Is Mariah Carey’s ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’ a Genius Breakthrough?
Rohin Guha
September 23, 2009
Goddamn. Pop's leading ladies have taken quite the beating lately. Okay, fine, so I was wielding the cudgel at some point. But it's not like I had a hand in dismantling the greatest girlband of the 21st century. And above all, some pop stars deserved it. But lately, not Mariah Carey, who warmed our hearts on 9/11 when we found it difficult to get out of bed on that very day. So here we are. With digital copies of her new record, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel having leaked, nay, spilled onto the internet ahead of its worldwide release. The early verdict? Well it's rather nice if you fancy a morphine drip plugged into your ears, what with all of the record's whisper-wailing and computerized blippity-bloops. To be honest, post-rehab Mariah was riding the crest of her creative high with The Emancipation of Mimi and has been slipping since.
But some of us are old(-fashioned) and would think that. We’re also therefore prone to bitching about musicians needing melodies, vocals, and well-considered lyrics. Others of us, like Mariah, are post-pop. And Memoirs is Mariah’s proudest post-pop debut. It’s a debut that doesn’t thwart itself with such precious tripwires.
In fact everything, from “Obsessed” (of which we are treated to four (!) revolutionary club chart-topping remixes on the album’s special edition) to that half-assed Foreigner cover are early indicators of how far she was willing to take her Grammy diss.
In ways, Memoirs is for Mariah what Aerial was for Kate Bush: an epic thinkpiece. In one regard, the lyrics all appear uniformly clunky. But upon closer inspection, that is part of this post-pop revolution to which Mariah Carey is Eva Perón (sorry, Madge!) It’s as if she adapted the charm of spoken-word honesty and then found a way to make spoken-word listenable. Hence the bulk of this album being highly relatable, too. Further proof: the line “I wanna be all on your lips like gelato,” in “More Than Just Friends.” Another track, “H.A.T.E.U.” pushes post-pop just a little further. You see, the five letters spell out a secret message. One which may or may not be “having a typical emotional upset,” although a competing argument contends it’s “hold and tenderly embrace u.” Ultimately, this is one of those mysteries that time and flack will reveal as this track may be the record’s next single.
But the most post-pop moment here comes in the serene jam “Up Out of My Face.” In it, Mariah belts, “If we were two Lego blocks even the Harvard University graduating class of 2010 couldn’t put us back together again.”
More remarkable here is her commitment to avoid singing outright. Throughout Memoirs, Mariah’s voice exists in three vocal extremes: whispers, moans, and yells. She doesn’t need to concern herself with all those octaves in between one and eight. Basically, this is an album that, like spoiled apples for compost aficionados, gets better with time. But if you are the sort who needs letter grades or gold stars to determine how great this record is, the most I can offer are three words: Better than Whitney’s.
Comments (26)
Posted by Nano on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 11.40 am
I Agree with U .... this album is great… she is sounding amazing… and there are a lot of HOT tracks .... she is definitively debut at #1 ... Get the album support Mariah ..... by the way you are totally right ... IS BETTER THAN WHITNEY’S
Posted by jason on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 11.58 am
From what I’ve heard, sounds like an amazing “post-pop” album. Mariah should get more credit for her song-writing. Def will buy next week.
Posted by GOG on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 11.59 am
LOL interesting review. I like the last three words, better than Whitney’s. This record is a grower. I spent time being mad at hearing Dream’s frunts and influence. But I love Mariah and her creativity and her moxie for doing this record at this point in her career. Here’s her Standing O!!
Posted by Mike on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 12.00 pm
I have to agree, in a way this album is pretty damn post-pop genius! I’ve listened to it online and there were only 2 songs that I was kinda “blah” over, but the rest of it is highly enjoyable. “H.A.T.E.U”, “The Impossible”, “Standing O”, and “It’s a Wrap” are my favorites so far and I can’t wait to get the actual album when it comes out. I think Mariah did a great job this time around, a front-to-back good album.
Posted by Mark on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 12.22 pm
Her voice is weak, the whispering is annoying and the pace is too slow on most of the tracks. Her true fans will eat this up because its Mariah, but there is nothing on here that show progression or innovation. Then again not much on the radio these days does either so she might have a chance. For me she has completely sold out singing for this hip hop drivel. I cant say that I expected more but she could have surprised me.
Posted by 1nuponatim on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 12.31 pm
Great way to trash an album/singer without trashing it. Interesting that you brought Whitney into the mix because of the two Whitneys album at least shows risk creativity and freshness. Mariah’s on the other hand sounds like one long slowjam. As if she were in a state of depression or stressed out while creating this album. It is however trite like most of whats on the radio today so it should fare well. No one with any credibility or integrity will be using the words incredible or amazing to describe this music or her voice on this effort. I am not a big fan of Whitney or Mariah or beyonce or Rhianna etc I just like good music. This is not good music in any era. That is not to say she wont sell alot of albums...she is Mariah after all but I dont see any crital aclaim coming her way. My two cents.
Posted by Daniel on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 01.28 pm
You are absolutely crazy, you trash her lack of singing and then you say it’s better than Whitney’s who is actually singing her butt off? I mean I have to turn the volume all the way up to hear Mariah whispering through her songs, then back down to avoid losing my hearing on her whistling. Whitney is straight singing through and through on her album and all the songs are hit worthy.
Whatever, what is this website anyway? You are not Rolling Stone, get over yourself.
Posted by kate on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 01.54 pm
better then whitneys! that is the best line of the article, totally unprepared for that. its a pun but its also hilarious put. of course i have no feelings of hatred towards whitney. i have actually bought whitney’s newest record. i must agree with you memoirs is better then whitneys!
Posted by LuvHer on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 03.53 pm
awww Daniel. get ur panties out of a knot sweetie. if i were you, i wouldn’t brag about Whitney singing her butt off. b/c she sounds like smoked crack exclusively through her vocal cords.
Whitney will get her acclamations & (undue) praise for the wrong reason: her PERSONAL/HUMAN comeback story. Whitney: the artist.....another story. 7 years? 7 friggin’ years, and that’s the best she could do? much less, sound? c’mon man. hate Mariah as much as you want....but she sounds better than anything Whitney could think of in her wettest dream.
she better be happy she can have this year’s Grammy’s all to herself. b/c H.A.T.E.U. and Betcha Gon Know (those two songs alone...) shit all over Whitney’s entire vocal offering.
if your feelings are really that hurt....grab a pipe & go join Whitney in the corner staring @ all the angry eyeballs Bobby painted for her. word of caution though: she might not be able to talk....ya know....cause she’s been on Oprah.
get the fuck outta here.
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Posted by Poor_You on Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 11.09 am
Three words: YOU ARE CRAZY!
You just displayed your incredibly poor tastes in music. Good bye