MARIAH CAREY "E=MC^2" - A Review.

I have spent the last three months anxiously awaiting the release of this new CD from Mariah Carey. I am not a life long fan or anything. In fact I would describe most of her music in the past as hit or miss. At least in my opinion. Sometimes I've found her music to be really good and enjoyable, sometimes completely dismissible. Her last CD, however, I thought was incredible; one of the best CDs of this decade.

I felt like at long last the product was the equal of the artist's talent. Finally. I felt like Mariah was hitting her stride. So, there was a great deal of expectations attached to E=MC^2. At least personally. While it doesn't qualify as a total reversal of fortune or anything like that, I don't feel it is a progression from or even the equal of The Emancipation of Mimi. It's good, but not great.

Admittedly, it's been growing on me the last few days, but in no way shape or form am I blown away like I was when I was in Tokyo for golden week three years ago and I walked into Tower records in Shibuya and first heard The Emancipation of Mimi. But when it soars, it is impressive. I like the dirty south electro-funk groove of Side Effects which features a guest spot by Young Jeezy more than anything else on the disc.

Another standout track is the Japan-only bonus track, 4Real 4Real which features Mariah's homegirl, Da Brat. Hopefully that will see life on U.S. shores like the Japan-only cut from the last CD, Don't Forget About Us, eventually did. Migrate featuring T-Pain and I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time will both be joining Touch My Body on the airwaves. Migrate is hot, however, the latter is yet another song that samples DeBarge's Stay With Me. I feel the same way about this cut that I feel about Sowelu's cover of EWF's September on her CD, Naked. If you're going to traverse such well-travelled terrain, whether it be a cover of a time honored classic or a sample of one, you better knock it out of the park. Good just won't cut it.

I think O.O.C., noteworthy, and I like the ballad, Thanx 4 Nothin', more than the others, although I think this CD would've benefitted from having a ballad or two cut. EOM was very well balanced, E=MC^2, like many of Mariah's past CDs, relies a bit heavily on ballads.

You're not only competing with memories of a song that touched a lot of people, you're competing with every other cover or sample of something that means a lot to a great many people. Speaking for myself, I'd rather just listen to the original. Quibbles aside, nobody is going to feel bad about adding E=MC^2 to their music collection. All of the tracks are good, Mariah's voice is still unmatched in pop music, the production work is top shelf and there are a few tracks that are brilliant. Just don't expect it to match Ms. Carey's last release, because, in my opinion, it doesn't.