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EMINEM’s RELAPSE – REVIEWED
I waited so long to review this album because getting past first impressions is important before reviewing an entire album. I’ve listened to Relapse in its entirety over 10 times, and here’s my review:
Eminem’s first album in 5 years is on pace to set a 2009 sales record, and it’s his fifth #1 album in a row. With over 33 million albums sold (and counting), Eminem is the top-selling hip-hop artist of all time. In this case, album sales match talent as Eminem is the greatest solo rapper of all time.
Relapse is a dark look into Marshall Mathers previous 5 years of drug addiction and seclusion. It’s the first of two records, with Relapse 2 being released later this year.
This is an album full of new and old-school Eminem. On some tracks, he has digressed, on others, we are seeing a 5-year progression and maturity. Collectively, Relapse is not Marshall’s best work ever, but some of the tracks stand out as some of the grittiest and from-the-heart songs he has ever released.
I can remember when I purchased Em’s first record, The Slim Shady LP, back in the summer of ‘99. Ten years ago, Marshall Mathers was a nobody destined for greatness. Now a decade and millions of dollars later, he’s still got a chip on his shoulder and hasn’t shied away from what made him a super star: unforgiving lyrics.
Here’s a review of the album song-by-song. Each song is rated out of five – One (1) being the worst songs on the album, Five (5) being the best songs on the album:
1. Dr. West (skit)
[5/5] Great way to open the album. Marshall is visiting his psychiatrist to talk to him about his sobriety. We must assume it’s a dream because the doc turns out to start tempting him to drink to “take the edge off”.
2. 3 a.m.
[4/5] This song took a long time to grow on me, and I am happy that it did. It turns out that this song is the best opener for a gritty album.
3. My Mom
[4/5] A funny song about Em’s mom turning him into a drug addict when he was a child. First signs on the record that he was definitely addicted to Valium. “Valium was in everything, food that I ate, the water that I drank, fucking peas on my plate – she sprinkled just enough of it to season my steak.”
4. Insane
[5/5] This is a song you’d want to listen to in the privacy of your own headphones. I’d feel awkward listening to this on speakers in my own apartment. That’s if you can get past the content, and realize that it’s a great hip-hop song. Eminem changes his voice for the 2nd verse – a voice that I’ve never heard him do before. When I first heard it, I couldn’t even tell it was him. It’s one of the best verses he’s ever done.
5. Bagpipes from Baghdad
[1/5] The beat for this song is annoying. You know how in iTunes you can click that little box next to the song name, and when you are playing an album it will skip over that song? That’s what I’ve done with this one. It’s just monotonous.
6. Hello
[3/5] This is an average effort from Eminem. The lyrics and delivery outshine the beat. It’s a song that I won’t skip over on the album, but I won’t necessarily skip right to it either.
7. Tonya (skit)
[4/5] Listening to a Marshall Mathers record can sometimes feel like watching a horror movie, and this skit is proof. He kidnaps a woman, and sets up the next song…
8. Same Song & Dance
[4/5] At first listen, I didn’t think I would like this song at all. He raps with some weird accent, and much differently that the rest of the record. It’s slowly become one of my favorite songs. I’ve found myself picking this one out, and have listened to it more than a lot of the others.
9. We Made You
[3/5] We’ve all heard this one: the obligatory, satirical Eminem track that we’ve all come to expect. I like it, but don’t love it. It fits in nicely between the more serious songs of this album.
10. Medicine Ball
[1/5] I really dislike this song. I sometimes wonder how someone so great can create such a shitty song. Next.
11. Paul (skit)
[3/5] Not bad.
12. Stay Wide Awake
[4/5] Great beat and a Star Wars reference. The hook is infectious. One of the best on the album.
13. Old Time’s Sake (featuring Dr. Dre)
[5/5] You gotta love when Dre lends a verse or two to an Eminem song. It’s rare that when these two rap on a song that turns out bad. The 2nd Dre verse is badass: “Now where’s the smoke there’s fire, where there’s fire there’s flame, where there’s flames there’s chronic either you high or you ain’t.”
14. Must Be the Ganja
[1/5] I can’t think of anything about this song that I like. He was obviously too high when writing/recording/producing this song. It’s terrible.
15. Mr. Mathers (skit)
[3/5] I don’t know if this happened or not, but this skit involves paramedics finding him passed out at his house on a drug overdose and taking him out on a stretcher. The skit pours over into the intro of the next song.
16. Deja vu
[5/5] One of my favorite songs on the album. Old school Eminem fans will appreciate this track.
17. Beautiful
[5/5] The first time I heard this song I was blown away, and nothing has changed. This is one of my favorite Eminem songs, and easily one of the best songs recorded in the last 5 years. It’s 6 minutes and 33 seconds of flawless hip-hop. You must buy this song.
18. Crack a Bottle
[4/5] It’s been out a while now. I first posted it back in February. Great hook.
19. Steve Berman (skit)
[3/5]
20. Underground
[5/5] The second best song on the album. It’s pretty epic. The beat is phenomenal. A must buy.
So where does Relapse fall on the best Eminem albums list?
1. The Marshall Mathers LP
2. The Slim Shady LP
3. The Eminem Show
4. Relapse
5. Encore
Where has Eminem been the last 5 years? He went back to high school, of course. Check out this video promo he did for the 2009 MTV Movie Awards:
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