Daydream (Mariah Carey Album) - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

Daydream has been lauded by contemporary music critics. Reviews applauded the little changes of style from previous Carey releases, some of whom adding that it is her best record. Bill Lamb from About.com gave the album four out of five stars. Lamb complimented the album's direction and called it a "near-perfect blend of uptempo R&B/hip hop and lush ballads." Specifically, Lamb highly praised "Fantasy", noting that "The bumping beat of Tom Tom Club's classic "Genius Of Love" underlying "Fantasy" is utterly irresistible." Another song which Lamb heavily praised was "One Sweet Day", where he called Carey and Boyz II Men a "perfect vocal match" and wrote "together they turn what could be a rather morose ballad into a truly inspiring and hopeful performance." Allmusic's senior editor, Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album four and a half out of five stars. Erlewine called Daydream her "best record yet" and wrote, "Mariah Carey certainly knows how to construct an album. Positioning herself directly between urban R&B with tracks like "Fantasy," and adult contemporary with songs like "One Sweet Day," a duet with Boyz II Men, Carey appeals to both audiences equally because of the sheer amount of craft and hard work she puts into her albums. Daydream is her best record to date, featuring a consistently strong selection of songs and a remarkably impassioned performance by Carey. Daydream demonstrates that Carey continues to perfect her craft and that she has earned her status as an R&B/pop diva." In his review for the album, Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly called Daydream "her best record since her 1990 debut," writing, "in fact, it's easily the best collection Carey has put out since her self-titled 1990 debut, the album Daydream most resembles in its emphasis on R&B grooves." Tucker specifically complimented "One Sweet Day", "Always Be My Baby", "Forever" and "Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)", writing "One Sweet Day, her collaboration with Boyz II Men, radiates a breezy sexiness that Carey, for all the brazen hussiness of her public persona, rarely permits herself to reveal in song. I like the relaxed swing of "Always Be My Baby", and the brisk waltz tempo of Forever. But it's on what many Carey fans will probably find the most throwaway cut, "Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)", that the singer really defines herself. At her best, as she is on this clipped, spunky track, Carey is a disco diva for the '90s, a worthy successor to trailblazing women like Donna Summer and Vicki Sue Robinson, R&B singers with an affinity for the endless groove."

Stephen Holden, editor of The New York Times, gave the album a positive review. Holden wrote the following regarding Daydream "Ms. Carey's songwriting has taken a leap forward, becoming more relaxed, sexier and less reliant on thudding cliches." Holden praised "Fantasy", which he wrote "with 'Fantasy', Ms. Carey glides confidently into the territory where gospel-flavored pop-soul meets light hip-hop and recorded some of the most gorgeously spun choral music to be found on a contemporary album." Additionally, he complimented "One Sweet Day", "Melt Away", "Always Be My Baby" and "Underneath the Stars", calling them "the best on the album." People gave the album a positive review, calling it "her fourth and best album." Additionally, People praised the album and its songs, writing "Daydream vaults over its pop predecessors because the material is both funkier and mellower. Carey also has better control of her instrument—her voice evincing greater muscularity and agility. She still pours it on a little thick at times when it comes to fervor, as on the midtempo 'Melt Away,' which Carey cowrote with Babyface. For the most part she buzzes from strength to strength, from the bravura belting on 'One Sweet Day,' a duet with Boyz II Men, to the rich gospel feel of 'I Am Free,' which has a mood so churchy you can almost hear the ladies' handheld fans snapping." While the album was positively reviewed by critics, Carey's cover of Journey's 1982 song 'Open Arms' was universally panned. Bill Lamb felt the song was "uninspired" and wrote "its simply an uninspired song selection." Stephen Thomas Erlewine also criticized the song, calling it "second rate." "Open Arms" received a negative review from Stephen Holden as well, who called it a "big pop-gospel blowout."