Highly anticipated 2009 album from one of the most successful Rap artists in history. He’s sold more albums than most Rock and Pop superstars. He’s a Grammy winner. He’s an Oscar winner. He’s been on the cover of practically every music magazine since his debut album dropped in 1999. Now, 10 years after The Slim Shady LP, Eminem marks his 10th anniversary as a Hip Hop hurricane with Relapse, yet another skillful collaboration with Dr. Dre. Features the single ‘Crack A Bottle’ (whi [Read More...]
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
1.0 out of 5 stars
I counted 69 F-Bombs; 122 S-Words; 48 MoFos; 383 A-Holes; and 288 SoBs!!! Everyone, Quick!!!! Shield Your Kids From Eminem!!!!!!
He’s ba-ack! That Impresario of Violence Towards Women and G*ys, that Glorifier of the most Profane and Obscene Lyricizing is ba-ack! Can I get a proverbial “Raise the roof!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly Eminem’s best album
I really didnt like this on first listen but many listens later Ive come to realise that this could be Eminem’s best album.
Okay, here we go with draft #101 of my ever-evolving review of this endlessly enjoyable album. Yep, that’s right. Endlessly enjoyable. Sorry to disappoint kind readers who gave me points for feeling an internal struggle over this album in previous drafts, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it. Hence my now one-sided review which gives this album two thumbs up. For the principled and faint-hearted, this album will be too nasty to stomach. But the rest of us are in for a treat: tight raps, catchy beats, and hooks. Long-time Eminem fans, who “get” his signature vile sense of humor will know when to laugh and are surely callous now to disturbing tales of rape, murder, drug abuse, profanity, homophobic fantasies, and all-out lascivious. So if you’ve already been converted to the dark side, don’t worry! You can handle it.
First off, this album is not only catchy, it is packed with a rage and ferocity only Eminem can summon, e.g. songs like “8 Mile,” that are bursting with so much intensity they give you goosebumps. That is the vibe (only creepier) of this album and it’s Eminem’s signature sound; no one else does it quite like him. As a songwriter, I know that it is next to impossible to write material that is so striking; in fact, I’ve never achieved it, and that’s why my hat goes off to Eminem. Eminem invested a lot in this album. Deep beneath all the profanity and sensationalism, all the flinging of every taboo in my face, I sensed an artist who just *had* to get it all out, an artist hell bent on expressing himself, freaking the bejesus out of everyone, and doing it all in the most ear-catching way musically possible.
Some people are criticizing this album as mere pandering to a sensation-starved public, but I disagree. The songs are just too potent. If it were mere mass-produced fluff, the material would sound apathetic and be easier to digest, but it isn’t. Eminem keeps you guessing. It sometimes sounds like he’s rapping for the masses, but more often it sounds like he’s rapping for personal catharsis. Sometimes his raps are alarmingly direct, sometimes camped up and ironic. Lyrics pertaining to the exterior world, (pop culture references and social commentary), are intertwined with twisted, personal tales from deep inside his brain. Misogynistic stories are juxtaposed with statements of concern about his daughter and parenting. Tracks riddled with sleaze, innuendo, and silliness mingle with deep tracks about believing in yourself and finding purpose. At varying points he demands respect, makes fun of himself, or plays the victim. And when he spits a tight rhyme using an incongruently bratty, whiny, juvenile voice . . . yep, that’s what I’m talking about. Who in the heck is this guy? Lesser artists are more transparent; you instantly know what they’re all about. But with Eminem, his persona and tone are constantly in flux. Offensive as it may be, a riveting personality emerges from the madness.
In conclusion, buy this album to be guided by a mesmerizing MC with some of the best chops in the business who will lead you down a dark path you (hopefully) would never find on your own. Eminem is so good at conjuring up all the ugliness in our society that you feel confronted by it, you stare at it straight in the face. The experiencing is kind of jolting, definitely exhilarating. But Eminem’s always been good at that. What I like about this album in particular is that he sounds less bratty going about it. I revisited the Slim Shady LP after listening to Relapse and found it (only slightly) annoying. On Relapse, Eminem tackles the dark tales with more imaginative scope and maturity. Another reviewer, J. Berger, felt that this album was more about “art for art’s sake” and I think that sums it up. Eminem tackles the same old topics here, but the effect is more probing and less whiny. His voice even sounds a little deeper. I love it.
Eminem . . . if you read this . . . don’t you think I maybe deserve an autographed Relapse for working ever so hard on this review and shining a bright light on the strengths of this, your latest and heavily contested album? Why don’t your people call my people, etc. etc.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can listen to the whole album
I got to say that if you listen to the album it tells you there is more to come he has been gone for 4 years. The lyrics are still outta control and very on target.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Meh….mediocre
I expected much more from Em, but I guess he just lost his spark. Encore sucked and this is not much better. Although it is slightly better.
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.
Eminem’s “Relapse” is a rare thing, a hip hop album that dares to both examine personal issues, in this case, drug addiction, while being as creative as possible. As such, we can be stunned with the occasional perversity of his newest work, be it the incest, graphic violence, sexual assault, and Christopher Reeve jokes, each a bit more extreme than the last, at least for the first half of the album. But that’s Eminem’s dark sense of humor at work; none of the graphic elements are meant to be taken seriously, a point I hope people keep in mind.
The amusing skit, “Dr. West” segues beautifully into “3 am”, a lyrically masterful song, where Eminem rhymes at a rapid-fire pace to Dr. Dre’s eerie, horror film-inspired beat. Here we see Eminem’s imagination at work, creating an engrossing story that references his real drug problems using the extended metaphor of Slim Shady’s murder rampage. The majority of the following songs use a similar theme.
“Old Time’s Sake” begins the second, less fictional part of Relapse, with Eminem and Dr. Dre teaming up to enjoy a pleasant smoke together. The track, with a very 90’s-era sounding beat, brings a sort of nostalgia, quite fitting with the reflective elements that make up the end of Relapse. “Deja Vu” is the most brilliant moment of the album, with Eminem detailing a near-fatal drug-fueled crash while simultaneously giving a darkly comedic slant to everything simply by his frank, personal descriptions of everything. “Beautiful” follows, a pleasantly bright spot in the sea of the album’s dark material, with enough optimism to pick up the listener after so many heavy elements. “Underground” ends the album on a seriously strong note, directly addressing the world in a flurry of lyrics that illustrate why Eminem is so respected in his profession to begin with.
I enjoy this album more after each listen. Do yourself a favor and purchase the whole thing. I can’t wait for Relapse 2.
Must Download/Listen:
Deja Vu
Beautiful
3 A.M.
Underground
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably em’s best album
Listeners who take in this album once and quickly dismiss it aren’t doing themselves any favors. Pay attention and you’ll be sucked in and realize this is probably Em’s best…
5.0 out of 5 stars
How can anyone give this album a negative rating?
This is probably one of Em’s strongest albums. HUGE step up from Encore. Anyone who gave this album a review below 3 has only listened to it once or not at all…
1.0 out of 5 stars
Where’s the Beef?
Way too often when an artist comes out with a CD there’s only 2 or 3 songs you really like. That has never been the case with Eminem’s music; it was all good until now…
4.0 out of 5 stars
Shady’s Back and Ready For Business
Five years after his last full solo album of all new material (2004’s “Encore”), Marshall Mathers aka Eminem returns with “Relapse.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whats wrong with you????
The fact that people are giving the a bad review makes me want to grab a knife…
This is one of the most amazing sickest albums..
1.0 out of 5 stars
Fish out of water sounding like career is over sadly on this note.
this album sucked, i like Em but everyone is entitled a flop in there career. Dont reach by saying this is an “artsy” record.