Track-by-Track Relapse Review

[ladelsofgravy]

Relapse, for sure, a fan favorite, a cult-classic and horrorcore rap's most successful entry into the mainstream, despite being the least successful of all his albums.

Myself, I vacillate on this album. The lyrics at some points make me laugh and at others make me cringe. The tone and sound of this album initially revolted me, but then I remember a period of my life where I listened to nothing but this album for a month straight.

It's in many regards a brilliant album, but yet a deeply flawed one as well. The flow and lyricism are peerless, yet often times there are songs that make a lot of multis just by stringing random words together. Yet the production is solid and the tone, while not always agreeable, is always honest.

I'll give you the track-by-track.

3 A.M. - 4.5/5
Of all the horrorcore tracks on this album, I feel this one is the most successful at fluid lyrics that come together with good imagery and storytelling. It was one of his least successful hits, but undoubtably his best choice to pick to introduce the mainstream to his album.

My Mom - 4/5
I'm really mixed on this track. I enjoy both the lyrics and the flow, but the heavily accented delivery, if you aren't in the mood, is really headache-inducing. But yet, the song is funny for it's playful exaggeration of a real issue.

Insane - 3.5/5
I like the theme on this album of taking concepts and having two interpretations of it. My Mom was the light-hearted joke and Insane was the dark twisted version of it. The instrumental is sure fitting. The first verse of the song was funny, provocative, and made for great horror storytelling. It was one of the best verses on the album. But the 2nd and 3rd verse just rambled on and lost focus, and that's where have to deduct points.

Bagpipes From Baghdad - 5/5
While I thought the accents and random multi's hurt the album, I'm not against them when they are done well. And there's nothing wrong with having a track or two of filler, if it's listenable. I think this song is one of the greatest on the album, of all the tracks of this nature

Hello - 4.5/5
Easy to overlook because of the understated nature of the song, but one of the best of the album. He is introspective and honest, but not preachy at the slightest. He is able to describe the difficult life he has been living while still keeping the song fun and full of humor. This certainly goes back to the brilliance of the MMLP days where half of what he said was true and half of what he said wasn't.

Same Song & Dance - 4/5
I approve of the storytelling here and I like his outdated choices of celebrities to stalk and kidnap, but there's no doubt Em is way too soft-spoken on this track and he should have assumed a more arrogant domineering presence.

We Made You - 3/5
For sure, his least successful single. It relied on the accents to give him flavor rather than his concepts which are bit dated. But if you're not expecting a great song, in this you'll find a really entertaining one.

Medicine Ball - 4.5/5
I thought the chorus was decent, the production was one of the strongest points of the album, and the verses are expertly designed. I'll be honest and say that the Christopher Reeves part didn't leave me dying in laughter. Again, I can forgive filler if it's well done as it is done here.

Stay Wide Awake 4.5/5
Again, I thought the hook should have been redone, but the verses are near flawless. The placing on the track list is perfect. The previous track shows Slim Shady's light side of poking fun at dark subjects, and the dark side of him actually depicts him doing those things.

Old Time's Sake - 2/5
Perhaps the most forgettable track of the album. It's not question that when Em and Dre are together they make history, yet this song feels like a retread of past glory rather than anything new, and while Dre's parts of nothing special, Em's parts are even more unnecessary.

Must Be The Ganja - 2.5/5
I enjoyed the instrumental and 2nd verse, but verse 1, verse 3 and the chorus were forgettable. All in all, the song didn't tell a story, rarely was funny, was full of filler and despite his drug-saddled persona it just seemed to be "another weed song" in the end.

Deja Vu - 5/5
One of the best songs in his entire discography, as it tells his problems honest without pretense or conscious about image. Great hook, and the accents are toned down compared to the rest of the album. This song contains the same flow as the other songs except the lyrics actually mean something. This is the same kind of storytelling that made Em popular in the first place

Beautiful - 5/5
I prefer this song over Not Afraid because it's more honest and authentic. It does come from a place of humility and desperation which makes it more inspiring than preachy. And all the while, the song is both lyrical and listenable, and is uplifting rather than sullen as the mood alone of it suggests.

Crack A Bottle 3.5/5
No doubt a catchy listenable club-banger which was added to help sell the album, but when Em, 50 and Dre convene, you usually expect something bigger, but nonetheless it is very good. Dre's ghost verse was well delivered, 50 gives you everything expect (despite biting a line from Vanilla Ice) and Em's verse is the worst of the three.

Underground - 3/5
The main appeal of this song was that he wasn't rhyming in an accent, and that point aside the track isn't very memorable. It's a bunch of random words strung together to make multi's. The good point is that he avoids conventional rhyme patterns by not always rhyming the last word of each sentence, which is very creative.

This album is surely more than the sum of it's parts though. If you're in the mood for this album, you will absolutely love it like nothing else, but if you view it objectively, it has a large undeniable share of shortcomings.

[Snakebeast]

I actually mostly agree with this review. Aside from a couple of things.

Firstly, I'd definitely give Same Song and Dance a 5. The storytelling, as you said, is flawless, and the fact that he raps in a smooth, soft, yet strangely melodic tone creeps me out, which is awesome.

Secondly, I'd give Must Be the Ganja a 4. The instrumental is awesome, the second verse is just FANTASTIC, and the other verses are pretty good as well.

Thirdly, fuck Beautiful. It doesn't fit on the album, and it's about as lyrical as one of Rick Ross's turds. Content is just Em whining again, and the song really should've been replaced by Careful What You Wish For. I'd give it 2 at the very best.

[ladelsofgravy]

Ganja's 2nd verse is one of the best on the album for sure, but I just songs as a whole - not parts.

I agree I was a bit harsh on Same Song.

I thought Beautiful worked because after a really dark album, it was great to see the light of day. It was genuine. Recovery was a bit preachy, but Beautiful was more believable after about an hour of Eminem being himself rather than putting on a super-serial image.

[Snakebeast]

But the thing is, Em being himself is Deja Vu, NOT Beautiful. Beautiful was an incoherent mess. It's simply too depressing and not dark enough to fit on an album like Relapse. CWYWF is much more polished, and the whole vibe of the song fits Relapse much better imo.

[Satan]

But the thing is, Em being himself is Deja Vu, NOT Beautiful. Beautiful was an incoherent mess. It's simply too depressing and not dark enough to fit on an album like Relapse. CWYWF is much more polished, and the whole vibe of the song fits Relapse much better imo.

The album should've had BCWYWF come after Mr. Mathers, then Deja Vu, and then the album ends. No Underground, Ken Kaniff, Beautiful, Crack A Bottle, or Steve Berman.

[ladelsofgravy]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release.

I thought Beautiful being different from the rest of the album was a good thing and that's what made it special.

[ladelsofgravy]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release.

I thought Beautiful being different from the rest of the album was a good thing and that's what made it special.

[Satan]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release

It doesn't sound THAT slurred, Touchdown is slurred, CWYWF just had a more aggressive sound, it sounds like The Apple.

[superman11]

I'll give it a go, this is fun.

3 A.M.

Dark imagery at its finest. A good start to the album to set up the overall theme.

3.5/5

My Mom.

Sick production. Not a fan of the hook, but its entertaining. He rambles towards the end. He's done a lot of songs about his mom, and this sits at the bottom easily.

2.5/5

Insane.

More godly production. Love this hook. Some of the lyrics are meh at points. Especially the first verse.

4/5

Bagpipes From Baghdad.

Hate this beat. Accent at full force here. Love parts of it but I really don't enjoy this one. Skipabble for me.

2.5/5

Hello.

Something about this song doesn't feel as enjoyable. Maybe its the simple hook. Lyrics are good though. Towards the bottom for me regardless.

3/5

Same Song and Dance.

Possibly my favorite production wise. The imagery here is amazing, it goes from funny to sick seamlessly. I really love this one.

5/5

We Made You.

I really don't hate this song. It can be annoying, but in the right mood, its entertaining. I love how he pays homage to the celebs during the hook and proceeds to shit on them during the verses. Not one of his best singles though.

3/5

Medicine Ball.

Classic Dre production. Love his flow and lyrics on this one. Not a stand out for me, but fits perfect on Relapse.

3.5/5

Stay Wide Awake.

Production, imagery, content. Sick as fuck. Love this track, might be my favorite on the album.

5/5

Old Time's Sake.

I honestly hate this song. I skip it all the time. Does nothing for me.

1/5

Must Be the Ganja.

Don't Love It, but great production and more sick lyrics. Hook falls short for me for some reason.

3.5/5

Deja Vu.

I love this one, hook is awesome. One of my favorites, although I do think it's a tad overrated, atleast on TR.

4.5/5

Beautiful.

Don't dislike it as much as others, but it doesnt really fit the album. I enjoy it though, coulda been a bonus.

3.5/5

Crack A Bottle.

Another dud. An easy skip every time. Em's verse isn't that bad, but it just falls short overall for me.

2/5

Underground.

Very loud. I like this though, his flow is pretty sick on this one.

3.5/5

BONUS:

My Darling.

Why didn't this make the cut. Doesn't make any sense with all the duds on this album. Could have easily replaced half the songs. Love this one.

4.5/5

Careful What You Wish For.

Same as above. Fits the album but didnt make the cut.

4/5

Relapse.

Love some of it, hate some of it. Remove Crack a Bottle, Old Times Sake for the two bonus tracks and throw Beautiful as a bonus and you got a noticeably better album. He's done this since Encore through Recovery. Hopefully he learns his lesson this time around.

Overall - 4/5.

[Snakebeast]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release.

I thought Beautiful being different from the rest of the album was a good thing and that's what made it special.

Slurred? His voice was crisp and clear, as was the production. Beautiful was Eminem slurring.

[Satan]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release.

I thought Beautiful being different from the rest of the album was a good thing and that's what made it special.

Slurred? His voice was crisp and clear, as was the production. Beautiful was Eminem slurring.

It should've been reworked, same beat, maybe same flow, but new lyrics, brutal and honest, and new words for the chorus ("IN MY SHOES JUST TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME!" : '( boo hoo).

[Snakebeast]

CWYWF was a great sound but sounded way too slurred to include on a mainstream release.

I thought Beautiful being different from the rest of the album was a good thing and that's what made it special.

Slurred? His voice was crisp and clear, as was the production. Beautiful was Eminem slurring.

It should've been reworked, same beat, maybe same flow, but new lyrics, brutal and honest, and new words for the chorus ("IN MY SHOES JUST TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME!" : '( boo hoo).

I just fucking wish I never heard the song at all tbh; it's beyond saving.

[Satan]

Should've been the intro to Recovery.

[ladelsofgravy]

Maybe I'm the only one on here who liked Beautiful a lot.

My hipster level decreased by 50%.

[Mathers]

Should've redone his his awesome hook on Stay Wide Awake?