Recovery - The Essential Tracks

[EminemBase]

Now, critically Recovery obviously hasn't been accepted as a classic. It was pretty mixed yet again. A lot of critics in the past have accused Em of over-running his albums. As have some fans I've seen.

Imagine Recovery was cut-down to the essential tracks only, something like this...

1. Cold Wind Blows
2. Talkin to Myself
3. On Fire
4. Going Through Changes
5. Not Afraid
6. Seduction
7. No Love
8. Space Bound
9. Cinderella Man
10. 25 to Life
11. Almost Famous
12. Love the Way You Lie
13. You're Never Over

Amongst fans I think it was received a lot better, even usual not-so-Em-fans seem to love it from the majority of opinions I've read. But I think even the people who REALLY love it wouldn't call it a classic.

Myself, I think it's not far off but probably just a few tracks seem to detract from it being a fully-fledged classic. Although, the ones which I think do, I don't actually dislike. I just think they're not as essential. Do you think that if the track-listing was this, it would be better received or, a classic?

Because it's to note as well, that a lot of classics are relatively short. Illmatic for example has 11 tracks. Em managed to make three, long classics with his first trio I think. But I think Encore, Relapse and Recovery all suffered from quality control. Because, as odd as it seems, just the inclusion of one or two really bad tracks (for me anyway) can seem to sour the memory of the album completely. And its place in history. If the others are soo good.

Like with Relapse for example, if it didn't have "Crack a Bottle" and "Beautiful" on it, it would be a perfect little album for what it is to me. Top to bottom enjoyment, a consistent sound. But the inclusion of those tracks for me just... For some reason, massively flaw its memory entirely. What would your essential Recovery list be?

PS. I don't even like "Love the Way You Lie" that much. But since I'm boiling it down to essential tracks, I do think that should be on there. Not because of its success, but it does feel pretty vital to the force of the album along with "25 to Life". It works. And, like I said - tracks I left off - I LIKE too, so don't start saying "WOW MAN YOU DON'T LIKE W.T.P?" I just don't think they're ESSENTIAL tracks if you had to cut it down.

[OMEGA]

To be honest, no Eminem album has achieved ¨universal critical acclaim¨ with critics. To say that Drake´s Thank Me Later has a better ¨overall¨ score than MMLP illustrates the point.

Now, I find pretty much all the tracks on Recovery essential. WBD would be the sole exception.

[buffalo bill]

Cold Wind Blows
On Fire
Going Through Changes
Not Afraid
No Love
Space Bound
Cinderella Man
Almost Famous
Love The Way You Lie
You're Never Over

Maybe.

[clarkoggg]

All killer, no filler- i like it

[ShadyVsEminem]

Some Critics are not gonna be the type that like Eminems over the top lyrics and will give him a bad score that illustrates that.The album is dope as it is barring a few dodgy hooks and all the songs are needed for the album to flow seamlessly.

What is wrong with the songs removed?

[fopower]

To be honest, no Eminem album has achieved ¨universal critical acclaim¨ with critics. To say that Drake´s Thank Me Later has a better ¨overall¨ score than MMLP illustrates the point.

Exactly.

I don't even know how to define a classic, so I'll just say that it's a nice album. Some of the songs that I didn't like as much others seem to really enjoy- it's a balanced album, which means that most people will like the majority of the songs on it, while not appreciating a few of the other songs (which may be appreciated by people with a slightly different taste in music).

Having said that, if I were to tailor the album to my preferences it would look something like what you have done.

[EminemBase]

To be honest, no Eminem album has achieved ¨universal critical acclaim¨ with critics. To say that Drake´s Thank Me Later has a better ¨overall¨ score than MMLP illustrates the point.

Exactly.

I don't even know how to define a classic, so I'll just say that it's a nice album. Some of the songs that I didn't like as much others seem to really enjoy- it's a balanced album, which means that most people will like the majority of the songs on it, while not appreciating a few of the other songs (which may be appreciated by people with a slightly different taste in music).

Having said that, if I were to tailor the album to my preferences it would look something like what you have done.

Well to me, a classic is an album which is monumental and seems essential in a genre's history. Something which seems like a rarity and that would seem unlikely the artist themselves could reproduce as it was a mix of timing, hunger, the right creative bursts etc. which all came into the mix to create something artistically significant.

Now Encore, isn't that. Relapse isn't that.

But if you take like, The Marshall Mathers LP. I think it's absolutley that. When you consider what he truly did with it, taking all accusations and slanders and fully embracing them into an album. Letting other's perceptions and fictions become his reality on record... It's just something special. But then of course it's the execution, presentation and ideas which count.

Personally I don't think a classic is just a nice album. I think it has to have a significance and sort of monopoly effect on the brain when thought of, just a polarizing sound.

[EminemBase]

What is wrong with the songs removed?

Already responded to this in the original post.

I make a point of trying to combat obvious responses in the first post so that they don't override / pollute the thread of decent discussion.

Yet, people still go there.

[S.T.A.N.]

please stop with this kinda threads and the long debate.

[DanWS]

You can't give an album a "classic" tag just because of some reviews that are made at the time of the album's release. You gotta give it a lot more time before you can really judge whether an album is a certified classic or not. I believe its the hip-hop fans that decide whether an album is a classic or not, rather than the critics of magazines or blogs. Look at the MMLP, how it got much better ratings when it was re-rated years later. Look at Bun B's new album given the coveted 5 star rating in The Source - how many hip-hop fans would agree with that? I've not heard much talk about it at all yet just because a few magazine editors decide to give it a 5-mic rating it should be regarded as an instant classic? Nah. The fans decide what's a classic and what's not. And it's still to early to decide whether Recovery is.

[electroencephalogram]

nope, leave them all on

[EminemBase]

please stop with this kinda threads and the long debate.

No.

[Emadyville]

I think this was good, but I'd stick with the original, whether some tracks seem like filler or not

[Kez]

I mostly agree, but i still think the Untitled bonus track should be there

[Emadyville]

I mostly agree, but i still think the Untitled bonus track should be there

yeah honestly, that to me shows he's back, the nonsense on that song, the randomness, along with the sick flow and funny punchlines