WK5 - Eminem - Relapse (6)

Released: 5/19/09

Label: Aftermath Records

BLURB - Ah yes, the much anticipated, long overdue release by Marshall Mathers. From all accounts thus far, I am supposed to either love or hate this record. Predictably, I kind of fall somewhere in the middle. It really isn't bad, as this is one of the first rap records in a while that has a consistent flow and theme that links every track together. Despite releasing what seemed to be like half of the record as singles in the months leading up to the release, every song seems to fit nicely into the, 'Prescription Drug Abuse / I'm Fucking Crazy' theme that Eminem establishes. However, there is nothing that transcends the rap and hip-hop genre(s) on here...way too much hype. It's a shock-and-awe diary of drug abuse and psychopath behavior. I'll like this record this week and next week, and probably the week after that - but a year from now I'll forget this is on my iPod.

Rating - 6 out of 10

FULL STORY - I've always viewed Eminem as the bearded lady at the carnival. Every year or so when the traveling circus comes to town you see the bearded lady and just wonder about her life. How did this happen? Is it real? You become so intrigued and interested in their tent and want more. Upon realizing that she does indeed have a real beard, it almost validates her life. We could have all seen the bearded lady thirty or forty times in our lives, but it is always shocking and interesting because we don't see it everyday. You ask questions and for the first few weeks after the carnival ends, that's all you think about - but eventually you move on. Take Eminem. His rap is not the rap that is on radio. His lyrics shock us, because we don't regularly (or ever) discuss how we are going to kill our mothers or overdose on valium.

For the early years of his career, Eminem released albums probably every year or two and the public would go nuts. It was then and only then, that we could all go to Best Buy and for $11.99 take part in the Eminem circus. What would he say on the record? What would it sound like? How many times is he going to say fag? Is Eminem's Mom going to file another lawsuit? This is obviously why there was so much hype for 'Relapse.' We've all gotten used to the idea that every year or so, as soon as we get bored with all of the generic rap that floods the market, Eminem comes out of the shadows and throws us a bone. So after almost six years, we are finally seeing the bearded lady.

What I like most about this album is that it is, in fact, an album. There is a theme. There is a goal. Every song fits, and even the dialogues and skits don't throw off the momentum of the disc. On Eminem's first release, 'The Slim Shady LP' there was absolutely no flow. Even though, 'My Name Is' ultimately broke Eminem as an artist...that song was terrible. It was just zany pop culture satire, filled with expletives. So when you juxtapose that to a great song like, 'Guilty Conscience' not only does it further discredit, 'My Name Is' but it also discredits the record as a collection of songs. This happened again when, 'The Marshall Mathers LP' came out in 2000. 'The Way I Am' and 'Stan' were easily two of the best raps songs of the last ten years, but when they are sandwiched in between dumb, irrelevant songs like 'The Real Slim Shady' it gets frustrating for the listener. With 'The Eminem Show' and 'Encore' it was more of the same thing. A couple glimpses of brilliance, but holistically there was always a let-down. Every time you think you're getting somewhere and witnessing real substance, you're forced to wake up.

When I first listened to, 'Relapse' I got to 'My Mom', which was only the third track, and was about 5 seconds away from giving up and switching over to something, anything else. Possibly one of the most annoying songs I've ever heard. Basically it's just an anthem claiming that because Mather's Mom did drugs while he was growing up, he subsequently ended up in rehab. After one chorus, it's just like...ok...we get it. However, unlike, 'My Name Is' or 'The Real Slim Shady' this track does serve a purpose. As terrible and forgettable as the song is, I'm slightly more lenient because, 'My Mom' has a place on 'Relapse.'

The lyrical content of this entire record doesn't really appeal to me. I don't have a a drug problem and generally don't fantasize about killing and raping others. But hey - that's just me. So while this album is entirely unrelatable for me, how am I still listening? Well, as I said before, Eminem is not the rap that we hear every day. Whereas most emcees rap to the beat, Eminem generally raps around, over and through the beat. What this does is create two completely separate melodies (musical and lyrical) that weave throughout the song, which is quite enjoyable and often addictive. '3 AM' is a great example. The entire track is about killing people and choking down pills, not my forte, but for some unknown reason I can't stop listening to it. Also, contributing to the addictive nature of some of these tracks are some really great production efforts. Mixing both new and old school drum beats with some strategically placed background effects and instrumentation, in a fashion that is not overly complex, really gives Eminem alot of freedom to roam, lyrically. Dr. Dre produced the majority of this record and really did a superb job creating tracks that enhance Eminem's rhymes, rather than detract from them. 'Bagpipes From Baghdad' really sums up this process - straight, old school snare and hi hat, mixed with some screeching strings, a very catchy, middle-eastern bagpipe riff and for good measure...the outro has some brief vocal auto-tuning, a la '808's and Heartbreaks.'

So, the long and short of this is that I do like the record, for now. It's tight and well thought out. I think we'll all initially praise 'Relapse' because we haven't heard anything remotely like this in six years. I'll probably be blasting this throughout the summer, but I'll eventually move on and 'Relapse' will get buried in a cardboard box labeled 'Ryan's CD's.'

One more side note...can we please stick a fork in 50 Cent? His verse is completely regrettable on, 'Crack a Bottle.' I almost felt bad for him listening to it.

Tracks

1.) Dr. West (Skit)

2.) 3 A.M.

3.) My Mom

4.) Insane

5.) Bagpipes From Baghdad

6.) Hello

7.) Tonya (Skit)

8.) Same Song & Dance

9.) We Made You

10.) Medicine Ball

11.) Paul (Skit)

12.) Stay Wide Awake

13.) Old Time's Sake

14.) Must be the Ganja

15.) Mr. Mathers (Skit)

16.) Deja Vu

17.) Beautiful

18.) Crack a Bottle

19.) Steve Berman (Skit)

20.) Underground