Music Box - Carey, Mariah (Cassette 1993)

Mariah Carey took the pop-R&B world by storm during the 1990s. With a vocal range the size of Montana, and the strength of Atlas, this diva was an instant success. Her fourth album, titled Music Box, showcases her talents and provides more enjoyable music for those who have been enraptured by her talent.

Tracks:
1. Dreamlover
2. Hero
3. Anytime You Need A Friend
4. Music Box
5. Now That I Know
6. Never Forget You
7. Without You
8. Just To Hold You Once Again
9. I ve Been Thinking About You
10. All I ve Ever Wanted

Breakdown:
When I first heard her first album, I fell madly in love with Mariah Carey. Her music blended the passion and sensuality of R&B into the fresh (but sterile) format of pop music. I was slightly disappointed by her second album, and almost gave up on her. But I thought I d give her another chance when I heard a few tracks from her album Music Box. In short, I think this album is everything Emotions wanted to be, but wasn t.

In a nutshell, this album is a well-constructed pop album, spiked with large amounts of honesty and soul. The instrumentation is created as a backdrop to allow Mariah s vocals to stand out and shine. Although, I like to hear more play between the vocalist and the other instruments, this minor flaw is well compensated for in other areas, specifically like the fact that the synth sound sounds more like real instruments. The songs are pretty G rated, with Mariah singing songs about love, friendship, and faith. She doesn t do many of those vocal acrobatics that were all over her first couple albums, as I get the sense that she recognizes that such tricks have a time and a place, she doesn t need to break glass every five minutes. Almost every song on this album would fit perfectly on your local radio station s play list.

Hot Spots:
Dreamlover - The opening track shows exactly what this album is about stylistically. It s upbeat and bright. She sings about what she s looking for in a lover, namely someone who is supportive and comforting.

Hero - This song was one of the single that this album produced. It s a slower ballad that sounds a bit too much Bette Midler to me. Still, it s a nice song with Mariah expressing some heartfelt emotion, even if she does tend to play it safe.

Now That I Know - This upbeat dance track mixes a club rhythm with some gospel vocal arrangement. I like the irony in the chorus lyrics, Now that I know that you want me for me / I can be what you want me to be.

Without You - This cover of the Harry Nilsson classic is worth the price of admission, and is without a doubt the best song on the album. I d almost be tempted to say that this is my favorite song by Mariah, ever. It is a slower, darker track about lost love. Mariah is simply amazing on this song, as she hits these tense, minor notes and milks them for all they re worth, holding and wavering and modulating with a very powerful effect. One thinks of legends like Billie Holiday when listening to this track.

Just To Hold You Once Again - Another slower, bluesy number, it builds up to a big sound with Mariah belting out her wishes to a lost love. I can never get enough of this side of Mariah.

Overall:
This is a very good album by Mariah Carey, and I would recommend it to any fans of her music. Granted, I still like her debut album the best, but this is a worthy contender. It is mature in its compositional efforts, and has at least one great song. Listening to this album has reminded me of how moving her music can be, and has me thinking seriously about seeking out some of her later albums. I would also recommend this to any fans of all these second rate pretenders that are out on the scene today, like Christina Whats-Her-Name, and so on. Let s face it, they all want to be Mariah, and will forever be bitter that they re not. Music Box gets four stars.


Related Reviews:

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey Emotions