Almost 7 years have passed since Mariah Carey released her last studio album, "Caution". The album was critically lauded but commercially, it became her least successful. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Carey unleashed "The Rarities", which comprised of unreleased and rare tracks along with the audio for her iconic "Live at the Tokyo Dome" show recorded in 1996. Since then, the diva's focus has been on Christmas where her classic hit "All I Want For Christmas Is You" races to the top of the charts every year. Now Carey is ready to release the long-awaited MC16, "Here For It All".
Ahead of the album's release, Carey has given fans a few sneak peeks at the record. Lead single "Type Dangerous", which samples Eric B. & Rakim's "Eric B. is President", picked up plenty of buzz but only managed to peak at 95 on the Billboard Hot 100. That's still considered an achievement given that the charts are often not favourable to artists that have enjoyed decades in the business. The song is something a little different for Carey, featuring the star delivering rap-talk verses as she delivers her trademark sharp lyrics. The second preview from the album was "Sugar Sweet" featuring Kehlani and Shenseea. A mid-tempo affair, the song has been embraced by fans but as of yet it's not made an impact on the charts. The lack of a video may suggest the track was intended as a buzz track rather than a fully-fledged single.
"Here For It All" is a good representation of where Carey is an artist now. Her voice, while still incredibly impressive, doesn't have the bombast that it did back in the 90s but she's adapted her songs to suit her range now. Her whisper-tone has dominated for much of the last decade or so, but Carey shows across the tracks here that she's still able to utilise her range to great effect. The album opens with the silky vocal-layered "Mi", where Carey embraces her diva reputation sticking mostly to her whisper-tone. It's a surprisingly low-key intro to the record but it sets the tone perfectly for a collection that leans into soul and stripped-back ballads for the most part.
New single "Play This Song" featuring Anderson .Paak, Carey's rumoured boyfriend, throws things back to the time when Motown ruled the airwaves. It's a push-and-pull between Carey and .Paak as they circle around a relationship that's ended but on the verge of reigniting. Fans of Carey's classic album "The Emancipation of Mimi" will get "I Wish You Knew" vibes, and that's no bad thing. "In Your Feelings" continues the soulful vibes of "Play This Song", sequenced three songs later, as Carey laments on a relationship that deteriorated when there was the potential for it to have been so much more. On this track she breaks out of the whisper-one, allowing other parts of her range to shine.
One of the album's first highlights is "Nothing Is Impossible". A natural successor to "Charmbracelet" lead single "Through the Rain", the song is a stripped-back ballad about finding your inner strength and battling through the hard times. Given that Carey has had a tough year - both her mother and sister died in quick succession - you can hear the emotion in her voice as she delivers lyrics full of resilience and determination. The grittiness in her voice when she unleashes her power and belts, grounds the song further. This is what a Carey ballad should sound like at this stage in her career.
The reflective "Confetti & Champagne" leans into the R&B that ran through "Caution", with Carey deliver whispered vocals in a fast rhythmic way. It's one of the album's more forgettable moments, even if it is nice to listen to. On "I Won't Allow It" Carey ups the beat for a funky disco moment and some of the spikiest lyrics on the album. She takes aim at a previous lover who tried to use her name to further themselves, and she's not backwards in coming forwards about how that made her feel. This one is sure to become a fan favourite.
"My Love" is a cover of the Paul McCartney and Wings song, and for long-time fans of Carey they'll appreciate her knack of putting her own spin on a classic. It's something she's done throughout her career and this gentle, soulful version fits nicely with the rest of the album. It also features some of her best vocals on the record. The Clark Sisters featuring on "Jesus I Do", a song that I'd expected to be a big gospel ballad but is actually an uptempo celebratory moment. Carey has always leaned into her religion on her albums, and this song can sit producly alongside the likes of "Fly Like a Bird" and "Heavenly (No Ways Tired/Can't Give Up Now)". The final track on the album, the title track, is the album's standout moment. Accompanied by piano, Carey delivers a classic ballad as she sings about the highs and lows of her life. At the 3-minute mark, the song transforms into one of worship as Carey's vocals scale to impressive highs. Just after 4 minutes, the song broadens out into a soulful groove with Carey's silky vocals and whistles create a gorgeous soundscape.
"Here For It All" feels like classic Mariah Carey while at the same time offering something fresh. Carey knows how to best use her voice and when it comes to her vocal arrangements, there's still no one even close in the industry. Fans may speculate about how much live singing she's doing in concerts these days, but they can't deny that Carey's voice is as unique now as it's always been. "Here For It All" feels like a triumphant celebration of an artist who has more than paid her dues and is just enjoying the music she's making.
(Entertainment Focus)
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