Albums : Mariah Carey : Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse
Albums : Mariah Carey : Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse
Listen To Mariah Carey : Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse
Diva Mariah Carey is heading for her 17th top 10 album on the Billboard 200 chart -- but the No. 1 slot will likely elude the singer.
Carey's new effort, "Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse," could sell around 55,000 to 60,000 copies in the week ending June 1 (according to industry forecasters), for a possible start at No. 3. That would mark Carey's lowest sales debut for a non-holiday studio album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. Her previous low came when 1991's "Emotions" launched at No. 4 with 156,000, according to SoundScan. (Carey has tallied six No. 1 albums, between 1991 and 2008.)
"Chanteuse" was released on May 27 by Def Jam Records -- nearly five years after her last non-holiday studio album, 2009's "Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel." (This is her longest gap between studio projects.)
"Chanteuse" was tentatively earmarked for a release in March of 2013, but was then pushed to July 23, then to May 6, 2014, and finally May 27. The promotion for the new set arguably started in August of 2012 with the release of the single "Triumphant (Get 'Em)," a song which does not appear on "Chanteuse."
The new album's most recent charting single, "You're Mine (Eternal)," spent one week on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 88 on the March 1-dated chart. The set previously logged a No. 15 hit with "#Beautiful," featuring Miguel, in June 2013. Comparably, the "Memoirs" album launched with the No. 7-peaking single "Obsessed." (Carey holds the mark for the most Hot 100 No. 1s, 18, among soloists. Among all acts, only the Beatles, with 20, have more.)
Carey will likely be blocked from the No. 1 slot on next week's Billboard 200 chart by two holdover titles in their second week: Coldplay's "Ghost Stories" and Brantley Gilbert's "Just As I Am."
"Ghost Stories" blasted in at No. 1 with the year's biggest debut -- 383,000 sold in the week ending May 25, while Gilbert started at No. 2 with 211,000. The two albums might sell, respectively, 80,000 and 65,000 in their second weeks.
After Carey, look for Austin Mahone to arrive with the second-highest debut, as his first album, "The Secret," could start at No. 5 with around 40,000 to 45,000. (Right above him could be the resilient "Frozen" soundtrack, which could finish the week at No. 4.)
The third (and possibly final) debut in next week's top 10 might come from Crowder's "Neon Steeple," which could sell around 20,000 to 25,000. The album is the first solo release from David Crowder, who had previously fronted the David Crowder Band. That group notched 10 entries on the Billboard 200 between 2003 and 2013, going as high as No. 2 in 2012 with "Give Us Rest."
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Coldplay and Carey are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
As for the rest of the top 10 on the Building Chart: Mahone's "The Secret" is No. 3, followed by Gilbert at No. 4 and the "Frozen" soundtrack at No. 5. The "Now 50" compilation is No. 6, with Michael Jackson's "Xscape" at No. 7. The Black Keys' former No. 1 "Turn Blue" is No. 8, while Cher Lloyd's "Sorry I'm Late" and Royksopp and Robyn's "Do It Again" is No. 10. (The latter two titles might not sell enough to finish within the top 10 of the official Billboard 200 chart.)
Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse Review
Forget about the ridiculous title, botched rollout and highly questionable cover art. Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse is an incredibly solid LP that makes much more sense as a complete body of work than the long trail of mystifying buzz singles would have you believe. It’s a concept album of sorts, a loving stroll through the history of R&B — from the Motown era to the ‘90s, with detours through disco and early hip-hop. The emphasis is on real instruments (as opposed to samples and synths), which gives Mariah Carey‘s precious pipes room to shine.Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it mostly is but The Elusive Chanteuse is also one of the great diva’s least accessible albums. With the exception of current single “Thirsty” and Wale-assisted bop “You Don’t Know What To Do”, there are no bright, sparkly pop moments for radio to latch on to and the album’s backwards-glancing production occasionally comes across as more dated than nostalgic. It doesn’t help that most of the songs are sprawling mid-tempo grooves or ballads, which will, no doubt, resonate with fans of the golden age of R&B but cause others to tune out.
So where does that leave you? With an album that takes time to seep under your skin. There’s little instant gratification but, if you’re patient, the songs become richer and deeper with each listen. Take “The Art Of Letting Go”. The LP’s former title track (it’s now relegated to the deluxe edition) sounded like a wordy, tune-less mess when it came and went in late 2013. In context, however, the rambling Darkchild-produced mantra really comes into its own and, now, I can’t imagine a Mimi playlist without it.
Not that every song takes six months to appreciate. “#Beautiful” is still the breeziest piece of retro-R&B flavored pop to hit the airwaves in recent memory and it sounds right at home among Motown-referencing gems like the silky smooth “Make It Look Good” and smoky piano ballad “Cry” — a song that capture’s the 44-year-old’s voice at full flight. Her instrument hasn’t sounded this strong, versatile and nuanced in at least a decade.
Mariah also finds fertile creative ground by revisiting the ‘70s. She has been dipping into disco since “Fantasy” but never as faithfully as the roller rink-ready “Meteorite” and above-mentioned “You Don’t Know What To Do”, which starts off as a slow jam before transforming into a Donna Summer-worthy floorfiller complete with lashings of strings. Both songs are hugely enjoyable and strangely on-trend given the genre’s revival thanks to Daft Punk and Justin Timberlake. As far as future singles go, either one of these is a pretty safe bet.
Speaking of hits, “Thirsty” is one of the few cuts that sounds very much of the here and now with its sassy, meme-spawning lyrics and catchy hooks. It’s exceedingly cute and lightens up the sometimes heavy-going set. The Hit-Boy-produced party anthem certainly fares a lot better than the other contemporary R&B song “Faded”, which sounds like something Mike Will Made-It rescued from Bangerz. That’s not a compliment.
An absolute must-hear is Mimi’s surprising cover of George Michael’s 1988 chart-topper “One More Try”. It’s simultaneously faithful to the original and completely her own. (Keep your fingers crossed that they perform a duet version one of these days). Another unexpected delight is Fabolous-assisted jam “Money”. It’s pays homage to the ‘90s without sounding like a museum relic — a fate that unfortunately befalls cuts like “Dedicated”, “Camouflage”, “You’re Mine (Eternal)” and Dem Babies-featuring “Supernatural”.
Best Song That Wasn’t The Single: “Meteorite” or “You Don’t Know What To Do” followed by “One More Try”.
Full Disclosure: This is a huge improvement on Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel but nothing on the LP matches the genius of “Standing O”.
Contact Mariah Carey
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | YouTube | MySpace
Contact Billboard Music
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Contact Idolator
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Sources : Mariah Carey Photo | Listen To Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse | Mariah Carey Article | Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse Review
Purchase : iTunes (Deluxe Version) | Amazon (Deluxe Version) | Best Buy CD | Walmart
Listen To Mariah Carey : Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse
Diva Mariah Carey is heading for her 17th top 10 album on the Billboard 200 chart -- but the No. 1 slot will likely elude the singer.
Carey's new effort, "Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse," could sell around 55,000 to 60,000 copies in the week ending June 1 (according to industry forecasters), for a possible start at No. 3. That would mark Carey's lowest sales debut for a non-holiday studio album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. Her previous low came when 1991's "Emotions" launched at No. 4 with 156,000, according to SoundScan. (Carey has tallied six No. 1 albums, between 1991 and 2008.)
"Chanteuse" was released on May 27 by Def Jam Records -- nearly five years after her last non-holiday studio album, 2009's "Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel." (This is her longest gap between studio projects.)
"Chanteuse" was tentatively earmarked for a release in March of 2013, but was then pushed to July 23, then to May 6, 2014, and finally May 27. The promotion for the new set arguably started in August of 2012 with the release of the single "Triumphant (Get 'Em)," a song which does not appear on "Chanteuse."
The new album's most recent charting single, "You're Mine (Eternal)," spent one week on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 88 on the March 1-dated chart. The set previously logged a No. 15 hit with "#Beautiful," featuring Miguel, in June 2013. Comparably, the "Memoirs" album launched with the No. 7-peaking single "Obsessed." (Carey holds the mark for the most Hot 100 No. 1s, 18, among soloists. Among all acts, only the Beatles, with 20, have more.)
Carey will likely be blocked from the No. 1 slot on next week's Billboard 200 chart by two holdover titles in their second week: Coldplay's "Ghost Stories" and Brantley Gilbert's "Just As I Am."
"Ghost Stories" blasted in at No. 1 with the year's biggest debut -- 383,000 sold in the week ending May 25, while Gilbert started at No. 2 with 211,000. The two albums might sell, respectively, 80,000 and 65,000 in their second weeks.
After Carey, look for Austin Mahone to arrive with the second-highest debut, as his first album, "The Secret," could start at No. 5 with around 40,000 to 45,000. (Right above him could be the resilient "Frozen" soundtrack, which could finish the week at No. 4.)
The third (and possibly final) debut in next week's top 10 might come from Crowder's "Neon Steeple," which could sell around 20,000 to 25,000. The album is the first solo release from David Crowder, who had previously fronted the David Crowder Band. That group notched 10 entries on the Billboard 200 between 2003 and 2013, going as high as No. 2 in 2012 with "Give Us Rest."
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Coldplay and Carey are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
As for the rest of the top 10 on the Building Chart: Mahone's "The Secret" is No. 3, followed by Gilbert at No. 4 and the "Frozen" soundtrack at No. 5. The "Now 50" compilation is No. 6, with Michael Jackson's "Xscape" at No. 7. The Black Keys' former No. 1 "Turn Blue" is No. 8, while Cher Lloyd's "Sorry I'm Late" and Royksopp and Robyn's "Do It Again" is No. 10. (The latter two titles might not sell enough to finish within the top 10 of the official Billboard 200 chart.)
Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse Review
Forget about the ridiculous title, botched rollout and highly questionable cover art. Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse is an incredibly solid LP that makes much more sense as a complete body of work than the long trail of mystifying buzz singles would have you believe. It’s a concept album of sorts, a loving stroll through the history of R&B — from the Motown era to the ‘90s, with detours through disco and early hip-hop. The emphasis is on real instruments (as opposed to samples and synths), which gives Mariah Carey‘s precious pipes room to shine.Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it mostly is but The Elusive Chanteuse is also one of the great diva’s least accessible albums. With the exception of current single “Thirsty” and Wale-assisted bop “You Don’t Know What To Do”, there are no bright, sparkly pop moments for radio to latch on to and the album’s backwards-glancing production occasionally comes across as more dated than nostalgic. It doesn’t help that most of the songs are sprawling mid-tempo grooves or ballads, which will, no doubt, resonate with fans of the golden age of R&B but cause others to tune out.
So where does that leave you? With an album that takes time to seep under your skin. There’s little instant gratification but, if you’re patient, the songs become richer and deeper with each listen. Take “The Art Of Letting Go”. The LP’s former title track (it’s now relegated to the deluxe edition) sounded like a wordy, tune-less mess when it came and went in late 2013. In context, however, the rambling Darkchild-produced mantra really comes into its own and, now, I can’t imagine a Mimi playlist without it.
Not that every song takes six months to appreciate. “#Beautiful” is still the breeziest piece of retro-R&B flavored pop to hit the airwaves in recent memory and it sounds right at home among Motown-referencing gems like the silky smooth “Make It Look Good” and smoky piano ballad “Cry” — a song that capture’s the 44-year-old’s voice at full flight. Her instrument hasn’t sounded this strong, versatile and nuanced in at least a decade.
Mariah also finds fertile creative ground by revisiting the ‘70s. She has been dipping into disco since “Fantasy” but never as faithfully as the roller rink-ready “Meteorite” and above-mentioned “You Don’t Know What To Do”, which starts off as a slow jam before transforming into a Donna Summer-worthy floorfiller complete with lashings of strings. Both songs are hugely enjoyable and strangely on-trend given the genre’s revival thanks to Daft Punk and Justin Timberlake. As far as future singles go, either one of these is a pretty safe bet.
Speaking of hits, “Thirsty” is one of the few cuts that sounds very much of the here and now with its sassy, meme-spawning lyrics and catchy hooks. It’s exceedingly cute and lightens up the sometimes heavy-going set. The Hit-Boy-produced party anthem certainly fares a lot better than the other contemporary R&B song “Faded”, which sounds like something Mike Will Made-It rescued from Bangerz. That’s not a compliment.
An absolute must-hear is Mimi’s surprising cover of George Michael’s 1988 chart-topper “One More Try”. It’s simultaneously faithful to the original and completely her own. (Keep your fingers crossed that they perform a duet version one of these days). Another unexpected delight is Fabolous-assisted jam “Money”. It’s pays homage to the ‘90s without sounding like a museum relic — a fate that unfortunately befalls cuts like “Dedicated”, “Camouflage”, “You’re Mine (Eternal)” and Dem Babies-featuring “Supernatural”.
Best Song That Wasn’t The Single: “Meteorite” or “You Don’t Know What To Do” followed by “One More Try”.
Full Disclosure: This is a huge improvement on Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel but nothing on the LP matches the genius of “Standing O”.
Contact Mariah Carey
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | YouTube | MySpace
Contact Billboard Music
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Tumblr | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
Contact Idolator
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Email
Sources : Mariah Carey Photo | Listen To Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse | Mariah Carey Article | Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse Review
Purchase : iTunes (Deluxe Version) | Amazon (Deluxe Version) | Best Buy CD | Walmart
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