Entertainment Weekly
by Greg Sandow, June 19, 1992
Rating: B+

For reasons even her record company cannot plausibly explain, Mariah Carey - except for occasional sheltered appearances at awards shows - never sings live. So maybe her May 20 telecast on MTV Unplugged, which this new EP documents, was planned as a substitute for the album-promoting tour that any other star would mount. Reinforced by a small army of backup singers and acoustic instrumentalists, she ran through hits from both her albums, and introduced one not-at-all-risky novelty, her eagerly polished version of the Jackson 5's adorable 1970 smash "I'll Be There.

"Less predictably, Carey sang the entire show with something approaching real guts, which makes the Unplugged EP the strongest, most genuinely musical record she has ever made. Oh, the elaborate acoustic accompaniments (and especially the gospel-style backup singing) make her sound as if she's at a costume party, dressed up as some R&B legend from the past. But there's life inside the packaging, especially when she and her backup gang whip so much fire into "If It's Over" that the song almost levitates. Mariah comes off as vocally phenomenal - and artistically little more than a kid. Did this live performance help her take her first steps toward growing up?


Rolling Stone
December 12, 1992

The opposite of what you'd expect - that's what happens on these two efforts...Then you have Mariah Carey, a pop-soul diva who hasn't toured or even performed much behind her two albums. Her "I'll Be There" can be easily mistaken for Michael Jackson on a car radio - and that's a mighty compliment. "Make It Happen," a somewhat obnoxious slice of self-help dance rhythm in its original version, is transferred into a bubbly gush of pure pop. Carey bests Clapton in a battle of the bands? Only on MTV.


All Music Guide
By Sean M. Haney
Rating: 3 stars/5 stars

This live performance is the perfect peek into the life of rising pop/soul vocal sensation Mariah Carey at a youthful and innocent age in an intimate, acoustic setting. Throughout this performance, recorded live for MTV's Unplugged, Carey is quite electric and charismatic within her vocal presence and succeeds in enlightening the already engaged audience from the get-go. The audience certainly feels the warmth and sincerity of Carey's lyrical messages of longing, loss, friendships, and love. Carey's supporting cast of gifted group musicians back her up with soulful melodiousness, spontaneity, and enriching percussion. Gradually, the power and esteem of these tales lift to new heights and remain at a peak with the breathtaking, moment-making performance of "I'll Be There," a charming song first cut by the Jackson 5. All and all, this is an inspiring event, though still simple enough for the listener to catch those musical places that need to be polished. "Can't Let Go," Carey's radio single for the album, makes it as the seventh and final track, though the cameras are shut off for the Unplugged episode. Certainly, this is a record of hope, virtue, and the possibilities of newfound love.