Mariah Carey - Emotions (1991) {Columbia US LP} 24/192khz

Emotions is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 17, 1991 by Columbia Records. The album deviated from the formula of Carey's self-titled debut album, as she had more creative control over the material she produced and recorded. Additionally, Emotions features influences from a range of genres such as gospel, R&B, soul, pop and 1950s, 60s and 70s balladry infusion. On the record, Carey worked with a variety of producers and writers, including Walter Afanasieff, the only hold over from her previous effort. Additionally, Carey wrote and produced the album's material with Robert Clivillés and David Cole from C+C Music Factory and Carole King, with whom she wrote one song.

Three commercial singles were released from the album. The title track, the album's lead song, became Carey's fifth chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the only artist in history to have their first five singles reach the chart's summit. Additionally, it became Carey's third chart topper in Canada, and reached the top ten in France, the Netherlands and New Zealand. "Can't Let Go" was released as the second single from Emotions on October 23, 1991. Due to Columbia's removal of the single from stores in an attempt to boost the album's sales, "Can't let Go" failed to become her sixth chart topper in the US, peaking at number two. European and worldwide success was very limited, reaching the top twenty in only Canada and the UK. Similarly, "Make It Happen" peaked at number five in the US, and achieved relatively weak international charting, prompting Columbia to halt promotion of the album.

Carey worked with Carole King, a female singer-songwriter who had been predominantly popular in the 1970s. However, unlike with C+C Music Factory, King approached Carey, hoping to work with her after hearing her perform live on The Arsenio Hall Show. During a conversation with Carey, King suggested that she cover "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", a song she had written with Gerry Goffin for Aretha Franklin. After giving it some thought, Carey declined the offer, feeling uncomfortable about recording a song she felt one of her musical influences performed so perfectly. Still determined on working with Carey, King flew to New York for one day, in order to try and create a ballad of some sort. The two ladies sat together by a piano over the course of the day, and by nightfall, had written and arranged a song titled "If It's Over". After working with Carey, King said in an interview "I love her voice. She's very expressive. She gives a lot of meaning to what she sings."


Tracks

1. "Emotions" 4:09
2. "And You Don't Remember" 4:26
3. "Can't Let Go" 4:27
4. "Make It Happen" 5:07
5. "If It's Over" M. Carey, Carole King 4:38
6. "You're So Cold" 5:05
7. "So Blessed" 4:13
8. "To Be Around You" 4:37
9. "Till the End of Time" 5:35
10."The Wind" 4:41



Personnel

Mariah Carey – Arranger, Composer, Mixing, Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Walter Afanasieff – Arranger, Bass, Composer, Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Horn Arrangements, Keyboards, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Percussion, Piano, Piano (Grand), Producer,Programming, Strings, Synclavier,Synthesizer, Synthesizer Bass, Tambourine, Vibraphone, Vocal Arrangement
Vernon "Ice" Black – Guitar
Bruce Calder – Assistant Engineer
Dana Jon Chappelle – Engineer, Mixing
Gary Cirimelli – Programming, Synclavier
Robert Clivillés – Arranger, Composer, Drums, Keyboard Arrangements, Mixing, Producer
David Cole – Arranger, Composer, Keyboard Arrangements, Keyboards, Mixing, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Lew Del Gatto – Horn Arrangements, Sax (Baritone)
Josephine DiDonato – Art Direction
Phillip Dixon – Photography
Cornell Dupree – Guitar
Lawrence Feldman – Sax (Tenor)
Russ Freeman – Composer
Alan Friedman – Programming
Earl Gardner – Trumpet
Lolly Grodner – Assistant Engineer
Carl James – Guitar (Bass)
Acar S. Key – Engineer
Ren Klyce – Programming, Synclavier, Synthesizer
Manny Lacarrubba – Assistant Engineer
Michael Landau – Guitar
Will Lee – Bass
Trey Lorenz – Vocals (Background)
Bob Ludwig – Mastering
Jon Mathias – Engineer
Patrique McMillian – Vocals (Background)
Bruce Miller – Engineer
Cindy Mizelle – Vocals (Background)
Tommy Mottola – Executive Producer
Keith O'Quinn – Trombone
Paul Pesco – Guitar
Bob Rosa – Mixing
Craig Silvey – Assistant Engineer
M.T. Silvia – Assistant Engineer
Steve Smith – Drums
George Young – Sax (Tenor)



Charts
US Billboard 200 (#4)
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (#6)



Reviews

Allmusic editor, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, gave the album four out of five stars, calling it a "musical journey." Additionally, Erlewine picked "Emotions" and "Make It Happen" as the album's standout tracks and wrote "The one emotion that prevails upon completion of the album is definitely a positive one: satisfaction."Jonathan Kurant from the Sun-Sentinel gave Emotions a mixed review, writing "Oddly, the album gets more original at the end, where not all people will bother getting to." Further in the review, he outed "The Wind" and "Till the End of Time" as the album's stand out tracks, but felt most of the album was unoriginal and not an improvement over her debut.

Steve Morse from The Boston Globe gave the album a positive review, calling it "a quantum leap in maturity and confidence." Morse felt Emotions was superior to Carey's debut, calling its lyrics "remarkable," its ballads "unspeakably beautiful," and Carey's vocal and songwriting ability "unlimited."Rob Tannenbaum from Rolling Stone was critical on the album, expressing how Carey's extensive use of her range made it difficult to truly feel and connect to the lyrics within the songs.