The Pop Diva's "Cautionary" New LP!

Caution (2018)

1. "GTFO"
Starting off the album, is the buzz single that got all the lambs into a frenzy! "GTFO" is kind of a moody song with an almost otherworldly beat to it that kind of glides.  Written by Carey and produced by frequent Drake collaborator, Nineteen85, "GTFO" is, of course, an acronym for "Get the F%^& out!".  Sure, it makes the song pretty straight forward but Mariah's whispery, almost raspy vocals alongside that melody that kind of glistens actually sets a really nice mood! Yes....this is a MOOD!!! ;) The lyrics range from clever ("Who's the Knight in shinning armor?") to plain hilarious ad-libbing ("Go stay at your friend's house or something!") toward the end of the song.  Also, Mariah has no problems using profanity, which I sure she has before but being so blatant here, it's such a surprise but not as jarring as you might think.  Either way, production wise and vocal wise, this is a solid opener to the album as well as promotional single for the album.  Unlike....
(B+)  

2. "With You"
The official first single of the album! "With You"......sigh.... OK, let me start with what's actually good about the song which is the lyrics.  The song comes off very heartfelt and sweet because of them as well as Mariah giving a pretty good vocal performance overall.  But! The problem lies in possibly DJ Mustard's most tedious and boring production that just feels so one note, even monotone at times!  The beat never advances or changes, leaves Mariah there to pick up the musical pieces.  The melody is fine but the song never goes anywhere to the point when Mariah is trying to hit those high notes at the end, it's too little, too late as the song fades out.  Not a bad song, but honestly one of, if not, the weakest lead single of her career as the corresponding albums tracks are SOOOO much better than this lukewarm love song. :(
(C-)

3. "Caution"
In this titillating title track that just oozes sex and danger, "Caution" sees Mariah singing a warning to the man that she is about to get intimate with a melodically charming chorus ("Proceed with Caution/Don't be dishonest/I need you closer/To Love me harder").  Produced by SLMN, No I.D. and LUCA do a nice job of setting the mood of the song giving an unusually new vibe for Mariah that feels genuine and not forced at all.  It is definitely one of the stronger tracks on the album and the best title track Mariah has ever record.  I honestly sets the tone for the album here on out and honey, it only gets better from here on out! :)
(A-)

4. "A No No"
Cleverly sampling the looping melody of Lil Kim's hip hop classic "Crush On You", "A No No" is a song that honestly no one but Mariah could deliver with it's hilarious repetitive chorus as she sings during the verse what her man should NOT do if he wants to get with her.  It's honestly a fun party anthem that's easy to sing and I love how they include the late Notorious B.I.G.'s own chant during "Crush On You" to add to the song's infectious energy!  It's one of the first songs that truly made me excited for this album and while I'm not an official lamb, this reminds me why I continue to follow Mariah's iconic career after 2 decades.  One of the best from "Caution" without a doubt!
(A)

5. "The Distance" (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
Opening with a haunting cheer leading chant, Mariah quickly sings through this heartwarming and brisk beat about how her relationship with her man is remaining solid despite what people may think.  It kind of reminds me of a very chill and smooth version of Janet Jackson's "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" because the similar subject matter.  But honestly, that's where the comparisons as Mariah combines forces with Ty Dolla $ign for a very beautiful collaborations and Mariah just sounds so sweet, not to mention joyful throughout, especially towards the end of the song.  I really like how the song adds the beginning chant with the beat at the end and ending with it as well.  It's honestly one of Mariah's finest songs and  definite highlight on the album.  It's no one this is being promoted as the second official single from the album.  Just superb!
(A+)

6. "Giving Me Life" (feat. Slick Rick and Blood Orange)
Being called the delightful centerpiece of the album by critics and quickly becoming fan favorite among fandom, "Giving Me Life" is exactly what it title does to it's listeners. :)  This is one of Mariah's smoothest as well as most effortless and soulful R&B grooves in God knows how long!  With an outrageously organic production by producer, Blood Orange and seamless in vocal delivery by Mariah herself, the song goes on for slightly over 6 minute but it's seriously one of the quickest songs I have ever gone because it leaves you wanting more as it goes along.  Those chill inducing guitar riffs, Slick Rick coming back for a rap verse that destroys most rappers today in this 2018 musical landscape, that alluring outro that just solidifies this as one of Mariah's best songs of her career.  I'm seriously in love with this track!  Needs to be a single....STAT!!! Also, those Eddie Murphy samples are from where again??? lol
(A+)

7. "One Mo' Gen"
In this bouncy, lust filled track, Mariah sings with a sexy coo to her voice as she describes how her significant other intensifies her attraction toward him.  Even at one point, describing her desire as an " towering inferno"!  I just really enjoy how the effortless groove of this song and the chorus has a really catchy hook to it that I find so irresistible that it has made me come back to this specific tune...often! While many don't consider it a highlight, it's definitely a very fun track to just chill and move to in your seat.  A metaphorically sexy but smooth track! Love!
(A-) 

8. "8th Grade"
In the mysteriously titled "8th Grade", the lyrical content being very intriguing and implying some event between Mariah and her former lover that didn't end well.  At one point, Mariah not so kindly sings "Maybe the lyrics are too heavy for you/In this song"....ouch! O_O Clearly someone has truly hurt Mariah as she seems to be channeling some real life anguish as well as not so hidden anger in this song.  "Don't be ambivalent towards me!", yeah.....someone's not to happy as even her fans are trying to decipher what Mariah is trying to say here and who she is talking about.  Either way, the breezy and beautiful production by veteran and acclaimed producer Timbaland does a fine job with this track.  Usually, Timbaland tracks are over saturated with his constant adlibbing in the background but thankfully, he gives Mariah most, if not, 90% of the track until he comes in for a nice remixed melody of the song with her signature high notes until the song fades out.  It's definitely his finest production for an artist in a while, mixing old school R&B with a modern hip hop flare to it making him and both Mariah feel so at home here.  Definitely another standout on the album for it's musical ambiance and lyrical cleverness. ;)
(A)

9. "Stay Long Love You" (feat. Gunna)
This might be my personal favorite track of the album outside of the wonderful "Givin' Me Life" as "Stay Long Love You" truly recaptures fun, whimsical feel that R&B use to have back in the late 90s and especially the early 2000s.  But the thing the Stereotypes do so wonderfully with the production is making that very melodic beat so infectious that it's hard not to want to dance or even twerk to this one!  Mariah feels so at home here, riding that very electronic groove with her vocals that rise to the occasion as she soars until the song abruptly ends.  Upcoming rap superstar Gunna also gives the song that 2018 hip hop flavor to it that makes it very contemporary and a possible party anthem for the teens of today. Nothing more to say here besides I'm playing this one more time before I review the final track of the standard release! "You make me make me wanna/Touch you right there!"
(A+)

10. "Portrait"
Well, it wouldn't be a Mariah Carey album with some kind of overwhelming sappy ballad! Lol  But unlike her recent ballads from her previous few albums, "Portrait" feels authentically emotional in it's excellently written lyricism and tear inducing melody.  Mariah and fellow producer Daniel Moore II truly made a superb record here that make be reminisce of Mariah's glory days of such power balads from "Can't Let Go" and "Without You".  Yes, its THAT god!  Her vocals are stunning and don't need too many acrobatics to really capture the essence of the song.  It's just all so strong and honestly, the best ending to a Mariah album since...my goodness...."Butterfly"??? O_o
(A+)

Well, it's been 4 years since Mariah's last studio album, "Me. I Am Mariah...." and that album for me was pretty good, not one of her best but definitely more decent and listenable than her weaker albums ("Rainbow" and "Harmbracelet" :P) But since then, Mariah hasn't been doing the best in the public eye, especially that suffering from a highly publicized New Year's Eve performance at the tail end of 2016.  Her lambs, alas, stood by her but many were wondering if the pop music songtress could still maintain a career??? Her divorce from Nick Cannon as well as marriage....and divorce again to billionaire James Packer, multiple residencies in Las Vegas and her most recent reveal of her having bipolar II disorder all has us wondering...."Does Mariah still have it?"  Honestly, with "Caution", there is no doubt that the undisputed Queen of the 90s and even 2000s, still can put out a quality album and deliver in terms of vocals.  Now, Mariah's prime has come and past as her legendary 5 octave range isn't clearly what it use to be but that's where the strengths of "Caution" come in.  Mariah doesn't try to stretch her voice with her signature vocal acrobatics for this record, rather she goes for a move conventional album that's true to her style without trying to be too "trendy" by 2018 standards.  Honestly, in this pop landscape of Arianas, Rihanna and Katy Perry, we forget that Mariah was one of the trendsetters for the standard of female vocal powerhouses since the dawn of the 1990s.  Her, along with Whitney, really pushed their vocal cords to make some of the most iconic and hard to sing songs of all time.  But like I said, "Caution" is more restrained because of how time has passed and at this point in Mariah's career, she has really nothing to prove.  What her vocals lack in power in now, she makes up for with versatility in her voice.  From her whispery delivery in the sweet but sour album opener, "GFTO" to the shimmering groove of "The Distance" to the party anthem sass of "A No No", Mariah shows how her voice can still pack a pretty diverse punch in her extensive library of R&B genre bending.  Hey! She even finds time to remind how great she can delivery a ballad with the stunning album ender, "Portrait".  She uses her voice to convey genuine emotional resonance that is just breathtaking; allowing the song to naturally sour to natural heights on its own merits.  With a nice selection of producers this go around, it feels Mariah was trying to really make a good album instead of an album to keep her relevant in the every changing music market.  Some productions like bouncy groove of "One Mo' Gen" or the heavy instrumental at the end of "8th Grade" help to masterfully make Mariah fit nicely among her contemporaries without sounding too current.  Either way, the album has garnered Mariah's best reviews since not just her 2005 comeback tour de force but even her regarded 1997 magnum opus, "Butterfly".  I would have to agree, the album is very short, with only 10 tracks but honestly, short but sweet really sums up the album in this case.  Long enough to make a great impression but not short enough to leave you wanting more.  Honestly, her last few album were very lengthy; leaving rooms for fillers among some career highs but not here.  I honestly don't know how well the album will do, especially in the mist of the resurgence of the "Glitter" soundtrack as it recently went to #1 on Itunes aka #Justice4Glitter.
Either way, it is another solid entry in her discography and shows that Mariah can still hang among music's hottest artists.  While it's no "Butterfly" or her classically crafted debut album, it's certainly in the top 10 of her ranking of albums by far and would be enjoyable to anyone who is a fan of the delightful diva and R&B music in general. :)

"Despite releasing her 15th studio album at the tail end of the 3rd decade of her career, "Caution" may not be the pop icon's most inspiring and groundbreaking release, but it's certainly one of her most fun in terms of her just being herself and not taking things too seriously with this effortless effort.  Her voice may not be the multiple octave sensation anymore but her voice has enough charm and charisma to make both her fans and casual listeners looking forward to new releases like this one! :)"
(A-)