Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2013 21:07:37 GMT -5
In honor of it's 20th anniversary, I thought I'd make a thread for this, Mariah Carey's 3rd studio album. Release Date: August 31, 1993 Worldwide Sales Estimate: 32 million Singles: 1. Dreamlover 2. Hero 3. Without You/Never Forget You 5. Anytime You Need A Friend While not her best (I think Butterfly is her best), this one I have so many memories of. Dreamlover remains my favorite of her singles to date, and some of the filler, like "Now That I Know" I love.
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God
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Post by God on Aug 10, 2013 22:03:22 GMT -5
This was the first album of hers I'd ever listened to. Six years later and I still can't remember what "Just to Hold You Once Again" sounds like. It's a real shame "Do You Think of Me" or even "Everything Fades Away" couldn't take its place. As is, Music Box still ranks among my top five Mariah albums.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Aug 11, 2013 9:41:16 GMT -5
'Dreamlover', 'Hero' and 'Without You' are classics. The latter being Mariah's biggest WW hit ever.
'Anytime You Need a Friend' is one of her most glorious vocal moments, while the title-track is one of her prettiest melodies/ballads.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 10:42:04 GMT -5
"Dreamlover" is one of my favorite Mariah singles, but this is my second least favorite 90s Mariah album behind Rainbow. I prefer her more R&B material, and this is definitely her most adult contemporary pop album.
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hitseeker.
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Post by hitseeker. on Aug 11, 2013 11:57:39 GMT -5
This album contains my favorite Mariah song ever "Hero"
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grandelf
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Post by grandelf on Aug 31, 2013 15:22:06 GMT -5
Mariah Carey's "Music Box" at 20: Classic Track-By-Track Reviewwww.billboard.com/articles/review/5679999/mariah-careys-music-box-at-20-classic-track-by-track-reviewAs far as Mariah Carey albums go, 1993's "Music Box" is awfully front-loaded. From the opening notes of "Dreamlover," which feature Mariah trilling in her signature whistle octave, straight into mega-ballad "Hero" and the take-it-to-church "Anytime You Need A Friend," the album wastes no time in letting Carey do what she does best. And considering it was her fourth album in just three years, "Music Box" is all the more impressive in its workman-like ability to churn out so many hits. Celebrating its 20th anniversary August 31, "Music Box" saw nearly half of its 10 songs crack the top 10 on the Hot 100, including two No. 1s for "Dreamlover" and "Hero." It also became Mariah's first to be diamond-certified by the RIAA with shipments of 10 million ("Daydream" was her second.) Paring Carey with writer-composer Walter Afanasieff (Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On") for eight of the 10 tracks, "Music Box" is equal parts contemporary R&B-tinged pop, with dabbles in dance ("I've Been Thinking About You," "Now That I Know") and gospel ("Anytime You Need A Friend," a reverent take on Badfinger's "Without You") to boot. "It's gotten progressively to be more of me," Mariah told MTV News in an interview during the time of "Music Box"'s release. "When I made my first album it was like, I got my record deal at 18 years old and I worked with these really big producers who had their own sound. And that kind of definitely rubbed off on me. But now I've gone through the process of getting more control, producing my own stuff, and now it's more me coming across. It's not somebody else's perception of me." Indeed, Carey co-penned all of "Music Box"'s tracks outside of the "Without You" cover, and marked the first time she showed signs on record of her uncomfortable marriage to label boss Tommy Mottola. After all, what happily married woman would kick off her album with the plea "Dreamlover, come rescue me"? The project also saw her taking the reins of her remixes, kicking off the now common-for-Carey process of cutting all-new vocals for dance and, later, hip-hop remixes of her singles like "Dreamlover" and "Anytime You Need A Friend," the latter of which was remixed by C&C Music Factory's David Cole and Rovert Clivilles, who also co-penned the album's two dance tracks. Ultimately a product of 1993, "Music Box" does have a few ballads that sound dated and soggy, and Carey's first teaming with Babyface ("Never Forget You") is a bit, well, forgettable. Still, it's one of the strongest albums in her catalog and has arguably the best hits-to-filler ratio of any other pop album released at the time this side of "The Sign." Which "Music Box" tracks are the best? Read on for our classic track-by-track review. 1. "Dreamlover"Mariah cuts straight to the chase, sticking her trademark upper-octave vocals at the beginning of this uptempo R&B jam from producer Dave Hall, who lent a similar touch to 90s classics like Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" and Brownstone's "If You Love Me." Even if the wistful lyrics are a bit sad when considered in context of Mariah's relationship with Tommy Mottola, the song is stuffed with too many perfect-pop ingredients (a live, insistent beat, a catchy "doo doo doo doo" hook, an indelible chorus) to be a downer. 2. "Hero"The lyrics may be mired in easy, rhyming clichΓ©s ("when you feel your hope is gone / look inside you and be strong"), but the song's powerful message and inspirational chorus are both testaments to its staying power two decades later. It's still a staples of Carey's live shows, and oft-performed by her and others at tributes and disaster-relief telethons such as the 9/11 benefit "America: A Tribute to Heroes." 3. "Anytime You Need A Friend"Mariah had long incorporated gospel influences into her music, most notably on 1991's thank you note to Jesus, "Make It Happen." "Anytime You Need A Friend" is one of several instances on the album that sees her incorporating a gospel choir to maximize dramatic effect, along with R&B singers like Melonie Daniels and current R&B diva, Kelly Price. But amid all the voices, Mariah makes it clear who's taking lead β adding some grit to her melismas as she riffs toward song's climax, "Don't you ever be looonely." A standout song in a career marked by powerhouse performances. 4. "Music Box" Mariah has noted that "Music Box"'s title track was the most difficult to sing, largely for its use of "legato," an Italian method of singing in full voice at a hushed volume. Though the lyrics can verge on the trite ("When you tell me the I'm only one you need / sweet and tenderly"), Mariah's performance is anything but, rising in controlled intensity with each verse before letting it rip on the final chorus. An overlooked gem. 5. "Now That I Know""Music Box" saw Mariah fully embracing the clubs and her dance following, pairing with C&C Music Factor's David Cole and Robert Clivilles for two uptempo jams. Though Mariah manages to inject some authentic soul into the overly programmed production, "Now That I Know" otherwise comes off as a "Gonna Make You Sweat" B-side. 6. "Never Forget You"There are many great Mariah Carey and Babyface pairings, from the Whitney Houston duet "When You Believe" to her backing vocals on the singer-producer's "Everytime I Close My Eyes." "Never Forget You" is not one of those, and the single's lack of a music video shows what a low priority it was even for Mariah and her label Columbia at the time. Still, it's nice to hear Mariah and Babyface's voices gel on the chorus, even if it takes a few listens to stick in the memory. 7. "Without You"Mariah has long embraced a love for cheesy 80s rock ballads, covering the likes of Journey's "Open Arms," Phil Collins' "Against All Odds," Def Leppard's "Bringing On The Heartbreak" and, most recently, Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is." This Badfinger-by-way-of-Harry Nilsson cover kicked off that cycle, and is still perhaps the best of the bunch (though it is amusing to hear her go-for-broke vocals at the end of Collins' "Against All Odds.") 8. "Just To Hold You Once Again"Much like "Music Box" the song, "Just To Hold You Once Again" finds Mariah cranking up the drama ever so slowly on this otherwise languid ballad. And, wouldn't you know, with the help of a gospel choir. An enjoyable listen within the context of the album, and like many of the other ballads on "Music Box," worth sticking around for the not-so-surprise ending (spoiler alert: there's a multi-octave key change!) 9. "I've Been Thinking About You"Mariah, Cole and Clivilles bring the 90s dance heat again on this second pairing, which brings some much-appreciated beat drops to the otherwise by-the-books melody and lyrics. 10. "All I've Ever Wanted"Ending things on a goopy note, "All I've Ever Wanted" is perhaps the album's weakest moment. Thematically, however, it bears a resemblance to album opener "Dreamlover," finding Mariah pining after an unrequited romance. Though co-writer Walter Afanasieff is responsible for many of the album's most winning moments, his penchant for treacle gets the best of both artists here. The international bonus track "Everything Fades Away" would have been a more welcome finale.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 15:28:53 GMT -5
Why even bother doing a tribute to the album if they're going to criticize most of the songs? Seems a bit odd.
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Soulsista
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Post by Soulsista on Aug 31, 2013 18:03:42 GMT -5
Very boring album outside of a few songs.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Aug 31, 2013 18:45:14 GMT -5
Why even bother doing a tribute to the album if they're going to criticize most of the songs? Seems a bit odd. Yeah that felt shady..
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Post by The Black Bird on Aug 31, 2013 19:24:08 GMT -5
Love it, too ballad heavy imo, but still great!
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grandelf
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Post by grandelf on Sept 8, 2013 2:06:27 GMT -5
Billboard chose to celebrate the anniversary probably because it was such a huge album and the singles are some of the most remembered hits from the 1990s. I can see why they, and others would think it is front-loaded and filler-galore but to me this is the smoothest Mariah Carey album listen.
"Dreamlover" is possibly Mariah's best song, it is still so fresh! In fact it is probably among my most loved songs from the 90s. To me this era remains her peak.
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firefly
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Post by firefly on May 16, 2015 15:14:53 GMT -5
Not one of her best, but still very strong. The title track is so beautiful and severely underrated. Dreamlover is amazing of course. I also love Everything Fades Away and Now That I Know. Without You still can be heard on the radio in my country, hehe.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Jan 8, 2017 10:28:12 GMT -5
Probably my second least favorite 90's Mariah album after Rainbow. I only use half of it. "Anytime You Need A Friend" is one of my favorite Mariah songs and one of her best vocals. "Dreamlover" is just a perfect pop song, still sounds so fresh and classic. "Without You" rivals "I'll Be There" as her best cover, she kills the original with her version, just amazing vocals. "Music Box" is so pretty, one of her most undersung album tracks. Back when the album was out I just knew it would be a single and was so sad it never happened. And "Never Forget You" is really solid. I love 90's Babyface in general.
I know "Hero" is one of her signatures, but I never listen to it. And the remaining four tracks are just eh.
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Jan 8, 2017 11:10:16 GMT -5
I go back-and-forth on this album, though ultimately I love it. The lyrics are easily her worst (the most general, sappy, hokey) in her catalog. Having said that, the melodies are gorgeous and the songs are constructed so well, that ultimately I can't say it's poorly written. Additionally, this album may be her vocal peak for me. Not only is it technically great singing, but there is an inherent vulnerability to her vocals on this one that I don't think is present in any other album except maybe Butterfly and MIAM (but they aren't as smooth vocally).
I do think the album is much better when you add "Do You Think of Me" (because it gives it helps keep it from being so ballad heavy) and "Everything Fades Away" (easily the best-written of her originals for the era).
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divasummer
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Post by divasummer on Feb 10, 2017 22:34:28 GMT -5
I LOVE this cd.This is probably my in top 3 Mariah cd's. I'm a big fan. I like most of MiMi's music.
I was into ballads at the time and these tugged at my heart. "Just To Hold You Once Again" and "All I've Ever Wanted" are two of my favorites by her. I loved "Now That I Know" and wished it was a single at the time but I loved all of them. Except maybe "Anytime You Need A Friend" I like it, don't love it. However the ICONIC dance mic is AMAZING!! "Dreamlover" had an amazing dance mix as well. Mariah was the queen of the recording studio back then. I was also big on "Never Forget You" from this cd as well. I "like" everything on here and can easily sit through the whole thing without skipping anything.
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Post by π―π² lucy88 π―π² on Jul 21, 2017 17:17:29 GMT -5
In honor of it's 20th anniversary, I thought I'd make a thread for this, Mariah Carey's 3rd studio album. Release Date: August 31, 1993 Worldwide Sales Estimate: 32 million Singles: 1. Dreamlover 2. Hero 3. Without You/Never Forget You 5. Anytime You Need A Friend While not her best (I think Butterfly is her best), this one I have so many memories of. Dreamlover remains my favorite of her singles to date, and some of the filler, like "Now That I Know" I love. I love all the songs. Dream lover is my absolute favorite! Takes me back to the good old days. It's in my top 5 along with Emotions, debut, Butterfly, and Emancipation of Mimi!
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Jun 24, 2018 8:08:53 GMT -5
"Hero" is at 204 million views, and "Without You" is at 197.5 million views. Once the latter crosses 200 million, Music Box will be one of the very few 90s albums with two videos over 200 million views.
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Jul 9, 2018 9:55:31 GMT -5
I adore this album and it's the one that introduced me to Mariah's music as a little kid (my parents used to play this and Daydream all the time). I love every song and don't mind that it's 90% AC, which is what some people scorn it for usually, it's never really been about the type/genre of music for me. "Dreamlover," "Without You," "Hero," are total classics and the rest of the songs are brilliant in their own right as well. The album contains one of my all time favorites off her whole catalog, "Just To Hold You Once Again". Mariah sang her ass off on every song.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2020 11:51:14 GMT -5
"All I Live For," a previously unreleased track from the sessions for this album, is now available on The Rarities.
Two of the previously released b-sides are included as well.
"Do You Think Of Me" ("Dreamlover" b-side)
"Everything Fades Away" ("Hero" b-side)
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back2blk
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Post by back2blk on Feb 23, 2021 11:43:49 GMT -5
This album contains the most all time favorite tracks of hers for me. So technically, I guess that would make it my favorite album from her.
I love the cheesy AC melisma, balladry, bridges, big vocals, and Dreamlover is my favorite of her singles.
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grandelf
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Post by grandelf on Aug 31, 2022 2:07:21 GMT -5
It's turning 29 today, will give it a spin soon.
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Oct 5, 2022 19:23:50 GMT -5
I've always loved about half the album and the 2 bonus (to the U.S.) tracks. Other songs have grown on me now, and the only one I don't use is "All I've Ever Wanted" (though the vocal is stellar). Out of that I made my own tracklisting for the album to include the bonus tracks as well as "Endless Love" since it's from that era and fits the album so well. Let me know if you have ideas for improvement:
1. Dreamlover 2. Endless Love 3. Anytime You Need A Friend 4. Music Box 5. Now That I Know 6. Do You Think of Me 7. Never Forget You 8. Without You 9. Hero 10. I've Been Thinking About You 11. All I Live For 12. Just to Hold You Once Again 13. Everything Fades Away
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Post by π―π² lucy88 π―π² on Aug 31, 2023 7:44:31 GMT -5
Faves:
Hero Dreamlover Anytime You Need A Friend Everything Fades Away Do You Think Of Me? Never Forget You Just To Hold You Once Again All I Ever Wanted
Been a long time since I played this, but this whole album was my pillow to cry on when going thru things in my early 20s.
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Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815...
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Post by Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815... on Aug 31, 2023 11:14:37 GMT -5
The album contains my favorite Mariah song of all time, Anytime You Need A Friend. It will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Side Note: Although I dont love the song as a whole, All I Ever Wanted's bridge gives me chills to this day. Just gorgeous.
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