by Acid_M » May 11th, '09, 14:12
y'know what?
I've been listening to this shit for 4 days straight now and its already beginning to wear thin already (unlike the 1st three albums which i can still easily bump front to back today). I still think its a great album, but just by looking at some of the comments on this thread, I'm pretty sure some of you are overreacting to the fact that there's some new Em material to bump (but i guess its your opinion so whatever).
I've somewhat changed my opinion a bit, I'm thinking now that Relapse is actually just above average. Not bad by any means, but not as great as some of y'all are making it out to be.
The best thing about it is that its a CONCEPT album, basically just covering the whole drug problem/relapse/rehab/last 5 year shit for him BUT i think its deeply lacking in subject matter. Lyrically it is pretty ill, but there is some really dumb rhymes ("Locked in Mariah's wine cellar, all i had for lunch...." - that shits just stupid) plus i know its been mentioned plenty but the accent does fuck a lot of shit up. Same Song & Dance, Hello, 3 AM, Bagpipes and Old Times' Sake could really do without the accent, it would have been a drastic improvement.
There is no question that Dre's beats are all plain FIRE non-stop, besides Old Time's Sake i think every beat is damn-near perfect.
Here's whats been confusing me though: some of you have been rating this shit above SSLP and Infinite? Are you shitting me???? I usually dont include Infinite in Em's studio albums (coz it was just an EP but lyrically, there are very few albums that can touch that shit)
1. The Eminem Show
2. Marshall Mathers LP
3. Slim Shady LP
4. Infinite
(these 4 are all basically on the same level, there is a very small gap between them all)
5. Relapse
6. Encore
(big big big big gap between these 2)
Think about this - I would say that TES, MMLP and SSLP were pretty FULL of classics from start to finish.
Encore had 2 classics - Mockingbird and Toy Soldiers.
Relapse has 3 classics - Underground, Beautiful and Deja Vu.
Dont get me wrong I still think Relapse is miles ahead of Encore, it just doesnt touch his earlier shit.
Re-review:
01. Dr. West (Skit)
02. 3 AM (3 Stars)
accent kills it, otherwise it would have been incredible
03. My Mom (3 Stars)
heard it all before. Hook is terrible.
04. Insane (4 Stars)
Honestly, this shit is pretty immature. Sounds like something bizarre would do, but it still is funny as fuck
05. Bagpipes from Baghdad (2 Stars)
dont know what the hype is about. I like the beat, thats about it
06. Hello (3 Stars)
accent, accent, accent. Otherwise its pretty tight
07. Tonya (Skit)
08. Same Song & Dance (3.5 Stars)
In terms of subject matter Stay Wide Awake is basically the same song except done a lot better. Beat is off the wall on this tho.
09. We Made You (3 Stars)
Y'all already know
10. Medicine Ball (3 Stars)
That first verse is FLAMES, the rest is meh.
11. Paul (Skit)
12. Stay Wide Awake (5 Stars)
Fuckin love it. Wish there was no accent but technically, this song is pretty much perfect. The beat sounds like something Vakill would spit over.
13. Old Times Sake (2 Stars)
leftover shit.
14. Must be the Ganja (4.5 Stars)
Why all the hate?? Theres no accent on here as far as i can tell. This is fuckin raw imo. One of the best songs on the album. That 2nd verse? ridiculous isht
15. Mr. Mathers (Skit)
16. Deja Vu (5 Stars)
classic
17. Beautiful (5 Stars)
classic.
18. Crack A Bottle (3 Stars)
19. Steve Berman (Skit)
20. Underground (5 Stars)
classic.
Overall: 3.5 Stars
/end rant