As Mariah Carey's new record 'Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel' hits stores tomorrow, Hooked On That friend Keleigh Starr gave us her humble review of the entire album.
With Mariah Carey's new I remember clear as a bell the first time I put on the Mariah Carey "Mariah Carey" album (1990). I knew that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. I have always said that if I could imagine what angels sound like it would be just like Mariah. I am hoping that the vocals are more of what we saw in the old days when her voice evoked tears.
Now on to the review.......
Track #1 "BETCHA GON KNOW"
Typical WHISPY vocals from Mariah. I would call this one "filler" and I am surprised that she opened with this one. Don't get me wrong it’s not a bad track and I can totally listen to it but there is nothing "SPECIAL" about it. On a scale of 1 to 10 this gets a 4.
Track # 2 OBSESSED
Decent track but I bet she wishes she never made this one. Clowning is not her strong point and we all know that Eminem slammed her on his response. Vocally she sounds very commercial. Not a bad track if you were driving up the cost. Kinda makes me want to bob my head from side to side a little but on a scale of 1 to 10 it only gets a 5.
Track # 3 H.A.T.E.U.
Must admit that I feel the lyrics but I felt like there should have been more passion behind them. With the range that she has she could have killed this song. It’s just another average track. On a scale of 1 to 10 this gets a 6 and that is only because I feel the lyrics.
Track #4 "CANDY BLING"
Hmmmmmmmm another just ok track. As with the others it was very mid tempo with a good baseline but no real demonstration of her vocal range. Again it would be good to drive to but it’s not something that people are gonna be shouting out 5 years from now. The "Back In The Day" flash back was a little catchy but not enough to make it a hit.
Track #5 RIBBON
Love the opening with the screwed stuff but most won't appreciate that like I do lol! After that she goes into ANOTHER mid tempo zone. The bass heavy GHETTO track totally saves this one. You've heard this before but she does not flex her vocals and it falls short. 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Track #6 INSEPARABLE
WOW another mid tempo track......clearly I am waiting for a ballad or the party banger. Content on this one mirrors the others in that it just IS NOT moving. I am going to need her to have more to talk about at this stage in her career. This one gets a 5.
Track # 7 STANDING O
The O in this was slightly catchy and at the same time a little annoying. The track just didn't do a thing for me. It sounds like something a kid made in their basement. It does kinda pick up a little towards the end and complete itself but then it returns to the kiddie track. No rating on this one....... I think the jury will remain out and try listening to it some more.
Track #8 IT'S A WRAP
When it started I was thinking aaaaaaw yeah here we go.......... I thought I was going to my ballad but it picked up, uuuuuuuugh. HOWEVER the track was what I call GHETTO/MATURE/FUNK and I like this one. This track is a great compliment to her voice and she does well on this one. The tempo on this one is just cool and her vocals go along perfect with it. This one gets an 8!
Track # 9 UP OUT MY FACE
Like the opening clever lyric about the mechanic under the hood lol! I heard that Mariah! I can hear this one on the radio. The "Up Out My Face" hook will catch the women. The track is funky and the base line gives it a taste of GHETTO which I always love lol! Yeah women will fell this content. Maybe not an anthem but close. This one gets an 8. Lord knows there are a few men I want UP OUT MY FACE! My head was bobbin' kinda hard to this one
Track # 10 UP OUT MY FACE (REPRISE)
Love the use of the black college band sound on this one. Real funky! Hmmmmmm did Nick Cannon reach back to his Drumline Days and suggest this? I BET HE DID!
Track # 11 MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS
Unfortunately another blendy mid tempo track that did nothing for me. No lyrical content and no stretching of her vocals. I could however hear the track on the radio but I don't see the lyrics really connecting that big. There was a cool little break down in the last 45 seconds and she could have killed with her vocals on this part but she failed to see the opportunity.
Track # 12 THE IMPOSSIBLE
Awwwwwwww shucks this track is RICH! Another one that goes so well with her whispy vocal style. This one is clearly about Nick and I like the fact that she used her new love to inspire her lyrics. It is still pop enough for Mariah fans though....... This one is clearly the freaky sex song. Kinda reminds me of something Janet Jackson would have done on Velvet Rope without being as nasty as Janet would have done it in those days lol. Love the LAYING IN THE BED BUMPING JODECI line. Hmmmmmm is Nick old enough to have been bumping Jodeci? This one gets a 9.
Track # 13 THE IMPOSSIBLE (REPRISE)
Awwwwww dang this is the straight break down of the previous song. Yeah this is really a Janet moment mixed with some 90's R&B New Jack. I LIKE I LIKE! I rarely feel like intros and outtros have a purpose but this one does.......I am mad at this but I am giving the outro a 10 lol!
Track # 14 ANGEL PRELUDE
She opens like the angel I know and love and its so fitting for the next track since its called Angel.
Track # 15 ANGEL
Once again I felt the content on this one. It was almost a ballad but for whatever reason she picks up the tempo. Unlike others it works for this song. I could totally here is on mainstream radio. This one could be a hit and a really great video. She did give us a little more vocally on this one but again no where near the 1st record. WHAT UP WIT DAT. Good song though and it gets a 9.
Track # 16 LANGUISHING
HOUSTON WE HAVE A BALLAD!!!!!!!! So far this is the closest we've come to the first album and then it stops short. She could have MURDERED the end of this....... Only gets a 7.
Track # 17 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
OK when I 1st heard she was doing this I was like hmmmmmmmm. I don't usually like when people touch classics but vocally Mariah could pull this off and make it her own AND SHE DOES for me. I would have preferred less of the WHISPY voice Mariah but it still works for me. I like the choir touch and it makes for a great live performance. Towards the end she gives us the vocals I've been waiting for all album long BUT she should have had the choir silenced at that point. This one gets an 8 which is big deal for a cover lol.
So all in all I give this one a 7.5 after the first listen. It's a solid record but there were more than a few moments where she could have put her foot in it and gotten the 10. The overall production on this one was solid so it could have easily gotten a 10.
by Keleigh Starr
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