Review: Eminem – Recovery

Palmer reviews Eminem’s Recovery.

Artist: Eminem
Album: Recovery
Year: 2010
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop

Eminem is back! I have been waiting for so long to say that. This is a true glimpse of what Marshall Mathers used to be. His last album Relapse (2008) had favorable reception, but just didn’t have that venomous bite that Eminem based his career on. He started to play around too much, get too goofy, and lost his edge. I don’t know what person, place, or thing went and pissed him off this time, but I’d love thank it for bringing the fire back into his career.

Recovery is Eminem’s seventh studio effort and has been recorded with the intention of having it be a double-album with Relapse 2 scheduled to follow soon. Eminem is one of those rare artists that isn’t afraid to say what he has on his mind. He doesn’t censor himself and he seems to go against the grain as much as possible within his genre of music. His ability to mix humor and reality is a unique selling point, and it’s one that put Eminem on the map. It’s obvious he’s trying to use Recovery as a way of trying to rekindle the energy from Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and find the perfect balance between the two conflicting emotions.

The featured artists on this album are all welcome additions. He’s opted to go for female vocalists, Rihanna and Pink, as well as Lil’ Wayne – three heavy hitters. Rihanna and Lil‘ Wayne are both obvious choices because of their extreme popularity in the hip-hop world right now, but Pink? I never would have seen that coming. Whatever the reason, we should all be glad that they did because ‘Won’t Back Down’ is quite possibly the best track on the album. It’s a prime example of Eminem at his angriest and most energetic – a combination of emotions I haven’t heard coming from him in years. Though this album does have its clichéd tracks (‘W.T.P.’ and ‘Love The Way You Lie’) that feel out of place, there are selections on here that could get anyone’s head bobbing.

The beats on Recovery are different. Some of them feel as if they’re lacking on production values or were quickly thrown together, but the ones that work flow smoothly and contain strong traces of alternative/rock influence. The entire album contains a library of ideas and traces of real genius that truly impressed me. For the most part, the album is unbelievably honest. Tracks like ’25 To Life’, ‘Talkin’ 2 Myself’ and ‘Going Through Changes’ are all incredibly deep and Eminem truly opens up to his listeners and let’s everything out. These are the tracks where he really shines, when his honesty overpowers any issues with the beat and he becomes your average man, talking about his problems, and apologizing to everyone for putting up with him while he figures everything out.

Recovery isn’t a consistent album. It varies from track to track with Eminem struggling to find himself in the music, the beats, and the lyrics, but flashes of his greatness shine through most of the flaws. Eminem has not been this mature since Marshall Mathers LP and that alone is more than I could ask for.

And Marshall, if you read this, how was your day?

Verdict:

+ Overwhelmingly honest
+ Much more mature
- The album as a whole struggles to find itself
- Certain tracks are a bit cliché and feel tacked on

Best Tracks: ‘Wont Back Down’, ’25 To Life’, ‘Going Through Changes’, and ‘Talkin’ 2 Myself’

83/100

- Palmer Sturman
palmer@musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/despitefulminat