Eminem Album: “Relapse [Clean]”

An album like Encore would have destroyed any other rapper. Em has what it takes to get past it though. That said, I was still worried about how good Relapse was going to be as soon as I heard that it was actually coming out.

After the Marshall Mathers LP I never thought I would say this again, but this is by far the darkest album Eminem has ever put out. Almost every song has something to do with rape, murder or incest. By the time I got half-way through the album it was getting really old and kind of had me wondering if this guy should have ever left rehab.

Once it got to "Old Time's Sake" though, things started picking up again. I was actually feeling the songs a little bit. I was actually smiling by the end of it. The last four tracks are fantastic (not including the skit) and made me realize that he's gone through a lot the last few years and that's probably got a lot to do with how dark the first half is.

I think he had to get this album off his chest. It's nowhere near his best, but a lot has happened since the Eminem Show (first of all Encore, and then all his drug issues and probably some other stuff too) so you can't expect him to just pop out another classic like it's no big thing. This is a necessary step to him coming back, and even though it wasn't great, it ended well enough to where I'm convinced Relapse 2 is going to be some of his best work. If you haven't got it yet, don't buy the whole thing, just get a few tracks off of it. I recommend Bagpipes from Baghdad, My Mom, and Old Time's Sake and every song after it. Don't prove me wrong Em, I'm willing to look past this and Encore if Relapse 2 is going to be as good as I think it is.

*Oh and please, if you're going to vote or comment on this review, why don't you go back and listen to any of his albums before Encore and then listen to this. I'm not a fanboy or a hater. I just call them like I see them. Just read the above if you want to know what I think about this album, and keep your fanboy/hater garbage off my review. I'm here to seriously talk about music.

This takes me back to the days when I first heard The Slim Shady LP. I remember how off-the-wall it was and the way it felt like a breath of fresh air. If you can remove the memories of past albums from your mind and listen to this as if it's your first time hearing Eminem, it's almost like you can relive it.

When I first heard Stay Wide Awake, it reminded me of the feeling I got after Role Model made its way through my speakers. It was just different and gripping. The cadence on this track is powerful. The beat is in a death-grip that isn't released until it has been drained when the third and final verse comes to a close.

These are the kind of records that will keep me checking for future releases. They keep me wondering how Relapse 2 will turn out. It's like the result of watching too many late night horror flicks. The way that Wu Tang was influence by those old Kung-Fu screenings. You got the beats/samples along with the themes/lyrics. It's the same concept with a slasher twist. It isn't just the words, it's the music as a whole. Even the skits are dark.

It's good to have Shady back in an actual experience to take you through, instead of just an alter ego to exploit.

The year of 2009 seems to have reversed the trend of sloppy music which characterized the last three of four years of hip hop. Jadakiss and Rick Ross both released solid(if somewhat uninspired) albums. Following on the heels of these releases, Eminem's "Relapse" seems surprisingly risky. There are no catchy singles on the album which compare to the rapper's previous chart-scaling efforts, just solid hip hop throughout. More importantly, Relapse represents the rapper attempting to come to terms with his tumultuous personal life--Proof's death, his daughter and mother, all leave their imprint on this album.

Let's just say I was disappointed with Eminem's previous album, Encore, and was forced to wait far too long for something special, new. Finally it's here. And I couldn't be happier.

For any who were wondering, the old Slim Shady is back. Some of the nastiest, angriest lyrics I've ever heard are here.

Kicking off the album, a disturbing intro, "Mr. West", and to be honest it really suits this CD well. Marshall must have had some serious problems to overcome to make this. Anger oozes from every crevice of this CD.

Dr Dre's influence can really be heard in the beats throughout this album. They're reminiscent of his "2001" album, especially on tracks "My Mom", "Old time's sake", and "Must be ganja".

"Bagpipes from Baghdad" has a completely new sound, and yeah, it's exactly what you think.

The last track, "The Underground", sounds like Eminem's rapping to Nightwish, lol. This track may not be for everyone, but I'm really diggin' it.

Overall, my favorites are My Mom, Hello, Same song and dance, Old Time's Sake, and Underground. This is Shady's old gambit come back to life of drugs, sex, and anger set to some of the hottest beats around.

The people who gave it one star is b/c they probably only listened to crack a bottle or they only listened to the album once. The album growns on you. Actually take time to listen to it.

Best Songs

"Medicine Ball"

"Beautiful"

"Underground"

"Hello"

"Insane"

"Bagpipes from Baghdad"