Vintage Eminem returns, and it's not for the faint-hearted (Relapse - Eminem)

Member Name: bruffyboy

Product:	Relapse - Eminem
Date:	17/05/09 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: his rhyming skills

Disadvantages: some of the sicker content

It's been 5 years since we've heard anything from Eminem, and the world of Hip-Hop hasn't felt the same without him. Sure, we had the 50 Cent vs Kanye West battle to keep us busy, but all the time I was wondering what was happening to Eminem.

In his appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on, erm, Friday, it turns out Marshall Mathers has been in rehab, battling his inner demons, and only now feels ready to get out into the spot-light again.

Unsurprisingly, much of the new album focuses on drug and alcohol addiction then, with a few songs seeing Eminem look inward at his own problems and the root causes of them.

I put this album on with a lot os anticipation, and on first listen-through I wasn't that enamoured. However, I cut the grass yesterday, and that seemed a good chance to re-listen, and it's grown on me second time round.

There isn't much new stuff going on on this album. In many ways it's classic Eminem, with a classic mix of a few funny songs, a few grotesquely violent and sexual songs, and a couple of skits that push the boundaries on decency. As always, Eminem's rhymes are phenomenal, with not just rhyming couplets, but around 6 or 8 rhymes for every single word. That means that the music has a flow to it that is unprecedented in hip-hop. Something like "I remember the first time I dismembered a family member, it was December" shows what I mean - rhyme upon rhyme make this a fast flowing, incredibly intelligent album.

With that in mind, fans looking for something new will struggle - in the five year gap Eminem hasn't changed much, but those who love his older stuff will appreciate this album.

Musically, Dr Dre has produced all the backing tracks, resulting in a much tighter production of clippy, bouncy hip-hop numbers.

The track 'We Made You', which is currently bouncing around in the charts, is probably the most light-hearted song on the album, and don't make the mistake of thinking it's the template for the album. There are plenty of songs about rape and murder, including one awful track about being raped by an uncle. The black humour in the lines of that one make it almost painful to listen to.

All in all, a great new album that doesn't do anything particularly new, but reminds those who loved Eminem of old just what it is that makes him so lovable.

TRACKS:

Dr. West (Skit)
3 a.m.
My Mom
Insane
Bagpipes From Baghdad
Hello
Tonya (Skit)
Same Song & Dance
We Made You
Medicine Ball
Paul (Skit)
Stay Wide Awake
Old Time's Sake
Must Be The Ganja
Mr. Mathers (Skit)
Deja Vu
Beautiful
Crack A Bottle
Steve Berman (Skit)
Underground/Ken Kaniff

Summary: buy it