Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi (SYNC 8.30pm!)

[Jark]

interesting that the album begins with a trio of singles that were very contemporary and of the moment in terms of production, and with Mine Again begins to settle into its true soundscape, which is rich, full, classic R&B infused with heavy influences from the soul greats of the 70s.

Mine Again is such a gorgeous ballad with a proper TOWERING vocal. TEOM is the last time she could sing like this at the top end of her range. is she just a little stretched on the chorus? possibly.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again

oh no, it ain't over YET
I just can't ACCEPT
the possibility...
we can't erase what was meant to BE
part of you and part of ME

 

[POP!]

"Say Something" is one of my fav of hers post-millennium even though she hate it! Neptunes by numbers, yeah, but what's not to like?

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something - I've only heard most of the album tracks (and non-US hits) for the first time in the past few years, but this has become one of my favorites. I even really like how Snoop Dogg sounds in it, more melodic than he usually does. I like the production a lot.

 

[Jark]

Say Something is so RICH and vibey. dreamy production. I know we shouldn't give props to Snoop Dogg these days but that is a classic guest verse.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something

 

[POP!]

"Stay the Night" is the kind of song that would've fit right in on Back to Basics Disc 1 - it's quite good but Mariah sounds a bit strained on it.

 

[Jark]

does she hate it? what's the story there?

 

[Jark]

Stay the Night is far too good for Back to Basics disc 1. sorry but tea is tea. and I love Back to Basics. those hip hop-sampling tracks are the worst thing on it though.

this would be a 10 if her vocal was able to scale its 90s heights. agreed she sounds a bit strained on the really massive notes, but otherwise it's a CLASSY DREAM of a song.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night

the whistles!

 

[POP!]

does she hate it? what's the story there?

@dUb Actually Probably has more insight. I just remember she wouldn't perform it and said something negative about it once it was a single. I assume it was a contractual obligation or the label's doing!

 

[Jark]

tell me HOW many times in your LIFE
will you get an opportunity like THIS, TONIGHT?


I looooove Get Your Number. urgh. what a tune. I seem to recall a lot of the critics lambasted it for being tinny or cheap or something, or because JD sings the chorus, but to me it's a LUX CLUB TRACK that's ALL HOOKS ALL THE TIME.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number

this scoring

 

[POP!]

"Get Your Number" sounds dated - a lot of JD's work does. It's cute though.

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number - What an odd choice to has Jurmaine Dupri sing the chorus, when he can't really sing at all. I still love this

I got a house in Capri and my own G4
And that Benz with the doors that lift up from the floor

 

[POP!]

"One and Only" - I don't remember her at all. How strange! But she is quite mediocre.

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number
07 One And Only - These feature choices are SO of their time. Even the weaker songs here just have really strong melodies.

 

[POP!]

"Circles" is lovely. I love these retro soul ballads with the vox centric choruses

 

[Jark]

when I was a kid I used to obsessively try to keep up with Twista on One And Only still haven't MASTERED THAT. fucking bop.

there's the odd moment on the verses of Circles where her voice breaks slightly that's very appealing. a really nice, mellow soul number. it's actually a very relaxing record to listen to once Fatman Scoop stops yelling. the production on the Big Jim Wright tracks in particular is so SUMPTUOUS.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles

 

[Jark]

wait, do I recall @RJN telling us that Don't Forget About Us is his favourite Mimi track? what a shame we're not doing the Ultra Platinum Edition

 

[Jark]

I absolutely love and live for Your Girl. it should've been a single after Get Your Number. a total sugar rush.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles
10 Your Girl

 

[RJN]

wait, do I recall @RJN telling us that Don't Forget About Us is his favourite Mimi track? what a shame we're not doing the Ultra Platinum Edition

To EXPLAIN, yes it is my favorite of her songs. I recognize that it is objectively not, but I just have the most connection to it at the time, since it was probably my favorite song in the world when I was 10.

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number
07 One And Only
07 Circles
09 Your Girl

I don't remember any of these last few songs but I know I've heard them before. All very solid but I don't have much to say about them individually. Your Girl is my favorite of them.

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles
08 Your Girl

 

[Jark]

let's throw it on at the end as a BONUS.

she sounds so much like Alicia Keys on the spoken word breakdown of I Wish You Knew. it's cute, but the least essential song on the album up to this point.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles
10 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew

 

[RJN]

Ok looking at what I'm actually listening to, I Wish You Knew which is the one that actually stood out for me of the last few

 

[POP!]

Nice vox and soul on "I Wish You Knew" but the melody is a bit lacking!

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles
08 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number
07 One And Only
07 Circles
08 Your Girl
09 I Wish You Knew

 

[Beverley]

I feel like most of the JD uptempos sounded dated even at the time. The ballads on this are sublime - Mine Again, Circles, Stay The Night, FLAB :emoji_heart_eyes:

 

[POP!]

"To the Floor" is very 2005 but I like an uptempo moment after the last few.

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles
08 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
08 To the Floor

 

[Jark]

FLAB :emoji_heart_eyes:

RUDE.

 

[Jark]

To The Floor is the album's nadir. it's just so... monotone and mediocre.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles
10 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
06 To The Floor

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number
07 One And Only
07 Circles
08 Your Girl
09 I Wish You Knew
07 To The Floor - Honestly loving the sound of this dated production. Not much to it though.

 

[POP!]

"Joy Ride" is forgettable - couldn't hum it but nice vox

 

[Jark]

this final third is definitely just a bit less essential, despite being perfectly lovely. I would probably have cute To The Floor and Joy Ride to keep things TIGHT.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles
10 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
06 To The Floor
07 Joy Ride

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles
08 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
08 To the Floor
06 Joy Ride

 

[RJN]

10 It’s Like That
11 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
10 Get Your Number
07 One And Only
07 Circles
08 Your Girl
09 I Wish You Knew
07 To The Floor
06 Joy Ride
10 Fly Like A Bird

I probably first heard this in 2014 or so, but it has become of my top Mariah tracks. It is just so rousing. It sounds like a lost classic. By the end, I'm always SWEPT UP by it.

The ending is big. I can't describe it well, but I'm guessing @Jark The Herald Angels Sing will have more to say about it that sums it up

 

[Jark]

Fly Like a Bird is UTTERLY SENSATIONAL! it has so much soul - an uplifting, triumphant home run, and that's BEFORE the gospel choir comes in to carry our weaves high.

10 It's Like That
10 We Belong Together
09 Shake It Off
09 Mine Again
09 Say Something
09 Stay the Night
09 Get Your Number
09 One And Only
08 Circles
10 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
06 To The Floor
07 Joy Ride
10 Fly Like a Bird

8.7/10

 

[POP!]

CARRY ME HOME
CARRRRRY ME HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME
AHHHHHHHHHHH!
CARRY ME HIGHA LOVE!

*whistle*

Truly the best moment of her on record this side of the millennium - CHILLS!

 

[POP!]

09 It's Like That
09 We Belong Together
07 Shake it Off
09 Mine Again
10 Say Something
08 Stay the Night
07 Get Your Number
06 One and Only
09 Circles
08 Your Girl
07 I Wish You Knew
08 To the Floor
06 Joy Ride
10 Fly Like a Bird