Concert review: Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey herself best described Monday's first of two dates at the Universal when a hairdresser came onstage to tousle her mane of blonde hair. "Just a tad excessive," she said, joking with the crowd. Unfortunately, the entire concert was filled with overkill. It was a bloated mess: dancers cluttering the stage and writhing about, over-the-top and often shrill arrangements, plus so many outfit changes for Carey that one lost track. Carey's hardly a showgirl, and the production numbers with a pseudo-"Moulin Rouge" French motif for most of the evening's songs were more cover-up than enhancement. She made a star's entrance from the rear of the venue, escorted down the stairs by bodyguards, wearing the kind of glittering mini-dress she favors most of the time.
Flashing the high-wattage smile of sparkling teeth and showing either legs or cleavage, Carey can certainly pull off the glamour, sex vixen and hot tramp looks, but isn't it really supposed to be all about her multi-octave voice? Sure enough, she cooed and belted, and every time she went for that high-pitched range that could prick up a dog's ears, the audience went wild. But that's just a gimmick. Where was the true phrasing and the skill to get inside a song rather than simply show off vocal acrobatics over vacant pop/hip-hop blends?
Last year's "Charmbracelet" album was a comeback for Carey, after the disaster of her film "Glitter" and a very public breakdown. She introduced the ballad "Through the Rain" as a song about overcoming adversity, and while it's tough to feel sorry for a wealthy singer who simply can't cope with the pressures of fame and a busy schedule, it was clear that the song is a personal one. However, the arrangement was indicative of most of the night's numbers - way overdone, especially her cover of Def Leppard's "Bringing on the Heartbreak," which was already wretched on its original go-round back in the '80s.
Songs from "Charmbracelet" included "Clown", rumored to be an attack on Eminem, and "Subtle Invitation", which was anything but subtle. And what is it with all these acts who feel compelled to screen their videos during a show? Carey's ran several times to set off performances, including the dopey secret agent clip of "Honey".
One of the few scaled-down moments came with a version of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There", performed with backing singer Trey Lorenz. The song from the year Carey was born has a more memorable melody than many of her own hits. She saved her biggest - and catchiest - songs for the end of the show, including the bouncy "Fantasy", lifted from Tom Tom Club's 1981 track, "Genius of Love", as well as other fan-pleasers.
Carey has spoken again and again - often defensively - about her songwriting and craft. Will she ever get away from the land of hacks and marketing, though? Now 33, she shouldn't have to compete on the same level as the Britneys and Christinas, but Carey doesn't seem to realize that artistry isn't about a gaggle of costumed dancers around you and silly production numbers. Try singing without 'em to really reveal what you're about. Carey also plays Thursday at Universal. (Reuters/Hollywood Reporter)
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