review of mariah careys concert last night in seattle

She may have no taste, but there's no denying Mariah Carey has great talent

By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times music critic


AARON FAVILA / AP
Mariah Carey brings her seven-octave range and dramatic vocal delivery to McCaw Hall on Wednesday. It will be her first show in Seattle.


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Mariah Carey has one of the great voices in popular music. Her seven-octave range and dramatic vocal delivery make her performances, either live or on recordings, powerful and bracing.
That incredible voice has allowed the R&B diva to sustain a career for more than a decade. But now she's in a slump. Her last two CDs, "Charmbracelet" and "The Remixes," were critical and commercial failures. Her semi-autobiographical movie debut, "Glitter," was a flop, as was the soundtrack. EMI paid her $28 million to get her off the label. And she suffered a nervous breakdown in 2001.

The only bright spot in her recent career has been in the disco/dance charts, where she's had 13 No. 1 singles in a row. But the brain-numbing thump-thump-thump of disco is seldom heard outside the club culture. And a No. 1 in disco doesn't mean much in sales; the honor comes mostly from DJ spins.

The knock on Carey has always been that she's all sheen and no substance. She can belt lyrics with amazing energy and unique vocal phrasing, but there's seldom any emotion behind it. She seems more interested in showing off her voice than making a song work, making it mean something.

Concert preview


Mariah Carey, 8 p.m. Wednesday, McCaw Hall, Seattle Center; $49.50-$150 (206-628-0888, www.ticketmaster.com or www.hob.com; information, 206-684-7200, www.seattlecenter.com).


Carey has yet to find a song equal to her talent. She prefers vapid hip-hop and rap, such as the dreck on the two-disc "Remixes" album. That album alone shows that she has talent but no taste. None of the songs on it will have any shelf life.

Her love of style over substance will probably be writ large at her show. You can bet there will be too many costume changes, too much stage business, and too many dance routines that will look like every other dance routine. Count on a slick session band and talented backup singers who will fill in her vocals while she does her dance moves.

This will be Carey's first show in Seattle, so you can also be sure that those fans who have waited a decade to see her will go wild, no matter what she does. She'll arrive and leave to standing ovations; that's a given. But the talk afterward will likely be about her clothes and the opulent production, rather than the music.

[Hantuchova Fan]

emotions is what mariah is all about, 23 songs cannot go to the top 5 if they have no substance.........

One Sweet Day definitely has substance.
Hero, Through the Rain, Can't Take That Away have valid messages.....etc.

[anchyrosie]

well, i agree with you - she has the songs....

but it's also true that she doesn't have taste....

i wish she would go back to how she sang before her Rainbow album.it was great to see her live nonetheless though.

[anchyrosie]

Originally posted by blackrose79
i wish she would go back to how she sang before her Rainbow album.

I think we all do

i know she is capable of it.i dont why she doesnt do it?doesnt she know that is what her fans want???

[PopStar00]

This taste thing.... are you referring to the way she dresses or her musical style?

If we are going to bring up the whole whispery singing thing again, then BLAH. I'm getting sick of talking about it... I wasn't pleased with the way she had been singing Post Rainbow, but then I saw her live this summer twice and she can still freakin' BLOW. A fan asked her why she sings whispery and she said its because she likes the way it sounds and fits the style for certain songs. This is true. Anyway, she can still belt Christina and geez, I never thought I'd say this, but WHITNEY out of the water. Lord knows I love Whitney but the woman is a mess... I truely feel bad for her, but dude, thats a whole different thread... don't get me started on Bobby Brown.

ANYWAY, what were we talking about again?? LOL. I don't think this is a bad review... her Charmbraclet tour is "critically acclaimed" whatever that means... They said so on VH1 I want to see it again!

[anchyrosie]

This taste thing.... are you referring to the way she dresses or her musical style?

both...
she dresses like a 12 year old, but that would be ok, if the music was the same.

[THA SASSY DIVA]

Originally posted by anchyrosie
both...
she dresses like a 12 year old, but that would be ok, if the music was the same.

12 year old? ...I shudder to even mingle the thoughts of a 12 year old dresssing in one of MC's ensembles

But I see what you mean. I love MC, but she does need to evolve. She's a beautiful woman, with great features (mainly those legs) but I personally feel that her some of her choices of outfits are a bit too youthful.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to look youthful with clothing options, but for a woman in her 30's there is a way to look young and vibrant while wearing an outfit that is age approrpriate.

Speaking of MC and her looks, in the latest Glamour Magazine (The Makeover Issue featuring Julia Stiles and Julia Roberts) some of Glamours staff were asked who needs a new look (as in who would they makeover) and here's what one staffer said...

Associate Fashion Editor, Media- Mariah Carey. I'd like to bring her good-girl-gone-bad image down a few notches.


As for MC's music review- I can see where the reviewer is coming from. Mariah is a great vocalist, one of the greatest, but from a fan's point-of-view (er point of listening..lol) I would hope to one day see MC have more gritty-sounding songs on her album, like just raw-appeal, soul sounding tunes. Don't get me wrong I love how she can hit the high notes, etc. But I would much prefer her to be more R&B. Also when I say R&B I'm talking about Anita Baker type ish.

But that's just my opinion.


Skye

i agree with you sassydiva.

[PopStar00]

Sometimes Mariah dresses really "young"... But she's been dressy her age, and really classy latley I've noticed. Good for her

i really liked the long dresses she wore at her concert.i think she should wear dressed more like that.

[anchyrosie]

when i was talking about clothes i was thinking about her ''glitter'' and ''rainbow'' days.

I agree...she dresses better lately.... but she was still too slutty in IKWYW, Boy (i need you)....it's not even sexy anymore

[soulstress]

Yeah. I think as a rule of thumb women shouldn't show the side of their boobs (the side closer to the armpits). I mean a little cleavage is ok, but really we don't wanna see side or undercleavage LOL

[THA SASSY DIVA]

Originally posted by blackrose79
i agree with you sassydiva.

Thank You

I agree with those who have said MC has been dressing her age as of late I know that ones image shouldn't be so scrutinized (since talent should be the main focus), but I guess I just feel that in MC's case (and others who don't need to be mentioned) that leaving something to the imagination is key. I mean once a celeb has showed so much of herself, they can sometimes be looked upon as not being 'sexy' but rather 'boring'...which is sad because once whomever shows it all they will get attention but it will be attention that is fleeting at best, I mean it's not like the world is gonna stop...it just means that the media/others will move on to the next person who's willing to show their assets.


But that's just my opinion.



Skye