Eminem- Relapse (def-sounds review)

BornIntoThis · 05-19-2009, 06:32 AM

I've been listening to Eminem's latest effort-- and undeniably one of the most anticipated records in the last 5 years, non-stop for about two straight weeks now. With many critics already handing this album the death sentence, it wasn't the easiest task to review it.

Should it be judged with the understanding of what the artist is presumably trying to accomplish or should it be judged as a standard release. I'm going to go ahead and mix it up a bit.

With the exception of The Re-up mixtape, Eminem has been out of action since 2004. Prior to his hiatus, Eminem remained in the public eye whether in good or bad form.

His albums, prior to Encore, were arguably all heavily introspective and informative in regards to his life. From problems with celebrities to problems with his family, Eminem bared his soul with no shame for his fans in his music.

So it was to no surprise what we expected to hear on Relapse. With everything that has happened in his life during his time away from music and the public, it's fair to say we were expecting the same self-exposing and at times self-deprecating story telling witnessed in his previous releases.

But, that's not exactly what was handed to us. Instead, we received a record reminiscent to that of the Slim Shady LP. Which in a sense, isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that the Slim Shady LP was coming from an artist which we as listeners had no expectations from. So how does this album fair exactly?

Lyrics- 8.5
Eminem rarely disappoints when it comes to lyrics. His wordplay, flow, and technique on this album are uncanny. Mix, matching, bending, & stretching words for a smooth coherent flow that is constantly switched throughout the album is a feat not many artists are capable of.

It's a rare occurrence where you'll hear Em use the same style on a track throughout Relapse.

However, technical attributes aside, the lyrical content of the album, while at times amusing, takes away from the package.

The over-stuffing of ludicrous and outlandish subject matters actually leave a lackluster taste behind and at times leave you wondering what the hell the guy's talking about.

Production- 9.0
With Dr. Dre behind the majority of the production, it's no surprise the tracks are top quality. From the bouncy vibes of "Insane" and "Hello" to the mellow laid back feel of "Same Song & Dance, " the sound diversity of the album take a wide range.

There are a couple of tracks that stand out production wise. The intro to the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" comes to mind immediately as it sets the precise mood for the track's message.

Overall, Relapse is packed with great production. Some songs however take a bit to get used to. At first listen, "Underground" sounds like a fall down a shady (no pun) set of stairs . As you listen to the track more and more however, you're able to follow the scheme better.

Songs-- 8.0
Arguably the weakest point of the album is the content of the songs. As previously mentioned, the majority of fans were awaiting something more than random killings, rapes, and drug use.

Relapse plays out like a concept album. A scary movie in which Marshall Mathers plays Slim Shady--rather an extreme version of the Slim Shady we've seen in the past.

The album opens up as he falls into a nightmare with "3 AM," from there, we're taken to the origins more or less of where Slim Shady came from--the result of a drug addict mother and a sexually abusive uncle found in "My Mom" and "Insane."

From "Bagpipes From Baghdad" through "Same Song & Dance," Em shows his psychotic feelings towards women--no doubt thanks to his upbringings by his drug addict of a mother.

After "We Made You," we're taken through the drug addiction he developed with "Medicine Ball," and "Stay Wide Awake."

We are slowly shifted back to the psychopath murderer Slim Shady with a hilarious verse from Em as Christopher Reeves in "Medicine Ball" and one of the most creative verses I've heard in an album so far this year in "Must Be The Ganja."

How many people you know who can name every serial killer who ever existed in a row.
Put em in chronological order, beginning with Jack The Ripper.
Name the time and place from the body, the bag the zipper.
Location of the woods where the body was dragged and then dumped.
The trunk that they was stuffed in. The model, the maker, plate, which lake they found em and how they attacked the victim.
Say which murder weapon was used to do what and which one, which knife, and which gun.
What kid, what wife, and what nun. Don't stop, I like this is fun, the night's just begun.

After warping back into Slim Shady--mind you Em is still in the aforementioned nightmare, we're treated to two tracks which one would hope lay the groundwork for Relapse 2.

In "Deja Vu," paramedics attempt to wake Em up from the nightmare he's in.

Em finally delivers the story we've been yearning to hear since he left. What's been going on with his life? Where has he been?..We get our answers here. We are walked through the development of his drug addiction and the effects it had on his life.

So I take vicodin splash, it hits my stomach then aah,
couple of weeks go by and it ain't even like I'm getting high
Now I need, is not to feel sick, yeah I'm getting by
Wouldn't even be taking this shit if DeShaun didn't die
oh yeah, there's an excuse, you lose Proof so you use
there's new rules, it's cool if it's helping you to get through
It's 12 noon, ain't no harm in self inducing a snooze
What else is new, fuck it what would Elvis do in your shoes
Now here I am 3 months later, full blown relapse
'Just get high until the kids get home, holmes, relax
and since I'm--convinced that I'm an Insom--niac
I need these pills to help me sleep, so I take 3 naps
just to be able to function throughout the day, lets see
that's an ambient each nap, how many Valiums 3?
and that would jot to about 3 hours sleep
ok so now you--see
the reason how come, he
has taken 4 years to just put an album, beats
see me and you, we almost had the same outcome see
cause that christmas, you know the whole pneumonia thing?
It was balognia, was it the methodonia think?

Em then continues with the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" which is reminiscent of "Sing For The Moment." Both amazing tracks with incredible messages.

Conclusion- 8.5

As I said in the intro, if put into the perspective of a concept album, this release plays out perfect.

Sadly, that's not the case-this isn't supposed to be a concept album for Eminem. It is his long awaited return to the genre that has so severely missed him over the last couple of years.

We got so little actual Eminem content and such a vast amount of psychopathic Slim Shady rhetoric that it felt a bit flat and lack luster.

Is it a bad album? Not at all. However, to fully appreciate it, you may have to listen to it more than once.

As I mentioned before, following the album from beginning to end, it plays like an origin story and ends on such a high note, you can't expect anything but good things for the sequel.

It is what Batman Begins is to The Dark Knight. It sets the stage and tone for the classic Relapse 2 may be.

Wesey · 05-19-2009, 07:03 AM

pretty good review, cant disagree with much that is said there.

black ice 07 · 05-19-2009, 08:59 AM

I agree with that. When I heard the intro 3 AM made more sense. I been telling people this was a concept album but they can't get past the voice. I think Relapse 2 going to be alot better than 1.

ns_diplomat · 05-19-2009, 11:32 AM

relapseeeeeeeeeeeeeee

ThePanacea · 05-19-2009, 12:31 PM

but to edit the lyrics the reviwer put.....

he put----"the reason how come, he
has taken 4 years to just put an album, beats
see me and you, we almost had the same outcome see

and what em really says, which make the words have soooo much more impact, is as follows---"----"the reason how come, he
has taken 4 years to just put an album B, see me and you we almost had the same outcome HEATHE

which is another reference to heathe ledger dying from an overdose on sleeping pills ironically. GREAT ALBUM. good review

Tha Unit On Top · 05-19-2009, 12:50 PM

Agreed, I like the album, its really a fucking crazy album content wise, but I wanted something like the Em Show. He is always personal, but I want real raw shit. With Proof, his drug addiction, how hard it was to get sober, dealing with Proofs death, his writers block, shit like that, and then real raw hip hop, the slim shady shit is cool, and saying crazy shit is ok, but its old, we heard that before. I dont even think he should drop R2, not if its just a second version of this album, the same crazy slasher shit, whats the point? This shit should have been a double album, but since Interscope probably feels Detox wont drop this year so they need a big end of the year album, so split this shit into two albums, more money. So I dont know about dropping the second one, unless its different, unless he goes deep into shit, story telling, not just lets talk about the craziest shit I can think of, he said Dre told him people want to hear you lose your mind, no, people want to you bring that Em Show, MMLP shit back, telling stories, give us that raw real hip hop thats missing from the rap game, not just shit about getting raped, taking pills and shit.

IbeWazir · 05-20-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BornIntoThis

I've been listening to Eminem's latest effort-- and undeniably one of the most anticipated records in the last 5 years, non-stop for about two straight weeks now. With many critics already handing this album the death sentence, it wasn't the easiest task to review it.

Should it be judged with the understanding of what the artist is presumably trying to accomplish or should it be judged as a standard release. I'm going to go ahead and mix it up a bit.

With the exception of The Re-up mixtape, Eminem has been out of action since 2004. Prior to his hiatus, Eminem remained in the public eye whether in good or bad form.

His albums, prior to Encore, were arguably all heavily introspective and informative in regards to his life. From problems with celebrities to problems with his family, Eminem bared his soul with no shame for his fans in his music.

So it was to no surprise what we expected to hear on Relapse. With everything that has happened in his life during his time away from music and the public, it's fair to say we were expecting the same self-exposing and at times self-deprecating story telling witnessed in his previous releases.

But, that's not exactly what was handed to us. Instead, we received a record reminiscent to that of the Slim Shady LP. Which in a sense, isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that the Slim Shady LP was coming from an artist which we as listeners had no expectations from. So how does this album fair exactly?

Lyrics- 8.5
Eminem rarely disappoints when it comes to lyrics. His wordplay, flow, and technique on this album are uncanny. Mix, matching, bending, & stretching words for a smooth coherent flow that is constantly switched throughout the album is a feat not many artists are capable of.

It's a rare occurrence where you'll hear Em use the same style on a track throughout Relapse.

However, technical attributes aside, the lyrical content of the album, while at times amusing, takes away from the package.

The over-stuffing of ludicrous and outlandish subject matters actually leave a lackluster taste behind and at times leave you wondering what the hell the guy's talking about.

Production- 9.0
With Dr. Dre behind the majority of the production, it's no surprise the tracks are top quality. From the bouncy vibes of "Insane" and "Hello" to the mellow laid back feel of "Same Song & Dance, " the sound diversity of the album take a wide range.

There are a couple of tracks that stand out production wise. The intro to the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" comes to mind immediately as it sets the precise mood for the track's message.

Overall, Relapse is packed with great production. Some songs however take a bit to get used to. At first listen, "Underground" sounds like a fall down a shady (no pun) set of stairs . As you listen to the track more and more however, you're able to follow the scheme better.

Songs-- 8.0
Arguably the weakest point of the album is the content of the songs. As previously mentioned, the majority of fans were awaiting something more than random killings, rapes, and drug use.

Relapse plays out like a concept album. A scary movie in which Marshall Mathers plays Slim Shady--rather an extreme version of the Slim Shady we've seen in the past.

The album opens up as he falls into a nightmare with "3 AM," from there, we're taken to the origins more or less of where Slim Shady came from--the result of a drug addict mother and a sexually abusive uncle found in "My Mom" and "Insane."

From "Bagpipes From Baghdad" through "Same Song & Dance," Em shows his psychotic feelings towards women--no doubt thanks to his upbringings by his drug addict of a mother.

After "We Made You," we're taken through the drug addiction he developed with "Medicine Ball," and "Stay Wide Awake."

We are slowly shifted back to the psychopath murderer Slim Shady with a hilarious verse from Em as Christopher Reeves in "Medicine Ball" and one of the most creative verses I've heard in an album so far this year in "Must Be The Ganja."

How many people you know who can name every serial killer who ever existed in a row.
Put em in chronological order, beginning with Jack The Ripper.
Name the time and place from the body, the bag the zipper.
Location of the woods where the body was dragged and then dumped.
The trunk that they was stuffed in. The model, the maker, plate, which lake they found em and how they attacked the victim.
Say which murder weapon was used to do what and which one, which knife, and which gun.
What kid, what wife, and what nun. Don't stop, I like this is fun, the night's just begun.

After warping back into Slim Shady--mind you Em is still in the aforementioned nightmare, we're treated to two tracks which one would hope lay the groundwork for Relapse 2.

In "Deja Vu," paramedics attempt to wake Em up from the nightmare he's in.

Em finally delivers the story we've been yearning to hear since he left. What's been going on with his life? Where has he been?..We get our answers here. We are walked through the development of his drug addiction and the effects it had on his life.

So I take vicodin splash, it hits my stomach then aah,
couple of weeks go by and it ain't even like I'm getting high
Now I need, is not to feel sick, yeah I'm getting by
Wouldn't even be taking this shit if DeShaun didn't die
oh yeah, there's an excuse, you lose Proof so you use
there's new rules, it's cool if it's helping you to get through
It's 12 noon, ain't no harm in self inducing a snooze
What else is new, fuck it what would Elvis do in your shoes
Now here I am 3 months later, full blown relapse
'Just get high until the kids get home, holmes, relax
and since I'm--convinced that I'm an Insom--niac
I need these pills to help me sleep, so I take 3 naps
just to be able to function throughout the day, lets see
that's an ambient each nap, how many Valiums 3?
and that would jot to about 3 hours sleep
ok so now you--see
the reason how come, he
has taken 4 years to just put an album, beats
see me and you, we almost had the same outcome see
cause that christmas, you know the whole pneumonia thing?
It was balognia, was it the methodonia think?

Em then continues with the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" which is reminiscent of "Sing For The Moment." Both amazing tracks with incredible messages.

Conclusion- 8.5

As I said in the intro, if put into the perspective of a concept album, this release plays out perfect.

Sadly, that's not the case-this isn't supposed to be a concept album for Eminem. It is his long awaited return to the genre that has so severely missed him over the last couple of years.

We got so little actual Eminem content and such a vast amount of psychopathic Slim Shady rhetoric that it felt a bit flat and lack luster.

Is it a bad album? Not at all. However, to fully appreciate it, you may have to listen to it more than once.

As I mentioned before, following the album from beginning to end, it plays like an origin story and ends on such a high note, you can't expect anything but good things for the sequel.

It is what Batman Begins is to The Dark Knight. It sets the stage and tone for the classic Relapse 2 may be.

That's my main problem with the album

IbeWazir · 05-20-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha Unit On Top

Agreed, I like the album, its really a fucking crazy album content wise, but I wanted something like the Em Show. He is always personal, but I want real raw shit. With Proof, his drug addiction, how hard it was to get sober, dealing with Proofs death, his writers block, shit like that, and then real raw hip hop, the slim shady shit is cool, and saying crazy shit is ok, but its old, we heard that before. I dont even think he should drop R2, not if its just a second version of this album, the same crazy slasher shit, whats the point? This shit should have been a double album, but since Interscope probably feels Detox wont drop this year so they need a big end of the year album, so split this shit into two albums, more money. So I dont know about dropping the second one, unless its different, unless he goes deep into shit, story telling, not just lets talk about the craziest shit I can think of, he said Dre told him people want to hear you lose your mind, no, people want to you bring that Em Show, MMLP shit back, telling stories, give us that raw real hip hop thats missing from the rap game, not just shit about getting raped, taking pills and shit.

Damn, I think this might be the first time I ever gave you propz! Good to see you speakin' some real shit!

05-19-2009, 06:32 AM	#1
BornIntoThis Veteran Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Originally From Brooklyn Posts: 2,983 Repped: 362 Repped 947 Times in 309 Posts Neg Reps: 81 Neg Repped at 104 Times in 74 Posts	Eminem- Relapse (def-sounds review) Eminem- Relapse (def-sounds review) I've been listening to Eminem's latest effort-- and undeniably one of the most anticipated records in the last 5 years, non-stop for about two straight weeks now. With many critics already handing this album the death sentence, it wasn't the easiest task to review it. Should it be judged with the understanding of what the artist is presumably trying to accomplish or should it be judged as a standard release. I'm going to go ahead and mix it up a bit. With the exception of The Re-up mixtape, Eminem has been out of action since 2004. Prior to his hiatus, Eminem remained in the public eye whether in good or bad form. His albums, prior to Encore, were arguably all heavily introspective and informative in regards to his life. From problems with celebrities to problems with his family, Eminem bared his soul with no shame for his fans in his music. So it was to no surprise what we expected to hear on Relapse. With everything that has happened in his life during his time away from music and the public, it's fair to say we were expecting the same self-exposing and at times self-deprecating story telling witnessed in his previous releases. But, that's not exactly what was handed to us. Instead, we received a record reminiscent to that of the Slim Shady LP. Which in a sense, isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that the Slim Shady LP was coming from an artist which we as listeners had no expectations from. So how does this album fair exactly? Lyrics- 8.5 Eminem rarely disappoints when it comes to lyrics. His wordplay, flow, and technique on this album are uncanny. Mix, matching, bending, & stretching words for a smooth coherent flow that is constantly switched throughout the album is a feat not many artists are capable of. It's a rare occurrence where you'll hear Em use the same style on a track throughout Relapse. However, technical attributes aside, the lyrical content of the album, while at times amusing, takes away from the package. The over-stuffing of ludicrous and outlandish subject matters actually leave a lackluster taste behind and at times leave you wondering what the hell the guy's talking about. Production- 9.0 With Dr. Dre behind the majority of the production, it's no surprise the tracks are top quality. From the bouncy vibes of "Insane" and "Hello" to the mellow laid back feel of "Same Song & Dance, " the sound diversity of the album take a wide range. There are a couple of tracks that stand out production wise. The intro to the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" comes to mind immediately as it sets the precise mood for the track's message. Overall, Relapse is packed with great production. Some songs however take a bit to get used to. At first listen, "Underground" sounds like a fall down a shady (no pun) set of stairs . As you listen to the track more and more however, you're able to follow the scheme better. Songs-- 8.0 Arguably the weakest point of the album is the content of the songs. As previously mentioned, the majority of fans were awaiting something more than random killings, rapes, and drug use. Relapse plays out like a concept album. A scary movie in which Marshall Mathers plays Slim Shady--rather an extreme version of the Slim Shady we've seen in the past. The album opens up as he falls into a nightmare with "3 AM," from there, we're taken to the origins more or less of where Slim Shady came from--the result of a drug addict mother and a sexually abusive uncle found in "My Mom" and "Insane." From "Bagpipes From Baghdad" through "Same Song & Dance," Em shows his psychotic feelings towards women--no doubt thanks to his upbringings by his drug addict of a mother. After "We Made You," we're taken through the drug addiction he developed with "Medicine Ball," and "Stay Wide Awake." We are slowly shifted back to the psychopath murderer Slim Shady with a hilarious verse from Em as Christopher Reeves in "Medicine Ball" and one of the most creative verses I've heard in an album so far this year in "Must Be The Ganja." How many people you know who can name every serial killer who ever existed in a row. Put em in chronological order, beginning with Jack The Ripper. Name the time and place from the body, the bag the zipper. Location of the woods where the body was dragged and then dumped. The trunk that they was stuffed in. The model, the maker, plate, which lake they found em and how they attacked the victim. Say which murder weapon was used to do what and which one, which knife, and which gun. What kid, what wife, and what nun. Don't stop, I like this is fun, the night's just begun. After warping back into Slim Shady--mind you Em is still in the aforementioned nightmare, we're treated to two tracks which one would hope lay the groundwork for Relapse 2. In "Deja Vu," paramedics attempt to wake Em up from the nightmare he's in. Em finally delivers the story we've been yearning to hear since he left. What's been going on with his life? Where has he been?..We get our answers here. We are walked through the development of his drug addiction and the effects it had on his life. So I take vicodin splash, it hits my stomach then aah, couple of weeks go by and it ain't even like I'm getting high Now I need, is not to feel sick, yeah I'm getting by Wouldn't even be taking this shit if DeShaun didn't die oh yeah, there's an excuse, you lose Proof so you use there's new rules, it's cool if it's helping you to get through It's 12 noon, ain't no harm in self inducing a snooze What else is new, fuck it what would Elvis do in your shoes Now here I am 3 months later, full blown relapse 'Just get high until the kids get home, holmes, relax and since I'm--convinced that I'm an Insom--niac I need these pills to help me sleep, so I take 3 naps just to be able to function throughout the day, lets see that's an ambient each nap, how many Valiums 3? and that would jot to about 3 hours sleep ok so now you--see the reason how come, he has taken 4 years to just put an album, beats see me and you, we almost had the same outcome see cause that christmas, you know the whole pneumonia thing? It was balognia, was it the methodonia think? Em then continues with the inspirational ballad "Beautiful" which is reminiscent of "Sing For The Moment." Both amazing tracks with incredible messages. Conclusion- 8.5 As I said in the intro, if put into the perspective of a concept album, this release plays out perfect. Sadly, that's not the case-this isn't supposed to be a concept album for Eminem. It is his long awaited return to the genre that has so severely missed him over the last couple of years. We got so little actual Eminem content and such a vast amount of psychopathic Slim Shady rhetoric that it felt a bit flat and lack luster. Is it a bad album? Not at all. However, to fully appreciate it, you may have to listen to it more than once. As I mentioned before, following the album from beginning to end, it plays like an origin story and ends on such a high note, you can't expect anything but good things for the sequel. It is what Batman Begins is to The Dark Knight. It sets the stage and tone for the classic Relapse 2 may be. __________________

05-19-2009, 11:32 AM	#4
ns_diplomat Reppin' 514 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 514 - MTL - 514 Posts: 14,899 Repped: 658 Repped 1,297 Times in 525 Posts Neg Reps: 42 Neg Repped at 73 Times in 59 Posts	relapseeeeeeeeeeeeeee __________________ G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath!! "Shout out to all the people in Montreal - Montreal is real hood. Real gangsta out there." - Juelz Santana

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05-19-2009, 07:03 AM	#2
Wesey Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 354 Repped: 12 Repped 57 Times in 28 Posts Neg Reps: 2 Neg Repped at 10 Times in 8 Posts	pretty good review, cant disagree with much that is said there.

05-19-2009, 08:59 AM	#3
black ice 07 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Memphis Tenn Posts: 1,910 Repped: 919 Repped 839 Times in 136 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 11 Times in 10 Posts	I agree with that. When I heard the intro 3 AM made more sense. I been telling people this was a concept album but they can't get past the voice. I think Relapse 2 going to be alot better than 1.

05-19-2009, 12:31 PM	#5
ThePanacea Join Date: May 2009 Location: underground Posts: 25 Repped: 0 Repped 6 Times in 5 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	but to edit the lyrics the reviwer put..... he put----"the reason how come, he has taken 4 years to just put an album, beats see me and you, we almost had the same outcome see and what em really says, which make the words have soooo much more impact, is as follows---"----"the reason how come, he has taken 4 years to just put an album B, see me and you we almost had the same outcome HEATHE which is another reference to heathe ledger dying from an overdose on sleeping pills ironically. GREAT ALBUM. good review

05-19-2009, 12:50 PM	#6
Tha Unit On Top BISD November 23rd Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,143 Repped: 631 Repped 2,443 Times in 345 Posts Neg Reps: 78 Neg Repped at 120 Times in 83 Posts	Agreed, I like the album, its really a fucking crazy album content wise, but I wanted something like the Em Show. He is always personal, but I want real raw shit. With Proof, his drug addiction, how hard it was to get sober, dealing with Proofs death, his writers block, shit like that, and then real raw hip hop, the slim shady shit is cool, and saying crazy shit is ok, but its old, we heard that before. I dont even think he should drop R2, not if its just a second version of this album, the same crazy slasher shit, whats the point? This shit should have been a double album, but since Interscope probably feels Detox wont drop this year so they need a big end of the year album, so split this shit into two albums, more money. So I dont know about dropping the second one, unless its different, unless he goes deep into shit, story telling, not just lets talk about the craziest shit I can think of, he said Dre told him people want to hear you lose your mind, no, people want to you bring that Em Show, MMLP shit back, telling stories, give us that raw real hip hop thats missing from the rap game, not just shit about getting raped, taking pills and shit.