his is one savvy little package – and no, we're not talking about the lithe and leggy visage of Our Lady of Perpetual Loveliness on the cover of #1's. As Carey stresses in her liner notes, this is not a greatest hits album; it's simply a thank-you note in the form of all 13 of her number-one singles, which have been gathered up with tenderness and care into one convenient, economy-sized, adorable little bundle to be presented to us, the fans, in appreciation for all our love and support.

Now, we could take this time to point out that thank-you notes usually don't cost the recipient hard-earned cash. But after listening to #1's on repeat for, like, ever, we're feeling such deliciously warm fuzzies that we no longer have the energy or the will to protest. The towel has been thrown in, and the bell has sounded. We submit to you, Mariah, O mighty goddess of the blockbuster single!

That chart-topping Mariah has many faces, and they're all here to gaze upon: the duetting Mariah (“I'll Be There”); the comforting, uplifting Mariah (“One Sweet Day,” “Hero”); the yearning, lovelorn Mariah (“My All,” “I Don't Wanna Cry,” “Love Takes Time,” “Vision of Love”); the peppy, upbeat Mariah (“Always Be My Baby,” “Dreamlover,” “Someday”); and the sassy, postmodernist pastiche-y Mariah (“Honey,” “Fantasy,” “Emotions”). Best of all, they're all sequenced in reverse chronological order! Not only will you feel the thrill of regression, but you'll also realize just how lucky we are that Carey stopped hitting those dog-whistle-high notes long ago, though they are admittedly kinda cute at the end of “Emotions.”
It takes a while to realize what singles are missing here: “Make It Happen,” her “Endless Love” duet with Luther Vandross, “Can't Let Go,” “Anytime You Need a Friend,” and her admirably solid cover of “Without You” (OK, maybe that wasn't technically a single…). See, this isn't a greatest hits album, and the addition of four additional songs proves it. Calling 'em “bonus tracks” is a smart move, even if it is a purely semantic one. But with a couple of exceptions, these add-ons feel like, well, add-ons.

“When You Believe” is pretty decent for a song with two big critical hurdles in front of it: the overblown-single-from-an-animated-movie-soundtrack curse and the prefab-big-star-duet stigma. Carey and Whitney Houston play off each other well, however, and the verses start off with such uncharacteristic darkness, both lyrically and melodically, that when we reach the prayer-positive chorus, only the most embittered cynics will remain embittered and cynical. In the dueling divas category, this sure beats the stuffing out of that Barbra Streisand/Celine Dion monstrosity. (And if you think that's not saying much, well, why don't you try cranking out a well-crafted, well-sung ballad for an Old Testament-themed cartoon and check back with us later, OK?)

As for the remaining “bonus tracks,” only Carey's fine cover tribute to Brenda K. Starr, “I Still Believe,” is worth getting excited about. “Whenever You Call,” her Brian McKnight duet from Butterfly, is sequenced before “My All,” leading one to believe it's slated for next-single status, and “Sweetheart,” a Rainy Davis cover featuring Jermaine Dupri, is a whole lot of nothing – just beats and synths and a rather unimaginative melody. (And there really needs to be a moratorium on rhyming “Mariah” with “on fire.”) But who's complaining? Minor flaws and all, #1's is the aural equivalent of tearing into big box of chocolates.

Track listing:

Vision Of Love
Love Takes Time
Someday
Emotions
I'll Be There
Dreamlover
Hero
Fantasy
One Sweet Day
Always Be My Baby
Honey
My All
Sweetheart
When You Believe
Whenever You Call
I Still Believe
Without You
Do You Know Where You're Going To?