While it is indisputable that MC is talented, this album far from show cases that and I am not a fan, but even I am disappointed. There is hardly – just barely – one single here. It is flat, not inspired, and epic in its lack of inventiveness. Is it too much to want something more interesting and creative – every song is the same drum kits and synthesizers over and over. It is consistent – but – in this cas that is hardly a good thing.

And I can certainly understand why the record company pulled the album and asked them to try and at least get something chart-worthy recorded. It is no suprise that in response she opted for yet another cover, and really that is the only song on my play-list right now.

I have read some of the positive reviews, and I have to say I strongly disaggree with the “Angelic” references to her voice. NO – we have heard much MUCH better. Here, really, we do not get the range, and there is just too much breathy ’sexy’ vocal inflections that get old and tired after the first couple tracks.

AND, what is with the lack of energy – to sit back and rely on dj’s to remix your tracks, is all well and good. But when every track is so boring it can’t get play without club makeovers, is really telling. That is unless she is intending to become the Streisand of R&B.

That you constantly reference her previous efforts, in part, makes my point. We have heard this all before, over and over and over. This time around, I am just not interested. I want NEW. I want ENERGY. I can not help but feel this album is just too lazy and overly effortless.

I heard ‘We Belong Together’ already. Now, can we move on from that…

I am proud to be a LAMB myself hehehe…… coz my idol are so great.

After those comments I felt that when Mariah says going back to the roots, I actually hoping for the Musicbox era or Daydream, if not Emotion. 90s is back on trend. However, since “Buttefly” Mimi already a mimi til the angel part. But hey, whatever crap, throw me more of Mariah/Mimi….. can’t get enough. Mimi’s die-hard fans knows what is rubbish, but they just love it, as long its from her.

PS: glad to know “angel” is moving away from the chart game. Which every artist should work in this way, let the records company worries about the figures…….. but yet I hope to see the day Mariah holds the most No 1 in the history.

Looking through all these comments (here and Facebook), I guess I should do an extended review to support my verdict and clarify some misunderstandings (as views can be different).

An important fact of me being a reviewer is that I gotta listen to each finished product (a complete LP) from different perspectives, from a first time listener (probably early teens) to a die-hard fan to a serious critic. No genre could exactly defines me for my taste of music. A true reviewer has to learn to appreciate almost every major genres in order to be fair (such as Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary, Rock, Country). AND my IPOD song database is roughly 100GB as of now. Varying in artists. (Mind you I buy CDs or from ITunes)

As for being commercial and mainstream, who doesn’t like to be in the spotlight. Mariah has always been a ‘chart’ artist since her debut. In order to cater to the masses, one has to produce something which is acceptable to everyone’s ears. In this case, though I said “Her last album was commercial for my taste”, it doesn’t mean that this has to be commercial. So it’s misinterpretation.

And I didn’t say I prefer Mimi over Mariah. In fact, I adore the 90’s Mariah. I didn’t EXPRESSED that this album has to be commercial. Considering some ‘remixed’ songs of this era that has already leaked, the songs fares much worst compared to this album.

This album’s NOWHERE near “Butterfly”, it’s around the distance from earth to space. “Butterfly” is deemed as her Masterpiece, along with “Music Box” and “Daydream”,which is close behind. Take the song “Butterfly” for example, it has the Mariah + Gospel Choir combination (which is also styled on “I Want To Know What Love Is”). The former is a fantastic, spine-chilling, inspirational MEGA ballad. The latter is quite subtle and good, and I didn’t say that it has to go over the top. But it’s lacks “Oomph” and the raw emotion displayed on “Butterfly”.

“Butterfly” is loaded with gems, more like diamonds. Every song is filled with such power and precision, yet the emotions shines through too. And I’ve her album discography too (not really a die-hard fan). =)

Mariah as a songwriter (and lyricist) is not really consistent since “Glitter”. Hits and misses. Most of the time it’s alright, “It’s Like That” is clever and cool. But some just falls flat, like “Touch My Body” is perfectly trashy with no sense at all. Sometimes, the over-production would cause the songs to be casualties. Examples from this album would be “Ribbon” and “Up On My Face”. The former suffers from the annoying vocoder-ed loop and the latter is a faux hip-hop tune that is being pulled down by it’s reprise.

As I’ve pointed out, this is Mariah’s most sonically consistent album commented by Slant Magazine, but it’s a rather stale journey after the first half. I would say this album is on par with E=MC2 in terms of the overall consistency. This album has both highs and lows.

If this is what she wanna give back to the fans, it’s not good enough.Those who deem this album as her personal best should be a little hard on hearing, but it’s up to the individual to decide. At least some fans are easily pacified. Cause we all know that Mariah can do much better than this. And of course long-term fans would defend her work, no fans would dislike their own idol’s material. Whether if she wanna go back to pre-90’s Mariah, it’s up to her. Maybe do another unplugged session with MTV.

Mariah here btw needs decent album sales to maintain her standard of living. After all, she’s an international Superstar. So, no harm by selling more albums if possible. But I think her management milked enough from “Emancipation”.

Professionally, any critc would evaluate that this album is just alright. Sufficient to keep fans happy, but neutral to the critics, inculding me. Everyone has different taste, some like that particular something more. We as critcs could only give our honest opinion. We can’t lie on our profession and say everything is good. We’ll lose our job. That’s why critics has to be neutral and opinionated.

And I judge by the album material itself, not to the artist who produce it (including Britney). =)

Shakira’s album review is up next!!!

Peace Out
-Rickified

Sorry James, but stop kidding yourself that this album is not aiming at being commercial.. Mariah is a popstar who is quite obsessed with her own ’statistics’.. No.1 this and biggest-selling that (zzz…)

And how does one ‘look’ at music in a commercial (or not) point of view anyway? If it’s good, it’s good. If it’s bad, then just accept it.

After bearing so long with all the commercial albums shes pushed out over the years. After “The Emancipation of Mimi” I was hoping for a record that would at take me and hopefully other fans, back to the days when Mariah used to write songs that meant something.

Not just to make sales or beak records. E=MC2 did some justice, but I ultimately I didn’t like it in the end. I forgot about the album within a few months. I appreciated what she did, don’t get me wrong. But I wanted something more than just commercial garbage. An album that would really be something different and a break away. I nearlly gave up being a fan.

She kept her promise for this album and I am so grateful for that. For the first time in years I listened to one of her albums through and through without skipping any tracks. No rapping or trying to sound up-to-date. Instead taking a back seat and enjoying the ride. It feels like driving out on a sunny day and chilling out. That’s what it feels for me when I ran the album the first time.

She may not be smashing sales records or climbing high and mighty, but she let’s us know that sometimes it’s okay to take a step back and enjoy life. Thats what the album really does. I highly recommend anyone to run this album. Remember don’t look at it from a commerical point of view but, from a view like you were writing abou your life in entries, like memoirs.
God bless and thank you Mariah, you truly are a great person!

Those who L.O.V.E Mariah will say this album is HOT HOT HOT… while those who are neutral will think this album is a snore. That’s what i see from public response.

As one who’ve heard pretty much all of her work, she indeed delivered the promise that this record is gonna be a throwback reminiscent clash of her previous works from “Butterfly”. Well balanced with thumping R&B beats, power ballads & slow jams, I personally felt her 1999 “Rainbow” was prominently recalled with her chilling, substantial preludes, interludes & reprises.

I’m especially disappointed that this review did not strongly acknowledge Mariah’s always exceptional quality as a songwriter on this record. Songs like – Betcha Gon’ Know, H.A.T.E.U., Candy Bling, More Than Just Friends, The Impossible, Up Out My Face – all proves, as much as there are other up & coming artists (owning her on the charts), none of them could ever come as close to Mariah when it comes to her game.

“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” ain’t a self-obsessed/profession title, but it really fulfills what Mariah said this record will do: to take us through a journey. People who only started to pay attention to her after her “Emancipation” era, may not find this record a ’satisfaction guarantee’, but long-time fans of hers will surely agree with me, that this is indeed one of her best records to date, & will cause us to fall in love with Mariah all over again.

I am a die hard fan of Mimi, but sadly, I don see no1 single potential in this album.