1."Cry."
The seasoned singer starts off her 14th album with a bare boned piano ballad. Other than the soothing vocals provided by Mariah and the back up, choir-style vocalists that chime in at random times, nothing much happens during the first 2 minutes. Despite this, the track becomes more intense as it progresses, until it flourishes into a well done love ballad complete with Mariah's classical high octave screeches. I guess you could say it's strikingly similar to Carey's first ever hit single, "Vision of Love". It's naked, it's beautiful and it hits the upper reaches of Mariah's extensive - and quite frankly amazing - discography.
2. "Faded"
The bouncing trap beats of "Faded" are a more modern twist on the classic tracks we've all seen Mariah release over and over. While this make over is greatly appreciated, it still feels like we've heard this many times before. Despite this, the decision to have Mike Will Made It produce the track will likely help sell it to the younger audiences (the up and coming producer is responsible for producing most of the tracks on Miley Cyrus' Bangerz, Future's Honest, and Juicy J's Stay Trippy). Overall, it's a clean cut. Sure it may 'fade' behind the rich piles of Mariah Carey classics, but it would be a smash for any other artist other than Mariah. The only issue is that this enjoyable slice cuts off on the shorter end.
3. "Dedicated (feat. Nas)"
The nostalgia patterns continue on "Dedicated", a track supported by a grainy and fuzzy background. Nas hits the gaps in the track, providing this track with consistently filled areas of both rap and graceful vocals in a duet style format. It's a throwback to the rise of the hip-hop era, including several Wu-Tang references. It's a very unique track in the way that it is shaped, however it can't help but feel somewhat cluttered. It's a perfect track sandwiched with tapes of old interviews - most of which nearly completely cover up the superb vocals from both Nas and Mariah. It's unfortunate the way it turned out, but like I said earlier, it's unique; that's why it barely scrapes by as a success.
4. "#Beautiful (feat. Miguel)"
If you haven't heard the flurry of Pop and R&B that is "#Beautiful", then you obviously weren't up to date with the music scene around this time last year. The thumping, beautifully produced (by both Miguel and Mariah) track was one of the most favored pop offerings of the past year, with several major publications dubbing it the "Song of the Summer" shortly after release. Though that entire idea never came to fruition, the track was a moderate success, peaking in the top 20 in most countries it ended up charting in.
5. "Thirsty"
The first of many Hit-Boy produced tracks on Me. I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse, "Thirsty" helps bring bring integrated hip-hop themes back into Mariah's pop offerings. It's a stunning piece filled to the brim with bubbly vocals and sweet beats. Here's what I said about the track in my CDS Picks post:
"Following the commercial failures of "The Art of Letting Go" and "You're Mine (Eternal)" - save for its success on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 -, Mariah Carey returns to the music scene with "Thirsty", a bubbly new hip-hop inspired track. Since the promotion for her new album, Me. I Am Mariah (The Elusive Chanteuse), has hit a few snags, Mariah has tried on numerous occasions to rekindle some interest in the long delayed project. Now, just 2 weeks before its release, she's unveiled this new track, which in itself might be the best Mariah release in over 5 years. Yes, "Thirsty" is easily one of 2014's most promising releases, fitting into the hip-hop, dance and pop genres quite nicely."
It's easily one of the best tracks included on the album, and while it may not be fit for 4th single - "Faded" or "Cry." should have been released as the 4th - it's strong and could end up doing some damage if its cards play out right.
Update: As of 5/23/14, "Faded" was confirmed as the next single. "Thirsty" is just a buzz single.
Overview: As for the rest of the album, Me. I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse teeters on the fringe of acceptability. There's an assortment of everything, but a vast majority of the work is filler: star studded collaborations that don't really amount to a whole lot of... well... anything. Among the highlights are tracks such as "Faded", "Thirsty", "Cry.", "#Beautiful" and "You're Mine (Eternal)". Tracks that I struggle with appreciating the most, come in the latter half of the album. They're all a bit odd and of course riddled with un-needed collaborations. While it's far from the worst album Mariah has created, it's far from the best as well; it won't be able to re-stimualte her career. At this point, I don't think any release will.
Rating: 68/100
(D+)
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