April 16, 2008

Mariah Carey: E=MC²

Mariah Carey has come a long way since her breathtaking debut but it’s no secret that her rise to fame has been filled with trials and tribulations. From unending heartbreak to nervous breakdowns, Mariah has endured it all; but even through the rain, the sun still shines and its no wonder as to why Mimi is still feeling emancipated. Now, with a new lease on life, Mariah returns with her new album E=MC² and if you thought the 1st go ‘round of the Emancipation was good, the 2nd is equally better.

For the most part, my infatuation with Mariah has less to do with her singing and more with how she looks. As shallow as that may seem, I stand behind my stance but one thing I can’t deny is that Mariah puts out quality music. So much of her material has a “realness” to it and although people tend to put a label on her diva like stature, Mariah has remained unquestionably consistent. So many other artists fade over time but Mariah is clearly representative of a rare breed.

So, with all that said, all this adds up to what? E=MC² is basically a continuation of The Emancipation of Mimi but it’s not like that’s a bad thing. I thoroughly enjoyed The Emancipation for what it was and the impact that album had was tremendous. Mariah’s career was in peril and to have such a huge following behind that album was imperative. This time around, however, I think it’ll be a little different but out of all the divas that have released albums in the past few months (i.e. Janet, Mary J. Blige), I think E=MC² will stand out the most. Call it a biased opinion but as much as I try to be impartial, I just can’t. Mariah just has a much wider fan base and, as we all know, that entails more outlets for airplay.

Speaking of airplay, this new album is on point and contains plenty of material for Mariah to choose from, as far as singles are concerned. Me myself, I hated the dreadfully, awful “Touch My Body” but dug the T-Pain assisted “Migrate”. While not an official single, T-Pain and his vocoder are at there best and even Mariah jumps in on this addictive new craze. Other standout tracks include “Side Effects” featuring Young Jeezy and the emotionally driven “Bye Bye”, the latter, in which, deals with the heartache of losing a loved one.

Overall, the album is solid all around but it still lacks that “umph” from it’s predecessor. While financially it will be a success, I think Mariah will best be remembered for her inaugural emancipation but then again, since when do sequels ever live up to the original? Unfortunately, E=MC² continues that trend and although this album is good, it’s just not worth revisiting somewhere we’ve already been. Plain and simple.
Rating: 6.5 headphones out of 10

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