Mariah Carey & Her Memoirs: An Album Review

Mariah Carey's 12th effort, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, tries to hearken back to the old days when she was using heavy vocal acrobatics and singing memorable songs with moving lyrics. The seventeen song double disc package arrives in stores on September 29 and is sure to sell out quickly due to her popularity as a diva.

Mariah Carey was rumored to have headed back into the studio after her publicist heard some of Whitney Houston's tracks at one of the ''Look To You'' listening parties to redo and re-record. Even with Carey delving into the microphone with superior talent, the album isn't monumental. It packs the traditional Carey ballads like "H.A.T.E. U," where Carey's voice soars but gets lost in Tricky Stewart's beat and "I Wanna Know What Love Is," arguably Memoir's best cut due to Carey delivering several crescendos and mid tempo jams like "Up Out My Face," which is one of Carey's best kiss offs and "Standing O," which resembles a track from her last effort, E=MC2.

Although, Memoirs tries to do what 2005's "Emancipation of Mimi" did, the tracks sound similar because the same producer was used throughout. Still there are notable gems on the release such as "Candy Bling," which utilizes a sample from Ahmad; "Ribbon," where Carey's octaves are on prominent display, "The Impossible," a harmonizing and engaging love rescue serenade with references to Duncan Hines, Louis Vuitton and Jodeci; and "Obssessed," which on the first listen sounds trite but becomes one of the most catchy tracks Carey has ever recorded because of the indirect onslaught at rapper, Eminem, and vibing percussion from The Dream.

Overall, Memoirs is very experimental in its aggressive side of one of music's unmistakable talents. Her voice has not lost its specialty, but what is absent is the riveting cuts exhibited on previous albums.

Final Grade: B