KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * *
Label: Def Jam/Mercury
Verdict: She may be emancipated but Mariah's yet to find her way
Trying to figure out Mariah Carey is as complex as trying to understand the theory of relativity. Perhaps more so. At least there's a concrete formula for the latter.
Mariah, however, is a law unto herself.
Opening the record with a piercingly high trill, one braces oneself for the upcoming onslaught of vocal gymnastics. Surprisingly, they never come.
Instead the whistle-like note blends into the auto-tune beat of Migrate - a muted club jam track that makes Mariah sound like any other R&B singer.
Generic R&B is a theme for the album, which deliberately downplays Mariah's trademark trill. While this is a positive step forward, the result is a largely mediocre collection of forgettable tunes.
Things improve as Mariah sneaks back to her roots on piano-driven ballads but the songs are let down by inane lyrics.
The sweet melody of Last Kiss and catchy urban beat of O.O.C are the album's best offerings and prove Mariah can do modern without losing her identity completely.
But overall, both Mariah and the record reek of trying too hard. It's not until the final track Heat that we hear a sense of fun. While it's a nice finishing touch, it's too little, too late.
