The Emancipation of Mimi

Grade: A

Island/Def Jam Records

Mariah Cary doesnt miss a beat in her new album. She combines plenty of booty-shaking ballads and lyrics about lost love. Her first single, Its Like That starts the listener off with its fast pace, perfect for a pre-club warm up or just a jam session while in the car. Carey successfully incorporates the slow love songs that her fans are used to along with her signature high octave. With the help of musical all-stars such as Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Nelly and Twista, Carey steps her way back onto the scene free from restraint, control, oppression or the power of another, an emancipation, if you will. Much like with her other albums, Carey takes listeners on a journey full of songs about serious relationships, such as in Mine Again and random play as in Get Your Number. But as usual, the songstress mixes her gospel roots in with track 14 Fly Like a Bird. The diva is finally back with a bang, and her success, well, Its (just) Like That.

—By Amber Miles, special to The Tech Talk