Blue Brain

After four years away from the music industry Eminem is back with his much anticipated 6th album Relapse. The album is aptly titled as Eminem seems to have relapsed into past habits. This album is filled with familiar references to his pill-popping mother (My Mom), his relationship with Mariah Carey (Bagpipes from Bagdad), Christopher Reeves jokes (Medicine Ball), and his crazy urges to murder (3am, Stay Wide Awake). Is he stuck in the past? Perhaps somewhat, but I think the song Beautiful reveals some insight into an artist struggling with a lack of creativity and motivation.

“I’m just so f*cking depressed, I just can’t seem to get out this slump/ if I could just get over this hump/ but I need something to pull me out this dump/ I took my bruises/ took my lumps/ fell down and I got right back up/ But I need that spark to get psyched back up/ In order for me to pick the mic back up/ I don’t how or why or when I ended up in this position I’m in/ I’m starting to feel distance again/ so I decided just to pick this pen up and make an attempt to vent/ but I just can’t admit/ or come to grips with that fact that I may be done with rap/ “

Eminem is a 36 year old man now, that’s 10 years since his first album. His modern attempts to be shocking and edgy lack the passionate delivery and sincerity of previous work. It often comes off sounding very forced and contrived. Other times lyrics lack any real cohesion, sure the words rhyme but it’s mostly gibberish.

The good news is there’s only a handful of songs with these shortcomings. The album as a whole is a great improvement over The Eminem Show. Songs like “Hello”, “Bagpipes from Baghdad” and “Same Song and Dance” are great examples of classic Eminem; great delivery and clever rhyme schemes. In contrast, “Déjà vu” and “Beautiful” are great examples of a more grown up Eminem with very honest, reflective lyrics. I can’t help but wish the entire album was more in the spirit of those for-mentioned tracks.

The albums first two singles “Crack a Bottle” and “We Made You” are sure to satisfy the mainstream bubble-gum rap fans. As a fan, it’s hard for me to be so critical of the album but Eminem has the potential for a greater overall product. Relapse was originally planned as a double album, so I can’t help but wonder if Eminem is saving the best for last with Relapse 2 slated for release in late 2009.