Track Listing

1. Heartbreaker - Carey, Mariah & Jay-Z
2. Thank God I Found You - Carey, Mariah & Joe/98 Degrees
3. Against all odds
4. After tonight
5. Bliss
6. They can't take that away from me
7. How Much - Carey, Mariah & Usher
8. Crybaby - Carey, Mariah & Snoop Dogg
9. Rainbow
10. It Ain't My Fault - Carey, Mariah & Mystikal/Master P
11. Ex girlfriend
12. Dandelion
13. Heartbreaker (2)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6664 in Music
• Released on: 1999-11-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Amazon.co.uk Review
Rainbow, Mariah Carey's seventh studio long-player, is something like a concept album. Its theme is the various stages of the "emotional roller coaster," as she puts it, of her divorce and subsequent rebound. Carey continues to walk the line between streetwise hip-hop soul and adult-contemporary acceptability, with the former not surprisingly offering most of the disc's high points. "Heartbreaker", the first single, is a likeable piece of bubble-gum R&B with grit borrowed from guest Jay-Z; the remix, with Missy Elliott, Da Brat, and DJ Clue on board, is a different enough piece of work that its appearance only a few cuts after the original version doesn't jar. Another groove-intensive track, the Snoop Dogg duet "Crybaby", is so sly that one hopes the two collaborate again. Of course, it wouldn't be a Mariah record without at least one major lapse in taste; here that bill is filled with a cover of Phil Collins's melodramatic "Against All Odds". --Rickey Wright

CD Description
Mariah Carey's lilting voice is so attractively airy that even when she's getting down and dirty on RAINBOW's numerous groove-heavy tunes, the overwhelming effect is one of a soothing aural massage. The mix of pop and R&B here is a link toCarey's past efforts, but the injection of a hip-hop flavour on several tunes points the way toward the singer's future.
Carey hasn't changed her style so radically as to partake in rapping; instead she's assisted by some talented guests, like Jay-Z, who enlivens the opener "Heartbreaker", and the "Heartbreaker" remix, where Mariah is flanked by Missy Elliot and Da Brat". On the poppier side, there's a stately piano ballad co-written by the ubiquitous Diane Warren and an unexpected cover of the Phil Collins hit "Against All Odds",which Carey delivers with soul and faithfulness to the original version. RAINBOW provides just the right balance between the old Mariah that fans know and love, and the new Mariah, who refuses to stop growing.

Customer Reviews

Exemplary demonstration of lyrical skill and musical magic.
This album illustrates the genius of a singer, producer, writer etc.that Mariah Carey is. Her collaboration with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis is nothing short of sheer excellence. This in no way overshadows the work of David Foster, Damizza and the other ground breaking producers who worked on this set.

Mariah demonstrates that her strength lies in vocal mastery and musical diversity. Those perfected high pitch notes in "Bliss" leave the listener rhapsodized whilst on the other extreme the low husky octave is put successfully to the test in "Petals". "After Tonight", "Vulnerability" and "Against all Odds" are polished to perfection whilst the gosphel flavoured "Can't Take That Away From Me" re-affirms Mariah's status as queen of the power ballad. The opposite extreme is an abundance of credible sleek R n B/Hip Hop sounds all of which are boosted and embossed by an army of superstars. The extremity of these grooves accentuates from the uptempo "Heartbreaker", to an ushered "How Much", to catchy "X-Girlfriend", to tearful "crybaby" and finally to the commendable "Did I do That".

This "Rainbow" leaves the Mariah fan praying "Thank God I Found You". However it's a shame for an album as good as this not to have been given a wider commercial audience by including some serious dance material or early Mariah "Rock". This is one reason why this album hasn't done so well in the UK charts.

Brilliant!
I got Rainbow this morning and after only litsening to a few songs I think its an excellent album from the wonderful Mariah. Its very up-to-date and features stars of hip-hop and R&B such as Usher ans my other favourite artist of the moment, Snoop Dogg. I love the fact that both mixes of Heartbreaker are featured and was very pleased to find this particular copy (Minus Westlife-thank god!) was still availible. Id recommend this to younger Mariah fans who are looking for something a little more upbeat and modern than previous releases. Well done Mariah!

A Daydream and a Butterfly lead to a Rainbow
The acclaim given for the "pop candymaking" of 95's Daydream, and the experimental courage and vision of 97's "Butterfly". collaborate to achieve a "Rainbow". The balance between the two is achieved with "Heartbreaker" taking the role of "Honey", and a new "Hero" anthem is found in the all inspiring "Can't take that away". A deeply personal album, calling out to her fans in support and openness in "Petals", Mariah's 9th album, entirely self written (bar the cover version), and heavy production input, have again been ignored by the critics who refuse to see the phenomenal ability not purely of that voice, but the writing and musical mastery which has never been acknowledged or accredited. However, all true Mariah fans, will again float in a sea of tranquility, emotion and gratitude at another masterpiece which should take pride of place in any record collection.