Ok, so one of the greatest singers is back with her newest album! I must admit, this album is full of great R&B tracks that are definitely as timeless as every other song she's released. The album is a great mix of the Mariah we know and today's biggest hits, it's amazing! Your view on this album boils down to your personal taste, what you like and what you absolutely hate but most likely, there's at least one song on this album that you'll like, whether it's a single or and underrated track, there's something for almost everybody. I really hope the albums goes to number one on the US charts, she deserves it! Why? Well here's my track-by-track review..
1. Migrate(with T-Pain)
Ok, I didn't really like this song when I first heard it for some strange reason but this song grew on me. I hear a hit in the making, it's catchy but if it gets popular, people won't get sick of it. It's not an in-your-face type of song, it's a great listen. 5/5
2. Touch My Body
The lead single, Mariah's 18th! I've gotta admit, if I thought Westlife had a lot of number ones(fourteen) I was mistaken, she has more! This song really deserves to be a hit, the melody's infectious and the production is not so bad! I'm not a fan of the lyrics though and it's all over the music channels here(there are three of them and they keep on playing the video!) that I'm getting a bit sick of it. Still, it's a nice song. 4/5
3. Cruise Control(With Damian Marley)
Another song I wasn't a big fan of when I first listened to this album but yet again, it grew on me like a few other Mariah songs(namely 'Never Too Far'). Right now I'm loving this song, it's got this Jamaican thing going on but she's not trying too hard. She still kept the distinct R&B sound but incorporated little details that make it sound Jamaican-ish, another gem. 5/5
4. I Stay In Love
I LOVE this song! It kinda reminds me of 'We Belong Together' from 'The Emancipation of Mimi' for some reason because it's got the same feel to it. You can really hear that Mariah Carey is still herself, her voice is still as great as it was years ago. The melody is great and the song as a whole is amazing, it's an experience! 5/5
5. Side Effects(With Young Jeezy)
This song is fine, I can imagine this as a single. Although in my opinion, the vocals are too compressed, it almost doesn't sound real anymore. But, the melody is fine and I can see a lot of people liking this song. 3/5
6. I'm That Chick
Finally! I've been waiting for a more up tempo track on this album, and I got it! My dad recently noticed how the tempo/speed of almost all the singles out right now are the same and that there's no more variety in albums, he said "listening to an album used to be an experience, now it's boring," and I thought about it and it's relatively true. Mariah proves that wrong with this song, it's great! 4.5/5
7. Love Story
Another song I absolutely love, this song is slow once again, but the melody is amazing and the song just gives me goose bumps, Mariah's voice is really showcased on this track. It also shows that she can move with the times and isn't a one-trick pony, she's a singer, a songwriter and she makes great albums, a must-listen! 5/5
8. I'll Be Loving U Long Time
Why do I love almost every track on this album? Well, I love this again, it's another up tempo song and once again, the melody is AMAZING and I sense a hit here, do you? 5/5
9. Last Kiss
I must admit, I'm not a big fan of this song maybe 'coz it's nothing special. The song is nice, but there's no wow factor, it's too ordinary. There's nothing about this song that makes me play it again, nothing that gives me goose bumps or makes me jump for joy. 3.5/5
10. Thanx 4 Nothin'
Another one of those songs, this song is nice but once again there's no wow factor. I kinda like the start but then everything goes downward from that. 3.5/5
11. O.O.C.
This song is fine with me, it's got a wow factor but I'm not a big fan of it still. The melody isn't enough for me and the beat sounds too ADD-ish, it's too repetitive in a bad way. 3.5/5
12. For the Record
This song sounds like every other Mariah Carey song I've heard prior to this album, which makes it kinda boring for me. Yes, her voice is fantastic her as usual and the song is not bad but it's not any different from all the other songs. 4/5
13. Bye Bye
Hands down, one of my favorite songs on the album. It's one of those guaranteed hits, you know it's going to just explode the minute you hear the first measure. The melody is amazing and you can just imagine her singing the start and everyone in the audience waving their arms up in the air, priceless. 5/5
14. I Wish You Well
I've never liked songs like this and this is no exception, I personally think the album should've ended with 'Bye Bye'. These songs are so hotel-ish, you know, the songs they play at hotels? Yeah, not a very nice analogy but I think it's true. Her voice is obviously great but it's too good for the song. 4/5
The average rating for this album based on individual scores is 4.3
Mariah Carey - E=MC2