audio review : Here For It All ( album ) … Mariah Carey

audio review : Here For It All ( album ) ... Mariah Carey

“The DIVA” is back for what it’s worth. The first song, on which she brags about her “Harry Winston diamonds” and “Hermès bathrobe”, implies a lot of money. Her legendary status as a songstress; very few have more successful careers; suggests its well-earned. The aesthetic quality of her music is, of course, another story.

In that regard, Mariah Carey has been middling for decades. Type Dangerous is fun. Confetti And Champagne has a tasteful (Tinashe-like) chorus going for it. The title song; the lyrics of which seem to go from romance to gospel, which is quite odd; sounds good before the coda. Most of the others are unsurprisingly mediocre.

my rating : 3 of 5

2025

Prime Energy Drink : Tropical Punch

Prime Energy Drink : Tropical Punch

Drinking Tropical Punch should be a breezy delight. What dampers the experience in the case of this and most Energy Drinks is the carbonation. It’s not too strong in the sense of causing pain, but the heavy fizz is a major distraction. The caffeine count is 200 milligrams.

my rating : 3 of 5

audio review : Darkness And Other Colors ( album ) … Chino XL ( posthumous )

audio review : Darkness And Other Colors ( album ) ... Chino XL ( posthumous )

Posthumous releases are generally a bad idea, but this album was apparently almost finished when Chino XL died. He killed himself, which makes one wonder if his Darkness is meant as a sort of suicide note. There are certainly enough references to suggest so.

XL, like Canibus during his 2000 peak, is best when he’s rapping because he’s one of “the greatest lyricists of all time”. Things only falter during the breaks. On Lumps Of Silver, for example, he makes the mistake of singing in the same melody as the guitar riff.

Or was that bit added after his death? That’s always a question with these posthumous releases, but there are some savers nevertheless. They include Words In The Color, which conjures Biggie’s Suicidal Thoughts, Sermon In Crimson and Blue Obsidian.

my rating : 3 of 5

2024