Eminem “Relapse” Review
The idea of relapsing isn’t one that’s solely aimed at addiction, especially so in the case of Eminem. Coming four and a half years after Encore, Relapse is a wildcard; an album coming from an unpredictable emcee, one of the world’s most popular and recognizable musical figures, and one that has been looming his entire career. Relapse occurs when you fall back into an old pattern or habit, and with Relapse, Marshall Mathers’ alter-ego drifts back into familiar subject matter, the bulk of which is accompanied by the beats produced by his longtime collaborator and mentor Dr. Dre. But over the course of the album, there is an increasingly broad disparity between who Mathers is, what he’s been through, and what people expect from the character he’s developed. And throughout the record, the main struggle isn’t to find a lyrical rhythm or a solid beat; after a failed reconciliation with his ex-wife, multiple bouts with addiction, stints in rehab and the murder of his close friend, the struggle is to find which former self Mathers has now reverted back to.
Relapse opens with “Dr. West,” a skit that captures a meeting between Mathers and a counselor (played by Dominic West, best known as Jimmy McNulty from The Wire) in a treatment facility, with the two discussing a plan for action in an exit interview. Immediately, the counselor guides Mathers toward an alarming resolution; acknowledging that it’s alright if he relapses. And, immediately following the introduction, is “3am,” a thematically violent song that alludes to Silence of the Lambs and a preoccupation with blood and gore. Following that with “My Mom,” an ode to the drug dependency that was passed onto him from his mother, Relapse quickly begins to represent a return to the themes and approach that gained the emcee such notoriety with both The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP.
And for the majority of the album, only a few songs divert from this trend. “Insane” recalls stories of child molestation and suicide, “Hello” focuses on drug abuse, and the abduction skit “Tonya” is followed by the aptly titled “Same Song and Dance” which touches on a mixed bag of the previously mentioned themes. “I guess it’s time for you to hate me again,” taunts Mathers on “Medicine Ball,” as if to say that he’s firmly planted himself in the persona that stood alongside Marilyn Manson as two of the most notorious musical figures of the 1990s.
The song is followed by the skit “Paul,” a phone message from Mathers’ longtime manager and attorney Paul Rosenberg, “You gotta be fucking kidding me. I mean with this Christopher Reeves shit? You know the guy’s dead, right? And then the whole gay stepfather incest rape thing… I don’t have your back on this one, I can’t even fucking handle it—I’m done.” The issue with poking fun at Reeves in “Medicine Ball” isn’t that it’s in poor taste, but rather that it’s desperate. Reviving the comparison, the song compares nicely with Marilyn Manson’s forthcoming album The High End of Low. The album is being touted as his most shocking in years, and the first single is the shock-for-shock’s sake “Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon.”
Ten years ago, most people were able to see through the shtick. But now that the shock-rocker is far past his prime, the relentless need to impress a wow-factor upon his audience only succeeds in being stale. Likewise, Mathers has long since lost his shock factor. The concluding concept of Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette’s 2005 documentary, The Aristocrats, best illustrates the relationship with the shift in culture and perception of taboo. The film captures numerous comedians retelling a notoriously filthy joke, and eventually concludes that culture has shifted past the point of shock: nothing’s shocking (but Jane’s Addiction figured that out over 20 years ago). So, when the majority of Relapse continues the approach of earlier Eminem albums while simply going out of the way lyrically to encourage outrage, Mathers comes across just as rudimentary as the stories he’s unfolding.
As the album progresses, however, there is a slow shift in Mathers’ lyrical focus. In particular on the tracks “Déjà Vu” and “Beautiful,” which stand out as honest attempts at offering intimate thoughts. Through “Déjà Vu,” Mathers recalls his own drug dependency and the terrifying memories of his daughter’s reaction to his declining health: “Look at my daughter’s face, mommy something is wrong with dad I think/He’s acting weird again, he’s really beginning to scare me/Won’t shave his beard again and he pretends he doesn’t hear me.” The song continues by following the progression and acceptance of falling back into the same patterns that lead to his situation in the first place: the relapse.
On the other hand is “Beautiful,” a song that is absolutely bizarre given the landscape of the album’s other tracks. Stretched out to six and a half minutes it is the longest song on Relapse, the track revolving around the idea of self-inspiration and becoming comfortable with with one’s self. Following a lament to his children, Mathers concludes: “God gave you the shoes that fit you, so put ‘em on and wear them/Be yourself man, be proud of who you are/Even if it sounds corny, don’t ever let no one tell you that you ain’t beautiful.” But before the song has a moment to settle in however, the album’s lead single, “Crack a Bottle,” comes crashing down, immediately reverting back to the lyrical themes typical of the majority of the album.
If you take Emimen’s words seriously, Relapse is a schizophrenic journey through the thoughts of a mind torn between reality and a twisted sense of intrigue and fascination. If that’s the position you’re taking, the final song, “Underground,” will do nothing but enforce the belief that Marshall Mathers is sick. The song is the most over-the-top culmination of shock on Relapse, flirting with such taboos as violence, sexually explicit lyrics and homophobic rhetoric, “60 sluts, all of em dying from asphexia, after they shit piss through a Christopher Reeves sippy cup… faggoty faggoty faggoty Raggedy Ann and Andy, no Raggedy Andy and Andy.” But on the flip side of that is a line that cheekily winks at the character people expect of him, “the fucking Antichrist is back.”
Whether or not you digest Eminem’s Relapse as an album built on a foundation of a return to a character, or simply poor taste, it’s startling in its inconsistency. This is the first of two albums Mathers has set for release this year, and it fails to find a balance between reflection and storytelling. To some degree that likely discrepancy might reflect the lengthy recording process, with Dre and Mathers recording over two albums worth of material, and the difficulty in having to sort through the tracks for what songs should be used on which record. But the greater issue here is that there is no firm grip by Mathers on either reality or his character throughout the album. Relapse is a collection of songs that neither tells a story, nor deeply reflects on the life of the man behind the mic. And as such, the feeling that is taken away from the album isn’t that Mathers has relapsed into a former version of himself, but rather that he is now uncertain of who he has become.
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Chris I think you are so wrong its ridiculous. Eminem has reincarnated a missing part of his soul which brought him into this rap game; slim shady. All Eminem, Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers are present in this album and done in a psychotic genius manner. Maybe it YOU who doesn’t know who Eminem is but for other people who think of eminem as a lyricist and not just a white rapper know everything he is about and is proud to have him come out with such an album. Just because you don’t understand Eminem like we do doesn’t mean HE doesn’t know who he is. IF he didn’t know who he was he wouldnt be back in the game.
The album sucks. There is a rape on every song. Really???? That doesn’t make me want to listen. It’s stupid. He’s just trying to get a rise out of the media and audience. Grow up dude…
Best review about this album from like ten i just read.couldn’t agree more to everything in the text but i would add 2 things:1)many beats in this album are huge! 2)stupid accent eminem chose for almost all tracks on this album makes things even worse for him.eminem has lost it’s way not his talent so i am looking forward the second album he will release this year.
This is such a shame
I really really want to love this album but I can’t. There are a few good songs such as Beautiful, Old times sake and underground
All em’s best songs are when he is angry (way I am, stan, like toy soldiers)
Let down of a legend
I completely disagree with this review. Em has done something revolutionary, you have to let this album grow on you but when it does you can’t stop listening to it. He’s far from being confused, he’s changed his style a little but it’s definitely nice to listen to a change. Listen to Em’s old works, and you’ll see that this is exactly what Em is about.
I agree with the review, the album seems to lack an identity, feels a little forced.
And yeah, that accent – where is that from?
Joe Smith: no one ever mentioned race, nor is that even a talking point anymore… saying that I don’t get him is a tired argument as well because I’ve gone well out of my way to defend the man’s lyrics. “If he didn’t know who he was he wouldnt be back in the game.” – That’s exactly what “Beautiful” is about… not being sure he knows exactly who he is, but rather announcing that he’s beginning the search to find himself. That’s why he’s returning with new material, because outside of all of the issues he’s had the last year music remains his guiding light. It’s just a shame that this is the final product of so much hope.
Panos: You’re right on. I figured that I rambled on a bit too long to include the mention of the beats. It’s a shame that “We Made You” was accompanied by such a shitty video, because had it been remotely relevant and/or interesting that single would be off the charts. Same goes for “Old Time’s Sake,” the song is a banger.
Michael: How have you “let the album grow on you”? I’ve listened to it a dozen times since yesterday… have you magically had more time with it to allow its subtleties soak in?
I really have to agree with Michael on this. This isn’t a mainstream album like I thought it would be from the first two singles. This is an album for fans. I don’t think that he will win people that are on the edge over with this album.
If you go into listening this album like it is going to be the next Carter III than your going to fucking hate it. BUT, he isn’t Lil Wayne and all these other poppy rappers. This album is dark, deep and it has a hidden building rage behind it. If you listen to it the whole way through, it builds to a huge climax in Underground, which may be the most hard hitting song that he has ever made. It was a shock when I was first skimming through the album. His flow is raw as hell on that track. When you hear it you understand the rest of the album.
There are some great tracks on this. If your not convinced give Medicine Ball, Stay Wide Awake, Beautiful, Deja Vu, and Underground another listen.
So many people just listen to the songs, you have to listen to the album. And if you still don’t like it, then leave Eminem alone. While it does have a bunch of flaws, I personally think it is the best thing to come out of mainstream rap in years and years. It is refreshing to know that I can once again find something that actually holds of lyrical weight outside underground rap music.
wow… it’s kinda funny/sad how little you seem to know about hip hop… subject matter aside for a second.. eminem puts on a CLINIC on this album… his technical skills are getting to the point that you might not be able to compare anyone to him. that alone is enough to like this album (if only for studying purposes)..
and as far as the “shock raps,” you’re looking at it the wrong way… this is basically a concept album… em is rapping a movie here (a horror movie) and dre provides a perfectly dark score.. the verses are vivid, the storytelling is absurd (a little disturbing, yes)…
i can’t remember the last time i heard a 20 track rap album that’s this consistent and this cohesive… that alone is enough to applaud… i mean it seems like youre coming at this one from a very subjective standpoint and maybe this isnt what you expected or wanted from em (which is completely your right to do), but to no be able to see the skill level that this guy is on right now.. it’s just unfortunate, because em’s control of the english language has gotten stronger with every album (even though i hated Encore, he was still technically sound).. from the stream of consciousness experiment that was Slim Shady LP to now… there is an evolution, but all you can see is the subject matter.. as an MC, this isn’t even a relapse, it’s a game-changer
I really do agree with Ben! I really love this album especially the last song. But I get really tired from all these people who are comparing everything with the Marshall Mathers LP or the Slim Shady LP. We wont get the old eminem back, he has just changed, but I think he just showed us that he’s back in the game.
hello again.well it all depends of the kind of perspective everybody is looking at it.i mean if i look it like jdiesel said,like a horror movie or something hell yeah it’s dope.but my perspective is that hiphop should help peoples minds to elevate understand more about how the system works and go strong against it.that’s how hiphop started thats the hiphop i love.i like personal songs that reflect of the pain and struggle the artist is going through not my favourites though but still very enjoyable.well eminem had done good in the past for both of these two cases (marshal mathers and eminem show lp,by the way the second is my favourite) but in this one it just shows some signs of the “personal” case but really not getting deep into it and they are still limited.he doesn’t build a strong album with just them.
of course anyone can like horror movies i like them too,but in times like ours when global economy is getting worse and worse freedoms are beggining to fade away and there are so many important issues to deal with in the horizon, i think that em just wasted huge beats by saying nothing more than a nice horror tales or even worse attacking a pop culture already dead in the ears of eminem fans.this album would be a welcome comeback for gravediggaz but from eminem i really expected lot more.
I completely agree with jdiesel, in that this album is brilliant in terms of flow and lyrics. The beats are great, too. I also agree with the original reviewer, that the subject matter jumps from the absurd to the comical to the sad a little too much. One song I’m laughing my ass off, and the next I’m disgusted. Since it’s Eminem, I don’t really care. He does it for the shock value, but his skill level is so high that I don’t even care. That’s what separates him from 95% of other rappers. Check out my crappier review if you want a different perspective. I graduated college with a Journalism degree in 2006 and can barely write anymore. Just sad. Great review though, even though I don’t really agree with it.
The first thing that has to be noted is the immaculate production and top notch word play. That being said, I was surprised by the lack of substance (besides prescribed/illegal littered references); I expected Slim to touch more on Proofs death and the state of the “game” since he’s been away. Nonetheless, this album is still dope and will be in my music rotation for the next few months at least.
To be fair, this album can’t be completely judged until I hear the second album in the fall. I suspect the two albums will go hand-in-hand in telling a greater story. This is where I would expect to hear a more introspective Em, with less drug/rape babble.
This review is spot on. Eminem’s “accent” aside, this album’s biggest flaw is its inconsistency. I agree with the reviewer’s assertion that the overall feel of this album is one in which “[Eminem] is now uncertain of who he has become.” Nevertheless, there are some worthwhile songs on this album” “Beautiful,” “Deja Vu,” and “Underground.” The lyrical content of “Bagpipes from Baghdad” is weak, but Dre’s beat, in my opinion, is great; it has that special bounce to it. In spite of these flaws, however, one thing does remain true: Eminem has an incredible ability for making multi-syllable rhymes. Unfortunately, he does not make good use of that ability throughout the album as a whole.
This. Album. Is. Garbage.
He raps like is he mentally challenged half the time, the lyrics are great but the production is less than stellar and the subject matter is seriously f’d up. Eminem hasnt had a good album since the Eminem show. 4 years of absence and this album has one listenable song on it. This man could literally mumble for 4 minutes and you guys would eat it up.
I love dark emotional rap but the shit he talks about and in the manner he does it is just stupid. If your going to address rape and molestation dont do it like a 4 year old. RIP Slim shady, RIP Eminem, RIP Marshall mathers. Whats your persona for this bullshit you call music?
I completely disagree with this review.
You’re looking too much into Em’s persona juggling and the point of his albums.
When he started off, he just wrote random lyrics of sick thoughts he had to create fascinating wordplay.
It’s not about subject matter it’s about flow and lyrics. And the point is, this is his best album lyrically since The Marshall Mathers LP.
You say he’s unsure of who he’s become. Don’t you think he knows that, that’s the point of this album. That’s why he’s constantly giving lyrical winks and nods to the listener.
You’re review is like watching Pulp Fiction and saying Tarantino isn’t sure whether it’s a comedy or an action flick as Sam Jackson keeps cracking wise.
Relapse is a lyrical assault course. It’s a Relapse into freestyle syllable slaughter. He’s done the personal stories to death, no need to trod over old ground.
This album is a classic. End of.
Ben and Jdiesel nailed it. This album is fantastic. If you listen to it straight through, focusing on the lyrics and not getting distracted, this album tells a nightmare of a story which is awesome to listen to. Em’s rapping ability surpasses that of any crappy pop-rapper out there right now, and the sad part is that people actually think those guys are better than Slim. I think that the people ripping this album aren’t fans of his to begin with, because I can’t see a fan not liking this album. Eminem proves, once again, that he is the king.
I think this reviewer is someone who has no idea what they are talking about. After listening to the entire album, out of the 15 songs, 11 of them I would give an 80% or above, with 8 of them just simply amazing such as Deja Vu or Hello. Dre’s production values for the beats are simply untouchable and Eminem is seriously a lyrical acrobat at work once again. This review focuses on the lyrics as if there is something wrong with the context that is disturbing to the public. Compared to the many poppy-rappers in the mainstream, the reviewer is like comparing apple and oranges. He is comparing the mainstream and public rappers of the radio with underground rare rapper genius like that of Eminem. This has always been what has defined Eminem’s music material in his last three albums (except Encore which was very weak). Fans of Eminem all understand that this is the style of Eminem and his music in other words is targeted at those individuals who can appreciate excellent beats and exceptional lyrical content of wordsmith Eminem. The dark nature is intended and suits the album’s title of Relapse very well. Why is this reviewer even criticizing the nature of the album for not having an identity, it DOES! It’s about the relapse and the drugs. THis album is a return of Mathers to his true roots, an instant classic without a doubt.
The album is amazing.. he knows exactly who is is!! the album is a flashback, reminding listners of his alter egos, reintroducing the characters and then later talking showing how hes has evolved as a person in deja vu and beautiful.. it has everything from slim, eminem and marshall.. fantastic!!!!!!!
Your all nuts, this album is better than any recent release in the rap industry and you didnt even mention bagpipes from baghdad. My main concern with relapse is that i dont know what its trying to be, eminems first 2 albums had a theme with characters and stuck to that theme, you never felt left out on what was going on. Relapse on the other hand switches way too often, example, the opening skit is a great introduction to 3am, that skit and that song have a theme and it gives the album a great feel, but then youve got all these random tracks just scattered all over the place and the entire album theme just dies on its ass. I love Relapse coz the songs are great, but relapse has a mixtape feel to it, mixtape because it feels like eminem has just taken all his best songs, lumped em together and said “ok, that should sell” thing is eminem isnt your every day rapper and he cant afford to do a ludacris on us, eminem cant afford to produce an album with no sense of being, theme or belief to it. But other than that this is dope coz it has the best beats ever, best flow ever and ive never fealt so nostalgic after hearing an album, eminems lost shock factor? Insane shocked the fuck outa me lol
The ONLY good songs on this album are “Beautiful,” “Deja Vu,” and “Underground.” That’s it. Come on, people; open up your eyes to the fact that “Relapse” sucks. This is coming from an Eminem fan.
The first time i heard the album i was kinda iffy, but after i listened through it 3-4 times, the songs really grew on me. Em is def making a comeback and for this being his first “new” album, i think he did a bang up job, i expect better and more in the future from him.
I think it’s very possible that the reviewer and many of you may both be right. The fact of the matter is, Eminem just spent four years taking pills and fucking his life and his brain over so bad that, yeah, there’s going to be some confusion as to what pictures and messages he’s trying to paint.
I looked at many of his more artistic/graphic songs as illustrations of drug-induced visions, that just continued to get crazier and more whacked out until he finally hit the fan. This is where the changeover comes, and we see what marshall would like to become, but still is not sure he has the strength to make the changes. I thought the album, while kind of insane, was a bit humanizing of a person considered to be a habitual drug user turned into a bit of an animal. It shows all signs of rage, comedy, sadness, lust and envy.
The pictures he’s painting are not much different in concept than the images we’ve seen in movies like Fear and Loathing and Requiem for a Dream.
I’m not sure Eminem wants his fans to think that he has it together at the end of Relapse. I think that’s why he has a reconciliation, but is too damaged to fulfill what he’d like to be; an father and an artist that still feels that he’s staying true to his roots. When the reviewer says that Em doesn’t know who he is anymore, I think Em’s telling us the same thing. Hardcore fans of Eminem are reading into it too quickly as an insult, when really, it’s a solid reflection.
Everyone is intitled to an opionion and thats cool.We all have our own taste. Me personally, I like it, it’s better than Encore thats for sure. Em always has a concept around his albums. The first relapse is pretty much scattered allover the place which is where he was at one point in time. I’m sure the second will have more hard rap tracks and an epic track for proof which he’ll probobly perform at next years Grammys. Em is a genius and no one can do what he does.
WOW..
There have been a handful of acute listeners on this page. This is my first post..but honestly, I felt the need to say a piece for any wandering eye.
Eminem is changing the game..naysayers don’t understand the skill behind what he has done..I do, I’m an MC (no, I’m not him, I have talent and I understand the craft) and until recently I’ve never been a major fan of his. Without me going into the technacalities..he has infused the raw nature of real hip hop into a drug induced excursion from the mainstream.
Blah blah blah..we are all talking about him, he’s cemented himself as a legend. If you don’t see it, you’re the same hick that was smacked in the face by a holographic Obama cock.
myspace.com/kontempt1
I think if he was intending to rap a horror movie he would of said already thats what he intended to do. It doesnt look like it was but it would be a convenient excuse for the crappy attempts to shock. The accent is shit.
i agree with diesel completely ,
i think he hit the nail on the head , and its obvious the reviewer is completely wrong , i feel he started this album with the doctor visit , then 3am starts the adventure of how dark and deep of a place he was at the beginning of all this , the struggle with his identity in the first half of the album culminates with his growth to beautiful ultimately ending with the rebirth from the underground of slim shady– the entire album has a dark feel that ends with him reemerging and actually sounding pissed ,the struggle is intentional and the bipolarity of the album is intentional as it all comes together in one uber track called underground which is an amazing song and easily one of the best songs he has ever done and it shows- i feel like the relapse 2 is gonna take undeground and his reemergence to another level and trounce every album he has ever made- please no accent tho lol
i think its a great album, minus the singles. the review breaks it down but is ultimately misguided. XXL mag asks eminem straight up what he wanted to do with this album. he said he wasn’t sure, so he asked dre what he thinks the fans want to hear from him. dre’s reply -your psycho path crazy kill kill shit-
i think it’s really that simple. this is a showcase of his multi syllable rhyme scheme with psychopath content
Em’s gravity comes not only from his flow, but from the fact that underneath the twisted bastard whack-job superstar persona, he’s just a guy riding the tide. Tthe slowjam Beautiful is autobiographical, introspective, philosophical and hilarious all at once. The man’s soul shines clear through the music, and regardless of how often he says “fuck” or makes meat-suits out of every sacred cow in the book, that’s always going to give him an edge on the groove-hustlers.
The style Eminem experimented with on Encore has been polished, pimped and thrown into 5th gear, and the result? Well, you can check that Asher Roth bullshit at the door. The real Slim Shady has returned, and there’s no coming back from this Relapse.
Great review: View here
All I’m gonna say is that this album is FANTASTIC. Anyone that says he is past it is just talking utter shit. It’s the most impressive album in YEARS.
Chris has no idea what he is talking about. He probably digs Soulja Boy.
This album is fantastic.
I agree with this review for the most part. Some of the comments and other reviews are fascinating though. It’s always amazing watching people rationalize garbage into genius. This album is brilliant? A game changer w/untouchable lyrics? Where do you start. The silly accent was a good choice? Suuuuuure. The untouchable and deep lyrics of jerking off to Hannah Montana or ruining the nice beat of Bagpipes by doing a pathetic whiny rhyme about Mariah? Everyone knows he’s inept with females by this point. Enough already. Oh another ooh I don’t like my mommy and it’s her fault song. The album suffers from him being too old and broke down to be the genuine energetic rapper that spits crazy shit and him trying to be just that and failing miserably. It’s about as laughable as people thinking this is game changing lyricism. Pathetic.
Ok I’m now 10 tracks in..
I’ve been listening to hiphop for around 20 years now
And imo so far this album is simply amazing.
I think a lot of people..fans..no fans and your favorite rappers will agree
I’m not counting a track like we made you..
but his flow on some tracks like “Stay wide awake”..damn…its scary man
Amazing. I agree with the horror story point. that’s the perspective you have to take. Think of a person fucked out of there mind on drugs. They have crazy thoughts (murder, rape, suicide etc.) They get stuck on certain themes and repeat certain twisted thoughts or goals like raping or killing, and slim takes that characteristic and uses it in a rap sense with repeated Christopher Reeves references (along with many many others). Said person will also be all over the place emotionally…crazy, silly, happy, sad, angry, reflective. All of these things that are evident in a person extremely messed up on drugs, make up the properties of this album. ALL of that while he uses an unmatched flow and lyrical prowess to weave this somewhat fictional character horror story with threads of his own life. Relapse means Eminem is back on his shit. This album is a story, and at the same time it’s symbolic in how it sticks to what it’s title is all about. this is not what the modern syrup sippin’ hip-hop industry is used to, this is actually thoughtful, this is complex, this is brilliant, this is Eminem. With this album, he shows, along with so much more, that what Eminem needed was rap and what rap needed was Eminem.
Fuck you.
The greatest MC alive is back.
Respect
album is crazzzy. tells a story of a psycho path from the moment out of the hsopital wakin up at 3AM feelin the withdrawls going crazy..to talking about why he was in the hospital with MY MOM to showing rehad didnt work with INSANE and more of the same with bBAGPIPES FROM BAGHDAD ( when will it ever cease) to HELLO which is like wait im back and and hes eyein out his next victim …to SAME SONG AND DANCE which is like when most people get under the pressure they crack and the same ol bullshit happInes wit everybody..to saying that look all these people were made by the public imageWE MADE YOU…to saying allll that bullshit is what he uses to stay sane MEDICINE BALL l and then he cant sleep at night and he falls back into the phsyco place and sees the dark world STAY WIDE AWAKE..to look ill kill it one more time with my man dre before i go out…then hes a serial killer thats fuked up on weed and liqour so hes confesses shit..to shitt he just relapsed and now he back in the hospital with DE JA VU and thinks about his daughter with BEAUTIFUL
Everyone hating on this album is wrong. It is great and thats that, all I’ve been doing is listening to this album for the past few days, and it has really grown on me. Em started off with music like this and it made him one of the greatest rappers alive. He kills it, the album as a whole is so sick.
relapse is one of the craziest rap albums of the last decade.(only outdone by his own MMLP). no one writes like eminem, no other rapper could rap like this, or about the subject matter. seriously, don’t believe jaded columnists or all the hate out there. “medicine ball”, “stay wide awake”, “same song and dance”, and “underground” are classic eminem.
hey, i just wanted to add a couple of things… first, to the reviewer, i shouldn’t have made assumptions about your knowledge of hip hop; sorry, that was just my knee-jerk reaction.. i respect everyone’s opinions, esp. about music.. what i meant to say was that i was a little put off by the lack of analysis touching on em’s SKILL and how the album was put together, because from an objective (i think) point of view, this album is extremely polished.. the sequencing/cohesiveness is really a rarity in a lot of hip hop albums these days and em’s skill the star of this album even if you don’t enjoy listening to it…
and chris, i’d like to clarify… i said that this album is not a relapse to em’s former self so much as it’s an evolution regarding em’s technique and attention to detail… and even though it’s not what i was getting at at first, i will go so far as to say that he did raise the bar for MCing in general.. he’s rapping the same way in a sense… but he’s MCing is light years ahead of what it was (and he was pretty damn good from the beginning).. for other rappers that are students of hip hop and want to be considered as among the best, there’s a new bar… and em set it high.. he doesn’t take a single verse off on the entire album… he’s going the extra mile with adding syllables.. he’s tightening up his flows and adding more rhymes where he wouldn’t before and they weave together so much more intricately.. he’s so much more coherent and vivid, too.. i can completely understand if ppl hate the subject matter and because of that, don’t enjoy the album.. but you really can’t ignore his skill level on this album.. that’s all i’m trying to say…
Chris you are totally wrong here, this album is unreal, its the most exciting thing I’ve heard in ages. Its like the Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LPs only a bit rougher. This is going to cause so much shit, if Bill O Reily already took him up on the tiny dig at Palin I cant even imagine whats gonna happen when its offically released. I totally agree with Bens point, its an album for the fans, the eminem show and encore were the softess shit I ever heard. I’ve been like giving him a chance until now that maybe he could change from that kinda shite back to his old way and he totally has. I think if you don’t like the album you dont like em and you were never gonna give it a chance. It is pretty rough alrite, and I dont know how 3am is gonna get radio play but fuck it. Hey and is he just jokin about being molested?
This is the best album of his career ,,,, People,,,, It is…. Think Harder about it… Its Perfect… the return of Eminem And Slim Shady
you guys dont see what hes doing ? its just like the shady LP theres 2 albums remember you can tell the last couple songs are serious em songs the 2 cd’s are one long story he even said they go 2gather so im guessing if he ended serious hes gonna stay on that course the 2nd album plus him and 50 made a couple tracks so 50’s cd will be a bridge for both those albums trust me
its just like shady Lp and marshall Lp hes doinn it like that
After listening to this album *at least* 4 times, it’s one of his finest works lyrically and conceptually. The content is on point, what are you gripping about? The whole concept of the album is his torturous journey through his demonic thoughts fueled by chemical addiction. Start to finish, a great piece of work. There are a couple commercial fillers, which are to be expected. But leaving those as the exception, this is an amazing album.
The album is great. He isnt confused on who he is, he is going back to his roots that made him one of the greatest lyricist of all time: Slim Shady. That is what made him, and that is what he is going back to. And he did that successfully.
He does talk about his problems on the album with “Deja Vu” and “Beautiful”. He never has whole albums that are all serious and relfective. Well, Eminem Show was the closest to that, but yet not considered his best album.
Its not that the album is incosistent, because it is not. It is that the album has diversity, its unique. It is Slim at his shadiest. It has everything a fan could want. It has funny, crazy, phsyco, lyrical, serious, and reflective songs. The accent shouldnt bother people because it doesnt affect his lyrics and he has rapped with an accent before, just not to this extent, and it adds comical effect to songs and makes the rhyming alot better.
This album proves that eminem is still the king of hip hop and is coming back to take over and show these stupid mainstream soulja boy and lil wayne fans what great lyricism is (even though im not a lil wayne hater, i do like him as a rapper just not as an mc or a lyricist).
5 best songs: 3 am, insane, deja vu, beautiful, underground.
First off note that I am not much of a fan of most rap. I liked most of Em’s old stuff but I didn’t think latest stuff was so horrible, just not quite on the level of old stuff. I enjoy pretty much all kinds of music, so I don’t really approach this as a rap connoisseur but as another human being:
ok first off I’d like to say this is one of the best albums I have heard ever. Also I think We Made You and Crack a Bottle are so terrible that it would be better had they not been made just because the process of skipping them takes away from the flow of the rest of the album.
But I think people are trying to look way too far into it while not looking far enough into it at times. It’s not a horror story, he hasn’t engineered it to try to create a theme other than simply himself. This album gives us a very good glimpse of what Marshall Mathers’ life has been like and his inner thoughts. Although I am slightly put off by all the sex/drugs references, realize that this is a large part of his life and that he is trying to convey this through his music. The thing that has always impressed me about Eminem has been his ability to be completely honest while still being one of the most talented lyricists in the world. Just the flow and the beat combined with some of the best stories. In an industry where most rappers are spending their entire albums talking about how rich they are, how many weapons they have, and how hard they are, Eminem is able to get personal and act almost like an adult among kids, which I realize is ironic from someone with lyrics that have the kind of shock factor that his does.
But it’s true, see Toy Soldiers, Yellow Brick Road, Cleaning Out My Closet, Mockingbird, etc. On that note, Beautiful is one of the best songs I have heard in quite a while. I just feel like I can relate so much to it and I think almost everyone can. And that’s the skill behind it. Despite how many of us haven’t killed all these people, done all these drugs, or any of the other horrible things he is rapping about, he has a way of just making it so I just feel like I can relate to almost everything he’s saying. He does a very good job of conveying his thoughts through his lyrics. He doesn’t know who he is, and who here does? Em doesn’t have a monopoly on this style, but he does it the best. I think anyone who thinks he is shocking simply just to do it are missing the larger message. He’s allowing us into his inner-most thoughts. These thoughts are raw and not all pleasant. He even mentions this on The Real Slim Shady where he talks about how he raps and makes public what other people only dare to talk about in their living room. It just makes you feel more comfortable with him. There’s no boundary he won’t cross, thus he’s not leaving anything back. He says what he thinks, even if it’s dissing dead people even people murdered at Columbine. When I listen to what I feel his best music is, I just feel like I know him so well and can relate to so much of the stuff he’s saying. He’s literally putting so much of himself on the track, and that’s the essence of what I believe rap really should be. He’s not pretending to be 100% mentally stable. He’s not claiming to know who he is. He’s all over the place, and the name of the album, the story, and the tracks/skits make it clear.
The author of this review seems to think that a rapper has to choose a style, stick to a theme, like it’s a high school essay. He’s not trying to convey a specific message or moral. He’s allowing us to journey through his life with him and he lets us know that life doesn’t go as planned. Life is a rocky journey and this album isn’t aimed at the person who has a perfect life, it’s aimed at those who like him have a messed up life, have everyday problems, and he explores them. He doesn’t reach a resolution, he doesn’t try to tell you how to live life, and that’s what I love about him, and what I believe most people love about him. If you want someone to tell you the meaning of life and how to live your life, go to a church. If you want someone to let you know how fucked up life is, explore it for a bit with you, and stir up some ideas in your brain, pick up Relapse, because it accomplishes this goal to perfection but also includes some of the best beats and sickest rhymes I’ve heard in quite a while. I give it a 9/10 only not a 10 because of the throwaways We Made You and Crack a Bottle. I don’t usually download leaked stuff but I’m leaving on a trip and wanted some new music to listen to in the car. When I get back and the album’s officially released, maybe I’ll pick up 2 copies, just because I feel a bit guilty getting it early and I really want it to succeed. Cannot wait for his next album.
This is a response to Chris’s comment. First of all, don’t say this whole album is garbage. You are saying this album is genuinely trash, no matter what way you look at it. You are expressing an opinion, but you are making it out for us to believe that it just all around sucks. When it doesn’t, that’s his style. It’s been in all of his albums, many of them considered to be some of the best albums ever written.
Eminem writes crazy lyrics like that all the time. His goal for that is to get you imagining what he is saying in your mind, which he does VERY well. That’s lyricism. He is constantly coming up with new, and exciting things to say, his lyrics are a lot more creative than let’s say, Lil Wayne, or somebody similar to that.
His lyricism, and flow, alone make this album great.
G..to be honest i couldnt agree with you more..this album is a joruney
I also downloaded the album and feel bad about that..but like I always do, i went on google searching for reviews..its not because i cant tell what i think about the album, but more because i just wanted to know what other people think about it.
I completely agree with the review in the sense that the album is bipolar, but i have to also agree with all of the comments saying that Em KNOWS thats who he is, and who he has become. he is a depraved, crazy, funny, sad, happy father, who occasionally thinks about rape, murder, suicide, and all of the other fucked up things that everyone else doesnt have the balls to say..best said by Em himself on criminal “yall dont have the balls to say it/I dont gotta be false or sugar coated at all..shit half the shit i say, i say it just to make you mad/so if its not a rapper that i make it as, ima be a fuckin racist in a jason mask”
i am a self professed Eminem fan.. i grew up on the dude, and hes right.when im having a shitty day, I put his music on. when i want to rap along to some lyrics I put it on..point is that i can put on some Em ANY time of day..hes that rapper to me.
the album is a story, and who honestly GIVES A FUCK about the voice..thats people trying as hard as they can to find a fucking reason to hate Eminem..why dont we focus on the fact that hes been gone for 5 years?Or that hes DEVELOPED as an artist.
everyone is entitled to their own opinions..but i personally LOVE the album..its no pop bullshit that you get addicted to at first listen..however,this shit will resonate in your head. the melodies and beats eventually just get stuck in your head and you will find yourself humming “bagpipes from baghdad” (a personal favorite) or the comedic and dark (VINAGE EM) “my mom”..but not because they are radio-friendy catchy..because they are music, because the lyrics are deep..
because its Eminem.and anyone who says this album isnt “Eminem”..must be smoking the crack that Em used to rap about.
Alright, so when Crack A Bottle came out, I was a little dissapointed. Then We Made You came out, and I was quickly losing hope. I wrote that song off as another joke song that he always releases first (like Real Slim Shady, etc) but at least those songs on the other albums were good. We Made You is pretty much garbage.
Then 3 A.M. came out, and I was like what’s with this accent again? Doesn’t he realize people don’t like it. But then I listened to the song again and noticed the lyrical genius. It’s ridiculous and then you realize the voice is perfect for the song. Old Time’s Sake was just “eh” and I actually liked Dre’s verses better.
But then the album came out, and I was siked when I heard the intro. I was happy that Insane had no accent, but then was dissapointed by the flow and lyrical content. My Mom is alright, it’s growing on me. I don’t like Bagpipes From Baghdad at all really. Hello was the best new song I had heard thus far, and I actually like the skit and Same Song & Dance. It seems like people don’t like it, but it’s one of the better songs in my opinion. Medicine Ball is alright, but the real gem is Stay Wide Awake. How can people not appreciate this song? It’s lyrical genius. It’s catchy as shit and the hook is amazing. Next up was Must Be the Ganja, which I liked at first but is slowly fading away. The next two songs are pure genius as well. Deja Vu and Beautiful are definitely some of the top songs on the album. And Underground is good, but the beat kills it. It’s awkward and doesn’t flow very well. Still one of the better songs.
What I don’t like is that the album has no theme and is very random. Going from sad to accent to bashing to funny, etc. And I realized he’s just not that angry kid any more that made those great songs in the past. Luckily, songs like 3 A.M., Deja Vu, Beautiful, Stay Wide Awake, and Underground make this album worth listening to. Those songs are gonna be classics. And I would say any given song on this album is better than any given song on Encore, save Like Toy Soldiers(which is SO good). I got behind this album a lot more than Encore, but it’s not up to par with The Enimem Show. That album will always be the best (unless Relapse 2 delivers). But this shit is better than I expected after hearing We Made You, so I’m pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to Relapse 2 more than ever now.
I think the reviewer was pretty much spot on.
Eminem is obviously a lot more chilled out than his COKE sniffing ECSTASY popping DRINK binging and WEED smoking days from back in 1998-2003 days. From what I hear he is now a HEALTH freak after comming out of Rehab. So he’s a lot more chilled out.
So I was hoping for some brutally honest lyrics and deep songs ( like SSLP MMLP say goodbye hollywood, evil deeds ) on RELAPSE about his best friends death etc but barring DEJAVU and a few other rhymes this album isnt.
It Seems a little forced. Trying to come across a bit crazy when he really isnt – almost as if he feels the formula for the 1st 2 albums is the way to be BACK AT THE TOP OF THE GAME (who can blame hime them albums are probably 2 of the best hip hop albums ever)
So ya dont get a real insight into the man behind the mic.
EG- steve berman and ken kanniff skits are back. and the Underground intro.
Instead of writing how EMINEM feels, Hes written what he thinks people wanna hear
I have a feeling instead of just releasing 1 dope album it seems he has decided to split the best tracks over two albums so his FANS can hear the other tracks that sound OK but probably wouldnt make the cut if it was only 1 album he was releasing.
Underground sounds like it was made in 2001. if his voice n flow was like that over the whole album. he’d have another classic. but this is not
regardless of what most people have to say about the album. It truly is a step in the right direction over encore. The album is spot on with the feelings that go along with addiction and the thoughts that enter ones head when battling demons. Slim Shady persona is truly creepy and amazing on this album, some dislike his accent but it enhances the creepy vibe ten fold, its almost like listening to a horror movie unfold. It also contains possibly the best song he’s ever done ” stay wide awake ” which lyrically can’t be touched by anything in the game today. Truly something different from the bling bling b.s. that consumes the radio. Top notch stuff.
This is a great album!there are many EM fans here who have listened to him since he was underground and thats me so for anyone to say he is not the same of course he isnt the same rapper he evolved he has changed for the course of his life!Its like an athlete he comes in has to adjust to the PROFESSIONAL level and then makes a stride hitting hit prime and the decline when he gets older Eminem to me is the BEST RAPPER ALIVE not lil wayne as he claims he is the best with his flow his words from his early works i love relaspe from top to bottom i been listening to it for 2 weeks straight!For all the real EM fans we love this album more since its been so long the wait was well worth every second!
If you like the album then good, listen to it, and enjoy. If you don’t like it then don’t. I feel that reviews are nothing more than personal opinions try to discourage or encourage people. personally i like relapse.
I did not even read the article but, I must say that it is hard for me to believe that there are people that get mad or say they dont like something because of a change in voice. This album is about words and the way the lyrics are put together. I can understand people not liking his voice change. But this is a legend we are talking about. I think that if you have not heard the whole album that you need to and pay attention to the words. There is a lot of emotion in some of the songs and the others are just him being him. I have the album and he does not keep his voice that way on the whole c.d. It is just something that he does in a select few of the tracks. Some of you whom have left these comments are not fans of Eminem, I understand that. But it is disrespectfull to talk down on him because of he has done something that every other rapper is doing and made it better. I mean look at lil wayne he did not just switch his voice he changed his music all together. So before you try to say that this is not a great album i suggest you listen to the lyrics and keep an open mind about the change in voice on some of the songs. Then you will see that this album is one of the best that the music industry has to offer.
realtalk one of the best albums in the past 5 yrs!dr dre is like that woman that you love but you know shes no good for you and when shes away youre like screw her i dont need her but when she comes back you melt all over again!his beats and ems lyricism is what the game needed lil wayne is nowhere near the greatest rapper alive,t.i.,jeezy,slim thug,e 40, these second and third rate artists have finally been put in their place!bring back the realness thanks em!
im not hardly gonna take the time to argue with anyone about how they feel about the album. personally im just glad hes back, i dont care if hes singin country music, hes still lyrically breath taking. but if you ever get a chance take a listen to “My Darling” and “Careful What You Wish For”. you want a preview for relapse 2? those songs alone are enough to reel any real Em fan right back in.
excelent review, excellent album. On the first listen i was dissapointed, but just listen afew more times, and you can see how in insane and My Mom we can see how his character in hte album (rapist and drug addict) are so closely related to his family figures “because im my mom” shows his drug addict links with his mother, and hte ambiguity between talking about himself “hey that shady dog, he’s fucking crazy” and his step dad in “insane” merges his character and his step-dads, making the character derivations more explicit. classic lines such as “never thought i’d remind me so much of my mama” support this.
i think there is a lot like this below hte lyrics, and the lyrics are damn good, i.e. same song and dance has alot
This album really is a good one, but it’s not done as a simple hip-hop/rap album. I’m in agreement with jdiesel and others; this album is a concept album–it’s a lyrical horror show. This is Slim Shady, for sure, as most of the album is told from the depths of the mind of an insane and dark persona. This album is more Slim Shady than that of even the Slim Shady LP. It’s not for everyone, but this album was made for the fans.
This review wasn’t wrong, but I don’t think it was right either, it all depends on the viewpoint one takes when listening to it.
First thing I noticed is the amount of opposing comments on here, some guys think its great, others think it sucks. I think some tracks suck and others are great and depending on my mood, I may change my opinion. Guess what, thats the thing guys, he is contraversial, thats what he’s about, havent you listened to his other albbums. I love Em. The only thing I dont get about this album is the lyrics about his dad raping him? whats that about?
This album is pretty good. Alot of songs that get a passing grade. I do have a couple problems with it however, here they are;
1) The accent he uses throughout the album, I have no idea where he came with that, but this album would be far better if he was rapping in his real voice. Take any given song (medicine ball for example), if he used a reasonable it would be far better. Eminem has proven he was amazing word play, and can still spit some sick verses, but overall, if there was no accent this album would be twice as good.
2) Eminem is known for addressing serious issues and attacking everyone who doubts him, I feel like after a 5 year hiatus, there was more for him to rap about than ever. On Relapse however, there are very few serious tracks. De Ja Vu and Beautiful are the only songs with any high quality subject matter. It seems like every other song is just about rape, murder, christopher reeves, celebrities, and pills. There were alot of things Em could have talked about on this record, but instead its silly song after silly song.
Overall I enjoy the album, but I dont think it’s a classic, or a particularly epic record. I would call Relapse ‘pretty good’. It could have been alot better for a 5 year comeback, but it is definately a decent album.
This alblum is good, I did need to listen a few times to realize though. All of his alblums need a chance to grow on you. Encore will never grow on me. As far as lyrics go, he is by far the BEST lyracist ever, this alblum just made me more sure of that. While everyone else is rhyming words em is rhyming every sylabble.
Eminem is a true 100% legend and still will be in my eyes/mind.
I think very album he has done are excellent and this new one is brillant.When I first listen to the new album it took me into a world i could be in for along time its breath taking.Why do you people say he uses an accent its called studio sound thats what makes is voice change I have not heard is voice or accent change one bit. All the songs are good he is good.
Lets see if any of you haters can do any better lets listen to some of your music …………..lol. No didn`t think so..
Probably most of you are Mc`ers mc ing to another peoples music which is not your own a bunch of fakes. I would love to listen to what you can do. See if you can get the best producer dr dre to record some of your stuff? Thats not music or rap or what ever you call shit like that. Stop taking the piss.
Relapse doesnt suck its not as good as mmlp or sslp and em show
but it still blew me away almost all the tracks are good and who cares if he uses an accent it dont matter if its lyrically amazing
the best tracks my mom,3am,deja vu,beatiful,stay wid awake,underground,medicine ball,same song and dance and encores not that bad either just not as good as the others mish and toy soldiers are two of his best songs
i’ve seen reviews sayin em is 2 hard 2 get. eminem has stepped up the game in 2009 becuase of this album lyrically he sounds like his first 2 albums (not infinite)no wonder 50 let em go first the album is unreal the beats r class apart from a few beats that sound more like they should be in detox rather than relapse also remeber eminem is bring out a second album in decemebr. i have 2 say i seen all 3 characters of eminem,marshall,and slim which in my opinion he had 2 do 4 a return album, he stuck on the album subject RELAPSE and used all 3 personas
i love the album and look forward 2 his next i believe he hasnt fallen of more like come back he shocked everyone.
btw the voice is a change if your their for their voice and not their lyrics yy listen the voice is a added bonus.
and i seen a comment about not being serious and that he really only rapped about one thing which is true but that was the point em went through relapse 4 5 yrs thaz his point.
i bet his next album will focuz more on proof, and watz goin on war,obama etc but still have tha crazyness 2 it
finally remebr eminemz charcter hez known in my opinion 4 tha sort of material i wud rate it 8 or 9 outta 10 becuase 3 of the tracks were a little out of place but were still good.
can i just say if kanye west and even the ledgend DMX say itz an amzaing album then itz gd these guys no wat their talkin about
I just wanted to say that Relapse is the best rap album of the last 5-6 years without a doubt. I think it is the best produced album of his career (which it should be since dre practically did the whole cd) i also think that its his 2nd best album behind MMLP way better than encore, eminem show, infinite, and just a little better than SSLP (only because of the production) anyone who doesnt like this album either doesnt like eminem or became a fan of his around his 8 mile days and therefore arent true eminem fans. He is the best lyricist alive today and his content is crazy. And for people who say there wasnt enough serious songs there was enough for me i would rather hear the crazy/drug/murder stories anyday cause hes amazing at that.If you dont like relapse go buy florida or gucci or soulja boy cause you obviously dont know what rap should be like.
TOP 5 SONGS- Stay wide awake,Same song and dance,3am,underground,and beautiful
lol @ the review….DO YOU WHAT RAP IS…i bet you and your white girl friend vibe to soulja boy’s shit….THIS IS REAL RAP..RELAPSE….SO DARK AND DISTURBING..AND RELAPSE 2 IS PERSONAL AND LIKE MARSHALL MATHERS LP
jdiesel – I completely agree with you..Noone knows what a clever rapper he is. His freestyle most of them dont understand but once they get that shit into thier heads then iam sure there will no hesitation to accept the fact that Em is god in this game right now. No one can even come close to his kinnda lyrics and they way puts it across…the vocabulary talent is too much…3am, beautiful, underground, Dejavu and old time sake. uuff. this man is a legend truely…
It’s a good album..