Posted on 06/19/2009
The one benefit many heralded recording artists share, regardless of their genre, is that their fans are typically forgiving of their long layoffs. In Hip Hop however, five years is a near eternity. 2004 marks the year in which we last heard from Detroit superstar MC Marshall Mathers – commonly known as Eminem and Slim Shady – with his album Encore. Eminem marks his return to the mainstream with Relapse, a largely conceptual yet difficult piece seemingly inspired by a dark period (drug addiction, divorce, loss of his good friend Proof) during his time away.

In the intro, “Dr. West” finds Eminem being discharged from a fictional drug rehabilitation center and rolls directly into the sinister “3 A.M.” If the morbid subject matter puts the listener off, what one should find impressive is Em’s wordplay and performance. The epic track from Dr. Dre (who produced nearly the entire album) is also stellar. “My Mom” is more of the twisted fare fans have been accustomed to from Eminem. Comparing himself to his mother and making the correlation that its how he came to his addictions, the song is an almost uncomfortable listen. Dre’s beat knocks hard but barely masks the obvious pain that inspired it. “Insane” is a heavy-handed attempt to tackle the sensitive subject of child molestation. The track finds Em rhyming from the perspective of victim and aggressor, but it almost makes light of the act and leaves the listener with little in the way of resolution. “Bagpipes from Baghad” drones on due to a plodding Dr. Dre beat and Eminemn’s over the top shock raps. The atrocious hook annoys and the song has little redemptive factor. “Hello” finds Eminem toning down his voice a bit to match the pacing of the excellent backing track from Dre. A definite highlight early on, this song is a sharp departure from the louder and intense vocal histrionics of the songs preceding it. The hook is a bit on the cheesy side, but works in the context of the song and subject.

The album’s debut single “Crack A Bottle,” featuring Dr. Dre along with 50 Cent, is another rote offering and drags on far too long; 50 Cent’s appearance nearly saves the song from the skip button. The album’s closer, “Underground,” is a fitting ending and Eminem’s flow is crisp as it has ever been – the track is a perfect match for his busy lyrics. Ultimately, Relapse suffers from a one-track minded Eminem – hell-bent on shocking the listeners with his vivid imagery and fearlessness to speak his mind on almost any subject. However, to be fair, there are moments on the LP where that very brash attempt to be provocative makes perfect sense. Old fans of Eminem’s work will find plenty to reminisce about, but this LP’s ability to gather new fans for the vaunted MC remains to be seen.

- D.L. Chandler