The Mediocrity Of Mimi
Dear Mimi,
Who are you and what the hell have you done with Mariah Carey?
Cheers!
Robbie
A box of 30 copies of The Emanicipation Of Mimi arrived at the station yesterday and as soon as Andy opened the box, I was on that like a fly on shit. I still don't know how I feel about the album. In the liner notes she writes, "This album is dedicated to all my real fans. Thank you for continuing to amaze and inspire me." I wish we could inspire you to make a bit of a better record. To quote Randy Jackson, "It was just aiight for me, dawg" and it doesn't live up to the hype I've been reading online.
One of the things I've always loved about Mariah is the storytelling in her lyrics and on her albums. Her songs and albums are so personal. As a lamb, I've kept up with her for years and she really showed her ability to tell her own story with albums like Butterfly and Rainbow, and I think part of the problem with Mimi, and most definitely with Charmbracelet, is that Mariah set the bar high with Butterfly and Rainbow and since has not been able to reach that bar again.
The Emancipation Of Mimi is just so...so...GENERIC. Seriously, as I'm writing this, I really want to cry because I feel so let down. Granted, all of this is just based on one listen. I will, obviously, give it several more chances before I make an ultimate decision. The uptempos are fun but after a while, they all start to sound the same. The same kind of beat, the same generic lyrics about seeing cute guys and having fun. The same can be said about the midtempos as well. This is, in this lamb's humble opinion, Mariah's most r'n'b album to date. All of the midtempos have this 70s funk/soul feel to them and they all sound like something you'd hear on an Alicia Keys album, which works for Alicia Keys, but doesn't work for Mariah. My least favorite track on Charmbracelet is "Subtle Invitation" and many of the midtempos remind me of that song with the organ and horns. Also, I don't know what kind of credibility she's trying to achieve by saying "shit" and "motherfucker" in "One & Only."
I also think that reading that 2 1/2 star review of it in Rolling Stone has biased me a bit, though reviews generally tend to not bias me. It's so true what they say about her singing big and quiet in the wrong parts.
There are some high points on the album though. "It's Like That," "We Belong Together," "Mine Again," and "Get Your Number." "Get Your Number" is so gangsta that it makes me grin. "One And Only" is not one of my favorite tracks but you have to admire that Mariah can keep up with Twista.
That's all. If the next album is Bitchin' With Bianca I don't think I'll be as disappointed. I've had 6 years to anticipate Bianca's arrival but Mimi came out of nowhere and hopefully she'll go as soon as she came.