Relapse vs Encore

[ku53v]

[THE EMINEM SHOW]

Relapse alllll the way

[M15HKA]

There's no doubt that Relapse had better flow, lyricism, etc. but you can't deny that it gets boring (unless you're hard core into the accent).

Encore just has more of an Eminem feel to it, and I like more of the songs from it than I do from Relapse.

I still like Relapse though.

The accent never bothered me at all cause after a few listens, in all honesty, i got so used to it that it was almost like i wasnt even hearing it at times.

This.

[Evan C.]

Eminem HATES Encore. he's embarrassed he even did it. "Self loathing" and "not as much as I'm capable of" translate to he thinks it's shit, basically. He can't exactly come out and say it blows since there are still copies of it sitting on shelves that Interscope wants to sell. He only was defending it on CWYWF because that's a track he did when he was still on drugs. In his drug-altered mind, he actually thought Encore was good (which shoild give you an idea of how fucked up he was.)

I didn't agree with him on Relapse being "ehhh" at all though...I think that's just him taking to heart stupid criticisms from the fans. It was the best mainstream rap album released in years and was his triumphant return as a lyricist.

[mrjizzbomber]

In some aspects, Encore is the better quality album (larger number of serious songs, for example), but still put Relapse ahead of it.

I don't know. From my vantage point, Relapse, taken as a whole, did something very serious. When I listen to that album in its entirety I hear a twisted tale of hardship, drug use, desperation, depression, and the road to recovery. Just like SSLP, which told the story of his growing up, and MMLP, which told the story of him being throw into the limelight, Relapse tells the story of his drug addiction. And just like SSLP and MMLP, he does it in a very creative way. He uses his alter ego, Slim Shady, to express his feelings, emotions and mind state. He tells tales of Slim Shady not to be literal, but the create a mirror of his own life. Hes conveying how he feels to tell the story, without being blatant, obvious or boring.

Examples: 3AM, Insane, Same Song and Dance, Medicine Ball, Stay Wide Awake

These songs create a mood and vibe. They're not 'serious' in that, Eminem never went on overnight killing sprees, wasn't sodomized by his stepfather (I hope not...), didn't rape countless girls, etc. But they're not meant to be serious, literal representations of his life. They are set-up; fantasies which give color to his real stories. The real stories, which literally and 'seriously' define his life are intertwined in these 'not-serious' tracks, BUT, they are so much deeper and so much more meaningful BECAUSE of the vibe he set up with the Slim Shady tales.

Examples: My Mom, Hello, Deja Vu, Beautiful.

Now, you can argue that the album is light on the real life, Marshall Mather's stories, compared to SSLP and MMLP. But I would just argue that this is a reflection of how messed up his life was, he almost didn't know who he was at the time. And thats the greatest thing about Eminem, he lets his life dictate his music. Marshall is at his best when he doesn't press to come up with the album, he lets his life, his mind-state, his mood dictate what he raps about. Really, after listening to Relapse, in its entirety, can you say that you don't have vivid pictures in your mind? Deep feelings in your bones? A very distinct taste in your ears?

Anyway, I compare this album to SSLP and MMLP in the way he tells his story, using Slim Shady to make it that much more meaningful. TES sort of dropped the Shady thing, but did an amazing job of telling Eminem's story without it - being more straightforward and honest and non-tongue-in-cheek (which, I think will be similar to what Recovery is about to do).

Encore, on the other hand, tried to do the same as TES (an 'encore'), telling Eminem's story in a more straight forward way. But Encore failed to do it. There was no theme holding together Encore. Sure, there were plenty of serious songs - Mosh, Toy Soldiers, Yellow Brick Road, Mockingbird, Ass Like That (kidding) - but they were just that, serious songs. They failed to come together as a serious album, just a collection of tracks. Hes ranging from politics, to beefs, to his daughter, to Kim. The album is completely non-cohesive. And what fills in those serious tracks? Garbage. Now, to be fair, We As Americans, Ricky Ticky Tock, and Love You More are all way better than the garbage tracks on Encore. BUT, even with those tracks replacing the trash, Encore still doesn't leave you with a feeling. Listen to Encore throughout, and you have no idea what Em was going for. No overall feeling whatsoever.

I think Eminem is at his best when he uses Slim Shady to set the stage. TES did without. Encore failed to. My order:

MMLP
SSLP
Relapse
Eminem Show
Infinite
Encore

That all being said, I wouldn't be surprised if Eminem manages to top them all with this next one, Slim Shady on the album or no. Man seems too focused, too on top of his game, and too ready to make a beautiful ALBUM.

[moose35]

Damn...how are people saying Relapse was better than The Eminem Show. I'm not saying it to criticize, I'd really want an explanation. In my mind, its:

TES>MMLP>SSLP>Relapse>Encore>Infinite>The Re-Up(if you count that)

Relapse can probably be compared to SSLP, because they're the same kind of album (lyrically insane, Slim Shady alter ego, etc). But there is no way Encore is better than Relapse. Anybody who says otherwise is probably just pissed at the accent. But he wouldn't be able to rhyme like that if he didn't use it. Just like one review said about Relapse: "The genius of the album isn't the raper/serial killer material, but the sadness behind the painted on grin". If you listen to it a couple of time's you'll get where I'm going with it.

All in all, Relapse's worst track was better than Encore's worst track (Crack a Bottle>Big Weenie). Relapse's best song is better than Encore's best (My favorite is DejaVu>Like Toy Soldiers). And everything in the middle is better. Relapse has no filler material, only commercial songs that were made to sell (CAB, WMY). Encore's terrible songs were just terrible songs, not good to a rap fan, not good to a radio listener. Just terrible. I'm really glad he got off drugs, cause if we had 2-3 more albums of that, Em's reputation would be fucked.

[mrjizzbomber]

Damn...how are people saying Relapse was better than The Eminem Show. I'm not saying it to criticize, I'd really want an explanation. In my mind, its:

TES>MMLP>SSLP>Relapse>Encore>Infinite>The Re-Up(if you count that)

Relapse can probably be compared to SSLP, because they're the same kind of album (lyrically insane, Slim Shady alter ego, etc). But there is no way Encore is better than Relapse. Anybody who says otherwise is probably just pissed at the accent. But he wouldn't be able to rhyme like that if he didn't use it. Just like one review said about Relapse: "The genius of the album isn't the raper/serial killer material, but the sadness behind the painted on grin". If you listen to it a couple of time's you'll get where I'm going with it.

All in all, Relapse's worst track was better than Encore's worst track (Crack a Bottle>Big Weenie). Relapse's best song is better than Encore's best (My favorite is DejaVu>Like Toy Soldiers). And everything in the middle is better. Relapse has no filler material, only commercial songs that were made to sell (CAB, WMY). Encore's terrible songs were just terrible songs, not good to a rap fan, not good to a radio listener. Just terrible. I'm really glad he got off drugs, cause if we had 2-3 more albums of that, Em's reputation would be fucked.

I could easily see anyone considering The Eminem Show as his best album. Like I said, hes very honest, open and straightforward with what he is saying on TES. He also kills it with the raps. Makes for a true classic album.

I just personally like his use of his alter ego. I think its one of the most creative things ever done in rap, and I think what hes doing with Slim Shady is very, very deep (and no, I'm pretty sure I'm not looking too far into it). For that reason, and the way he puts together the Relapse album (I think its the most cohesive of his albums), and of course the killer flows and rhymes, I personally put it above TES. Its close though.

And no, you can't consider The Re-Up. If you're going to do that, throw in Devil's Night, D12 World, and the 8 Mile soundtrack with your rankings...

[Kez]

I much prefer Encore to Relapse, but that's for a variety of reasons (as i went into in detail in the last thread about this)

[DanWS]

I duno, he has also said that when he listens back to Encore he hears a lot of self-loathing in there.

When & where did he say that?

I'm pretty sure he said it more than once but here's the link to one interview where he said it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/may/17/eminem-urban-music-relapse

Part where Encore is talked about:
AB: Are you saying that Encore falls short musically, lyrically or both?
Eminem: It feels a little too self-loathing to me. When I go back and listen to it… it just feels like I'm pissing and moaning about whatever. It sounds like in my head I feel like I have all these things to piss and moan about. And maybe I did, maybe I didn't, I don't know, but to actually bring that kind of shit to the forefront like that, I just don't agree with it. I guess to me now it feels like I beat up the subject of what was me. That's what that record's overall theme feels like. Even Curtain Call feels like that was me then and I guess it was. That is where I was at then.


I'm positive he also said the same thing in another interview around the time of the Relapse promotion - it was either one with DJ Semtex, Tim Westwood or possibly another interview. But he definitely said it again. Kamilniewulis could probably tell you better than me.

[MikeNUFC]

Encore was absolutely terrible. Not even just for Eminem, in general hip hop.

Relapse shits all over it.

[embm]

i luv both
myb he thnks encor is beta cuz its mo theraputic & personal shit talkd abt on ther
rlps was jus horror movi shit

[UzaKING]

I like tracks from both I dont even see why its such a big deal just take the tracks you like from both and make one album and stop arguing... its all opinion anyways

[Pllumi]

My opinion?

Relapse > Encore

[slimsoxshady]

imo, Recovery is better than the two combined

[macdaddy019967]

this must be a joke
Relapse is way better than Encore