| Wednesday 16 February 2000 |
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Rainbow review
If you're a big Mariah Carey fan, then you won't be to disappointed with Rainbow. You may actually even be impressed with her versatility and collaboration-heavy lineup. But if you're kind of a borderline skeptic (like me) who wonders "What happened to Mariah Carey?" on Mariah Carey albums, then you've got more fuel for the fire.
Is Heartbreaker a hit? You bet. Will Rainbow sell a million copies? Probably, but Mariah is no longer the focus of her own creation.
Don't get me wrong, this album has hits. Her theme (Can't Take That Away) is Old-School Mariah at it's best, a sold ballad with vocals from the heart. And even her duet with Usher (How Much), the remake of Against All Odds (Phil Collins) and Thank God I Found You, lay claim to who Mariah Carey really is.
Where the problem with Rainbow lies is in the fact that Mariah will collaborate with super talented people and then become an afterthought. A perfect example of this is the remix of Heartbreaker. With Da Brat and Missy in the flow, Mariah becomes almost invisible, just singing hooks.
Tracks like Crybaby and Did I Do That? show Carey's burning desire to fit in where she doesn't necessarily belong. Being a No Limit Soldier just doesn't work for Mariah, and the quality of those songs prove it.
All in all, Rainbow should easily reach platinum status, but at what cost? Fortunately, Mariah Carey the singer is not totally dead, but it seems to be an album by album process, with each one moving further and further away from who she really is. If you love Mariah for what made her great, then Rainbow may or may not work for you. As for me, I'm going to dust of my copy of Vision Of Love and reminisce about the good old days when it was all about Mariah. (b1039.com)
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