Written by Mike Dreams (Michael A. Hannah)
So, after a long hiatus from doing album reviews, I’m back on my writing grind. It’s only right that I make my reviewing comeback be on the new project by the legendary artist making his as well…let’s talk about Mr. Marshall Mathers’ long awaited and anticipated studio album in 4 years, tentatively titled “Relapse”.
The album begins with a very thematic skit called Dr. West. It begins ever so cleverly with Eminem getting ready to be discharged from rehab. The only awkward thing is…he seems more aware what he has to do to stay on the right track than the doctor does. Saying things like “take a drink to take the edge off” and what not are the complete opposite commands of advice that would help Em stay clean. By the end of the skit, it’s revealed that this might just be Eminem’s downfall in front of his face. Who’s to say if it was the actual doctor or just some inner torment type ish…either way, it made for a great dramatic introduction to the album.
We move onto the horror-core, psychopathic sound sight that is “3AM”. The song has superb production and a classic style flow (that may be new to some new Eminem listeners) of his psychopathic alter-ego as he tells the story of his adventure in rehab land on a late night/early morning killing spree hopped up on a pill cocktail, “feeling himself” to reruns of Miley Cyrus’s alter ego television series. This was a song that I first heard when it was released that I thought was quite sub par. It definitely grew on me as I see how Eminem begins to put together a project that is sonically equivalent to a motion picture.
The third track of the album goes by the title of “My Mom”, a subject matter that we know all too well from Em. Eminem goes in with a comical approach to an absolutely shocking story (if it was anyone else) about how his mom laced his food and other things with Valium as a kid and how the reason he’s in the addiction predicament he is now is because of her ways. It was a very creative, crazy/introspective joint from Em. Some would call this classic Eminem.
Moving on to the next song, I had to pause and say “Wow…I’ve never said “too much information” to a rapper on a song…but if I ever met Eminem, I might have to say that to him based on the first verse he spit on the self-explanatory titled track “Insane”. Em speaks about being raped by his stepfather with some pun-intended “insane” storytelling about the skeletons that reside in his closet. I was definitely caught off guard by this one, even for Eminem. The extremely graphic, preference -based repulsive and borderline homosexual content of the song was one of those joints that makes you be scream “TURN THAT OFF” and then as someone is going to push the button, you say “Wait…hold up for a sec”. Nobody else but Eminem can make that happen.
Bagpipes From Baghdad’s production was off the chains right as it came in and the accent was actual real cool here. I personal read Nick Cannon’s fumy rant on his blog about this very song and how he felt disrespected. I definitely was on Nick’s side because what he was saying was right-Em was disrespectful. But then…as I was listening…I realized, WHEN HAS EMINEM EVER ACTUALLY BEEN RESPECTFUL?! LOL. Overall, I thought it was a pretty petty topic to rap about, but Eminem heads will write that off their conscience as they cosign the quality of the production and the precision and creative delivery from Mr. Slim Shady.
Hello was already awkward placed due to the fact that it was the 6th track on the album rather than the first in which the title would suit. This song was very mediocre to me. I just realized that Eminem has sort of ran out of content of actual serious contemplation and was just relying on the unique delivery and obvious obnoxious rancidness. This was a very forgettable song on the album.
Following the unmemorable song was an awesomely mixed theatrical skit called “Tonya”, which apparently was “Psycho Slim” kidnapping this stupid female hitch hiker. Why is she stupid? What respectable, SMART female gets into some random truck/car with some random guy at night during a rainy day? Nuff said. This led to Em’s hopefully fictional storytelling skills about kidnapping females such as Tonya, and torturing and killing them, letting em’ know it’s going to be their last “Same Song and Dance”. Overall, the eerie, psychopathic creativity in the song was undeniable. The eye for detail was also very keen in this track (the school girl referring to Britney Spears, who wore that outfit in her debut video “Baby One More Time”).
We Made You, a single that I originally disliked eventually grew on me and fit nicely within the album’s flow. There’s not much to say about that. I just kicked back and listened to all the words I already knew.
Medicine Ball was a continuance of randomness about homosexuals and fascination with rectums and stuff. It was almost laughable and annoying at the same time. Based on the hook, I derived the actual reasoning for the album. This is supposed to be the new version of “The Slim Shady LP” when he entered the game, upset SO MANY PEOPLE and shocked the world with well “SHOCK VALUE”.
Do you think it’s working?
Sidebar: The hook reminded me of the kid’s Halloween song “Monster Mash” for some apparent reason. Weird.
The Paul Skit is some simply classic ish! SPAZZ OUT PAUL! SPAZZ OUT!
We move into a joint called “Stay Wide Awake”. The production contains a dark and spacey type vibe to it. This, in my perception of it is like a Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon” track if he was a weird, white man who was tormented demons and had a vivid imagination affected by his drug addiction while walking in a dark forest at 3AM partially worshiping the devil and maybe Darth Vader. It was an interesting joint, but it didn’t keep my attention.
Old Times Sakes was a decent cut. Dre had laid back flow and Em did EXACTLY WHAT HE DID THE ENTIRE ALBUM. It’s definitely not a classic joint, but not a bad one to listen to in the background while doing something like maybe downloading the new Drake mixtape or something, wondering when this album will be over.
Must Be The Ganja contained a weird production and by this time…I became completely uninterested in Eminem’s new music at all anymore. Maybe you could bill that to the fact that I don’t smoke weed…but I can respect artistic expression and flow…but I just became very bored of the guy I called (or maybe after this, used to call) the greatest rapper of all time.
UNTIL
I listened to “Beautiful” and “Underground”, which might be the closest we get back to classic Eminem that moved the world less than a decade ago. I commend his effort for a conceptual album…but I just wasn’t moved by the album as a whole. As a long time fan, I hope his next album (if he decides to do another one), I hope it sounds like track 17 and track 20 of this album.
3 out of 5 stars. It’s not a classic, but it’s better than lots of albums out now…so it chills in the middle.
The hope for homey hasn’t died…we just need a better album than this. I know it’s in him.
