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About this_is_qhm from the Philippines: I love the intricate vocal harmonies only Mariah can make.

Ariana / "the next" blah blah (46,753) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines If there's anything I've learned about music careers, it's that there's no such thing as "the next" this or that. All dem supposed "successors" to legends will always be under the shadow of their idols, no matter how big they seem for a given moment. And Ariana is no exception. I like her, but I never really got the comparison between her and Mimi. Sure, when I first heard her sing, she did kinda sound like Mariah in some spots in her vocals, but those instances are quite few and she mostly reverts back her lithe, girly, cutesy timbre and pretty much stays there. Sure she can sing, but her voice lacks the depth, volume, texture, grit, and versatility of Mariah's. Her use of it is also quite limited, in contrast to Mimi's multifaceted approach. And artistry wise, she just isn't there yet and I highly doubt she ever will. Save for the few co-writing credits, she's still mostly just a talented muse that her producers use to showcase their skills. With Mariah, it's the reverse. Plus, Ari's material is child's play compared to Mimi's released material when she was 21. The only reason why let these invalid comparisons slip is because Ariana is today's it-girl, and with Mariah needing a fresh batch of younger fans, any excuse that keeps her in the news wouldn't hurt, even it's as cringe-worthy as this one. (Friday 12 September 2014; 10:39)

To you, what's Mariah's greatest influence/contribution to the music industry? (46,747) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines (Other than the #1 hits.) Is it her innovation of hip-pop that has since then paved the way for zillions of imitations and has become ubiquitous nowadays? Is it the way she has pushed the (sometimes over) use of melisma and vocal acrobatics into the forefront of pretty much every pop and R&B hit song since the 90s? Or is it the once-in-a-blue-moon feat of being able to have her original Christmas song become one of the very few contemporary additions to ever make the regular holiday playlist? (Thursday 11 September 2014; 23:04)

Subtle Invitation / big band Mariah (46,732) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines There's just something so sexy about Mariah playing it coy. She really does her best to just make her intentions to sound casual when deep inside she's really on the verge of begging for her ex to come back. I also love how she mentions the titles of some of her past songs towards the end. The whole thing is just so affecting; she makes the idea of getting back together very, very enticing. Whoever inspired this is probably dead inside for not getting the message and acting on it. Haha. The jazzy-lounge production probably inspired her to explore it more in TEOM (Mine Again, Stay The Night, Circles, I Wish You Knew, Fly Like A Bird). I love this side of her. Its organic feel doesn't mask the flaws in her performances too much, which gives them a rawer, more earnest feel. There are 3 versions of Mariah I love the most: sample-nailing Mariah, the Mariah choir (multiple vocal layering and adlibs), and stripped-down Mariah. She doesn't do the third one as much as the first two, but when she does, she's untouchable. She should do more of it, especially if she's backed up by a big jazz band. Perfect combination. (Thursday 11 September 2014; 1:00)

I've Been Thinking About You / Too Close (46,663) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Just heard the bonus tracks exclusively available on the Target/Japanese editions of Ariana's latest album. I like the Cadillac Song, it's sickly sweet. But it's the other song that really caught my attention in a bad way. Does anyone know if her song Too Close samples Mariah's I've Been Thinking About You? If you still haven't heard it, I strongly suggest you to. I've been Googling the production credits it for a while now because its chorus sounds dangerously close to that of Mariah's track. Well for starters, they both start with the same line with the same melody. Plus, the third line in the chorus also shares the same melody with IBTAY, only with different lyrics. Is it possible they actually officially sampled the song? The similarities are more than just striking (even the recent Billboard article begging to stop comparing Mimi and Ari mentions it), it's pretty incriminating. Could this be the reason why it was issued as a bonus track - to prevent possible legal action? (Sunday 7 September 2014; 4:11)

Mariah jazz cover versions (46,662) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Mariah would rather compose her own material than cover other artists' songs, but in case she changes her mind and wants to do an album of remakes, I would really want it to be of standards/classics delivered in jazz. A wishlist of songs she'd cover would be: When I Fall In Love Lover Man It's Too Late My Cherie Amour The One You Love Cry Me A River Someone To Watch Over Me Stormy Weather The Look Of Love Be My Baby You've Changed I've Got A Crush On You Summertime Hopelessly Devoted To You Kissing A Fool Sunday Kind Of Love So Far Away Knocks Me Off My Feet One Day In Your Life Georgia On My Mind Love On A Two-Way Street Ooh Baby Baby I've Got You Under My Skin S'wonderful (They Long To Be) Close To You Feeling Good Try A Little Tenderness Something Stupid Over The Rainbow I'm sure there are a lot more that I've missed, but these are what I could think of right now. Any of these would just be heaven. (Sunday 7 September 2014; 3:43)

A probable reason (46,651) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines As we all may have observed, Mariah seems to get more and more personal with her songwriting as she ages. Yes, Nick was quite the filterless tool for divulging private details about their marriage and his previous relationships. Ever since the rumors first came out, Mariah has tried to say as little as possible, but we all knew that sooner or later it all had to come out in true Mariah fashion (since Butterfly) - her music. She didn't like him running his mouth, and he probably also didn't want any of their troubles to come out in any of her songs. And when both happened anyway, when MIAMTEC came out and confirmed all Nick's fears, that probably marked the tipping point for their already tumultuous relationship. As none of us know what actually transpired between them under whatever roof they were in, I don't wanna start pointing fingers. One thing's for sure: they were great while they lasted. Wherever they take it from here, I wish them all the best. (Saturday 6 September 2014; 17:05)

Drew / tracklisting (46,649) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Interesting theory. It's often forgotten that the songs in MIAMTEC were written and recorded sporadically within the last 4 years, if not even more. Most, if not all, of the sweet, lovey-dovey stuff were possibly written during the happiest times of Mariah and Nick's marriage. The sad songs that point to Nick were most likely written during some of the lowest points of their relationship. While it's less likely that Mariah's sequencing is based on the chronological order of the instances the songs are referring to, she could've arranged them as such to chronicle a normal relationship's ups and downs not just to tell a coherent story, but to make it more relatable to more people as well. She also continues her trend (since Charmbracelet) of placing a spiritual track to cap it all off on a hopeful note to represent some sort of epiphany that, through all the good and bad, God will always be there. (Saturday 6 September 2014; 16:01)

Battle of the songs (46,646) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I really think it's cool how Mariah has taken to Twitter to ask fans which songs they'd like to hear on the upcoming tour. I'm just a bit frustrated that her pairings make the choosing process very hard, at least for me. I mean My Saving Grace vs. Anytime You Need A Friend? Crybaby vs. Babydoll? Seriously? I know we can't always get what we want, but pitting such great songs against each other sure isn't helping. What's a lamb to do? (Saturday 6 September 2014; 8:20)

Dream playlist (46,645) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines If I was gonna make a dream setlist, I'd leave out all the hits and stick to my fave non-single cuts or limited/non-commercial release tracks and rarities (ala Anti-Tour). Act 1: Ladies' Night / Sparks Fly Migrate I'm That Chick Cruise Control Want You Act 2: Smitten Make It Look Good Your Girl I Wish You Knew Act 3: First Date Fourth Of July Underneath The Stars Melt Away / Babydoll Act 4: In Too Deep Love Story Lead The Way Music Box Yours / Bliss Ribbon Act 5: Trouble In Paradise Alone In Love Faded Slipping Away After Tonight / I Only Wanted Butterfly Act 6: The Aftermath It's A Wrap / Forever The Wind And You Don't Remember Act 7: It Gets Lonely At The Top Meteorite Looking In / Twister Languishing / Outside Act 8: Gaining Back My Faith My Saving Grace / Heavenly Fly Like A Bird Rainbow Interlude Act 7: Falling Back Into Old Habits Do You Think Of Me When I Feel It Circles Act 8: Second Chance Candy Bling Subtle Invitation Mine Again Act 9: Together Again / Nostalgia The Roof / Lullaby Dedicated Money ($*/...) Yeah, it'd be more of a mid-tempo and slow jam fest. It's also highly unlikely she'd do even at least a third of these songs live. Oh well. I guess I can dream. (Saturday 6 September 2014; 8:03)

JayCarey / Mariah's relationship with the Grammys (46,630) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines JayCarey, how are you not on the radio right now? It's a crime. Haha. S, you're right about I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was good, but it was also strangely uneven especially for an album that equally divides uptempo tracks from downtempo ones. It's nowhere near the caliber of TEOM. I shouldn't be surprised, though, Beyoncé (along with Taylor Swift and Rihanna) are great artists in their own right, but the overflow of Grammy recognition for each of them is just ridiculous. I don't wanna sound bitter, but I'm a Grammy geek and I know who they were up against in most of the awards they won, and I personally can honestly say they only each deserve around half of their total wins. On the other hand, Mariah is to the Grammys what Glenn Close and Amy Adams are to the Oscars. Always nominated, but never seem to catch a break. Sure, Mariah has accumulated 5, but for someone who has such a long stellar career, that's quite underwhelming. I don't really care if she doesn't win. I may be a bit biased when I say I care if she loses to someone inferior. I will always be upset about how she was shut out in the 1996 Grammys. Daydream was just as much as praised as Jagged Little Pill was, but to have her go home empty-handed was just a travesty. You know something went terribly wrong when no one shuts up about it the next day. (Friday 5 September 2014; 4:24)

Fantasy (46,628) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Mariah was on to something when she made Dreamlover. And that was Fantasy, one of the most special songs she has ever done. My playlist was on shuffle and it happened to come along, and I must say, even after over a decade since I first experienced (yes, not just heard) it, I still never get sick of listening to it. It will always be the best mid/uptempo track Mariah has ever crafted for me. Creatively/artistically, this is definitely one of her top 6 most important songs (for me, the 5 others include it's own kickass remix, which has to be #1 on the list, VOL, Breakdown, Honey, and WBT). It's just so uplifting, inspiring and remains to be one of her most nostalgia-inducing tracks. I mean, just that wall of gorgeous swirling background vocals. Her bold, assertive delivery. That genius (pun intended) sample. That unique, epic chorus. That ultimate feel good summertime vibe. That clever, sexy bridge, it's just the most irresistible lead single she's ever released. If Grammys were based on cultural impact, I'm pretty sure they'd have to re-do 1996 and make this Record of the Year. Heck, it wasn't even nominated for that back then. But Mariah knew what she was doing with the video as well, as she chose the perfect venue and concept when she directed it. It's a perfect metaphor for what one experiences when listening to the song - a delirious rollercoaster ride - only there's just all ups and no downs. It's just a liberating sugar rush that can't help but make you smile. (Friday 5 September 2014; 0:51)

Babydoll (46,610) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines When a recent Billboard article described the Butterfly album as "sexualized midnight R&B", I'm pretty sure they were referring to Honey, My All, The Roof, and another highlight - Babydoll. To me, the latter track rivals Melt Away as one of Mariah's most understated and underrated sexy tracks. It's the epitome of '90s chill R&B. This, together with Breakdown, is just the height of elegance. Hip-hop at its classiest. But while Breakdown was driven by a steady beat, what makes Babydoll more interesting is the clash of elements. The jumbled percussion has an urgency to it that cuts through the soft, sultry musical backdrop. It, along with The Roof, also feature Mariah's first attempts at speak-singing, and man, did she succeed. It adds to the overall effortlessness of the track. It's such a great narrative, you can almost imagine how its video would've looked like. And she really sounds like a woman who's getting impatient and antsy for physical affection. I personally love listening to it after Melt Away, because they seem to share that downy, sophisticated feel. It also contains possibly one of the best ways she ever (indirectly) addressed her fans - the line, "Do you care for me beyond idolization?" And to that, we'd be like "We do, Mariah. You have no idea." (Thursday 4 September 2014; 9:17)

MIAMTEC Grammy chances (46,607) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Well with now being September which usually marks the deadline for consideration of potential Grammy entries, I'm thinking of which albums could be up for nominations. Since October last year, some of what I could consider in the running are Beyoncé, Sam Smith's, and Mariah's latest, and maybe if they put a bit more emphasis on commercial success (hello 2010, 2012 Grammys), then Katy's and probably the Frozen soundtrack would be on the list. On a very slim chance, maybe Miley's and GaGa's releases would too. The only drawback is that MIAMTEC wasn't even a decent seller, and even made headlines because of that. It's a shame because when I first heard E=MC2 or MOAIA, I knew they wouldn't stand a chance to be nominated, let alone win Album of the Year. But with MIAMTEC, I felt it was just as strong, maybe even stronger, than her past nominated albums and as well as her unjustly overlooked Butterfly. I just hope Mariah manages to pull a Sara Bareilles and makes the cut straight outta left field, like The Blessed Unrest did earlier this year. I know the Grammys has gotten a lot of wins wrong through the years and has lost credibility because of it, but the fact is, when they get it right, they really nail it. Plus, the public interest a nomination revives is quite significant and I'm game for any chance to bump MIAMTEC up the charts. It deserves to win, or at least be nominated. Moreso, it deserves to be heard by more people. (Thursday 4 September 2014; 4:50)

Shake It Off (46,606) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I know I've once said that we shouldn't sweat comparisons but can we just focus on this one solely for its ridiculousness: Taylor vs. Mariah? Really? And it's not even the songwriting part, which would have been a slightly more valid face-off. I mean why even pit 2 songs against each other if their only similarities are their titles and overall sentiment? Other than those 2, they have nothing else in common - different genres, different narratives, different singing styles, different levels of maturity, different chart peaks - the songs are practically worlds apart. Though Tay's is actually better than the average pop song, it's mostly a teen-oriented ditty, while Mariah's is a grown-up, smart, sassy kiss-off to a cheating lover that would've reached #1 hadn't it been blocked by We Belong Together. When I first read dem comparisons and saw dem polls online, I shook my head, and was like, "Wow, they're really that hard-pressed for 'material', huh?" Don't get me wrong, I'm no stranger to the Internet and I know the media has always been relentless, but now they're just willing to jump on every insignificant thing regardless of sense or significance just to have something to publish. (Thursday 4 September 2014; 1:57)

2014 (46,593) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Is it just me or has 2014 generally been pretty boring entertainment-wise? I mean of course we lambs have MIAMTEC as a highlight, but other than that, have there been music or even movie releases that really stood out, like even in the worst way? And since Mimi's latest bombed commercially, it doesn't feel like it's made much of a splash other than critically. I don't know, I just feel like this year has been quite slow and uneventful, which is quite scary, as we're fast approaching the final quarter. I don't wanna equate spectacle with interest, but I guess last year has just been so filled with tons of (mostly cheap) bombastic moments and stunts (thanks to Miley, Katy, GaGa, Beyoncé, Robin, Pharell), and strong singles (P.nk, Bruno, Daft Punk) that make 2014 seem comparatively tame. The significantly slower album and single sales prove it, too. So far, the only other album release I can think of that can make waves later this year is Taylor's upcoming LP. But how awesome would it be if Mariah just snuck up on us and released a whole new body of work by the end of the year? I mean sure, the media would be all over her for pulling a Beyoncé, but I don't really care, I'll always be greedy for new Mimi material. Haha. (Wednesday 3 September 2014; 16:39)

Edward / the importance of image (46,550) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I agree with your point about projecting an image that corresponds to your music. You really need to look the way you sound, because in this modern, visual world, people are just less wiliing to invest time and effort to comprehend and fill in any sort of disconnect between the two. It's actually what makes an artist "the whole package", not just a combination of looks and talent. Look at John Mayer. I personally still love the guy, but barely anyone takes notice of his post '10 releases. Why? It's the dichotomy between his image (increasingly infamous dating history, all gone haywire, almost like a male Taylor Swift, who he coincidentally also happened to once date) and his material (mostly serious, pensive, odes to the brokenhearted). A credible, likable image can go either of 2 ways: 1) possibly make one bland and boring, or 2) make one seem more believable as an artist. If the entire 90's, Charmbracelet, and TEOM eras have taught us anything, it's that with a good image, Mariah will always end up in the latter route. But at the end of the day, she's still stubborn and will do what she wants, and whatever consequences may follow, what's important is that we'll be there for her. (Monday 1 September 2014; 16:18)

MTV (46,548) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines You're so right about MTV. I mean whatever happened to what was once considered the (all caps) avenue for any musical artist's exposure? There was a time you'd be able to tell who's hot based on how often their videos were played in a day. I remember being able to watch it all day as a kid (instead of cartoon channels). And yes, once 2000 hit, it gradually went downhill. But at least until around '05, it still was more about the music. It still was the coolest network around. Then YouTube came out shortly and people started to rely on it for music-related content, stealing a significant chunk of MTV's usual audience. I mean, yes, the channel have been doing featurettes/segments that focused on other not-so-music-related parts of the business since the '90s (fashion, production, celeb lifestyle) but most of that was genuinely informative. Then that slowly morphed into shows that veered even further away from music, and when they realized that music wasn't enough, then came the desperate measures, throwing just about any "reality" show possible just to keep them afloat. Now, it's inundated with the very definition of trash TV. Their current programming is actually them struggling to stay relevant masquerading as "variety" or "diversity". It's pathetic. Now it's only a small fraction of how instrumental it used to be in promoting artists and their material. And now, with VeVo? I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to change their station name. It'd probably be for the best. (Monday 1 September 2014; 9:16)

September (46,544) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I just wanna share something. But first, Merry Christmas everyone. Not sure if you heard about Filipinos having the longest Christmas season in the world. It's true, and yeah, we're holiday-crazy like that. In fact, starting this very day, pretty much everyone in our country starts counting down the days to December 25th. (I know, it's insane.) But to me and most Filipino lambs this holds a greater importance - it means we can crank Mariah's holiday albums out loud and get significantly less confused looks from people around us. (I mean I know I can just play Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas II You to my fancy any time of the year through headphones, but it just feels weird, even wrong listening to it in April.) More importantly, though, is that we get to spread the Mimi love. I might need new copies of both my cds, though. They're both about to be super worn out, it surprises me that they still work. Oh, and did I mention our yuletide season extends up to the first 2 weeks of January (maybe even more at times)? That's almost 4 months of Christmas and we don't even have winter here. Exactly. (Monday 1 September 2014; 6:38)

Mimi L. / Up Out My Face (46,538) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I do love the video. In fact, I love everything about her and Nicki collaborating. I believe a lot of the dislike or indifference for this joint venture only started to escalate after their feud. For me, even today, I like Nicki's rapping style mostly because of her versatility. Since Mariah mostly works with male rappers (understandable as there are significantly more of them), this was a nice change of pace. It's been a while since she worked with Missy and Da Brat. Thinking that Mariah saw something in Nicki and was one of the first big-named artists to feature her in a video for an official single only shows that Mariah has a good eye for new talent. Sure, all the ugly drama followed and it's not been the same since then (I think they've had their differences, but American Idol exploited that for ratings, adding fuel to the flame), but I hope they're in better terms now. I'll even go as far as saying I hope for them to do something again together in the future (though highly unlikely). As for the video, I thought it was really cute. I think it's one of her last clips so far that actually involve a bit of acting, as her more recent ones are just a bunch of vanity shots strung together. Mimi L.'s right, she was amusingly animated in this video. For a person who doesn't take herself so seriously in real life, she should have more videos like this. It'd make her more likeable and relatable, as obviously most people don't really dig the sexy, "touching myself too much" act. (Monday 1 September 2014; 3:13)

The male Mariah (46,533) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines This may come off a bit weird, but months ago, I remember someone here mentioning that George Michael was in some ways like the male Mariah. I agree. I mean, of course not commercially - the guy never came close to revisiting the highs of his Faith era. But they're similar in several ways. They're both blessed with distinctive, soulful voices. They both write and produce almost all of their material. They're both opulent singers. They both consistently create beautiful, memorable melodies. They both like to experiment with other genres sometimes while staying true to their roots. Mariah flirts with hip-hop the way George fearlessly dabbles into trance. Both have this rare ability to be current while remaining timeless. If I had to pick similar albums from them, I think Patience is George's TEOM, as both LPs were comeback efforts and have this mature, celebratory vibe. More importantly though, I'd consider Older his Butterfly. Both records were their first really personal releases, sharing the same dark, somber, yet sultry vibe, as well as feature plush, mostly downtempo production. I'm glad Mimi covered OMT. I hope George returns the favor in the future. Better yet, I hope they'd be able to collaborate someday. (Monday 1 September 2014; 0:16)

Boy (I Need You) (46,523) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I know this is one of Mariah's more polarizing singles. A lot think it's annoyingly repetitive and overstays its welcome, but I actually love it. I adore how her voice is so loved-up especially in the verses and pre-chorus. I think it's cute in a relentless way. I enjoy the bridge as well as her final whistle as the song fades. Out of the 2 songs in its parent album that feature sped-up, chipmunk voices, I prefer this one. This was actually a hit in video channels in our country back then (in fact, the whole Charmbracelet era was). I also love the video. It's quirky, weird and consists of a lot of disjointed clips, but for me it's just Mariah's idea of falling for the Asian persuasion. It still beats all of her videos since 2009, at least aesthetically and creatively. It's just light and fun, just like the song. I often play this before listening to another underrated song, Miss You. Is it true this was one of her faves from Charmbracelet? (Sunday 31 August 2014; 16:46)

I Still Believe (46,522) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I love Mariah's version of this song. I still think it's her best cover because nothing about it is exessive. The ad-libs are minimal and very appropriate. In terms of improving on the original, this is up there with I'll Be There and Without You. Personally, the reason why this song is special is because it's among the first ones where Mariah openly showcases slight vocal imperfections (in a good way): the vocals have a rougher, rawer feel, vocal tics such as minor cracking and breaking are more obvious. To me this was something quite new, as all of her studio recordings before this were smooth, flawless, and polished vocally. Some may see these as signs of her vocal decline post '97 (and they may very well be right). I call it the point when Mariah realized that real singing comes with imperfections. And it was a beautiful thing. (Sunday 31 August 2014; 14:48)

The last great decade (46,516) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Is anyone else feeling nostalgic for the 90s? (Stupid question considering this is a Mariah board.) I mean it really was the golden era of R&B and hip-hop. I especially love the mid to late 90s. Like really, all I need to do is just mention album names CrazySexyCool, A Day In The Life, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number, Brandy, Bedtime Stories, Kylie Minogue, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, FanMail, Let's Talk About Love, Daydream, Cool Relax, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, Rainbow, Back At One, Never Say Never and I can just go on. Another thing I like about it, particularly during the '97-'98 (my favorite musical era ever) was this uncanny phenomenon - a lot of mainstream artists became weirdly introspective and came up with some of their best, most mature, and most personal works: Madonna (Ray Of Light), George Michael (Older), Kylie Minogue (Impossible Princess), Janet Jackson (The Velvet Rope), Whitney Houston (My Love Is Your Love) and of course our very own queen (Butterfly). Well, I was too young back then to really take it all in, but now I often revisit those records "just for the nostalgia". Those were good times. Not marketing expertise, but talent ruled the charts. I miss those days. (Sunday 31 August 2014; 12:11)

May / women of the world (46,515) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Okay, re-read my post about Nick and I'm afraid I might have given the impression that I'm perpetuating the notion that patriarchal families are ideal - that's a medieval point of view and many modern unconventional families dispute that. Yeah, it still is a popular concept in archetype in our country. But I'm all for women going after what they want and leading successful lives. I was thinking of it more from a man's point of view. You know, other than lockerroom talk which seems to be solely reserved for sex discussions, during boys' night and the men get drunk, they talk about their lives and married men often spill out their frustrations. I'm guessing Nick has been to a couple of these meetings and probably compared his situation to his pals - although he's married to the Mariah Carey, she still wears the pants in their relationship. I realize that's too much speculation packed into one sentence, but it does seem possible, right? It also doesn't help that the media keeps remiding him of that pretty much every single day. So I guess his foray into music as well as booking too many gigs for Mariah's liking isn't really to surpass Mimi's earnings (he'd be delusional to think that) or to take advantage of the perks of being married to a legend (though it may be that way to some extent), but rather to prove that he can compete with her in a way (even he knows she still wins). You're lucky men don't have that problem where you're from. Haha. Not all men are the same, though. (Sunday 31 August 2014; 9:08)

Mara / MCIIY (46,510) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I so agree on how you described Born Is The King. It really is mesmerizing. Too bad it's only an interlude. I enjoy MCIIY much better than Merry Christmas mostly because of the variety of sounds it offers. There's just something for everyone. Out of that album, I replay 4 joints the most: Oh Santa., the BITK interlude, When Christmas Comes, and Christmas Time Is In The Air Again. Especially those last 2. Back-to-back. It's just throwback heaven. Mariah does well in covering Christmas standards, but she just has this knack for composing her own holiday songs - she's only done it several times, but each one is just a knockout. Back to WCC, it's just so classy and festive at the same time. And don't even get me started with dem vocals. I mean seriously, chills. CTIITAA on the other hand is like its more solemn, romantic sibling. It just sounds so dreamy, there were a lot of Christmas nights since '10 that I played it on loop to lull me to sleep. I hope another holiday album is coming our way sometime in the future. It will probably be called Underneath The Merry Christmas III. (Okay that was bad. I'mma stop now before you all stone me, haha.) (Sunday 31 August 2014; 2:45)

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