Jay D83
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Post by Jay D83 on Oct 9, 2013 10:43:45 GMT -5
It's crazy - I love Mariah's 'mood albums' - Butterfly and Charmy but I HATE Memoirs. Memoirs just drags on and on and goes nowhere; and says nothing. Her new album will be the followup to E=MC2 to me because in my mind, MOAIA doesn't exist. HATEU and MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS slay lives though
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Oct 9, 2013 11:02:42 GMT -5
I did another track-by-track for another board and figured I'd post here since things is slow.
Butterfly definitely took some people by surprise, though I think due to her image more than the actual music. "Honey" isn't a radical departure from "Fantasy," and "Butterfly" and "My All" are ballads not far removed from songs like "Anytime You Need A Friend" and "I Don't Wanna Cry." The album tracks are where Mariah got more urban than before, but on the whole it was still a pretty commercial release.
1. "Honey" - This is a prime example of genius song construction. There are essentially 3 choruses, and overall the melody is fantastic. I also love the samples/loop. It doesn't have the same energy/punch of her previous lead singles, but it's a fantastic song.
2. "Butterfly" - This is a ballad for the ages and should have become an anthem song for her. I don't know what happened. The melody is beautiful, and it's one of her best sung songs both emotionally and technically (the bridge and last chorus are truly epic). It also had lyrics that were fodder for gossip, and they were only heightened by all of the symbolism in the video. What more did people want?
3. "My All" - I love the Latin feel in the production, and this is one of Mariah's purest vocals. The lyrics are overly dramatic, but the emotional vocal and the personal nature of them (Mariah wanting to be with Derek but still being scared of Tommy) give them real heft.
4. "The Roof" - The haunting piano opening hooks me, and then the great beat and chords kick in. This song contains one of Mariah's best set of lyrics, and her dark vocal and muted melody add to the "suppressed" feelings Mariah sings about. I love the vocal arrangement and the ad-libs on this track, too. The song is darkly sexy, and the great video emphasizes that; she has never been as naturally and genuinely sexy as she is in this video.
5. "Fourth Of July" - This belong in the group with "Underneath The Stars," "Yours," etc. I prefer the more minimal "Underneath The Stars," but this still has a vivid lyric and killer vocal arrangement.
6. "Breakdown" - This is the first rap/sung collaboration I can think of where the rap verse actually related to the meaning of the song, and where the singer incorporated the style of the guest into the entire song. Genius. This song has one of Mariah's more beautiful melodies, and her hushed vocal works in nice contrast to the outpouring she does on the ad-libs.
7. "Babydoll" - This is another song where I love the lyric, and the personal details (like asking Derek if he cares for her beyond his celebrity image of her) are astonishingly honest. This track is pretty sexy, too.
8. "Close My Eyes" Mariah delivers a lovely vocal on this one, and the minimal production highlights the vocal and lyric. I love how the bridge returns to the melody of the verses, and there is great symbolism there with the woman-child and the orange clouds. This song could be an anthem for those who have been sexually abused.
9. "Whenever You Call" - For some reason, I always think of this as Mariah's stab at a Carole King song (other than writing with her on "If It's Over" :lol). It reminds me of "You've Got A Friend." It's the song that would most fit a previous album, but with its warmth, in the context of this album it comes across as more R&B.
10. "Fly Away" - It doesn't work as much as a tapestry of the album as the "Daydream Interlude" did, but it's still cool track.
11. "The Beautiful Ones" - I really, really love this cover. Mariah brings real intimacy to her verse, and the ad-libs just take this into the atmosphere. I can literally feel Mariah gritting her teeth and digging into lines like, "I'm begging down on my knees I want you." I wish this had been sent to urban radio.
12. "Outside" - The use of Loris Holland and the organ was great here, and it accentuated the gospel-like vocal. The lyric comes across as a near existential crisis.
For my money this was the third time Mariah released an album that was good front to back and that seemed to have a real point of view artistically (following Emotions and Daydream). As a whole the songs come across as something Mariah needed to release. Most of the album is about Mariah fantasizing about the life she doesn't have. "Butterfly" is her wish for what Tommy would say to her. "My All," "The Roof," and "Babydoll" are Mariah visualizing her life with Derek but not being with him. "The Beautiful Ones" is about Derek and how he would "smash the picture" of the perfect life she had painted. "Close My Eyes" is Mariah as a child using fantasy (and the vision of an angel) to escape her life. "Fourth of July," perhaps ironically, is Mariah remembering her childhood as an escape from the present.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 11:24:20 GMT -5
Her albums and overall material and not just her massive hits is what separates Mariah from the hit makers of now. That and talent of course. People who never listen to her albums and only hear the radio hits will never get that and its hard to co-exist with them because they don't get it.
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Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Oct 9, 2013 12:00:42 GMT -5
PRETTY sure I love Memoirs more than the "classic" Mariah albums...yes...including Daydream and Butterfly. It makes me feel some kinda way...AND the fake lyrics from "The Impossible" gave me my name Overloaded Breast (OB) so...MEMOIRS FTW!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 12:16:48 GMT -5
We need a new album ASAP so the fans can finally stop discussing whether Memoirs was good or not.
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SMuha
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Post by SMuha on Oct 9, 2013 12:17:27 GMT -5
Mariah is the #1 trending topic on Yahoo! right now. Also, apparently that latest tweet with the pic is her most retweeted ever. :o She needs to take advantage of this hype and announce something! Of course it is. It's the internet combined with boobs. If she posted a pic of her foot with the same caption, it wouldn't be getting the same attention.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 12:47:06 GMT -5
We need a new album ASAP so the fans can finally stop discussing whether Memoirs was good or not. Yes! So we can discuss for the next two years whether the new album is good or not.
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Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Oct 9, 2013 13:36:19 GMT -5
Nothing new for a Mariah thread in between eras...
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kmbgs
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Post by kmbgs on Oct 9, 2013 15:12:06 GMT -5
The highs of TEOM are better than anything on Memoirs but there are flaws with that album that are overlooked due to the success. The strained screaming of Mine again, To The Floor is utterly useless, the filler at the end that sound so alike and the sameness of some the songs in production. We can discuss TEOM if you like. She does do a lot of screaming on the album but its part of its charm for my tastes. I feel like its the last time we will ever hear her full range and power on record. I rather someone oversing than underuse their voice. I feel like she copied and pasted her whistle notes on most of the album. I also hate how she feeds into Jermaine Dupri's bulls**t on songs like "Get Your Number", a song that didn't need his stamp on it yet is ruined because of it. I hate how she left off the Diana Ross-like "When I Feel It" and the soul disco "Sprung" which are some of the dopest records she's made during the last decade. All of these complaints doesn't stop it from being her best album since Butterfly in most people's eyes. The "sameness in the production" on a few songs help the consistency and vibe of the album which is very 70's soul inspired. "I Wish You Knew" gives me a Luther Vandross in concert feel with the impeccable background sanging. I absolutely LOVE all of the arrangements and the lyrics, generally speaking overall, are really her best since the 90's. "To The Floor" is so forgettable that I only remember it as the Nelly duet.
"It's A Wrap" sounds like a b-side from this era which is probably why its my favorite on Memoirs. You are speaking truth re: WIFI (LMAO) and Sprung. However, Secret Love is superior to BOTH (by far) and actually is Mimi's best uptempo, to me, since Fantasy .
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 16:30:12 GMT -5
Nothing new for a Mariah thread in between eras... Except her break is twice as long as usual. Still discussing a 4+ year old album like it just came out.
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Post by Positive Tension on Oct 9, 2013 18:23:37 GMT -5
This is one of Mariah's best songs, period. I've always liked the song, but after seeing the Divas Live performance recently and listening to it more, it really stands out as one of her most personal, emotional ballads (as do "Butterfly," "Outside," and "Close My Eyes" on the Butterfly album). Even though the Latin feel of the production should date the song (as that style was popular in the late 90s), it really doesn't, and it still sounds great in 2013. It feels like a bigger song than its Hot 100 run suggests.
Mariah has talked about having "raw, stripped-down ballads we wouldn't expect" on the album. I hope she uses "My All" as an inspiration for those songs.
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woahfred
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Post by woahfred on Oct 9, 2013 18:32:14 GMT -5
I can't believe how many of y'all don't care for MEMOIRS. It's a really solid album. Ribbon was my jam when that album came out!! My favorites are Betcha Gon Know, HATEU, Ribbon, Standing O and IWTKWLI. I really don't think it's that bad of a cover. The key change is a little weird, but the whistles at the end are amazing.
I have given up waiting on this album. I'm just going to go about my life and be surprised when it finally drops. LOL
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Oct 9, 2013 19:03:08 GMT -5
"My All" - It feels like a bigger song than its Hot 100 run suggests.. Yeah, but it spent a decent amount of time in the top 10 and the top 40, and it was #1 on whatever trl was called at the time. So i think its airplay is a bit misleading.
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Oct 9, 2013 19:45:02 GMT -5
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PLAYBOYoriginal
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Post by PLAYBOYoriginal on Oct 9, 2013 19:46:42 GMT -5
We can discuss TEOM if you like. She does do a lot of screaming on the album but its part of its charm for my tastes. I feel like its the last time we will ever hear her full range and power on record. I rather someone oversing than underuse their voice. I feel like she copied and pasted her whistle notes on most of the album. I also hate how she feeds into Jermaine Dupri's bulls**t on songs like "Get Your Number", a song that didn't need his stamp on it yet is ruined because of it. I hate how she left off the Diana Ross-like "When I Feel It" and the soul disco "Sprung" which are some of the dopest records she's made during the last decade. All of these complaints doesn't stop it from being her best album since Butterfly in most people's eyes. The "sameness in the production" on a few songs help the consistency and vibe of the album which is very 70's soul inspired. "I Wish You Knew" gives me a Luther Vandross in concert feel with the impeccable background sanging. I absolutely LOVE all of the arrangements and the lyrics, generally speaking overall, are really her best since the 90's. "To The Floor" is so forgettable that I only remember it as the Nelly duet.
"It's A Wrap" sounds like a b-side from this era which is probably why its my favorite on Memoirs. I think TEOM is a natural progression from Emotions because both were inspired by older R&B, with TEOM being more current. "Circles" reminds me of a Gladys Knight song, "I Wish You Knew" is Luther/Diana, "Your Girls" reminds me of the Jackson 5, "Stay The Night" has that great Stylistics sample, "We Belong Together" has a classic feel to it and even name checks Bobby Womack, and even "Joy Ride" and "Fly Like A Bird" have old-school elements. Had "I Feel It" replaced "To The Floor" (as I do on my iPod) it would have all been even more obvious. On top of that both "Get Your Number" and "Say Somethin'" recall the 80s a bit, as does "Secret Love." Throw that one in the mix and you get 70s and 80s. Re: MOAIA, I live for the those ad-libs at the end of "Candy Bling." Err day. Standouts on the album for me are "HATEU," "Candy Bling," "Ribbon," "It's A Wrap," and "The Impossible." I like the first half of "Betcha Gon Know" a lot, but it sort of falls apart. Its so funny you say that TEOM is a natural progression from Emotions because THAT is my favorite Mariah album PERIOD! I love the descriptions. I don't remember "Secret Love" so I gotta go youtube that.
I'm going to have to revisit "Candy Bling" because I don't think I've ever heard the end of the song. LOL! ITA about "Betcha Gon Know", it starts out great but somehow loses its footing and just meanders to close. I wonder what R. Kelly would have done with it since thats his style. My top 5 are: "It's A Wrap", "Languishing" (I always love when she does these little interludes), "H.A.T.E.U", "Standing O" and "The Impossible" w/ Reprise. I also like "100%" (I maybe in the minority on that LOL) and I MUCH prefer the "H.A.T.E.U remix" over Ciara's terrible Tranny Party.
BTW, I like corresponding with you. You are very intelligent!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 19:48:45 GMT -5
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Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815...
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Post by Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815... on Oct 9, 2013 20:55:05 GMT -5
That looks like the ride "It's A Small World" at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
From Memoirs my favorites are: Betcha Gon' Know, Obsessed, H.A.T.E.U, Ribbon, Standing O, It's A Wrap, Languishing. I don't really care for the rest.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 1:09:51 GMT -5
Would it be rude to comment on a child? Probably but I hope Roc grows into his head.
I was just listening to Subtle Invitation and holy f**k those runs at the end! I love the jazzy feel to it, the live feel and how organic and mature it is.
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Post by Fat Ass Kelly Price on Oct 10, 2013 1:25:48 GMT -5
It's cringeworthy, but Makin It Last All Night is a bit boppable. I just realized it.
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lancey
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Post by lancey on Oct 10, 2013 5:51:18 GMT -5
OMG MC cut your sons hair...
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HolidayGuy
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Post by HolidayGuy on Oct 10, 2013 12:34:10 GMT -5
Yah, not loving that 'do on lil' Morocco.
Butterfly definitely is her strongest cohesive and thematic album- and then probably Emancipation.
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Oct 10, 2013 12:46:42 GMT -5
^ who's Morocco? ??? About the hair - I'm not feeling it either and I think it needs cutting. There's a pic on Nick's instagram of the twins playing seesaw, Roc's hair looked better then. But then again, he's not my kid so... Here's another pic from the other day when they were at Disney World:
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 12:49:24 GMT -5
Tell Mariah what to do with her music but her kid?!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 13:06:09 GMT -5
She aint cutting s**t, Roc's hair reminds her of the young curly haired locks of hers, before the bleaches, hair dyes and weaves. If it wasn't for Nick he would have pretty pink bows and lip gloss on.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Oct 10, 2013 13:13:17 GMT -5
She aint cutting s**t, Roc's hair reminds her of the young curly haired locks of hers, before the bleaches, hair dyes and weaves. If it wasn't for Nick he would have pretty pink bows and lip gloss on. Yeah he's rocking the debut album cover curls.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 13:24:38 GMT -5
Them Wavey curls that Wave be rocking.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 13:33:03 GMT -5
Anyways girls I'm starting a internet campaign to get Mimi & Bey to do a song together. So if you down please tweet both ladies once a day with me. Thx
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HolidayGuy
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Post by HolidayGuy on Oct 10, 2013 14:24:33 GMT -5
LOL I meant Moroccan- you could understand the slip. Course Mimi will do what she wants with her kiddies, but we can make observations. It comes with the territory (putting the pics out there and all). We're not saying he's not a cute kid (he is), just that he'd look even cuter with a nice short cut. I can see, though, that he is rockin' those vintage Mimi curls.
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Mariah
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Post by Mariah on Oct 11, 2013 10:12:04 GMT -5
From her Facebook :
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2013 10:13:20 GMT -5
New smash featuring Roc Cannon??
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