Customer Reviews

Mtv Unplugged

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, maybe not lo-fi, but this is definitely stripped down to the most basic sound that we have heard Ms. Carey in her career. Not that we can blame her, though; a singer/songwriter she may be, penning all her original tunes, but she is definitely more obvious a pop chanteuse with a sprawling vocal range that has always benefited from the well-produced, glossy sheen of her albums.

However, due to the fact that her vocals are just as strong in this live setting and that the arrangments are bare bones, save for the soulful backup singers (who only make her sound better), and allow her all the proper space to be at the forefront, "Unplugged" serves as a fine document of Carey's raw talent. Many uneducated individuals who still dismiss her as all style and no substance still clearly need to give this disc a listen.

She first kicks off with the title track from her then most recent release, 1991's "Emotions," which is very similar in arrangement to the C&C Club Mix edit, known better as the "Special Motion Edit" of the song that appears as the final track on the impressive "Make It Happen" CD Remix Maxi Single. She then charges into "If It's Over," also from "Emotions" which is extremely more impressive live. Her vocals are far more impassioned; and the live setting allows the song a lot more room to breathe.

"Someday" comes next, which takes itself a lot less seriously than the #1 hit studio version from her eponymous 1990 debut LP. Still, Carey sounds wonderful, and the backup singers only add to this festive mix. Then comes her first single, "Vision of Love," which Carey humorously introduces as "my first single...ever" and laughs. She blows the song away, and establishes the first recorded time of dragging out the final notes of her career-making song, which she now infamously does every time she sings it.

The semi-autobiographical "Make It Happen" is swashbuckling fun and Carey sings with the kind of passion indicative of a true sense of coming full circle. This version also outshines the impressive but overproduced LP version very easily.

Then comes "I'll Be There" featuring her long-time friend and musical confidant Trey Lorenz. Soon to be one of the biggest hits of her career, when it was casually launched to radio around the time "Unplugged" aired, it originally was not at all intended to become a single. Not only did it soon become necessary to release the track as an official single, which would go on to hit #1 easily, but the success of the track is the only reason that cleared the way for the special to get pressed on CD. You can thank Carey and Lorenz for their spine-tinglingly spectacular performance of the song, which will surely still be heard on radio for generations to come.

The disc closes with "Can't Let Go," which is presented by Carey as an encore she was completely unsure of as to whether it would be performed or not. An understated, low-key reading of the 1991 #2 hit, the performance is not quite on par with the extremely high standard set by the rest of the disc, but is nevertheless a fine closing number to the performance, which is still unfortunately only available on VHS, not DVD. Hopefully the only increasing success of her latest album, "The Emancipation of Mimi" will clear the way for all of Carey's old home videos to be re-released on DVD. *

All in all, "Unplugged" is a novelty item in Carey's catalogue that is truly remarkable. It completely and utterly justifies why she shot to such an incredible height of fame at so young an age in her still only-budding career. Nothing but sheer, pure talent is showcased, while the release also reminds the listener, all these years later, just how far Carey has come in revitalizing her music in the time since then. Indeed, this is what she evolved from, and what an interesting story it is that began.

* This has occurred in the intervening years since this review was first written.

This Mariah's 3rd album, a live album so the public can see that she is really the one singing in her albums and to justify why until that moment she hasn't had a national tour, she hits every can on known note and the public respond very weel to them.
The album has only 7 songs: 2 from the Album Mariah Carey, 4 from her Emotions album and 1 extra, a cover from the Jackson 5 hit, I'll be there which she sinhs with her back up singer Troy Lorenz.

1. Emotions.- Great vocal, sounds great live. 10/10
2. If it's over.- Not a single but one of her favorite songs, great voice. 9/10
3. Someday.- Great use of her back up vocals, the rap sound very nice, very fun song. 10/10
4. Vision of love.- Her trade mark song, she demostrates here the power of her voice, she reaches very high notes and the song sounds incredible. 10/10
5. Make it happen.- Her latter single up to that date, lot of back up vocals. 9/10
6. I'll be there.- The "new song" in this set, a remake from the Jackson 5 song, this one sounds so good, her voice has a melancholic tone that I really like, perfect. 10/10
7. Can't let go.- Nice ballad, nice performance. 9/10

Boy, she can really sing....

This, her debut album Mariah Carey, and Emotions are the best Mariah albums. This one is so amazing in particular. None of the songs are bad and she sings her heart out on them all. I could put this album on repeat and listen to it for hours. If you're wondering if you should buy it - do. It's an amazing album and really beings the best out of her and her voice. She isn't as glossy sounding as she is on her albums, but in a good way. You can hear the rawness of her voice and the soul in her voice much more and she lets go and sings passionately & sounds like she's having a lot of fun.

Emotions - So great. She started out the song with a different intro, then went into the song as it is on the album. She hits the high notes perfectly, silencing the critics. The audience goes crazy. She did an amazing job singing this song live.

If It's Over - Perfection. I personally love this one better than the album version. It's sung amazingly and with a lot of emotion. You can tell this song meant a lot to her. Singing it live brought the best out of it.

Someday - This live version is fun & she lets her backup singers sing right out front a bit more. She sounds like she's having the time of her life and the high note at the end is not forced sounding like the album version. This version isn't as aggressive as the studio version; it's more fun and carefree.

Vision Of Love - Her voice sounded a bit tired here, but she sang it amazingly. I prefer the album version though & I've heard her sing this song better live at different performances. Still great though.

Make It Happen - So much better than the album version. She took a boring, poppy song and made it a bit jazzy and upbeat. Vocally it's great and outshines the original version from the album hands down.

I'll Be There - Trey Lorenz joins her and they cover the Jackson's hit. It's pretty and sung well. Trey has a great voice too. No wonder it went to #1.

Can't Let Go - Her backup singers start singing it after the show was ending and Mariah seems surprised. She giggles and tells the audience that she is going to sing it for them because she is so happy that they made her feel at home and she wants to thank them. This one shows the emotion that the album version lacked and is more raw and less poppy. It's vocally better in my opinion. It's sweet, because in a way she was letting the audience know she 'Can't Let Go' of them because it was nearing the end of the MTV Unpligged performance. The end of the song has her thanking the audience for coming and telling them she loves them.

Her live mtv concert in 1992(I think), was what shut up all the critics, and naysayers who didn't believe Mariah could deliver.She sure can, and not only did she prove them wrong, she made them roll over!The live arrangements were soulful,and kicked a*&.And the back-up singers and band were just incredible, and they added so much sass and sauce to the whole performance.I wish that there were more songs, though. But, that is really my only complaint.

Starting with the MTV Unplugged EP critics started being kinder to Carey's releases. A strange phenomenon, perhaps, but this EP did tap into many good things in Carey's artistic makeup that she would eventually lose over subsequent years.

First, her gospel influence. With backup singers (most notable being duet partner Trey Lorenz) who match her vocal prowess note for note, Carey manages to evoke much more of a communal spirit on this EP than on other albums, where hers is often the only voice heard on a song. Second, spontaneity. Carey's studio albums (especially since Music Box) are so crammed with studio polish that it's good to hear her in a live setting for once, intimate and relaxed instead of overblown and bombastic. Finally, the song selection and arrangements. This EP is like many others in the Unplugged series in reducing certain formulas to basics and thus enhancing an artist's sound through elegant simplicity. Piano and live drums, live backup singers and bass...a nicely spare accompaniment to Carey's singing, which is more facile and expressive here than on any other release.

And the song selection is nice, with beautifully voiced Jackson 5 cover "I'll Be There" being the flagship hit. The Carole King collaboration "If It's Over" sounds perfectly at home in this small setting, and this EP/unplugged version of "Make It Happen" beats the studio version on Emotions by a mile, sounding joyful and spontaneous instead of asthmatic and timid as on the original. And then "Can't Let Go" acquires a closeness that eludes the original and makes the song sound more emotional, like sitting in the living room of the broken-hearted one listening to her sobbing. The lyrics may remain the high-school ramblings that Carey never outgrew, but the feeling is vastly more authentic.

An essential addition to a Carey collection because, looking over her entire catalogue, it's the only time she took a step back and discovered something wonderful in minimalism and spontaneity. After this and 1993's Music Box, it's all calculated reinventions.

This was probably one of the best MTV unplugged shows ever. Mariah belted out the songs and wowed her audience with her incredible voice. The songs are all taken from her first two studio albums *her self-titled debut and "Emotions"* with an added bonus of her great cover of "I'll Be There." Mariah's crowning acheivement on here is "Emotions" which is probably one of the most vocally challenging songs of all time and Mariah nails it. Other highlights are "Can't Let Go" and "Vision of Love." My only complaint is I really wish she would've performed "I Don't Wanna Cry" and/or "Love Takes Time." They're two of my favorite Mariah Carey songs, but it's still a great CD anyways. A must for any Mariah Carey collection.

This is Mariah's first live recording and she proved everyone wrong cuz she's an incredible singer LIVE! You'll be totally blown away by her performance on this cd. Its Mariah at her finest; no studio B.S.

The 7 songs are taken from her debut self-titled album and her sophomore effort Emotions. 1 of them is a cover from the Jackson 5's I'll Be There. Out of the 7, 4 of them were number 1's! Mariah used her god-given vocals to play around with the arrangements of the songs. The arrangements were broken down into its simplest form and I must say I liked it. It was an honest and true performance, straight from her heart. It was an intimate setting, the concert.

Carey's vocals were strong and powerful on every song. Let me give you the low-down on the songs:
1. Emotions - sounds great live, and those high notes! Super! (5/5)
2. If It's Over - I don't know why people don't like this one, I think its better live than recorded (in Emotions LP). (5/5)
3. Someday - Is it just me or is it that the backing vocalists are trying to overpower Mariah? Seems like it. Perhaps Mariah's giving them some spotlight. (4/5)
4. Vision Of Love - The flawless debut single EVER! Great singing, but still loved the recorded one with the mysterious start. (4.5/5)
5. Make It Happen - This is the only song I skip most of the time. The piano was excellent but doesn't seem to grow on me. (3.5/5)
6. I'll Be There - Loved the lyrics, Mariah and Trey's vocals were amazing on this one. (5/5)
7. Can't Let Go - My favorite, I simply loved the bridge part. A slow and soothing song. Awesome stuff! (5/5)

If you doubt Mariah's singing, thinking that hearing in not believing (on her recorded LPs, that is), you should get this. Mariah shines in her performances. Her vocal gymnastics are inspiring, magnificent, breathtaking. Grab this!

Mariah meshes the songs of "Mariah Carey" and "Emotions" on this one stellar recording. She can move an audience, she can sing, look good for TV, and do it all acoustically. The only original track is her classic remake of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There". Bottom Line: Melts two of the reasons Mariah Carey is a living legend into to one. Not essential for the casual Mariah listener.

The critics were having a whale of a time saying that Mariah Carey was simply an ordinary girl with studio magic, so she set out to prove them wrong with her first live set on MTV Unplugged in 1992. She proved them wrong beyond belief, and the world stood in awe of Mariah Carey and her absolutely astonishing vocal range. Mariah said she felt extremely close to the audience when singing the songs because it was such an intimate setting, and this shows in her posture and body language in the live footage of the show. MTV Unplugged EP includes just seven songs by Mariah Carey, and are the songs that put her on the map to become one of the biggest female stars in history.

The album starts with Mariah's huge US No.1 single "Emotions" from her second album of the same name. The crowd cheers and the backing singers sing in unison as Mariah prepares herself. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightening, Mariah belts out the first verse of the song and we're on our way. Mariah makes a big impression on this first song, and the band is equally fantastic. Mariah then slows it down with the fantastic "If It's Over" from her second album. This ballad showcases Mariah Carey's legendary vocals perhaps more than any other song she has ever recorded. It's a ballad with heavy backing vocals and strong instruments, in a very gospel kind of way. Aretha would be proud! "Someday" is up next, and the backing singers open it wonderfully, as the beat grows and Mariah finally starts singing. This song was also a big US No.1 single for Mariah, and was taken from her debut album.

The album continues with Mariah's signature ballad, and her debut single, the huge US No.1 single from 1990 "Vision Of Love." This ballad is a true classic in every sense of the word and Mariah really makes a big impact with her vocals on this song. Absolutely fantastic. "Make It Happen" is up next, and the tempo rises with this classy slice of R'n'B pop. Catchy melodies and similar vocal arrangements make this song a classic, and one that you can listen to over and over again. "I'll Be There" is perhaps the song that everyone knows this album for. The song was just sang on the show with Trey Lorenz (one of Mariah's life-time friends), and was later released as a single due to massive public appeal. The song peaked at No.2 in the UK and was Mariah's biggest hit in the country to date, but it went one better and stormed to No.1 in the US. The cover of the Jackson 5 classic bagged Lorenz a recording deal, and became an instant Mariah classic. The album ends on a high with the classic ballad "Can't Let Go." This is quite possibly my favourite Mariah Carey ballad ever, because it sounds so classic and epic. The song has some wonderful verses, and Mariah's vocals are absolutely awesome - when are they ever not?!

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

If you're just getting into Mariah Carey's music then I'd recommend the albums "Emotions," "Music Box," "Daydream," "Butterfly" and "Charmbracelet." These are Mariah's five greatest albums in my opinion, but for those who are looking to venture further afield you need "MTV Unplugged EP" in your collection now! This album has sold around 7 million copies worldwide, which is a far cry from the 20 million + sales of some of her later albums, but this is a cute and adorable little set of ballads and up-tempo numbers in an intimate set - perfect for Mariah's true fans and those who appreciate really great live music.

Recorded live for MTV's "Unplugged" program, this acoustic 1992 concert bears witness to Mariah's fantastic performance skills. Equipped with her astoundingly powerful, lovely pipes, Mariah pulls #1 singles and b-sides out of the studio bag and makes live magic of them. Particularly on the numbers with a gospel chorus behind her, it's clear during at even the poppiest moments that this woman testifies when she picks up the mic, with echoes of divas like Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson in her riveting vibratos.

Surely another part of what enlivens concerts like this one so much is the fact that Mariah helped pen all but one song - The Jackson 5's "I'll Be There." Backed by a dynamic band and the heartthrob Trey Lorenz, Mariah lights this classic ablaze with feeling, further affirming her love for her roots while staying true to her own vocal personality. "If It's Over," co-written by Carole King, takes a more traditional R&B turn with the brassy groove of the Saturday Night Live Horns, while the hit "Vision Of Love" is just plain rapturous.