It has been a four-and-a-half year lapse since Encore, the last album Eminem recorded before checking in and out of rehab. Bursting back on the scene more bad-ass and more loathsome than ever, Em doesn't just prove he can slug it out with the rest of the Lil Waynes and Akons, he manages to make them sound like a bunch of nancy boys in comparison.
Relapse is an album laced with murder, misogyny and self-loathing. And if you sniffed hard enough, you might just catch the horde of drug references stewing in the music. Even before you pop the CD in, the theme of this album literally stares you in the face - from the pill mosaic CD art to the pill bottle cap CD picture, it's clear what Eminem's message on this album is. This cat's certainly had a rough period.
After the comedic opening sketch between Dr West and himself, Em brings out the knives with "3am", a song about the dehumanizing effects of drug and alcohol addiction..
In usual Em fashion, few are spared the brunt of his hate rants, best exemplified by the lighter (in comparison) feel of "We Made You", a track that seems to harken back to the less serious sound of his previous albums. Em thrusts a barb-wired lyrical tirade at his mother on "My Mom", condemning her as the impetus for his drug dependency.
I can't say I enjoyed "Insane", one of the better tracks on the album which lashes out against child rape and molestation. That would be akin to saying I revel in watching someone get hit by a truck. Then again, I did appreciate the irony and caustic wit infused in this vicious and visceral rap. Another track to look out for would be "Déjà Vu", where Em, in a most satirical stance, unravels his back story on overdosing, interacting with his daughter while in a zombie-like stupor, and having to hide his stash.
"Crack a Bottle" is definitely the tune on the playlist to groove to. Featuring Dr Dre and 50 Cent, this seemingly improvised track has the funkiest beat of those on the album. Sadly though, the lyrics are a pale shadow of the music, with directionless drivel underscored by an uninspired chorus: "So crack a bottle, let your body waddle/ don't act like a snobby model you just hit the lotto".
"Beautiful" features the only break from the rest of the anger-charged tracks. This confessional number marks Em's attempt to shovel rap angst into a pick-me-up ballad form. And the result comes across as weak, bordering on clichéd, superior only to the meaningless raving in "Old Time's Sake".
It seems that in Em's world, everyone's irredeemable. And listening to Relapse, you'll either construe the man as a poetic genius, or some thug on a self-indulgent, ego-stroking wordplay trip. As for myself, I'm still recovering from the temporary depression onset this album has brought.. What a trip.