The Emancipation of Mimi | 
 enlarge | Artist: Mariah Carey
Label: Island
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy Used: $0.04
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Rating:  1097 reviews
Sales Rank: 26378
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 075021033726
EAN: 0075021033726
ASIN: B0007GAERG
Release Date: April 12, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | It s Like That | | • | We Belong Together | | • | Shake It Off | | • | Mine Again | | • | Say Somethin featuring Snoop Dogg | | • | Stay The Night | | • | Get Your Number featuring Jermaine Dupri | | • | One And Only featuring Twista | | • | Circles | | • | Your Girl | | • | I Wish You Knew | | • | To The Floor featuring Nelly | | • | Joy Ride | | • | Fly Like A Bird |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Early buzz on The Emancipation of Mimi predicted that this would be the disc to mark "the return of the voice"--the voice being that glass-shattering instrument that propelled Carey to bestselling female artist of all time status--and mostly it is. But because of the small army of talent involved in its assembly, the album is way more than just a comeback vehicle. For proof, try straight-ahead, look-out-Beyonce-Mimi's-still-got-it "Mine Again," or '70s-soul cuddle-up, "Circles:" a don't-attempt-on-American-Idol love song, or the gospel dazzlers "Fly Like a Bird," and "Stay the Night." But for songs that steer this disc directly into 2005, no looking back, scan the jewel case for the tracks followed by the word "featuring": "To the Floor," with Nelly, bumps along to maximum booty-shaking effect, while Twista spins his natural-disaster-force vocals into "One and Only." Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, and Jermaine Dupri also pitch in; between them and the highwire vocals, Emancipation works the kind of pure-pop magic that sets us all free. --Tammy La Gorce More from Mariah 
Mariah Carey | 
Emotions | 
Music Box | 
Merry Christmas | 
# 1's | 
Glitter |
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| Customer Reviews:
 mariah's back! November 22, 2008
Robyn Foo (New York, NY)
This album really brought Mariah back! It was relevant for today and showcased her amazing voice.
Return of one of the greatest R&B artists of all time... April 21, 2008
Andrew Ellington (Mulholland Drive)
So, `The Emancipation of Mimi' has been lauded as the return of the voice. In fact, that is as true as it can possibly be for this album is certainly Carey's finest since `Butterfly'. I can't say it's an exact return of the voice since her voice is a lot more breathy than her previous works, but she has definitely returned to form in that she has delivered a track listing worthy of her fame and fortune. In fact there is not one track here that is not outstanding. I still feel that `Butterfly' is overall her greatest album to date, but `The Emancipation of Mimi' definitely resides close behind it. She has a great mix of hearty ballads and club worthy dance tracks and she gives her all too each and every track. Mariah Carey had received her fair share of flak in the years proceeding `Glitter' and preceding `The Emancipation of Mimi' but here is her answer back to the legions of people claiming she had lost it all and would never get it back.
The album kicks off with the single `It's Like That' featuring the likes of Fat Man Scoop and Jermaine Dupri. It's not the most involving single; it's pretty much a catchy beat and Mariah setting the record straight, that no matter what anyone says she's here to stay. It's not the best track here but it sets the stage nicely. She keeps the same club beat mentality on finer tracks like `Get Your Number' with Jermaine Dupri, a track that shines through and through. On `Stay The Night' Mariah's killer vocals are accompanied by a nice throwback beat that recalls the golden years of R&B while still remaining fresh and new. In fact, `Stay The Night' may just very well be my favorite track here, but there are so many that resonate high with me it's hard to really nail down a favorite. `To The Floor' features the talents of Nelly and they work so well together. The beat is enticing and makes it almost impossible to remain still. `Shake It Off' has a very bouncy vibe that makes it instantly contagious. I will admit that radio really overdid this one, but it's still a great track.
There are two tracks that are perfect examples of collaborations done right. `Say Somethin' with Snoop Dogg and Pharell of N.E.R.D. is one great vibin' song. It just has the right atmosphere, the right beat, the right lyrics and the right chemistry between the artists, but if we're going to talk about killer chemistry we have to mention Mariah and Twista's collaborations. `One And Only is superbly done with Mariah keeping the pace with the fire spitter himself. It works beautifully. Mariah's voice soars here.
`We Belong Together' is a great ballad of lost love. Mariah's voice is top notch here. In fact, it's on these types of ballads where Mariah has always been able to prove her weight and she does that to phenomenal heights on this album. `Mine Again' is touching and there are moments within the chorus where her voice can give the listener chills. `Circles' is another fantastic opportunity for Mariah to soar, and she takes that opportunity. `I Wish You Knew' is a beautiful throwback and carries and older vibe that I adore. `Your Girl' is one of the best songs here. Resting nicely between ballad and pop track it allows Mariah's voice to excel while allowing Mariah to have some real fun. It's got such a catchy vibe to it you'll be bobbing your head and singing along on no time. `Joy Ride' is a decent track but `Fly Like A Bird' is truly outstanding. Following the `Hero' or even `Butterfly' formula, `Fly Like A Bird' has that inspirational feel to it, and it works beautifully.
This is where the album ends.
Mariah has succeeded in reinventing herself and proving to the world that she still has it, never lost it and will always continue to shine.
 The emasculation of Mimi? April 17, 2008
Mr. Michael Butler (Melbourne, Australia)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm sure there's something her record label's not revealing!
Mariah has become a parody of herself with that big hair, airbrushed tummy, and pillow slip frock!
Where are the stylists when you need them?
The Overrating Of MiMi December 24, 2007
firefairyangel (Canada)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Mariah Carey's fall from grace was, for a time, one of the most widely publicized downfalls of a celebrity. She faced subsequent failures of her first venture into acting, Glitter, as well as with the soundtrack and her following album, Charmbracelet. This was the album that spawned rumours that Mariah had lost her once incredible vocal ability, due to the whispery and somewhat strained sound of her voice on nearly all the tracks. After her recovery, Mariah sought to prove to her detractors that she was still on top of her game, and her voice as powerful as ever. As a result, we received this; her highly acclaimed, "return of the voice" comeback album.
Lead single "It's Like That" is a catchy, happier kind of track that hints at Mariah's continuing vocal power, since she bypasses the whispery style in favour of singing in her full voice. Some have written this off as a mere attempt to appeal to the younger crowd, but it must nevertheless be said that it brought Mariah back into the public's attention. "We Belong Together", while in its prime, was a massive hit that bordered heavily on overexposed. This is truly Mariah's return to form. It is similar stylistically to Mariah's classic ballads, featuring powerful vocals and well-written lyrics. This has potential to stand among Mariah's classics, due to its style as well as its popularity. "Shake It Off" was more of a grower, although it is a fan favourite. It initially appears to be a typical mid-tempo, but Mariah's vocals really sold it for me. It's not my favourite, but it's enjoyable as a whole. "Mine Again" has more of an old-school feel, with quiet instrumentation that is practically masked by Mariah's powerful vocals. This song alone would prove to her critics that at least vocally, Mariah is back on top form. It is very reminiscent of her earlier material, which is definitely a good thing.
"Say Something", assisted by Snoop Dogg, can't really hold a candle to their earlier collaboration on her Rainbow album, but makes a decent listen nonetheless. I really like Snoop's rap, although Mariah's parts are fairly average and repetitive. The Kanye West produced "Stay the Night" was another grower. It is another track that showcases Mariah's vocal prowess, but suffers from a rather weak chorus. ("It's cold outside/and much too late to drive"). However, the vocals for the most part make up for the uncharacteristically weak lyricism. "Get Your Number" caused some rather pointless confusion about its guest star, since Jermaine Dupri sounded remarkably similar to Nelly. Aside from that, it is a catchy track which is a prime example of how vocals and production can save a song in spite of weak lyrics. The second verse fares quite a bit better, but it is ultimately the vocal arrangements that make the song. "One and Only" was one of the better tracks to feature a guest star, although the first half fares much better than the second. The lyrics to the second verse are weak, and Mariah's quick and whispery delivery does not suit the track at all. Twista's verse seems a little slowed down compared to anything else I've heard from him, and makes a great contribution to the track.
"Circles" highlights both Mariah's vocal and songwriting abilities at their best. This is another track reminiscent of classic Mariah, giving a very passionate and sincere performance. Here again, Mariah proves that she doesn't need guest rappers and dumbed-down lyrics to have appeal. "Your Girl" is easily one of the weakest tracks, that is thankfully quite short (under three minutes). It's not that the song is bad per se, but the vocal arrangement could have been much better. The chorus seems to be yelled (as in chanted, not belted) at the listener, and comes across as rather obnoxious. "I Wish You Knew", in contrast, proves itself to be a highlight. Like "Circles", this song was written Mariah and James Wright, a pairing that produced three of the best tracks on the album. Mariah's vocals are more controlled here, and the lyrics are some of the strongest. The track was given a live sort of feel, complete with an applause track (which surprisingly fit well, without appearing self-congratulatory). This is a definite highlight.
"To the Floor" with Nelly is a decent track overall, but suffers slightly from a weak hook. Nelly's actually a decent singer, which really surprised me since his rapping isn't all that great. Had the hook been even slightly stronger, this would have been a really good song, although as is it fares pretty well. "Joy Ride" has a sort of atmospheric feel although it may seem a little droning. There's no denying that it is a beautiful song, and showcases Mariah's vocals at their best, it remains somewhat unmemorable to me when compared with many of the other slower tracks featured here. "Fly Like a Bird" is the final track written by Mariah and James Wright, and is a jazzy, gospel-influenced closer. Normally I'm not a huge fan of Gospel music, but this one really works. Complete with choir and inspirational lyrics, this is a great track that ends the album on a high note.
Overall Mark: 4/5
Contrary to popular belief, this is far from a perfect comeback album. Mariah still seems to be under the impression that she needs to drop brand-names and use rappers in her songs to gain credibility and appeal to a younger crowd. In fact, the album's best tracks are those that allow both her voice and her songwriting to shine, namely the ballads which use minimal production. It's not that the hip-hop songs are terrible, it's just that at Mariah's age and with all she's accomplished/experienced, we should and often do expect more. It's fine to want to crossover and gain more fans, but the way Mariah goes about it tends to alienate those she already has. The biggest problem with this album is that, apart from several of the ballads, the lyrics are on the weak side. We have seen with her previous work that Mariah is a very capable songwriter, so there really isn't much excuse for lyrics at this level. For all its flaws, however, the album is a solid (if overrated) effort.
Hmmm... October 5, 2007
J. Taylor (Mi)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Well, I guess I am a huge fan still. Um, I loved her since she came out when I was ten. I'm 28 now, and this "featuring" after song titles is getting on my nerves. I'm getting too old for hip-hop. I can't so much relate to the young and angry anymore. Why does she cater to them?? She is abusing the talent bestowed upon her by having people talk over her. My only guess and hope is that it's for money. I don't want her to be a sellout like she is fast approaching, but I do want to hear later albums in hopes that someday Mariah Carey, the SINGER, comes back. Oh how I miss songs like "melt away".
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