Saturday 30 July 2005

US singles jukebox

Ian Mathers: Aside from the bizarre way her verse briefly emulate R Kelly, this is top quality. Mariah has gotten better at actually conveying emotion with her voice as she's scaled back the fireworks, and Mr. The Click Five (among others) could take notes at how Carey preserves her self-respect by not allowing someone to treat her like dirt. Those massed Mariah backing vocals are great, and so is the insistent backing piano. All that and a shout-out to Calgon! [8]

Anthony Miccio: Usher is back. Oh wait, it's a woman. Anybody else find Jermaine Dupri's vocal interruptions seriously ironic? Shake him off the mixer. [5]

Matt Chesnut: The chorus has so much air-escaping-from-a-balloon breath on it. It's a good thing. [7]

Alfred Soto: Another welcome example of how nervous breakdowns can do wonders for your sanity. Visions of love don't suit this hussy: let's remember that Mariah's most convincing persona was as Mrs. Tommy Mottola, kicking up sea spray over the lacquered beats of "Honey" and giving Ol' Dirty Bastard a case of the giggles on "Fantasy". An even better mockingbird now than she was gunning for Whitney's throne, Mariah apes Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody" and Ready For The World's "Love You Down" in a quest for a guy who can give her love like the kind she gives her Louis Vuitton purse. What she does with the Calgon is between her and her therapist. [7]

Andrew Unterberger: So glad to know for certain that "It's Like That" was a total red herring-first "We Belong Together", and now this breathy wonder. She's still the best vocalist in the world, and we'll likely never see her equal. It's good to see her back on top again. [8]

(Stylus Magazine)



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