Customer Reviews

Charmbracelet

5 star:		(733)
4 star:		(196)
3 star:		(89)
2 star:		(48)
1 star:		(34)

 

 

Mariah Carey is at her best in this deeply emotional album. the lead single, through the rain, is an inspirational song that everyone can relate to. other tracks, such as lullaby, the one and you got me are the perfect example of what is meant by MARIAH's songs are never boring! the work simply drips with style and beauty.

1.through the rain: a ballad written by the songstress and showcases her amazing voice.

2. boy (i need you: a nice funky song that samples cam'rons summer hit oh boy in a good way.

3. The one: Mariah and JD did one hell of a job on this stunning song, the lyrics, the music, the singing; you name it this song has it.

4. Yours: a beautiful catchy ballad which has the same feeling of thank god i found. straight up hit.

5.You Got Me feat. Jay-Z and Freeway: simply great. the song is a one the albums highlights, it has a good beat to it.

6. I Only Wanted: no matter how much i praise this song it will be an underestimation for it is sooooooooo beautiful. sorry but i can't be objective about it. a Mariah calssic with spanish guitar and the sound of the shore it has the same feeling of My all and after tonight (maybe more mature) a #1 if ever released.

7. clown: a nice hip hop song that artistically smashes eminem's face.

8. My Saving Grace: a gospel masterpeice which we haven't heard from Mariah since anytime you need a friend. straight from the heart (if you cry easily don't listen to it in public)

9. You Had Your Chance: nice hip hop song, has good base it will make you want to get your groove on.

10. Lullaby: a song very close to the roof from the butterfly album, sexy, infctious song. my favorite.

11. Irresistible (Westside Connection): features Ashanti, a great song again modern hip hop is here but it doesn't hurt.

12. Subtle Invitation: a soulful down-to-earth song that has a definet Stevie wonder feeling to it. jazzy upbeat.

13. Bringin' On The Heartbreak: a cover of def leppard's hit, need i say more? ok it's great.

14. Sunflowers For Alfred Roy: beautiful elegy dedicated to her late father very intense and emotional.

15. Through The Rain (Remix) feat. Kelly Price and Joe: a beautiful r'n'b remix very well produced and the choice of guest artits couldn't be more appropriate.

a great album will be enjoyed by everybody it's directed to all styles pop, adult contmporary, r'n'b, jazz and even rock! a must have in any decent music library.

2001 was not Mariah's year. It started in an upbeat mood when she signed an $100 million dollar contract with Virgin Records. Her first movie, GLITTER, tanked at the box office. The soundtrack failed to present any huge hits or the sales that the label desired. She was payed out of her contract and let go. In between it all, Mariah suffered from personal problems, breakdowns, and more.

On CHARMBRACELET, Mariah lets us into her world, and offers up what might be her most personal offering yet. The album opens with the first single "Through The Rain", a fitting choice knowing what she has been through. It is an inspiring song of hope and determination, realizing you have the strength to make it through the rain and face another day. It's a classic Mariah ballad, in a similar vein of her past hits "Hero" and "Can't Take That Away". I was not sure what to expect with this album, but I am not too disapointed in it. Once again she has the collaborations, however thankfully there are not as many on here as on her past albums like GLITTER or RAINBOW. Cam'ron joins Mariah on the bouncy "Boy (I Need You)", Jay-Z and Freeway join her on "You Got Me", West Side Connection on "Irresistible", and Kelly Price & Joe on the "Through The Rain" Remix.

The strength of the album lies in the ballads, which are very personal. "I Only Wanted" is one of my favorites, it looks in retrospect at a relationship and the promises made, wishing the outcome was different. A sentiment and experience I'm sure many people have been through in their own lives, I know I have. "My Saving Grace" is a nice uplifting ballad, with excellent vocals from Mariah. She does another cover song here as well, on "Bringin' On The Heartbreak", originally done by Def Leppard. "Clown" is rumored to be about her brief relationship with Eminem, its definately a tongue in cheek song full of attitude.

Perhaps the saddest, most personal moment on the album lies in the song "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy", a song she sings about her father who passed away earlier this year. According to Mariah, she only sang this song once through. "Lullaby" and "Subtle Invitation" are upbeat funky numbers fans are sure to love. My only complaints are, the collaborations, once again not necessary, and the high level she is singing at. She is singing even higher than she did on RAINBOW, and at times it sounds strained and its hard to hear what she is trying to convey, but at times it does work.

Overall, whether or not this album performs well commercially is not the question. Mariah has returned to form on this CD, by singing and writing from the heart. That is the greatest reward, and the fact she is sharing this with her listeners.

1. Through The Rain - Great song. Expresses the srong points of Mariah's writing abilities.
2. Boy (I Need You)- Very catchy song. Not one of my favorite Mariah songs, but ok.
3. The One - Good song. She works well with Jermaine. She shows a different singing style in this song. She uses all the registers in her voice to perfection.
4. Yours - I would have loved to hear the version with Justin as well. But, of course MC pulled it together herself.
5. You Got Me - Another very catchy song. Love the extra "kiddy" vocals.
6. I Only Wanted - This is Mariah. She really knows how to touch you.
7. Clown - Truthfully, I laughed the first time I heard this song. Go mc! heh!
8. My Saving Grace - I'm hoping this is the next single. She delivers this song with such power. For some reason, the structure of this song reminds me of "Outside" from Mariah's Butterfly albumn. Love it!!
9. You Had Your Chance - Didn't really dig this song.
10. Lullaby - FABULOUS! Definately one of my favs. Great melody.
11. Irresistible - I really don't like this song. Sorry Mariah. I can't even listen to the entire thing.
12. Subtle Invitation - WONDERFUL!! I think this is my favorite song on the albumn. Mariah- you do very well with jazzy instruments. This song is on my top mariah list.
13. Bringin' On The Hearbreak - Great remake. She does a great collaboration with the guitarist.
14. Sunflowers For Alfred Roy -Nice dedication. Reminds me of the Rainbow Interlude from Mariah's Rainbow Album.
15. Through The Rainbow (Remix)- Very good remix - to perfection.
Mariah never left. She is a huge sucess and will be for years to come. Weather she's writing, singing, producing or directing (not to mention her record lable - monarc) she will always be a ball of talent. Loved Charmbracelet!

"Charmbracelet" is one of Mariah Carey's best albums to date. When there are 15 tracks on a record and you have 14 favorites (the extra one being the lead single) - you know it's a hit.

There has been too much talk about Mariah's so-called "comeback". This album screams "I've never left and I am here to stay!"
From inception, to the lyrics and melodies, the production and finally the mesmerizing voice - this whole albums is perfection. This album is amazingly consistent, each new track is on par with its predecessor.
Even "small things" like the sequence the tracks were placed on the album and vocal arrangements are perfect.

Mariah's "charms" as she refers to them, take us "Through The Rain" and onto the catchy "Boy (I Need You)" which plays to the beat of a recently popular Cam'ron song, and even features him. A rhymically soothing R&B track fills the air. Then we get other fantastic tunes by a group of producers who need no introduction, such as Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and American Idol's very own Randy Jackson. Some of the other songs on this CD include a gospel track that stirs your emotion, a latin ballad, a bittersweet ode to her deceased father and even a track recorded with a live band. "Charmbracelet" has it all.

Of course, with keeping the Mariah tradition alive, the best is yet to come. A mid-tempo number that has of late been rumored to be a diss at Eminem, "Clown" has an unmatchable combination of lyrics and a unique singing style, that if performed by any other could never be pulled off. A personal favorite of mine is the dazzling remake to the 1981 hit "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" by none other than Def Leppard. Mariah brings new life to this song with breathtaking vocals, this track is a sure hit.

Bottom line - if you're a fan of GOOD music and/or talented artists - get "Charmbracelet". You won't regret it.

I'm talking about Mariah herself and this album. My initial listenings yeilded a rather indifferent reaction. At first I didn't care too much for the album, but I didn't hate it. But now, I've listened to it practically a million times, and I have to say Mariah is on a level all her own. The intricate detail in her music makes her that much more of a great artist. I can listen to this album over and over, rarely pushing the skip track button. Its truly a well-written well delivered album. Mariah's vocals are somewhat subdued, but for the type of music she's dabbling in this time, it works very well. Here's a track by track breakdown:

1) Through The Rain - we've all heard this song. Its very inspirational and nothing truly spectacular happens till the bridge and climax. The ending choruses are very dramatic and deliver a touching message of personal strength and perserverence.

2) Boy (I Need You) - this is a song I tend to skip. Its basically the same as Cam'ron's version except with Mariah on vocals. I don't care for Cam'ron, but he doesn't dominate the song like the rappers did on "Glitter". He gets a part in the middle of the song and Mariah festively bounces around the rest.

3) The One - this will be Mariah's second single with good reason. Its a smooth, slick R&B number that finds Mariah sliding around vocally and singing quite quickly to a mid-tempo beat. The piano and bass driven track should be formidable chart contender.

4) Yours - thank god she didn't feature Justin Timberlake. This is a soothing, relaxing song with Mariah breathily cooing along a slow beat and light piano. The hook is very catchy. The chorus wouldn't be out of place on a vintage Janet Jackson track.

5) You Got Me - I tend to skip this track too. The rappers dominate the intro and that just brings the mood way down and makes me not want to listen to it anymore. If you bear the rap, Mariah's part in the song is nothing too special. This track could've been left off the album.

6) I Only Wanted - one of the best ballads on the album. Mariah is a musical genius. She has put together a three-part story of love and loss. From her "Butterfly" album we have "My All" where Mariah asks for one more night with her lover. Then on her "Rainbow" album she gets her night, and then asks if her lover will stay in "After Tonight". And now we find that he left her in "I Only Wanted". Its a ballad in the same vein as "My All". "My All" is a lot more dramatic. The bridging moments here do not find Mariah belting out the words at the top of her lungs. The reservation with the vocals serves to intensify her emotion.

7) Clown - here Mariah slaps Eminem in the face. He's never mentioned by name, but its dead obvious. This is a hard-hitting R&B track where Mariah sings quickly (think "Breakdown") along a mid-tempo beat. The second verse borders on rapping. Its very well written and a shining moment on the album.

8) My Saving Grace - the beginning is very gospel flavored. The verses feature free flowing vocals and Mariah for the first time sings about her race. The ending choruses find Mariah really belting this one out. It too showcases Mariah vocals at their best.

9) You Had Your Chance - JD did good on this album. He also produced "The One". "You Had Your Chance" is a piano, bass and drum driven R&B song with intricate vocal layering and smooth undertones. Mariah is allegedly singing about Tommy Mattola. This too is a very good track.

10) Lullaby - the choruses are kind of weird, but the verses are incredible. Mariah sings airily about meeting a boy and singing him a lullaby instead of just hugging him goodbye. The second verse offers a refreshing moment ("Flash back to so long ago") that serves to renew the interest in the song. This too is a mid-tempo R&B track.

11) Irresistible - Westside Connection is annoying. But the song is great. Mariah samples "This Is How We Do It" and makes the melody into a funky R&B track. This is more upbeat, but still considered mid-tempo. The chorus layering makes Mariah sound more like a force than a single woman. (think "I Still Believe/Pure Imagination")

12) Subtle Invitation - bordering on a jazz number, Mariah fronts an orchestra and a delicate trumpet arrangement. Its smooth and groovy. The details in Mariah's music make her the diva she is today.

13) Bringin' On The Heartbreak - Mariah's turned the rock song into a power ballad. Its not a traditional ballad. Its starts off very subtley but then builds up and up until Mariah is belting over the chorus. Its a highly dramatic well orchestrated cover and towards the end, Mariah hits those statospheric high notes over the chorus and sounds incredible.

14) Sunflowers For Alfred Roy - Mariah only sang this song one time through and that's the version you hear on the album. Its very slow and touching. Its a tear-jerker. Towards the end you can kind of hear Mariah's voice shaking and that only intensifies the emotion. She sounds like she is gonna cry at any moment.

15) Through The Rain [Remix] - This is a more upbeat remix of the first ballad with Kelly Price and Joe. I don't care for it too much. Its not anything too special and the original has more emotion and meaning.

I saw Mariah on a recent HBO movie. I loved it. I loved her, and I was super happy in how the whole team of producers, writers, etc were careful to produce a touching piece, without ever going over the edge to mawkish. (Sentimentality to the point of nauseation-which this flic did not do. My hats off.) Charmbracelet isn't the first CD that I have bought of Mariah's. I was hoping for previous results. I have to give it to you short and sweet. She is very skilled in micro musicry. Her voice moves intricately in and out of phrases, using her incredible range, and ability to go from a whisper to a crecendo note in an instant. It stops there. If you would like to hear an entire album of micro great moves, this is the one for you. The problem is the album is not big. Their isn't one song in the entire piece that is big. You know, a great song. One that you can't wait to hear again and again. Like "Hero" before the radio stations wore it out. I'm looking for the macro music. A song that touches your heart, without having to have a large production prep surround it, in order to be begging for fulfillment.
Mariah is beautiful, self made, motivated, intelligent, and yes hot chocolate and whipped potatoes all wrapped up in one. Delicious. She seems like she is very personable as well, and would make a great friend. She has sold more albums that any other female recording artist in history. I'm sure with that kind of history, this one will do very well. It is not one that I will be playing repeatedly, like some of her others.
My hope is that she gets some fresh influences that are reminiscent of where she has been when she made the charts come alive with her name.
I'm glad to see she is back, and I hope this is the first of many more albums for her. I guess you can tell by the fact that I am calling it an album that I am of the slightly older generation. The guttoral rap thing is not my gig, know what I mean? This album touches on that, like a distant cousin.
It is my hope that Mariah touches her inner spirit and produces chart topping songs once again. Welcome back.

Mariah Carey has a lot riding on this album. After a rough 2001 for Mariah, with a very public "physical and mental breakdown," it becomes apprant that this album needs to be a home-run, for her to reclaim her status as the the top selling female recording artist in the industry. For what it's worth, I would say this album has a pretty good shot at doing just that.

Charmbracelet is a very strong album, not much unlike most other very good Mariah Carey albums - its a well assembled piece of pop music, injected with various hip-hop influences; a record mostly consisting of slow-burning R&B jams and ballads. There is a lot of feeling in this album too, one can't help but admire the woman's ability to work out her very public problems in songs that blend raw emotion and stunning high notes with perfect pop execution.

The album's best moments seem to come when Carey is either truly vulnerable or when she is angry. "Clown" is a stinging, well constructed jab at Eminem, "Lullaby" is a very sonic, lush song with a strong beat, and "I Only Wanted" captures Carey at her most vulnerable and is a very genuine and melancholy "rainy-day" song, one of the type that Carey tends to execute so well.

The biggest surprises though, are in the albums experimentations with her sound. "Subtle Invitation" surrounds Mariah Carey with horns and other live instrumentation; an interesting blending of Jazz and Pop elements, which are not at all typical of Mariah Carey. "Sunflowers For Alfred Roy" is a beautiful, stripped down tribute to her recently deceased father, that is easily the most touching song on the album; she seems to be nearly in tears for its entire duration, and the complexity in the lyrics show Carey's maturation in her writing of songs that deal with her most important issues.

Overall, I hope an album as good as this does all she hopes it will. It is not a perfect album, Carey tends to slip into the "whisper singing" at times when you hope she will burst through the music with her strangely powerful voice, and Charmbracelet is lacking the strong dance numbers that were a staple on Daydream and Butterfly, but perhaps those will be found on the remixes. Mostly however, it is a great testimate to her ability to create great music in the face of her perosonal problems, her first real public backlash, and the death of her father. - 4 Stars -

I have been a fan of Mariah Carey since she first debuted in 1990 and I have forever loved her one of kind voice. She is a beautiful and extremely talented singer but what goes unnoticed mostly is the fact that Mariah writes ALL of her music excluding remakes. During the infamous image change in '97 with BUTTERFLY, I stood by her and for the record that album is her best ever, musically, lyrically and vocally. True she doesn't belt songs like she used to, on her first 4 studio albums, her voice was the main attraction, not the songs or instrumentation. As a matter of fact, in fact although by the release of BUTTERFLY in '97, Mariah already had 11 #1 songs and had sold tens of millions of albums worldwide she didn't have any substance to her music. Songs were interchangable and at times forgettable, you could basically swap "Can't Let Go" with "Love Takes Time" and "Someday" with "Make It Happen" or "Fantasy" with "Dreamlover". The word that comes to mind is uninspired. Yes she sounded great but there was no passion or verve there, she was churning out a new album every year almost like a robot manufactured by Sony Music. Yeah she's had her troubles but with CHARMBRACELET, she re-embraces her former glory as a balladeer while still keeping it 'real' with her hip-hop love affair. This is my 2nd FAVE Mariah CD trailing only the incomparable BUTTERFLY. RAINBOW was subpar at best and GLITTER was given an extremely undeserving bad reception but this CD is her best and most consistent since BUTTERFLY. With such gems as "Through The Rain", "Yours", "Clown" and "The One", Mariah demonstrates an uncanny ability to give real emotion to these tunes making you almost believe they are autobiographical in a way. "Boy (I Need You)" and "You've Got Me" are excellent in their hip-hop essence featuring rappers Cam'Ron, Jay-Z and Freeway, hot producer Just Blaze gels well with Mariah's vocal and lyrical stylings. Of course the stand out tracks are several ballads that catch you immediately, especially "I Only Wanted" which surely deserves a single release, it puts you in the mind of "My All" but its not a direct clone of that song as "After Tonight" from RAINBOW was, its more in the spirit but has more emotional punch, the longing in MC's vocal really shines through on this song. "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" which I'm sure will be released as a single is possibly Mariah's BEST candidate at a return to #1 on the Hot 100 in a long time and if promoted right this song could be one of her biggest hits. Her voice soaring among the choir and the electric guitars is certainly spine chilling and awe inspiring. "Subtle Invitation" is the most unconventional yet original song Mariah has ever done, you don't expect to hear a live band on the track or even Mariah doing a jazz song and surprisingly she succeeds at this genre, again her vocals on this track in particular are noteworthy. Mariah doesn't overdo it on this disc instead of relying on guest artists, excessive production and overblown vocal histronics, Mariah uses her God given talents as a singer and songwriter to full effect. She proves again that she is one of those rare talents, combining stunning beauty and enormous talent providing music with one of its few 'real' divas.

OK, let's allow Mariah some leeway from last year. She had a really rough year-a flop of a movie, a nervous breakdown, and a companion soundtrack album that like the movie, tanked. It didn't help that the album was released on 11 September, when consumer confidence really crashed. Then her new label, Virgin, dropped her unceremoniously with a cash settlement. That was then.

With a new label (Def Jam) and a new album, she's back in form, although not returning to the peak she achieved in Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995). "Through The Rain" is a return to the Mariah Carey that we know. OK, so it doesn't top such classics such as "Hero" or "One Sweet Day," but it's a second wind of sorts. It's one of her inspirational songs: "I'll make it through the rain/I'll stand up once again/On my own and I know/That I'm strong and in time/I can mend." It also continues the thematic concept story of a romantic and personal breakdown first explored in Rainbow. So is this Rainbow Part 2-the second Arc? Well...kinda, and this would have been a better followup to Rainbow than Glitter.

There's still the styling of songs integrating hip-hop and intrusive rappers that began with the Rainbow album, such as "Boy" featuring Cam'ron, and "You Got Me" featuring Jay-Z and Freeway, the latter whom I assume is the helium-voiced singer here. Jermaine Dupri's annoying ratty voice is a major debit here, as it ruins mid-paced songs like "You Had Your Chance." Still another hip-hop/pop hybrid is "Irresistible," featuring Ice Cube.

"Yours" is another ballad filled with Mariah's overwrought vocals, but seeing as how the last album was a critical failure, this return to the Mariah we know is a thankful return. "I Only Wanted" is a quieter cousin of "My All", with Spanish guitar, piano, and sound effects of water drops.

One thing I noticed on "Clowns" was a veiled reference to a Smokey Robinson song--on how nobody notices the tears of a clown.

"My Saving Grace" is another winning ballad but veers on the religious side. Note: by each song lyric, there is a bracelet that symbolizes the theme of the song. There's a cross by this one. Anyway, her vocals rise to that usual Mariah crescendo towards the end of the song.

From her MTV Unplugged EP, Mariah began to do one cover song per album. Here, she does, are you ready for this-Def Leppard's "Bringing On The Heartbreak" I AM NOT KIDDING! Naturally, there isn't any heavy guitars present in the original version, but it's not bad. She had better luck covering songs by Journey and Phil Collins. What's for the next album, I wonder, something by Cradle Of Filth?

"Sunflowers for Alfred Ray" is a hymn to her late father, whom she (or rather the main character) remembers her father during her time of emotional crisis. Chirping birds and waterfall sounds are included in this piano ballad. After that is a remix of "Through The Rain," with help from Joe and Kelly Price, and some uninspiring strings. The first version was way better.

This is a more confident Mariah, who has gone more spiritual. The only trouble I can see for her is that many upcoming artists have taken her style and actually have the chance of out-Mariah-ing her-q.v. Kelly Clarkson's "Before Your Love" so next album, she better have something else up her sleeve, other than doing a Glitter Part 2 album, of course.

Mariah Carey is the BEST singer and songwriter of our time. This is a great CD. I am a HUGE fan of MC and I own over 55 CDs of hers'. She showcases her POWERFUL voice and songwriting talents. Here's a breakdown of each song:
1) Through The Rain-4/5-GREAT lyrics, but she sounds limited at the first, then blows you away at the end.
2)Boy (I Need You) with Cam'ron-3/5-This is a desent song, I do believe I would have went with a different song for a single. Good lyrics as always.
3) The One-5/5-This song is one of the BEST on the album. Great lyrics, music, and backing voicals. This should have been the single instead of Boy...what happened? JD's rap is cool, he's da man!!
4) Yours-4/5-Great song, great lyrics, great music, just MC limits her vocals again, I kept waiting for it to take off...still a great song.
5) You Got Me Feat. Jay-Z & Freeway-5/5-I Love this song, just not too crazy over Freeway's rap at the first of it. I love MC vocals at the end after Jay-Z's rap. Great lyrics.
6) I Only Wanted-5/5-WONDERFUL, all around, Top 5 song here. I love the music, water drops...great song.
7) Clown-5/5 What a slap in the face for...you know (lol). This should have been a single too. I love the lyrics and the guitar at the first. Great song.
8) My Saving Grace-5/5 Better hold on to something when listening to this song, you will be blown away. MC shows her POWERHOUSE vocals in this song. Powerful meaning, just wonderful.
9) You Had your Chance-5/5 Something about this song gets me...I LOVE it!! JD's rap is great too. he should be featured on here??? I love the music. Great, great!
10) Lullaby-5/5 At first, I hated this song, but I gave it a few more chances, and now, I LOVE IT!! I think it is great. Musically, lyrically, everything.
11) Irresistible-Westside Connection 5/5 AWSOME!! Great all around, one of the best of the CD. Great lyrics, true lyrics. I felt this could be a single maybe, kinda iffy...GREAT song!!
12) Subtle Invitation- 5/5-WOW!!!! This is an AMAZING song. GREAT lyrics, music...SUPERB!! This is unlike MC's other songs, but so great. This could have been a #1 hit in my book. I love this song...
13) Bringin' On The Heartbreak-5/5 A GREAT cover. Why didn't this song have better airplay. I still have never heard it, should have been a BIGGER push, MC's vocals are on key through in and out, great song.
14) Sunflowers For Alfred Roy-3/5 Not a fan of this song. Great lyrics, so personal for MC, but sounds too limited again. Use those octaves!! LOL!!
15) Through The Rain Remix with Joe and Kelly Price-4/5-Good, not a great remix. The orginal is better for me. Joe and Kelly Price are good additions.
OVERALL--WONDERFUL CD...5/5 all around, one of the TOP 5 of all od MC's CDs...Should have sold MILLIONS upon MILLIONS...great debut at #3...sold over a million, GO BUY IT!!! You will love it!!