Music Eminem Relapse Album Review - Page 3

Taco John · 05-15-2009, 02:42 AM

So I've listened to the new Eminem album about a dozen times, and I have to say that I think the album is brilliant. It's not perfect, but it's an effort that comes in at the A level.

To give some perspective, I really liked his Slim Shady LP, but I thought it was very rough around the edges and that he still hadn't pushed the level of his talent yet. I thought he came into his own with the Marshall Mathers LP, perfecting his style and gaining absolute control of his lyrical flow. To me, the MMLP is his best album, though I think he showed absolute mastery of his craft with The Eminem Show. The problem that I had with the Eminem Show was that I thought it was a little *too* slick and over produced. I love the album, to be sure, but it doesn't have the organic feel that The MMLP has. Encore, I thought, was terrible in comparison to all of them. I liked some of the stuff on there, but Eminem had said anything interesting that I thought he could say at that point in time. To me, he hit the wall that every successful rapper is bound to hit: we've heard it, you've got nothing new to say, and you're so rich that you no longer have street cred anymore. Frankly, I had thought Eminem had done the right thing by closing the book on his career and only doing small projects and producing (ala Dr. Dre).

Boy am I glad I was wrong about that.

This new album, while containing some of the same themes we've seen in the old album (namely the drug use of his mother and its fallout in his life), contains a lot of new and fresh stuff and gives listeners a peek into the world of Eminem since his pseudo-retirement.

The album is essentially therapy for Eminem, with the major theme being his relapse into the world of drug addiction and prescription pill popping. There's a lot of hate and anger in this album, and he hits you in the face with it right out of the gates, but what you find as you journey through those gates is that the deeper into the album you get, the more he aims that hate and anger at himself.

The first three songs absolutely put my jaw in my lap - the first song being an anthem to mass murdering. It's not a particularly new theme for Eminem, but it does have a more graphic edge to it than his past stabs at this theme (sadly, the pun was intended). The music and lyrics come together in a very haunting way that made me seriously question the guys sanity. But he doesn't stop there. As you leave 3am with the image of Eminem being a deranged psycopath who is ready to butcher people in a drug induced black-out, he does something very interesting by leading you back in time with the songs "My Mom" (My Mom does valium and lots of drugs, that's why I'm on what I'm on, cuz I'm my mom), where Eminem talks about how he has inherited his drug addiction from his mother. From there, he blows the hinges off the door with the song "Insane," where Eminem reveals a history of being sexually abused by a step father (If you could count the Skeletons in my closet). By this time my jaw was in my lap.

The first three tracks hit me like a ton of bricks, and I thought the album was going to be very heavy. Eminem doesn't necessarily lighten the load, but from this point on you no longer feel like you're staring alone at a dead baby in a dumpster. The next song, Bagpipes from Baghdad flashes to the not so recent past where Eminem does a little of his usual Slim Shady celebrity bashing stuff. It's a catchy beat, but not a particularly strong song. The most interesting thing is that he reveals that he's been clean and sober for at least a year now (who’s-gonna-go-see-the-doctor first? we’ll do a coin flip, i just got my one year sobriety coin chip).

The next song on the album, called "Hello," is a sort of re-introduction to Eminem. It's a very good song with some double meaning to it. The question is whether or not he's reintroducing himself to the fans, or re-introducing himself to the pill addiction (as though it were a person). It's an excellent song, and he doesn't hold back as he reveals how low things got for him:

I lose a pill and I'm recklessly wrecking the house
That was supposed to be breakfast where the heck is it now?
There's the necklace I lost, right next to Stephanie's blouse.
Man I should check to see if my mum left any out
Nope! Guess I'll reroute
Maybe somewhere in the depths of the couch
oooh, Jackpot, yeah
Open Sesame mouth!

In the song, he reveals that his recent "pnemonia" bout was actually an overdose situation where he had to be rushed to the hospital.

The album then takes another dark turn, as Eminem flashes back into his mass murdering persona with a skit about a stranded girl getting into the wrong car with the wrong person, and leading into "Same Song and Dance" where he basically kills Lindsay Lohan and Brittney Spears. By this time, the mass murdering schtick has worn a little thin, and the album leads into the Radio Pop friendly "We Made You." I'm not a big fan of Eminem's radio pop. I understand why he has to do it, and I think that he's very good at it. But I don't find it particularly interesting - and certainly not compelling. But it can be fun when I'm in the right mood. This one, in my opinion, is one of his better radio pop efforts, so at least there is that. But by this time in the album, I was starting to tune out a little bit.

The next song provides the funniest moment in the album, when Eminem gives Christopher Reeves the last word by rapping AS Reeves, complete with robotic voice and long drawn out mechanical breaths. Needless to say I was shocked but tickled by the picture he paints of Reeves battle rapping against him:

Eminem on coming to kill you [long mechanical breath]
Always hated you and I still do
You'll never fill my shoes my superman costume [long mechanical breath]
Doesn't even fit you they don't feel you
You're takign this shit to far [long mechanical breath]
Who do you think you are
Hang my suit up in the armoire
Everday I hate you more and more
Throw down the cardboard
Let's break dance if you think you're hardcore

The Paul Berman skit after this is probably the funniest moment of any of his albums.

From this point on, the album maintains a high level of interest. Stay Wide Awake continues the horror theme of the album - which really comes off to me as a self defense mechanism to protect himself from just how much of his soul he bares on the table (especially later on in the album, with Deja Vu).

Old Times Sake is a great collaboration with Dre that I think is one of the best they've done together. Must Be the Ganja has a good beat, flow, and is pretty catchy.

The album climaxes here with Deja Vu, which I think is probably one of the best songs of Eminem's career. It starts with a skit that is essentially a recreation of the scene where the paramedics are treating him for overdose as they start to rush him to the hospital. He goes from the extremes of painting himself as an evil murderer, to this song in which he completely bears his soul showing just how vulnerable he is. I think the song is brilliant. The beat is spot on. The flow is absolutely superb. The lyrics are deep and penetrating. When someone asks me why I listen to Eminem, this song is a good one to offer up as a damn good reason. The whole experience of this song is hypnotic and it just gets better with each and every listen as you're drawn deeper and deeper into the lyrics and the thoughts behind the lyrics. I can't say enough about how great this song is.

The next two songs are anti-climatic, but still worthy efforts. Beautiful seems like a song he wrote for his girls, which I dig. And then Crack a Bottle is the star studded reprise to the album, featuring Dre and 50 Cent.

At the end of the day, I find that each time I listen to the album, I like it more and more. It's what I wish The Eminem Show was (with the Eminem Show being Encore, and Encore being some B-sides that never made it into an album).

The bottom line is that it's a worthy effort. Eminem has reinvented himself with an album that fans will appreciate. This isn't the cruise control album that Encore was. This is Marshall Mathers working his ass off to produce something worth releasing, and definitely worth listening to.

4.5 stars.

Quesadilla Joe · 05-16-2009, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZootedGranny

The album grew on me a bit, but I don't need to listen to Eminem rap in terrible accents over weak production for yet another album.

I'd rather have this version of Eminem:

If you liked that you will love this

It is a pretty old freestyle I think it came out shortly before the Slim Shady LP or maybe a little bit after...

Quesadilla Joe · 05-16-2009, 03:00 AM

Here is some stuff that definitely came before the Slim Shady LP

This one is on the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack... His second verse (after Redman) is one of my favorite Eminem verses.

Nice song he did on a Funkmaster flex mixtape (he only is on the first verse and the chorus)

One of my favorite rap songs of all time... Eminem is the 3rd verse (2:56) its from the DJ Green Lantern Invasion mixtape.

All of these are NSFW obviously

Quesadilla Joe · 05-16-2009, 03:04 AM

My favorite song on Infinite. Eminem has a really clever verse in this (second verse) ... just skip to 2:11 to hear Eminem's verse

ZootedGranny · 05-16-2009, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC native

As far as the best lyricist of all time that's a tough choice. It depends on if you value delivery plus content or if it's content only. To me it's some combo of the two and I try to look at it from the whole catalogue of artists. If we go by that then GZA from Wu-Tang is one of if not the best.

Good choice. He's probably in my top ten if not top five purely as a lyricist, but that's a list I don't want to compile right now. My choice would be Andre 3000.

Priest31kc · 05-16-2009, 07:30 PM

I downloaded it on the 5th when it first leaked and was very impressed.

Favorite songs:

Stay Wide Awake
Same Song and Dance
Beautiful
Underground
Deja Vu

He kinda goes back to his OLD self on this one. The beats arent amazing, but are pretty good. This is definitely better than Encore and right up there with The Eminem Show.

Anyone heard the bonus tracks yet? My Darling and Careful What You Wish For, should have replaced Crack a Bottle and We Made You on the album.

Taco John · 05-18-2009, 12:36 AM

The more I listen to this album, the better it gets. I took it with me on my mp3 player for my hike through the woods this weekend, and found more to appreciate with every listen.

My favorite compound syllable rhyme:
Grab my flannel and my bandana then
Kiss the naked mannequin man again

Where does he come up with this stuff... He's sick.

**KcMizzou** · 05-18-2009, 09:48 PM

I've been listening to this over and over, since I read this review. I've gotta say, I agree.

I'm admittedly a fan anyway, but this is way, way better than I expected at this point. I was worried that Em was out of things to say.

I look forward to Relapse 2.

Priest31kc · 05-19-2009, 12:49 AM

i cant get enough of same song and dance, stay wide awake and beautiful.

KC native · 05-19-2009, 01:59 PM

So just made it through the album and Em is definitely back. Gotta say I'm impressed. didn't expect it to really be this good.

**Baby Lee** · 05-19-2009, 02:51 PM

I was born with a dick in my brain yeah ****ed in the head,
my stepfather said that I sucked in the bed,
till one night he snuck in and said, "we're going out back- I want my dick sucked in the shed",
can't we just play with Teddy Ruxpin instead?,
"After I **** you in the butt get some head,
bust a nut get some rest",
the next day my mother said "I don't know what the ****s up with this kid,
the bastard won't even eat nothin he's fed,
he just hung himself in the bedroom he's dead",
"Debbie don't let that ****er get you upset,
go in there stick a ****in' cigarette to his neck,
I bet you he's faking it, I'll bet you I'll bet,
he probably just wants to see how upset you would get,
I'll go handle this of course unless you object?"
"I'll go **** his brains out if any's left in his head"

Rudy tossed tigger's salad · 05-19-2009, 11:09 PM

just heard 3am on Jimmy Kimmel. That song sucks dick

**noa** · 05-19-2009, 11:16 PM

Pitchfork isn't that into it.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13034-relapse/

Priest31kc · 05-20-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemon_Pie

just heard 3am on Jimmy Kimmel. That song sucks dick

yea thats not a great song by any means, I dont hate it, but I rarely listen to it.

**Buck** · 05-20-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I was born with a dick in my brain yeah ****ed in the head,
my stepfather said that I sucked in the bed,
till one night he snuck in and said, "we're going out back- I want my dick sucked in the shed",
can't we just play with Teddy Ruxpin instead?,
"After I **** you in the butt get some head,
bust a nut get some rest",
the next day my mother said "I don't know what the ****s up with this kid,
the bastard won't even eat nothin he's fed,
he just hung himself in the bedroom he's dead",
"Debbie don't let that ****er get you upset,
go in there stick a ****in' cigarette to his neck,
I bet you he's faking it, I'll bet you I'll bet,
he probably just wants to see how upset you would get,
I'll go handle this of course unless you object?"
"I'll go **** his brains out if any's left in his head"

I love the beat of this song and I always catch myself rockin my head to the beat, then I realize what the lyrics are and stop myself because its not something you should rock your head to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemon_Pie

just heard 3am on Jimmy Kimmel. That song sucks dick

Are you talking about his live performance? He was on Last Friday and performed "We Made You" not "3 AM"

Rudy tossed tigger's salad · 05-20-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MediaCenterJunkie

I love the beat of this song and I always catch myself rockin my head to the beat, then I realize what the lyrics are and stop myself because its not something you should rock your head to.

Are you talking about his live performance? He was on Last Friday and performed "We Made You" not "3 AM"

It was definitely 3am. He must have performed multiple songs with Kimmel airing "We made you" on Friday and "3am" last night on the rerun

05-15-2009, 02:42 AM
Taco John Sapere Aude Join Date: Jun 2001 Casino cash: $3337937	Eminem Relapse Album Review So I've listened to the new Eminem album about a dozen times, and I have to say that I think the album is brilliant. It's not perfect, but it's an effort that comes in at the A level. To give some perspective, I really liked his Slim Shady LP, but I thought it was very rough around the edges and that he still hadn't pushed the level of his talent yet. I thought he came into his own with the Marshall Mathers LP, perfecting his style and gaining absolute control of his lyrical flow. To me, the MMLP is his best album, though I think he showed absolute mastery of his craft with The Eminem Show. The problem that I had with the Eminem Show was that I thought it was a little too slick and over produced. I love the album, to be sure, but it doesn't have the organic feel that The MMLP has. Encore, I thought, was terrible in comparison to all of them. I liked some of the stuff on there, but Eminem had said anything interesting that I thought he could say at that point in time. To me, he hit the wall that every successful rapper is bound to hit: we've heard it, you've got nothing new to say, and you're so rich that you no longer have street cred anymore. Frankly, I had thought Eminem had done the right thing by closing the book on his career and only doing small projects and producing (ala Dr. Dre). Boy am I glad I was wrong about that. This new album, while containing some of the same themes we've seen in the old album (namely the drug use of his mother and its fallout in his life), contains a lot of new and fresh stuff and gives listeners a peek into the world of Eminem since his pseudo-retirement. The album is essentially therapy for Eminem, with the major theme being his relapse into the world of drug addiction and prescription pill popping. There's a lot of hate and anger in this album, and he hits you in the face with it right out of the gates, but what you find as you journey through those gates is that the deeper into the album you get, the more he aims that hate and anger at himself. The first three songs absolutely put my jaw in my lap - the first song being an anthem to mass murdering. It's not a particularly new theme for Eminem, but it does have a more graphic edge to it than his past stabs at this theme (sadly, the pun was intended). The music and lyrics come together in a very haunting way that made me seriously question the guys sanity. But he doesn't stop there. As you leave 3am with the image of Eminem being a deranged psycopath who is ready to butcher people in a drug induced black-out, he does something very interesting by leading you back in time with the songs "My Mom" (My Mom does valium and lots of drugs, that's why I'm on what I'm on, cuz I'm my mom), where Eminem talks about how he has inherited his drug addiction from his mother. From there, he blows the hinges off the door with the song "Insane," where Eminem reveals a history of being sexually abused by a step father (If you could count the Skeletons in my closet). By this time my jaw was in my lap. The first three tracks hit me like a ton of bricks, and I thought the album was going to be very heavy. Eminem doesn't necessarily lighten the load, but from this point on you no longer feel like you're staring alone at a dead baby in a dumpster. The next song, Bagpipes from Baghdad flashes to the not so recent past where Eminem does a little of his usual Slim Shady celebrity bashing stuff. It's a catchy beat, but not a particularly strong song. The most interesting thing is that he reveals that he's been clean and sober for at least a year now (who’s-gonna-go-see-the-doctor first? we’ll do a coin flip, i just got my one year sobriety coin chip). The next song on the album, called "Hello," is a sort of re-introduction to Eminem. It's a very good song with some double meaning to it. The question is whether or not he's reintroducing himself to the fans, or re-introducing himself to the pill addiction (as though it were a person). It's an excellent song, and he doesn't hold back as he reveals how low things got for him: I lose a pill and I'm recklessly wrecking the house That was supposed to be breakfast where the heck is it now? There's the necklace I lost, right next to Stephanie's blouse. Man I should check to see if my mum left any out Nope! Guess I'll reroute Maybe somewhere in the depths of the couch oooh, Jackpot, yeah Open Sesame mouth! In the song, he reveals that his recent "pnemonia" bout was actually an overdose situation where he had to be rushed to the hospital. The album then takes another dark turn, as Eminem flashes back into his mass murdering persona with a skit about a stranded girl getting into the wrong car with the wrong person, and leading into "Same Song and Dance" where he basically kills Lindsay Lohan and Brittney Spears. By this time, the mass murdering schtick has worn a little thin, and the album leads into the Radio Pop friendly "We Made You." I'm not a big fan of Eminem's radio pop. I understand why he has to do it, and I think that he's very good at it. But I don't find it particularly interesting - and certainly not compelling. But it can be fun when I'm in the right mood. This one, in my opinion, is one of his better radio pop efforts, so at least there is that. But by this time in the album, I was starting to tune out a little bit. The next song provides the funniest moment in the album, when Eminem gives Christopher Reeves the last word by rapping AS Reeves, complete with robotic voice and long drawn out mechanical breaths. Needless to say I was shocked but tickled by the picture he paints of Reeves battle rapping against him: Eminem on coming to kill you [long mechanical breath] Always hated you and I still do You'll never fill my shoes my superman costume [long mechanical breath] Doesn't even fit you they don't feel you You're takign this shit to far [long mechanical breath] Who do you think you are Hang my suit up in the armoire Everday I hate you more and more Throw down the cardboard Let's break dance if you think you're hardcore The Paul Berman skit after this is probably the funniest moment of any of his albums. From this point on, the album maintains a high level of interest. Stay Wide Awake continues the horror theme of the album - which really comes off to me as a self defense mechanism to protect himself from just how much of his soul he bares on the table (especially later on in the album, with Deja Vu). Old Times Sake is a great collaboration with Dre that I think is one of the best they've done together. Must Be the Ganja has a good beat, flow, and is pretty catchy. The album climaxes here with Deja Vu, which I think is probably one of the best songs of Eminem's career. It starts with a skit that is essentially a recreation of the scene where the paramedics are treating him for overdose as they start to rush him to the hospital. He goes from the extremes of painting himself as an evil murderer, to this song in which he completely bears his soul showing just how vulnerable he is. I think the song is brilliant. The beat is spot on. The flow is absolutely superb. The lyrics are deep and penetrating. When someone asks me why I listen to Eminem, this song is a good one to offer up as a damn good reason. The whole experience of this song is hypnotic and it just gets better with each and every listen as you're drawn deeper and deeper into the lyrics and the thoughts behind the lyrics. I can't say enough about how great this song is. The next two songs are anti-climatic, but still worthy efforts. Beautiful seems like a song he wrote for his girls, which I dig. And then Crack a Bottle is the star studded reprise to the album, featuring Dre and 50 Cent. At the end of the day, I find that each time I listen to the album, I like it more and more. It's what I wish The Eminem Show was (with the Eminem Show being Encore, and Encore being some B-sides that never made it into an album). The bottom line is that it's a worthy effort. Eminem has reinvented himself with an album that fans will appreciate. This isn't the cruise control album that Encore was. This is Marshall Mathers working his ass off to produce something worth releasing, and definitely worth listening to. 4.5 stars.
Posts: 78,052

05-16-2009, 03:00 AM	#32
Quesadilla Joe Abolish The Salary Cap! Join Date: Mar 2008 Casino cash: $3858675	Here is some stuff that definitely came before the Slim Shady LP This one is on the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack... His second verse (after Redman) is one of my favorite Eminem verses. Nice song he did on a Funkmaster flex mixtape (he only is on the first verse and the chorus) One of my favorite rap songs of all time... Eminem is the 3rd verse (2:56) its from the DJ Green Lantern Invasion mixtape. All of these are NSFW obviously Last edited by Quesadilla Joe; 05-16-2009 at 03:14 AM..
Posts: 19,807

05-16-2009, 03:04 AM	#33
Quesadilla Joe Abolish The Salary Cap! Join Date: Mar 2008 Casino cash: $3858675	My favorite song on Infinite. Eminem has a really clever verse in this (second verse) ... just skip to 2:11 to hear Eminem's verse
Posts: 19,807

05-16-2009, 07:30 PM	#35
Priest31kc Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: JCMO Casino cash: $5165291	I downloaded it on the 5th when it first leaked and was very impressed. Favorite songs: Stay Wide Awake Same Song and Dance Beautiful Underground Deja Vu He kinda goes back to his OLD self on this one. The beats arent amazing, but are pretty good. This is definitely better than Encore and right up there with The Eminem Show. Anyone heard the bonus tracks yet? My Darling and Careful What You Wish For, should have replaced Crack a Bottle and We Made You on the album. __________________ KANSAS CITY ROYALS 2015 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS I AM A MAHOMESEXUAL
Posts: 4,708

05-18-2009, 12:36 AM	#36
Taco John Sapere Aude Join Date: Jun 2001 Casino cash: $3337937	The more I listen to this album, the better it gets. I took it with me on my mp3 player for my hike through the woods this weekend, and found more to appreciate with every listen. My favorite compound syllable rhyme: Grab my flannel and my bandana then Kiss the naked mannequin man again Where does he come up with this stuff... He's sick. __________________ Ehyeh asher ehyeh. Donger's Razor: "The most establishment-friendly explanation that gives leftist and neocon politicians the most amount of cover is the only possible explanation, even when gaping holes and leaps of logic are required to get there."
Posts: 78,052

05-18-2009, 09:48 PM	#37
KcMizzou Supporter Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Parkville MO Casino cash: $10005170	I've been listening to this over and over, since I read this review. I've gotta say, I agree. I'm admittedly a fan anyway, but this is way, way better than I expected at this point. I was worried that Em was out of things to say. I look forward to Relapse 2.
Posts: 54,695

05-19-2009, 12:49 AM	#38
Priest31kc Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: JCMO Casino cash: $5165291	i cant get enough of same song and dance, stay wide awake and beautiful. __________________ KANSAS CITY ROYALS 2015 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS I AM A MAHOMESEXUAL
Posts: 4,708

05-19-2009, 01:59 PM	#39
KC native Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Casino cash: $10049239	So just made it through the album and Em is definitely back. Gotta say I'm impressed. didn't expect it to really be this good.
Posts: 24,946

05-19-2009, 02:51 PM	#40
Baby Lee Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $6838598	I was born with a dick in my brain yeah **ed in the head, my stepfather said that I sucked in the bed, till one night he snuck in and said, "we're going out back- I want my dick sucked in the shed", can't we just play with Teddy Ruxpin instead?, "After I you in the butt get some head, bust a nut get some rest", the next day my mother said "I don't know what the s up with this kid, the bastard won't even eat nothin he's fed, he just hung himself in the bedroom he's dead", "Debbie don't let that er get you upset, go in there stick a in' cigarette to his neck, I bet you he's faking it, I'll bet you I'll bet, he probably just wants to see how upset you would get, I'll go handle this of course unless you object?" "I'll go ** his brains out if any's left in his head" __________________ We need the kind of courage that can withstand the subtle corruption of the cynics - E.W.
Posts: 95,642

05-19-2009, 11:09 PM	#41
Rudy tossed tigger's salad Better than Nelson Join Date: Mar 2003 Casino cash: $10000400	just heard 3am on Jimmy Kimmel. That song sucks dick
Posts: 17,356

05-19-2009, 11:16 PM	#42
noa Band Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $1295453	Pitchfork isn't that into it. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13034-relapse/ __________________ Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes, well, he eats you.
Posts: 8,302