Mariah looks on the bright side
As modern divas go, Mariah Carey wears frailty pretty well, especially when it comes in the form of a golden charm bracelet. Unlike career rival Whitney Houston, whose recent single Whatchulookinat is a humourless body slam against the media, Carey displays a humbler attitude - she just wants to show the world she can make it Through The Rain.
Her subtle touch belies the upheavals in the last two years: She was unceremoniously dropped by EMI, split with Mexican beau Luis Miguel, was hospitalised for exhaustion, and, yes, her father died. Which is why all hearts go to the fallen singer who is starting from scratch.
Never mind that Through The Rain is a rather pedestrian tune with not enough razzmatazz; the woman clearly means every single word of the humdrum lyric. Surprisingly, she has chosen not to show off her five-octave range on the 15-track music box; instead, her wispy caress glides over each word in her winning cheerleader way.
She seems tired of putting on a show and dance, content to lie among fluffy cushions and let her syrupy vocals do the magic. A tapestry of nocturnal sounds for boudoir relaxation, Charmbracelet - produced by big names such as Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Jermaine Dupri - is retro-1980s by way of Anita Baker and without the hip, Neptunes-styled studio tomfoolery.
From Yours to You Got Me, she remains an optimist who believes in the wonder of miracles. Those who enjoy her outlandish, bad-girl frolics may be a little disappointed at this tasteful incarnation of Mariah. Truth be told, one does miss her bimbo escapades.
But there is something stoic in her resolution to stay true to home and not stray. Check out her address to Eminem in the song Clown where her honey-bunny delivery belies some bitter home truths: "You don't want the world to know/ That you're just a puppet show." And when she finally relents and unleashes her resplendent dog whistle in drama-mama show tunes such as My Saving Grace, you are tempted to clap like a seal. (The Straits Times) Many thanks to MariahC.nu.
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