Album Results
Album Reviews
Mariah Carey claims Rainbow, her first album since divorcing Tommy Mottola, "chronicles my emotional roller coaster ride of the past year," but less subjective listeners could be forgiven for viewing it as simply another Mariah Carey album. After all, all the elements are in place -- the crossover dance hits, the ballads, the cameos, the hip producers, the weird cover choice from the early '80s. But dig a little deeper, and her words ring true. Rainbow is the first Carey album where she's written personal lyrics, and allusions to her separation from Mottola are evident throughout the album, even if it doesn't really amount to the "story" she mentions in the liner notes. As appropriate for any introspective album, it's a bit ballad-heavy, which makes Rainbow seem a little samey. Yet that's not the only reason the record has a weird sense of déjà vu, since this follows the same formula as its two predecessors, distinguished primarily by her newfound fondness for flashing flesh. That repetition isn't necessarily a problem, since she does formula very well, managing to appeal to both housewives as well as b-boys. Rainbow proves that she can still pull off that difficult balancing act, but it's hard not to be a little disappointed that she'd didn't shake the music up a little bit more -- after all, it would have been a more effective album if the heartbreak, sorrow, and joy that bubbles underneath the music were brought to the surface. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Track Listing
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Dangerous Kardinal Offishall Feat. Akon |
| Hitmaking machine Akon has always been good at helping others. Both established and new talent have often queued for his helping hand. One of his latest and most successful collaborators has been Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, a former producer of emerging bands from Toronto's hip-hop scene, whose own records showed a hearty mix of reggae, rap and dancehall, showcasing the ongoing romance between North American hip-hop and the Caribbean ."Dangerous," a keyboard feast paying tribute to the female anatomy, benefits from Akon's Midas touch; so much that one could argue if Akon should have claimed the song for himself. But no one is complaining. It has been a huge summer hit stateside, reinforced with a powerful alternative version with extra muscle provided by Sean Paul and Twista; and it has paved the way for Offishall's imminent, star-studded breakthough album "Not 4 Sale", featuring all the usual suspects (Rihanna, Estelle, The-Dream, Clipse, etc.) of Today's R&B world. | |
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