Charmbracelet [LP] by Mariah Carey (Vinyl, Dec-2002, Island/mercury)

$

89

Despite her formidable super-diva status, Mariah Carey is a vulnerable girly-girl at heart -- or at least that's what's suggested by her sugar-and-spice album titles, from Music Box, Butterfly, and Rainbow to her latest, Charmbracelet. But there's a lot more to Charmbracelet than its cute title. This is, after all, Carey's first disc since 2001 -- the year her movie Glitter and its soundtrack bombed, she was dropped by Virgin Records, and she had a well-publicized nervous breakdown. So how does the resilient Ms. Carey bounce back? With an earnest, fresh-sounding collection her fans will love from start to finish. In the vein of her hip-hop-inspired hits "Fantasy" featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard and "Breakdown" featuring Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, "Boy" features rapper Cam'ron and samples his 2002 song of the same name. For the most part, however, the disc is anchored by sparse mid-tempo tracks and soul-baring ballads that flaunt the singer-songwriter's still pristine five-octave range. Standouts include the sweet-and-sour "Clown" -- where she levels lyrical disses, such as "You should have never intimated we were lovers/When you know very well we never even touched each other," at rap bad boy Eminem -- her climactic cover of Def Leppard's "Bringin' On the Heartbreak," and the gospel-inspired "Saving Grace." On the latter track, Carey muses: "I've still got a lot to learn, but I know where I can turn." From the sound of things, however, this Madame Butterfly has learned from her hardships and found the strength to Carey on.
CONDITION: NEW.  Minor crease lower right corner.
TRACK LISTING:
SIDE ONE 1. Through The Rain
2. Boy I Need You Feat. Camron
3. The One
4. Yours SIDE TWO
5. You Got Me Feat. Jay Z And Freeway
6. I Only Wanted
7. Clown SIDE THREE
8. My Saving Grace
9. You Had Your Chance
10. Lullaby
11. Irresistible Westside Connection  SIDE FOUR
12. Subtle Invitation
13. Bringin On The Heartbreak
14. Sunflowers For Alfred Roy
15. Through The Rain Remix Feat. Kelly Price And Joe
JPHBX2-2MM
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