Eminembase's 'Recovery' Album Review...

[EminemBase]

Okay I said I'd post a review earlier, here's mine...

To say this album is an important benchmark in Eminem's career would be an understatement. The story of Em's discography, to me at least goes as follows; classic (x3), average and good. And now we find ourselves in the presence of Em's Recovery. Notice I used the word presence there, if this was a bad album I'd perhaps of belittled the lead up to it in that sentence. But let me stress, this album really does feel like a presence to behold.

Eminem released three classics in a row, all bettering the last, all building on themselves... Then he fumbled, due mainly to addiction and self-evident boredom. With Relapse, Em pretty much strung every phonetically appealing word up inside a vocabulary yo-yo, put it in a horrorcore casing, wound it up and spun it out of control with tongue-twisting delivery. But many felt the album failed in its style and content. I actually would disagree, but, it's safe to say it was considered another small dent in Marshall's otherwise impeccable solo portfolio.

So you see Recovery really had to be something undeniable, significant and exciting to stop him having just as many low points as highpoints. The good news is Recovery is all those things and more. What's the bad news...? Why does there have to be any, don't be presumptuous. Metaphors, punch lines, concepts, introspection, self-deprecation... This album has it all. It really does bundle every appealing and enjoyable aspect of Eminem into one powerhouse of an album in a very unique way. Dare I say... Unlike any of his previous.

We hear Em passionately spitting and growling until his lungs are dusty and his throat is rusty. He's relentless, he's aggressive, he's... One hell of a fucking MC. Imagine a mesh of The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show but with his new slew of head-spinning flows. This man really can flaunt any style in your face unlike any reputable counterpart and he knows it. You should be struck with child-like glee as Em rants and raves about his own greatness. Why? Well, he hasn't done this in a while. Eminem is a lyrical genius and hearing him flaunt that with ironic smugness is just sublime.

He started to get stuck in a back and forth tug between emotional and funny. Now it seems he's blending many elements and ideas in a consistent manner. You'll get the expected personal tracks from Em but there's something enticing about them. I had started to somewhat loathe Em's introspection as it had become rather repetitive, redundant and predictable. On Recovery, he's perhaps more honest than ever and deeper than ever. There's no cheesy, polished and packaged quotable's for easy consumption. He admits all his faults in typical Oprah fashion. How many other rappers say they put their last album in the trash and admit they're a desperate loner? Not many that's how many. Em's a rarity and it makes for very entertaining listening.

If you're wondering how the features went down, I will just say this: Em's verse on the track featuring Wayne is a show-stopper, mighty impressive. I've been careful not to reveal too much of the album's content or true stylistic as... Well, for one it would simply take too long, there's so much going on. Also, why have me spoil it for you. Where's the fun in a stranger unwrapping your presents. Even the tracks with more forgettable themes are executed so well that they can't seriously be considered filler.

In closing though, let me just say this... With Recovery Eminem has crafted one of the best albums of his career. I don't want to be premature in ranking it as I'm still not sure but it's definitely up there. You'll listen once; get a shock to the system, listen twice; be intrigued, listen three times; fall in love. This album is an onion of art and you really do peel away a layer with each new listen. It's safe to say that Shady delivered at a crucial point. If only everybody put this much work into their music. I rate this album 5 middle fingers out of 5.

Now this isn't the final review, this is the first draft, just quickly done. I'm going away for a few days but I'll put the fully refined version and a track by track soon.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[BILI]

I just love it man,dope reivew,best I ever read,you should write for a magazine or something,since you know the way wit words

[MikeNUFC]

Great way with words in a review-sense. Very enjoyable read based only on the part you posted). I'll wait til I hear Rvy before reading the rest. Defintely made me more excited for listening to this album.

[OMEGA]

So you gave it five middle fingers out of five?

[KillahBee]

Great review man

He admits all his faults in typical Oprah fashion. How many other rappers say they put their last album in the trash and admit they're a desperate loner? Not many that's how many. Em's a rarity and it makes for very entertaining listening.

I agree with this 100%, Recovery is one of the most honest albums from an established artist that I've ever heard

[Bistnal]

Nice review. I like how you just tempted the reading into wanting to hear the album but without telling them much of anything. You really are very eloquent with your writing, surprised you're not an author or in a related profession.

[Mikey1990]

epic review

[Emadyville]

I loved the comment about how even the songs with weaker concepts are so well crafty they cannot be considered filler...because I agree.

Great review

[Eazy-GFX]

Great review, man!

[ChronicJon]

Dope fucking review

[gutawafang]

Not bad man. I expected you to review individual songs too. xD

[EminemBase]

I've put the full review here now.

I just wanted it to be in its full version on my site for a bit first. I'll put a track by track soon.

[Drucifer]

Very well written

[EminemBase]

So you gave it five middle fingers out of five?

Yep.

I've listened to the album a while now, it's sunk in a lot more. What's surprising to me is how my five out of five rating hasn't changed to me. Even when I wrote that, I expected my opinion to dampen once I had fully appreciated the album and able to look more objectively.

But I still stand by it being a classic. Although I'm going to now revise the review, sift through it, sort out the grammatical issues and go more in-depth. As well as doing a track-by-track.

[Devil'sAdvocate]

Amazing.