in “For the Record”!

Its title, the lyrics, the vocals scream mediocrity to the second. All what is done here is just to ensure the mass appeal and an absolute will to achieve no.1 no matter the cost. I guess having no family or no life in general is the reason Carey is acting like a spoiled girl who is still living within her pony-rainbow-world and shows no sign of waking up.

Other voices lik Celine Dion for example showed always what real class and consistency is about. Especially as a live performer. Here Mariah Carey’s vocals don’t even compare.

Compare her Lyrics to the likes of Soulja Boy, WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY BETTER!!!

I mean, you look at what she writes… and what another quality writer (Babyface) writes what’s the Difference?

Mariah complains that she never gets respect for being a singer/songwriter, but it’s hard to give someone that type of respect when their image is so misleading. I do agree that her voice isn’t what it use to be anymore (I doubt she could do give the same vocal performance as in the first 30 seconds of “You’re So Cold” from “Emotions”). However, even with her diminishing voice, she still remains one of the best. “I Wish You Well” was one of the few songs that proves that she can give a gritty vocal performance when she wants to.

Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, U2 and OutKast are very talented/gifted artists but there Grammy “sweeps” off of one hit song still baffles me. How could Marvin Gaye only have one Grammy, Diana Ross “0″ and Patti Labelle “1″(and that win she shares w/Lisa Fischer) while these others with one and two albums have truck loads?

Alicia Keys, Beyonce’…they each have about nine/ten Grammy’s , that’s almost as many as Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald! There is something the matter when artists who have consistently proven themselves over a “lifetime” of excellence in their craft, can be trumped by relatively new artists with limited catalog and proven staying power. Case in point…”WHERE” is Lauryn Hill? She had one hit record, was touted as a musical genius, swept the Grammy’s and then………….(silence). She has about five Grammy’s and Diana Ross who ruled the airwaves/charts with the Supremes during the late 60’s and continued solo in the 70’s’80’s has none!?!(WTF)

It just seems to me that all of these accolades are dolled out onto these artists and they don’t have to do much (compared to earlier artist’s career’s) to earn them.

Mariah may have beaten out Elvis fair and square, but some of these “records” being broken and awards being given out to some of these artists are premature and a joke.

The trick with the Grammys in particular is that they have added so many categories in the past 20-30 years that it’s too easy to rack up a high number count. Add that to that fact that it can be easily argued that music overall (and especially R&B and Pop music) aren’t as good as they were 20 years ago, and someone who makes a great album one year (like your example of Lauryn Hill) can easily win 6-10 Grammys while older artists were only really eligible for 3-4 a year.

If you really want to compare, I’d so something like looking at the categories that existed in, say 1975 (epecially when it comes to Pop/R&B), and distill the past 10-20 years into just those categories, and then see how many these new artists have. That’d be an interesting project. Hmm, maybe I’ll do it myself and come back with the results.

Thanks for the insight and I hadn’t even considered the increase in categories. I hate that I’ve become that person who seems to always bring up the glorious music from the 70’s/80’s’, but it was simply superior to what is being produced today.

I hope that you will take on the task you mentioned in your post. I’m eager to know what you discover in your findings.

The Only R&B categories were male performance, female performance, duo or group, and album in 1975. They’ve added four more R&B categories since 1975. Using Beyonce, with the old Categories, she’d have 4 (Female Performance, Duo or Group (with Luther Vandross), and best R&B song in 2003 and Duo or Group (with Stevie Wonder) in 2005), and 2 would be for duets.

Many of you love to slap any type of vague, indiscriminate description with no idea what it means. You say Carey’s voice is “soulless”. In what regards? How would a soulful voice sound?

You’ve got us all wrong Mark! We, well I’m going to speak for myself here. It’s not that Mariah is w/o soul, on the contrary, she is very soulful. However, her musical efforts suffer (artistically) in her qwest to remain “hip”. The constant use of samples, rap artists, and hip-hop beats have lead to a few too many hip, yet disposable songs.

It is my belief that someone of Mariah caliber of talent (song writing, vocal ability) sells herself short by being too “gimicy”. This of course has not stopped her from making hit records (which I guess now-a-days is the be-all-end-all), but it has hindered her from creating songs that can withstand the test of time.

I believe there is “soul” in nearly every form of music if you listen close enough. Unfortunately, alot of music can loose it’s soul when it is coming from a place of sugar-coated, glossed over- gimmickry. It appears to be fullfilling, but utlimately leaves you starving for the real thing. Just my opinion.

I actually like the new album. I think her voice doesn’t sound as hoarse here as it did on “Mimi”. In fact, the best cut on the album, “I Wish You Well,” her voice sounds as strong and gritty as on the memorable “Vanishing” from her debut. I know Mr. Erlewine has been critical of Mariah’s voice lately, but all divas cannot remain the same after a 18/20 + career. Aretha Franklin’s voice in the 80s sounded drastically different compared to her days at Atlantic Records. (And if we want to talk about divas who followed trends then Aretha Franklin definately followed them when she signed with Arista Records and Clive Davis had her record albums with a simliar sound to Whitney Houston. None of Aretha’s albums in the 80s had signs of that Southern Soul sound that made her famous.) Aretha’s timbre was huskier and she used more of her head voice than chest. We can’t fault Mariah for having a slightly diminishing voice when many divas, past or present, have suffered the same thing. I think what’s important is if Mariah can still deliver a punch to a song with a stunning vocal performance, and judging the new album, I stay she still has it. “I Wish You Well” proves that even with just a piano and background vocals, she can move you with her singing like on her debut.

Now, I agree with Mike that Mariah Carey has too much potential as a singer/songwriter to not make at least ONE serious R&B album for her fans who followed her career since day one. It would be great if she worked on a whole album with James Poyser. However, I don’t think this is going to happen, because we all know that once Mariah finds a formula in her music that’s succesful, she doesn’t change it until the public rejects it. But it’s close to 20 years now that Mariah Carey’s been in the business, and I think it’s about time for her to go back to her soulful roots from her first few albums and create music that will define her legacy. Her 90s albums will do part of that, but even with those it’s mostly the hit singles people remember, not the great tracks that were unreleased on her album that displayed versatility.

Preston, maybe you’re right that I’ve been a bit too critical about Mariah’s voice, but you’re also right that a diminishing voice is something that just happens with age. What I find odd about the recent records is that there are attempts to disguise that diminshing within productions that deny that Mariah’s is getting older; if anything, she’s making music that’s more adolescent now than she did on her debut. Which is what you and Mike are alluding to — that she not only should do this, but she could knock it out of the park because she does have the soul to do that. (A common misperception is that the technically proficient lack soul, which isn’t true at all.) And I, like a lot of you here, do think that she not only could make a good album but that it would be a success…but her track record of the last decade suggests that she’s more interested in staying at the top of the charts instead of making music that is more about the song and how she sings it instead of the feel of the track. (And for the record, i have NO problem with that kind of production, it just goes against the what Mariah’s strengths are as a singer.)

And as for staying at the top of the charts — Lovell is completely right that the Grammys are overloaded with categories, which inflates the count for current artists and the same logic applies to the charts which have changed drastically in the years since Soundscan. Not just that, but the whole system is pretty much jerry-rigged to produce records like Mariah’s new number one singles record — which is impressive, but doesn’t take into account historical context. Then again, chart positions are never a definitive final word on a song or album, more of a guideline to its popularity at the time and it should always be taken with a grain of salt or two.

One final thought — do you guys think Mariah would be able to pull off an Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson-style kind of neo-soul production? That MAY have been a way for her to both seem contemporary and a bit age-appropriate (although those Ronson rhythms could sometimes use a little more breathing room).

“Ditto” my friend to every point that you made! I remember hearing the song “Vanishing” for the first time and boy didn’t the hairs on my neck raise. That’s why Mariah urks me so by some of her output. I can’t even recall tunes from all of those “theme” projects; Rainbow, Glitter, Charmbraclet…???
Those albums/cd sounded rushed and uninspired and subsequently flopped. Now, those same records released by some of these other so called “divas” that lack Mariah’s talent, would have been seen as triumphs. I expect more from Mariah, because I know that she’s capable of rising to the challenge.

I also agree that liberties should be afforded to Mariah and Whitney (Celine’s voice while not as soulful, still sounds great live)as far as “live” vocals go. They are two “power-house” vocalists and after 15-20 yrs. there will be signs of strain. Althought both music veterans B.Streisand and G.Knight still sound absolutely incredible live.

Your also right Preston in there is a noticable difference in both Aretha’s voice and music output during the 80’s. Even with this noticable difference Aretha “still” remained soulful. “Jump To It”, “Freeway Of Love”, and “Sister Are Doing It For Themselves” nearly out “souled” most of the competition then and still hold up today. It’s no fluke that Aretha is the “Queen”. A title that was “earned” and not just bestowed after one or two hit records.

That’s it!!! It’s not the lack of soul, but that glossed-up production camaflog the wear-n-tear of M.Carey’s voice. That coupled with the juvenile themes in many of her songs, equal an ear full of “cotton-candy” tunes. I agree that it is time for Mariah to let go of this need to reach for “titles” (i.e. “best selling female artist”, “most number ones in One Hour”, “most albums release in One Month” etc.).

I believe that Mariah is a gifted enough artist to make nearly any production style work. When the talent is there, I’m not a hard guy to please: Bass, Guitar, Drums, keyboards, good song material and Mariah. No sampling, rappin’-n-scratchin’, endless layering of high-notes for mood effect…Just sing Mariah!

Oh, since your hangin’ with us S.T.E. Great site and reviews that are always “on point”. Whenever it’s time to check out/purchase new/catalog music, I always run a check through the site here first. You guys know your music!

But just to be clear, Carey may be one of my top three favourite vocalists, but I doubt that she could pull off Amy Winehouse. They’re different right down to the very soul, and Winehouse, unlike Carey, isn’t afraid to bare her raw, abused soul.

Re MC’s voice: I think any reasonable person would agree that it really is an amazing gift and one of the best; however, something does seem strange. I agree that it seems to have “deteriorated” (granted, it’s still one of the greatest in the world!) since the late 90s, and I agree that her voice is often being buried in the production on the last few albums (particularly her IDJ releases).

When I was in college, we had a top Ear Nose & Throat doctor speak to us about the voice, vocal chords, etc… He somewhat furtively mentioned that one of his patients, who was a major music superstar with a whistle range, had abnormal vocal chords and that it exceptional that this singer could even sing due to that condition. I’ve always wondered if he was referring to MC. More than any other female artist of her caliber (e.g., Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera), MC seems to discuss often how she has to take special care of her voice (e.g., spraying misted water in her throat in between song performances, having humidifiers in her bedroom, etc…) Maybe I’m overanalyzing it and it’s just the aging process. I’ve just always wondered…

Anyways, thanks for your thoughtful reviews, STE. They are a treat.

NOTE: I can’t wait to hear “I Wish You Well” due to the “Vanishing” comparisons. How excellent is that song? Can you imagine being 19 or 20 years old and able to sing something like that? Wow! I’m wondering if any of this week’s Idol contestants will dare attempt it.

I’m hoping Carly Smithson will pick one of MC’s lesser-known great ballads (Vanishing, Lead The Way, Can’t Let Go, If It’s Over) and really shine with it. I’m also wondering what song “rocker” David Cook will sing. Maybe “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak”? (To me, that’d be a copout, but what else is he going to do? -For the record, I’m not a fan of Cook’s.)

Mr. Erlewine, I always felt that Carey should make a Neo-Soul album. She have certain songs on her latest albums that hints to that sound (on “Mimi” there’s “Mine Again,” “Circles,” “Fly Like A Bird” and “I Wish You Knew”; “Charmbracelet” there’s “Subtle Invitation”; and “E=MC2″ there’s “I’m That Chick”), and as I mentioned in a prior post, there’s an unreleased track entitled “I Feel It” leaked on YouTube that was originally recorded as a single for “Mimi”. That track had so much swagger and 70s Soul, Minnie Riperton would’ve been proud. So, yes, Mariah Carey should record a Neo-Soul album (she always had a slight Minnie Riperton sound to her music, e.g., “Underneath the Stars” and “Bliss” being two off the top of my head). And she should revisit tracks like “Vanishing,” “If It’s Over” (the “MTV Unplugged” version was better than the recorded version on “Emotions”), “The Wind” and those Motown-inspire uptempos like “You’re So Cold” and “To Be Around You” and realize that her strengths was at making soul ballads and uptempos, not at being a R&B/Hip Hop diva. No matter how hard and ghetto fab Carey tries to be, she’ll never be Mary J. Blige. (Why can’t Carey realize that even Blige herself noted how she admired Carey’s early albums and emulated her singing when listening to songs such as “Vision of Love” when living in the hood?). Most singers who look up to her as an influence often cite “Vision of Love” than “Fantasy” as the one song that inspired them to sing. I don’t think Carey understands that it’s not the “Fantasy” remix with Puffy that solidified her importance with R&B listeners; it was those first few albums that built her a strong R&B following that admired her ambitious mix of Whitney Houston, Minnie Riperton, Aretha Franklin and early Motown on her debut, “Emotions” and “MTV Unplugged”. I’m in the minority who feels that the “Fantasy” remix wasn’t as innovative and important in her career that she makes it out to be.

On one hand, I can’t fault Mariah Carey for being a music machine whose goal is to produce successful albums and #1 singles — that’s all mainstream artists goal. But on the other hand, there’s a flaw in a music machine that places success before artistic integrity. The difference between Mariah Carey and someone like Madonna is that Madonna know who she is as an artist, and rather than following trends and getting in line with others, she often creates them and leads the way. (However, one can’t say that about Madonna now with her latest single that sounds like a throwaway Gwen Stefani/Nelly Furtado track.) I totally agree with you Mr. Erlewine that Carey’s mistake is that she refuses to go back and look at her past. Or maybe she is miscalculating when she looks back at her past and gives too much importance to songs like “Fantasy” rather than “Vision of Love”. Because each time I hear a R&B or Hip Hop artist talk about Mariah Carey, they NEVER mention “Fantasy” but “Vision of Love”. It’s Carey’s soul offerings that gave her legitimacy and importance to R&B listeners, not her quest to become a Hip Hop diva.

As far as her artistry is concerned, she has always been a hip-hop aficionado. I think we would have heard much more hip-hop flavored records from her since day one had Tommy Mottola not been instrumental in marketing her as a pop artist. Unfortunately for her, the public only knows her as the artist behind “Fantasy”, “Honey”, “Touch My Body”. My opinion is that her finest work is never released to radio - listen to “Vanishing”, “Alone in Love”, “Underneath the Stars”, “If It’s Over”, “Melt Away”, “Looking In”, “Close My Eyes”, “Whenever You Call”, “Outside”, “Stay the Night”, etc. Another problem is that her music often falls into the Beyonce category instead of Mary J. Blige or Alicia Keys, artists whose work tends to be more critically-acclaimed. But, you also have to realize - this is a woman who lists “Ante Up” as one of her favorite records. And there is nothing wrong with that.

There is no doubt that she is capable of more - I, too, would love to hear her put out an album with a more mature sound. But, I also feel like she doesn’t get enough credit as an artist. She’s underrated, especially for a woman who displays immense versatility in her voice and songwriting abilities. She has basically started the R&B/pop diva + rapper formula when she chose to work with ODB, who at the time was a hardcore rapper nowhere to be seen on mainstream radio. And she undoubtedly serves as an inspiration to several artists today - Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Rowland, Jordin Sparks, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Leona Lewis have all cited her as an influence.

Here’s my problem with your writing — you, like many critics, mask your ignorance on certain subjects with lofty “music expert” airs. I remember laughing out loud at your Emancipation review, in which you accused Carey of aping Beyonce Knowles stylistically. Hilariously, much of this theory was hinged on the fact that both artists used the same photographers (Markus Klinko & Indrani) for their album covers. That kind of “she looks like her! she sounds like her!!” reportage is what I’d expect from a tabloid journalist.

In summary, I understand some of your comments on this album, but I do not see what is so lacking about it that warranted your thoroughly mediocre review.

Somewhere along the road, someone told her that being #1 on some dumb Billboard Chart is the most important thing in the world. Its almost pathological. She has 18 #1 hits, but how many of them are classics? Maybe Vision of Love, Hero, Fantasy and her Xmas song and thats it. Elvis, Beatles, Madonna, Supremes, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson all have PLENTY of classics. Mariah songs are nice for a listen but they don’t hold up once they are off the charts. Its a shame really. I never hear her songs in movies or commericials, I never see them convered or sampled, and never see them on acclaimed lists. Thats not a coincidence.

ANd her image is real concern. One minute she’s hugging some hello kitty toy, then she’s talking slang. Where the hell did she learn to talk slang? From her multimillion dollar home in Long Island? Please. This woman is so fake. Who is the real her? Does she even have a personality? When is she gonna just be herself?

As for her voice, I’ve always felt that she was a great TECHNICAL VOCALIST, but not a GREAT SINGER. Thats the difference. She doesn’t connect with the lyrics, she lacks real emotion, she lacks soul, she lacks passion. I think thats why she isn’t as respected as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight. She doesn’t connect with the listener and on stage is even worst, I won’t even get into that.

I guess thats why Mariah isn’t viewed as a legend, eventhough she’s been around for almost 20 years. She has yet the reach that high level of respect and apparently she has no problem with that. As long she gets her #1s.

Oh, by the way, the only memorable songs from Whitney Houston’s career are from the “Bodyguard” soundtrack and her debut album. Most of her hits are quite forgettable as well (e.g., “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” “So Emotional,” “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “You Give Good Love,” etc.) So please let’s not act as if most artists who top the charts all have memorable material. I can pick songs from Madonna that topped the charts the average person would not know.

Mariah Carey has made her place in history and no petty fan of other divas can ever erase her impact and influence as a vocalist.

I wish to not name artists, especially those who have thrived on the 60s and 70s, and have, in effect, “revolutionized” the R&B genre, but I’m sorry, I am so tempted to ask all those who always reference them as THE artists — are you still listening to their records now? I mean, come on.

If certain demographics find solace in listening to Mariah Carey records, does it make them a tad bit inferior to the rest of the supposedly artistic world? If so, why? They have buying powers, too. I am sure they hold respectable positions in any industry they’re affiliated in. They eat the same, if not better, food — and don the same, if not (again), better clothes as the rest. I guess my whole point is “individuality.” Cut it out — give the girl a slack for she is just wanting to enjoy her delusion to being “eternally 12″ and hence, expresses that feeling in almost any and every way she can get her hands too.

I am not a die-hard fan, trust me. But it’s irking to see that people spend a lot of time expressing their discontent to whatever her current release is. You know what? Don’t buy, it’s as easy as that. Go ahead and find yourself a recent Aretha or Stevie or Michael record and then with your speakers, go to the church and listen to that until you chance on another one. Good luck, mate! And Celine or Madonna or Whitney? Come on. You’re much better than that.

You have to give it to the girl. Yes, she chose “Touch My Body,” but have you not gotten the memo that even she herself finds it a humorous track?

This record, as I’ve just gotten it yesterday, is like all her previous ones that are injected with a ton of fun. Now if it sells or not, let her — it’s her formula, it’s her choice, and in then end if she fails miserably again, then let her stand up and regain herself — as she already did and I believe will still be able to do. But for now, can you just skip it if you don’t like it?

Now, if taken in context, her years prior to Butterfly were a study in mainstream formula, aimed squarely and commercially at middle America and gauzy AC/crossover formats, while her amazing vocal talents kept many R&B purist waiting for growth and maturity in her lyrics to match her vocals.

Ms. Carey has spent the years since Butterfly playing catchup. After “freeing” herself from her “hell”, she is hell bent on making the music she claims she always wanted to make, but those early and formative years with Columbia Records is what keeps her making the music safe. Not given the reign to grow naturally, being stifled and marketed has skewed her natural vocal instincts, but sharped her desire to compromise her musical instincts. She still has to be seen as the successful vocalist, that has been her stock in trade since day one.

sIn my opinion, her unreleased personal cuts on every release up to Glitter, were dripping with pain and longing and a realness, drawn from her desire to be unrestricted and not beholden to sales or critical expectations or the demands from her fans.

I have long since accepted that no one but Ms. Carey and her ex-husband know what happened in the 8 years they were together and the 3 additional years afterwards, but there is no denying Ms. Carey has quite a bit of emotional trauma left over and control issues that she is dealing with from that union. Not to mention the deep insecurity and bald neediness that is laid bare more and more with each successive release. Until E=MC2.

The innocence and promise she started out with is gone, and only when she is at peace with where she’s at and where she wants to go, will we get what some is alluding to, “the old Mariah”. I predict her next release will be the one. She will find the success of E=MC2 as her validation and will return to what was termed so many times early in here career, to self indulgent sonic vocal pyrotechnics. And I will be right there waiting. I have enjoyed having Mariah allowing us into her journey, instead of not recording or playing to the chorus, she’s just doing what she feel she needs to do. Right or wrong, for what it’s worth, but taking the chances and putting it out there.