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The Rarities
Pop · 2020

The Rarities

Mariah Carey

A career-spanning collection of unreleased gems and a legendary 1996 live set, revealing the meticulous craft and vocal evolution behind a pop icon.

October 2, 2020 · Columbia (2)

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The Rarities feels like stepping into a private gallery of an artist's most personal sketches. It is far more than a simple compilation; it is a sonic companion to Mariah Carey's memoir, offering a treasure chest of tracks that were previously tucked away in the vault. The first disc captures the 'secret history' of her career, from the innocent, Jackson 5-esque joy of her earliest demos to the sophisticated, world-weary R&B of her later years. It is a masterclass in vocal evolution, showcasing how her instrument has deepened and changed while maintaining its crystalline precision.

Moments Worth Listening For
The transition from the buoyant 1990 pop of Here We Go Around Again to the mature, stripped-back 2020 version of Close My Eyes
The sheer power of the whistle notes during the 1996 Tokyo Dome performance of Emotions
The way Slipping Away uses a mid-tempo groove to mask the heartbreak in its lyrics
The interpolation of Lauryn Hill in Save the Day creating a bridge between two eras of R&B
Reviews
AllMusic
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does The Rarities sound next to the rest of Mariah Carey's catalogue?

Live Recording+3.0σ

The production is built around live recording than this artist usually allows.

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