Glitter

09/17/2001 8:13 PM, LAUNCH
Dan Leroy

If Mariah's recent meltdown was brought on by worrying about her new album, she should save some money on therapy. The soundtrack to her first movie is surprisingly great, the first time she's ever had material worthy of the five-octave voice that's often been more of a curse than a blessing. Instead of squandering it on bombastic balladry, Carey keeps things uptempo and vocally restrained here, and the difference is startling.

Drawing heavily on the '80s (the film is set then), Glitter wisely returns Cherelle's "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" to its original Princely groove and offers a credible take on the club hit "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life." Meanwhile, synth-funking originals like "All My Life" and "Want You," featuring Eric Benet, are just as impressive. Yet while the guest list is long--it also includes Mystikal, Ludacris, and Ja Rule, among others--Glitter shines brightest on a pair of introspective slow jams that are all Carey. Count on pop psychologists to dissect "Reflections" and "Twister" for clues to Mariah's mental state, but no matter what they find, the tunes are gorgeous--and this is by far her best album ever.