New Album Review: Mariah Carey- Here For It All

Mariah Carey- Here For It All

Label: Gamma

Producers: Mariah Carey, The Stereotypes, 9AM, N.W.I., Daniel Moore II, Harv, Anderson .Paak, Roget & Alissia, Bongo ByTheWay

Here For It All marks the studio return of the once-incomparable vocal queen of pop and R&B, and Mariah Carey’s first official album release since 2018’s Caution, which is indeed something that listeners should approach a latter-day Mimi album with. Not because it’s going to be a bad record, but simply because one must keep their present-day expectations of the artist in check. It’s well documented that Carey is no longer the peak-powerhouse vocalist that she was during her heyday three decades ago. However, one must also not allow the lazy or botched public performances of the past ten years to convince you that Mariah Carey can’t sing any longer. This album very much proves that Carey can still sing; she’s just very much a different singer than she was in 1993.

Time waits for no-one. Even the great Aretha Franklin, the vocal powerhouse of all vocal powerhouses, had to adjust her singing style on later records. And to Carey’s credit, she recognizes this and leans into it, rather than trying to force her voice to be something it isn’t. She may no longer be able to hit the glory notes she did in her prime, but she still demonstrates the same range control that she always had. In fact, similar to recent efforts by acts like Bon Jovi and Shania Twain, it can certainly be argued that Carey’s evolved and aged voice adds new layers of grit and depth to her performances on Here For It All. It certainly hasn’t impacted her confidence or notorious diva reputation; opening track “Mi” boldly reminds us all that she is her own favorite subject. But the fact that she wears all of this on her sleeve as prominently in her late-fifties as she ever has does lend its own authenticity to the proceedings, and dare we say has moments of its own charms. It’s all part of the Mariah Carey package that we’ve come to lionize for the past three-plus decades.

These classic, kiss-off machinations remain prominent on fetching tracks like “I Won’t Allow It”, and there’s also a modern disco undercurrent running through this song, and the album as a whole, that feels mostly untraveled for her and adds a fresh zeal to her sonic palette. It results in some truly satisfying bangers, particularly the Anderson .Paak feature, “Play This Song”, which sounds precisely like a Silk Sonic number, only with Carey playing the part of Bruno Mars. And then there’s the dazzling disco-gospel mash-up of “Jesus, I Do” that is positively irresistible. Not every moment registers on this scale, and while there aren’t any outright awful moments, there are a few clunkers. “Confetti & Champagne” is unmemorable, while “Sugar Sweet” feels a bit incomplete. Lead single, “Type Dangerous” however feels more potent in the context of the overall album than it did upon its initial release, and it does show her continually trying new ways to effectively use her vocal instrument. As for the signature ballads that have been the bread & butter of her towering career? Well, her inability to do a whistle-tone level power-ballad doesn’t mean that she still can’t deliver a gripping romancer or a dramatic musical cinema. This is dutifully displayed on the Wings cover, “My Love”, the swelling piano tapestry of “Nothing Is Impossible”, and especially the titular finale. It’s as close as we’ll get to a prime Mariah showstopper here, and frankly, it’s pretty damn beautiful. The surprising segue in the middle of the song adds a nice cinematic touch, while staying perfectly in-tune with her combination of diva indulgences and humble perseverance. Prime pop lovers will also be here for it.

Ultimately, Here For It All will not live on to be the most memorable or pivotal record of Mariah Carey’s, but it certainly has its instantly intriguing moments, as well as a few that will grow on you with repeat listeners. Most importantly, Carey’s most devoted fans will certainly be gracious for this latest extension to their hero’s catalog, which is really the biggest measuring stick for a release from an artist at this stage in their legacy arc.

Track Listing:

1. “Mi” (Mariah Carey, Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, Jeff Baranowski, Luke Milano, Felisha King-Harvey)
2. “Play This Song” featuring Anderson .Paak (Carey, Anderson .Paak, Kenya Rae Johnson, Jarius Mozee, Jason Pounds, Daniel Moore II)
3. “Type Dangerous” (Carey, Paak, Johnson, Mozee, Pounds, Moore, Eric Barrier, William Griffin)
4. “Sugar Sweet” featuring Shenseea and Kehlani (Carey, Bernard Harvey, King-Harvey, Kehlani Parrish, Chinesea Linda Lee, Donny Flores, Mikhail Wesley Miller, Darius Scott Dixson, Patrick Charles)
5. “In Your Feelings” (Carey, Paak, Johnson, Roget Chahayed, Alissia Benveniste)
6. “Nothing Is Impossible” (Carey, Moore)
7. “Confetti & Champagne” (Carey, Harvey, King-Harvey)
8. “I Won’t Allow It” (Carey, Paak, Johnson, Uforo Ebong, Chahayed, Benveniste)
9. “My Love” (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney)
10. “Jesus I Do” featuring The Clark Sisters (Carey, Moore, Karen Clark Sheard, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Jacky Clark Chisholm)
11. “Here For It All” (Carey, Moore)