Eminem
Relapse
Eminem has always been about emotional ammunition, which is exactly why The Marshall Mathers LP is his magnum opus. It combined the hilarious shock value of his first album with the issues of his new life; fame and blame. Encore [click to read] largely faltered because he had little to rap about. That, and he wasn't really funny anymore. With five years passing and his best friend being murdered, his drug addiction and the vastly changing landscape in Hip Hop and the world; he's got a lyrical stockpile comparable to North Korea.
It is clear from the jump that the Relapse isn't just referring to his falling off the wagon, but a relapse to his Slim Shady persona. For those keeping score, the intro "Dr. West" (featuring The Wire's own Jimmy McNulty), plays off the intro on the rare Slim Shady EP. Of course, the inherent problem there is that there is little to no shock value left in that shtick. The concept rolls along nicely to start as the stunning homicidal fantasy "3 A.M." [click to view] follows Em being awoken from the bad dream that was the intro. He continues to put the pieces into place with "My Mom," explaining where he got his first taste of drugs and of crazy. The topic may be a bit tiresome at this point, but its a thematic song, given the overall concept.
Relapse quickly takes a tailspin as Slim does everything he can to bring back that shock value on "Insane" [click to listen]. Getting raped and sodomized by his step-dad, "feltching," nothing appears out of bounds here. But unlike the early days when he recounted his mother beating him until his brain fell out of his skull, this isn't the cartoonish humor. Instead, the truth outweighs the purpose, and for the first time ever, Eminem's life confessions might just be recorded over-shares.
Not to be overlooked here is that Dr. Dre produced or co-produced every song on the album, the first time he's done so in a decade and only the second time a project received this since Doggystyle. The results are shockingly ho-hum for arguably Hip Hop's G.O.A.T. on the boards. In particular, it's the middle of the album that suffers with songs like "Hello," "Same Song & Dance" and "Medicine Ball." With only his work on Jay-Z's Kingdom Come [click to read] as an exception, never has Dre produced such mediocre songs, which are really only saved from being completely worthless by Em's staggering technique (though definitely not by his subject matter). There is some redemption with the haunting "Stay Wide Awake" [click to listen] and the somber "Deja Vu," both of which perfectly capture Marshall's mood. He also laces a few straight forward head-nodders that do the trick ("Old Times Sake" [click to listen], "Crack A Bottle" [click to listen]) and steps outside of the box for "Bagpipes From Baghdad." Dope as they may be for 2009, they still aren't the type of beats that create a legend.
It is "Deja Vu" that finally has some meaning to it as he actually addresses his problem. Eminem is always at his best when he gets personal, and this is no exception; "Maybe if I just drink half/ I'll be half buzzed for half of the time / Now who's the mastermind behind that little line? / For that kind of rational, man I've got half a mind / To have another half a glass of wine, sounds asinine." To the surprise of many, the one and only time on the album he mentions the death of Proof also comes here when he laments; "Wouldn't even be taking this shit if DeShaun didn't die / Oh yeah, there's an excuse, you lose Proof so you use / There's no rules, it's cool if it helping you to get through / It's 12 noon, ain't no harm in self-inducing a snooze / What else is new? / Fuck it, what would Elvis do in your shoes?" "Beautiful" is another step in the right direction as Slim keeps it brutally honest, it still wins even though the production and hook don't measure up.
For one of the very few superstars in Hip Hop who has made his career on lyrical content, it is pretty disappointing that after a five year hiatus he came back with so little to say, without his trademark colorful canvas. I suppose the writing was on the wall when you consider the album title and cover, but was anyone expecting an album that is 99% drug/murder content? Why weren't there more songs like "Deja Vu," after all, this is a 37 year-old man who has been through a lot in the past few years. The lows aren't as low as Encore, but there aren't the plateaus either. Even though his skill set have grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, his ability to make great albums seems to be moving in the other direction.
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Comments 1030 posts
lil roc:
This album to me is eminems 3rd best album I feel that marshall mathers lp and eminem show and relapse r classics.Alot of people say things like listen to what hes rappin about he talkin about drugs killin bithces gettin raped,and their absolutely right but listen to how he raps about it.The detail and the lirics ang the pricision u probably would have heard all of that if u would pull ur skirt down 4 a minute and grow some balls.1st of all insane wuz a hot song i admit its kinda crazy but its nothin compared to fack,u should look it up some time if u want to hear some real crazy eminem,but back to the album.Dre did every beat except 4 beautiful and their all hard.The album actually tells a story from the 1st track to crack a bottle.How he wuz sick and needed help u can tell from the 1st couple of songs and gradually got better by the time it got up to deja vu and beatiful.I left out underground cause it wuz more like a bonus track.He adopted a new flow that he uses on this cd and recovery thats crazy and seperates him from everyone else.I'm a grown man and do I beleive eminem is out runnin crazy choppin peoples body to pieces wit a chainsaw no,I know the difference between fiction and fact.Deja vu iz the realest song on the album by far,but thats the thing hes eminem and I don't really listen to him 4 facts and shit.He's the only rapper I know that can make the songs he makes and get away wit it I been listenen to him since slim shady lp so im used to everything he raps about.What makes the album a classic is that its like listenen to a horror movie I can imagine everything hes rappin about and his music takes u 4 a ride and thats what any good album should do.I'm not phased at all by this cd i didn't think it would be that hot and thats what surprised me the most about this album.He had a drug problem been away from rap 4 like 4yrs and he came back sharper than a mother fuckin machete.This shit iz way better than 70% of the music out there.I recommend u pick this up along wit recovery unless of course u wanna go out and cop that new solja boi and gucchi mann cd thats out lol.I'm open 4 discussion wit any body and I mean ANYBODY. So if u agree or disagree just send me a reply to this comment ONE!!!
c red:
crazy album but recovery way better
HipHopBeliever:
yeah i think the review on the album was about right although i liked same song & dance, beautiful and insane, although its not as obviously funny it still makes you want to rap along with it
dSaint:
Eh, I'm as big an Em fan as any, real talk, but this was underwhelming. Deja Vu and Beautiful Em I want to hear on the album, Underground Em I only wanna hear on features and freestyles. Insane Em I could go the rest of my life without hearing again. This shit is probably worse than Encore, which I think gets underrated because the filler fucking sucks. Still it's best tracks shit on this CD's best.
He's gotten much better though, starting with Forever he started moving in the right direction. He's absolutely killed some features, a freestyle and his first single is dope. He will be back, I believe that, but this wasn't his triumphant return.
vlado:
dope
c/gaddic:
So many comments?
Damn!
it's a pity when one of the most lyrically insane albumsof the year is at a 3.5 rating on HHDDX and user rating
Yeah the content is disgusting and monotonous but check out the wordplay on Underground and Stay wide awake
It's insane!
Drucifer1983:
Damn, over 1,000 coments
I've been playing this on since I got it last year and I think its pretty good, not as good as the first 2 but still quality
soul Intent:
Oh ya forgot to include WORST DONE REVIEW EVER! Well written and some good points but with songs like Deja Vu, Underground, Stay Wide Awake, both tracks from the bonus disk, i could name multiple others this album is very well down and a 3.5 rating is a disgrace to this site and it's reviews. Deserves at the very least a 4 (if you were to be insanely critical) but more so a 4.5. It is NOT a perfect album but a 3.5 is an insult.
soul Intent:
I've been bumping this since it came out terrificly done album if you like wordplay and insane rhyme scheme's. Refill tracks are sick as hell too.
Best Tracks:
Relapse: My Darling (bonus disk song)
Refill: Music Box
dopeasfuk:
Dope album....Underground is the best track and music box is the best one off refill
itsshadybitch:
Crazy shit no one can flow the way he does. Eminem is the Greatest ever but no one will ever admit that because hes not dead and hes not black......Just being HONEST...
jordon lawson:
im highly dissapointed from the writers use of colorfull words i thought he would be alot more intellegent. U bring shame to ur craft sir this album is amazing i think u personally wanted to see him pore his soul on to the beat 18 times with a slew of dramatic dr beats come em never forgot the most important aspect of being a artest the story telling in this album is amazing who ever would have thought of making a song about being a killer. This writer made some very valid points such as its a relapse to the early slim shady but u missed on the whole middle of the album being soft please u liked crack a bottle but u dont like hello come the fuck on get ur head checked that makes no sense what so ever.. please this is what i like to call a front to back album one u really dont even have to touch just pop it in and let em do the rest and relapse 2 is going to be his masterpiece
SlashDotSpace:
Interpunction..........
AYBEELOK:
WACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK...
HE TRYS TO BE CAGE...
CAGE STILLLL WIT ITTT....
ShadyAftermath2020:
best
emdabomb:
funny, i think hello is one of the better songs on the album...the chorus is awesome. Also Even though his skill set have grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, his ability to make great albums seems to be moving in the other direction ---This line is complete horse-shit. Every hardcore Em fan ive met thinks that relapse is his best album. I dare you to find a song that is more haunting then my darling. Shit gave me goose bumps the first time i heard it
TheRapBox:
An Eminem song more haunting then My Darling? Or a song period? Eminem wise, i would deffinitely say Kim. Maybe Amityville or maybe even my house (But thats pushing it) And genre wise... Dance with the Devil, Immortal Technique.
Hank Hill:
G.O.A.T
RELAPSE IS A CLASSIC:
CLASSIC
CoolestK:
where is slim shady
yeayea:
Posted By: Khalid Al-Rayes | Monday, August 3, 2009
User Rating: Report Comment
This revew is bullshit, what does he mean when he says"his ability to make great albums seems to be moving in the other direction" Tha Is Not True, Sure Encore Wasent That Good, But Relapse Is Another Level Of Music
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then why u only rate it a 1 retard
ThaMobb:
The strongest tracks are, Stay Wide Awake, Beautiful, Underground, My Mom, and Deja Vu, and if you got the bonus disc the best song was My Darling.
Not bad for a warm up, can't wait for Relapse 2.
yeayea:
I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU DID NOT MENTION UNDERGROUND BEST FUCKING SHADY TRACK SINCE CRIMINAL
Drefan:
Good album for hip hop. Shows that you don't have to have songs with corny pop stars on your album to sell some records. And you don't have to make music for bitches to dance to.
look man:
THIS REVIEW IS TERRIBLE.
"Hello", "Same Song & Dance", "Medicine Ball"? These are some of the best songs on the album. The problem with this review is that there is way too much focus on Dr. Dre (who dropped complete bangers on this one), and not enough focus on Eminem or his lyrics. Come on. This was a biased review. The subject matter of the album is included for about two songs here. Give me a break! This is one of the best rap albums put out in the last decade plus. It's very offensive, but what can we expect?
joetotheyo:
eminem is my favorite rapper of all time but like the review says he is lacking to make great albums like clasics such as: the slim shady LP, The Marshall Mathers Lp, The Eminem Show and to some extent encore may even be better im a little disspointed as i have been waiting for this album since rumors surfaced in 2007 but ill still be waiting and hoping relapse 2 will be the return of eminem everyone has truly been waiting for.
pt1616:
CLASSIC FUCK EM HATERS!!!