David Theiss

Producer(s): Dr. Dre, Eminem

Release Date: May 19th (Internet Leak: May 8th)

Encore sucked.  Let’s just get that out of the way right at the top.  And while there are moments of sheer brilliance on that album (“Like Toy Soldiers,” and “Mockingbird”), everything in between is sophomoric and uninspired. Em just sounded bored.  Before Encore however, Eminem could do no wrong.  The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP I still consider two of my favorite albums of all time, in any genre.  The Eminem Show, while still very good, felt tamer and tailor-made for a wider audience – but still a great album.  So, while I feel most people who aren’t critics recognize The Eminem Show as his definitive masterpiece, that title still goes to one of his first two efforts – it’s just too close to call.

That being said, I was afraid the Eminem I remembered on those albums was gone.  I thought that while this release would probably go 5x’s platinum, Eminem lost the ability to surprise and be edgy.  At the time Relapse leaked, four songs had been released (“Crack A Bottle,” “We Made You.” “3 AM,” and “Old Time’s Sake”), and all seemed to once again be missing the mischievous flair and wicked sense of humor that came long with the Eminem we all had come to love.  Even the horror movie aesthetic of “3 AM” fell short – and while it was a lot better than anything he had put out in a long time, it still wasn’t “Kill You” or “Just Don’t Give A Fuck.”  I feared that artist was long, long gone.

Then the rest of the album leaked.  So, how’d he do?

In short – he killed it.

Relapse is a return to form for Eminem – and he desperately needed it.  Here, he’s delivered in every way (musically, lyrically, umm content-ally) his strongest album since The Marshall Mathers LP.  Gone are the fart sounds and ill-conceived set-ups and pay-offs that plagued Encore.  His lyrics are tighter (and more twisted) than we’ve heard in years, displayed on songs like “Insane,” “Deja Vu,” “Beautiful,” and “Underground.”  While he still rocks different accents quite frequently, they fit here and aren’t annoying or distracting to listen to.  Dr. Dre also comes stronger than he did on Encore, repeatedly delivering banger after banger – “My Mom,” and “Medicine Ball” immediately come to mind.

The content starts with new (exaggerated, hopefully) details about his upbringing, transitioning to homicidal fantasy, pausing a minute for the obligatory pop cuts for the masses, gets reflexive and personal, only to finish on complete insanity.  And while people will say most of this subject matter is repeat content from his earlier albums, I say this is Eminem’s territory and he does it better than anyone could ever hope to do.  Besides, any rap album minus a guest appearance by Akon is alright by me.

Syllables melt together, words that have never rhymed fit together with breezy accuracy, and punch-lines deliver laughs more often than they have in recent memory.  The songs dealing with drug addiction and depression are surprisingly effective and at times plain bizarre (i.e. Em dropping knowledge like, “God gave you those shoes to fit you/So, put ‘em on and wear ‘em/Be yourself, man/Be proud of who you are/And even if it sounds corny/Don’t never let no one tell you/You ain’t beautiful”).  The album really leaves you with the sense that this is a soul that has been lost for the past 5 years who is finally returning to where they feel comfortable: rapping about incest and felching.

My main problem with this album is the fact that it feels forced.  I think the criticism from Encore along with Proof’s death (a subject that is almost entirely absent) really affected him and made him think his time had passed.  This entire album feels like he’s proving to himself he can still be the crazy, “Just Don’t Give A Fuck” rapper that everyone wants back so badly.

To what degree he succeeds is up to you.  But he does succeed.  I’ll say while this album isn’t a slam-dunk classic like SSLP or MMLP, it’s pretty damn close.  And I’ll take that any day of the week.

Strongest Tracks: “Beautiful” and “Underground”

Weakest Tracks: “We Made You” and “Same Song & Dance”

My Grade: B+ /// Revised Grade (6/8/10): B-