Carey way beyond her millennium crisis
When you're a superstar artist with a five-octave vocal range that's scored number one singles in each year of the 1990s, a little time for rest and relaxation is always deserved. Given the national media's tendency to fall like jackals on a celebrity who stumbles, it would have been easy to join the bandwagon had Mariah's United Center appearance last night not been up to par.
However, thanks to her refreshed state of mind and a return to the R&B meets hip-hop sound of "Charmbracelet", what followed was almost entirely enjoyable and worth her fans' time. Mariah's entrance to the beats of the night club-friendly "Heartbreaker" was the first of many instances when the crowd was able to get its money's worth.
Instead of just strolling on stage or popping out of some elaborate contraption, Carey began on an up-close and personal note, weaving her way through the aisles from the very back of the arena. She may have been grabbed at, photographed and high-fived along the way, but her voice soared as though she was standing still at center stage.
Such a flurry of activity was buttressed by another hip-hopper, "Honey", and the dance-floor packer "Fantasy" (complete with a sample of the Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love"). These numbers featured Carey, 10 dancers, and four background vocalists causing quite the commotion while trading moves and grooves.
Other well-known selections included the gospel infused "Make It Happen", the soulful sing-along "Always Be My Baby" and a cover of The Jackson Five's "I'll Be There". These featured grand costume and setting changes. (Mariah's multiple personas ranged from a Harley Davidson motorcyclist to an angel to a sexy workout girl.)
Even material from the new album was greeted by the audience with familiarity, and given its string of singles thus far, it doesn't appear that Carey's hit-making streak will end soon. The lead track "Through the Rain" falls into the inspirational category with "Hero" and the Boyz II Men duet "One Sweet Day", and Carey belted it out like a true survivor.
"The One" and "Boy (I Need You)" switched climates altogether taking on a street flavor accompanied by funky keyboard lines and swooping vocals in which Carey sounded more like Mary J. Blige or Ashanti than a more traditional R&B predecessor like Whitney Houston.
But as Carey encored with "Vision of Love" and "Hero" - oozing out each note with as much force and clarity as she did on "Heartbreaker" nearly two hours earlier - her vocal gifts and show business pizazz remained clearly intact. Far from being a human soap-opera has-been, Mariah's sparkling "Charmbracelet" of a career will keep sparkling for quite a while to come. (Daily Journal Review)
|
