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Two weeks prior to the April 2008 release of E=MC2 -- Mariah Carey's tenth album and the sequel to her big 2005 comeback, The Emancipation of Mimi -- the diva broke Elvis Presley's record of being the solo artist with the most number one singles on the Billboard charts. Lots of publicity surrounded "Touch My Body" reaching number one, as well it should: busting an Elvis record is always news, but this particular record served team Mariah well, as it paints Carey as being a diva who's bigger and better than the rest. An unintentional side effect of this very record is that it also tacitly pointed out that Mariah has been around a long, long time: 18 years, to be exact, roughly two years shy of the two decades that it took Elvis to establish his record. Unlike Elvis -- or any other major artist who's been around for two decades, for that matter -- Carey seems determined not to look back, to exist in some kind of eternal now, never acknowledging that she has a past, unless she's wielding her divorce from her ex-husband/ex-record label chief Tommy Mottola for some kind of sympathy, something she does once again here via vague allusions to naïveté and "violent times" on "Side Effects." Mariah refers to that separation so often that it's hard not to think of it as something recent but it happened a long, long time ago -- well over a decade prior to the release of E=MC2, to be precise -- but as the separation was the pivot point for Carey's career, it's easy to see why she keeps returning to it, even if the emotional heft of her singing about the pain has long since diminished.
After that separation, Carey restyled herself as a relentlessly modern R&B diva, chasing every passing trend in a given year, a move that often kept her on the top of the charts -- apart from the post-millennial stumble of Glitter, of course -- but had the side effect of making Mariah a musician who became progressively less mature with each passing year, culminating in the hazy soft-porn fantasies of "Touch My Body," the single that broke Elvis' longstanding record and will likely only be remembered for that achievement. Like so much of Emancipation and E=MC2, which is a virtual replica of its predecessor in almost every way, "Touch My Body" is all about sound, rhythm, and texture and not so much about song, something that helps sustain Mariah Carey's run at the top the charts, but something that also pushes melodic hooks, and in the process singing, into the background. As Carey's multi-octave voice has always been her calling card, the one thing that even her biggest critics have grudgingly acknowledged as her unassailable strength, this is a little odd -- especially on the T-Pain duet "Migrate," where she succumbs to auto-tune -- but it not only makes Mariah modern, it also camouflages her slightly diminishing range, so it does have a dual purpose. Sometimes all this production is good and occasionally it's married to a full-fledged, hooky song, as on the excellent "I'm That Chick," a sleek slice of Off the Wall disco that's nearly giddy in its energy and melody, and perhaps on "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time," which also has a lightness that so much of E=MC2 lacks. Everything else pushes the rhythm and bass to the forefront and mixes Mariah into the middle, so it becomes a wash of sound -- sound that is designed to be fashionable, but like so much fashion, it's tied to the time and dates quickly. Which is why it's misleading to judge Mariah based on her new record of possessing the most number one singles, as she's not about longevity, she's about being permanently transient, a characteristic E=MC2 captures all too well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Faheem Najm, ComposerLyricist - Balewa Muhammad, ComposerLyricist - Marcella Araica, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Hills, Producer, ComposerLyricist - T-Pain, FeaturedArtist - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Miguel Bustamante, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Maryann Tatum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Stassen, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Christopher Stewart, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Terius Nash, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crystal Johnson, ComposerLyricist - Dave Pensado, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kuk Harrell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Nick Banns, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kelly "Becky 4 Real" Sheehan, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Manuel Seal, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crystal Johnson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JERMAINE DUPRI, Producer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Horesco IV, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Damian Marley, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Bryan-Michael Cox, Producer, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Adonis Shropshire, ComposerLyricist - Kendrick Dean, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Crystal Johnson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jay Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Fabian Marasciullo, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Scott Storch, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Young Jeezy, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Johntá Austin, ComposerLyricist - Tor Erik Hermansen, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Mikkel S. Eriksen, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Crystal Johnson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rod Temperton, ComposerLyricist - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - StarGate, Producer - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Maryann Tatum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Johntá Austin, ComposerLyricist - Manuel Seal, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JERMAINE DUPRI, Producer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Horesco IV, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sade Austin, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Aldrin Davis, ComposerLyricist - Etterlene Jordan, ComposerLyricist - Mark DeBarge, ComposerLyricist - Crystal Johnson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Derrick Selby, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Toomp, Producer - Syience, Additional Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Johntá Austin, ComposerLyricist - Manuel Seal, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JERMAINE DUPRI, Producer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Horesco IV, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Manuel Seal, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JERMAINE DUPRI, Producer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Horesco IV, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Kasseem Dean, ComposerLyricist - Shawntae Harris, ComposerLyricist - Da Brat, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Swizz Beatz, Producer - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ken "Supa Engineer" Duro, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Maryann Tatum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Bryan-Michael Cox, Producer, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Adonis Shropshire, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Johntá Austin, ComposerLyricist - Tor Erik Hermansen, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Mikkel S. Eriksen, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Josh Houghkirk, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PHIL TAN, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Oyanedel, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - StarGate, Producer - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Maryann Tatum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - James Poyser, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Maryann Tatum, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey
William Adams, ComposerLyricist - Jalil Hutchins, ComposerLyricist - Randy Muller, ComposerLyricist - Crystal Johnson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Keith Harris, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dylan Dresdow, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - will.i.am, Producer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - LAWRENCE SMITH, ComposerLyricist - Dante Santiago, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - John Fletcher, ComposerLyricist - Lynette Williams, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Padriac Kerin, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2008 UMG Recordings, Inc. & Mariah Carey
Bryan-Michael Cox, Producer, Unknown, Other, ComposerLyricist - Adonis Shropshire, ComposerLyricist - Da Brat, FeaturedArtist - Jaycen Joshua, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Pensado, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Garten, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mariah Carey, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 UMG Recordings, Inc. & Mariah Carey
Album review
Two weeks prior to the April 2008 release of E=MC2 -- Mariah Carey's tenth album and the sequel to her big 2005 comeback, The Emancipation of Mimi -- the diva broke Elvis Presley's record of being the solo artist with the most number one singles on the Billboard charts. Lots of publicity surrounded "Touch My Body" reaching number one, as well it should: busting an Elvis record is always news, but this particular record served team Mariah well, as it paints Carey as being a diva who's bigger and better than the rest. An unintentional side effect of this very record is that it also tacitly pointed out that Mariah has been around a long, long time: 18 years, to be exact, roughly two years shy of the two decades that it took Elvis to establish his record. Unlike Elvis -- or any other major artist who's been around for two decades, for that matter -- Carey seems determined not to look back, to exist in some kind of eternal now, never acknowledging that she has a past, unless she's wielding her divorce from her ex-husband/ex-record label chief Tommy Mottola for some kind of sympathy, something she does once again here via vague allusions to naïveté and "violent times" on "Side Effects." Mariah refers to that separation so often that it's hard not to think of it as something recent but it happened a long, long time ago -- well over a decade prior to the release of E=MC2, to be precise -- but as the separation was the pivot point for Carey's career, it's easy to see why she keeps returning to it, even if the emotional heft of her singing about the pain has long since diminished.
After that separation, Carey restyled herself as a relentlessly modern R&B diva, chasing every passing trend in a given year, a move that often kept her on the top of the charts -- apart from the post-millennial stumble of Glitter, of course -- but had the side effect of making Mariah a musician who became progressively less mature with each passing year, culminating in the hazy soft-porn fantasies of "Touch My Body," the single that broke Elvis' longstanding record and will likely only be remembered for that achievement. Like so much of Emancipation and E=MC2, which is a virtual replica of its predecessor in almost every way, "Touch My Body" is all about sound, rhythm, and texture and not so much about song, something that helps sustain Mariah Carey's run at the top the charts, but something that also pushes melodic hooks, and in the process singing, into the background. As Carey's multi-octave voice has always been her calling card, the one thing that even her biggest critics have grudgingly acknowledged as her unassailable strength, this is a little odd -- especially on the T-Pain duet "Migrate," where she succumbs to auto-tune -- but it not only makes Mariah modern, it also camouflages her slightly diminishing range, so it does have a dual purpose. Sometimes all this production is good and occasionally it's married to a full-fledged, hooky song, as on the excellent "I'm That Chick," a sleek slice of Off the Wall disco that's nearly giddy in its energy and melody, and perhaps on "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time," which also has a lightness that so much of E=MC2 lacks. Everything else pushes the rhythm and bass to the forefront and mixes Mariah into the middle, so it becomes a wash of sound -- sound that is designed to be fashionable, but like so much fashion, it's tied to the time and dates quickly. Which is why it's misleading to judge Mariah based on her new record of possessing the most number one singles, as she's not about longevity, she's about being permanently transient, a characteristic E=MC2 captures all too well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:59:49
- Main artists: Mariah Carey
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Def Jam Recordings
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2008 Mariah Carey ℗ 2021 UMG Recordings, Inc. & Mariah Carey
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