There’s a reason Eminem's first EPs and LPs are widely acclaimed. And that’s a fresh perspective and attitude towards hip-hop that didn’t exist before. With the appropriately titled Relapse, Eminem returns with the same lyrical subject matter containing the parental abuse, vulgar celebrity name-drops and drug talk you can find in his previous stuff. Don’t write the album off just yet though - there are some highlights, especially the beats manufactured by Dr. Dre that push Relapse from being mediocre to a passable effort.

The problem with Eminem (and it has been said again and again by critics) is the lack of variety in his lyrics. Without specifically listening for them, I managed to hear three distinct Hannibal Lector references on this album alone (for example on “3am”) and at least two Hannah Montana references, not to mention the constant reappearance of Eminem's mother throughout the album both in passing and with an entire song, "My Mom.” While "My Mom" is not really a bad song, Eminem addresses the issue himself with the first lines of the first verse: "I know you're probably tired of hearing my mom". Despite the somewhat irritating chorus, "My Mom" is an above average exploration of Mathers' past in a career full of them and probably an appropriate inclusion for an album titled Relapse. Then again, it’s not like we haven’t heard most of what Em has to say in this track before; give another listen to the Slim Shady LP if you’re memory has become foggy on the subject.

The strange thing, and what kept me from picking a stance on this album for so long, is that Eminem is obviously aware of the narrowness of his lyrical subject matter. On quite a few songs including the aforementioned “My Mom” and the Steve Berman skit, the repetitive nature of his lyrics come up in the lyrics of the very songs that are repetitive. I came to the conclusion that this is not some sort of artistic irony but a realization on Eminem’s part that it doesn’t really matter what he raps about. His fame and status coupled with Dre’s production will land him a number one album and playtime on dance floors and radio stations everywhere, regardless whether he breaks into new territory or if he pumps out the same old stuff.

Speaking of Dre, we might as well and go ahead chart this as a Dr. Dre album because, as usual, his contributions are the highlight of anything he touches. The beats present on Relapse are among the best Dre has produced since 2001, where beats like "Big Ego's" and "Still D.R.E." raised Dre from a production genius to a grandmaster of his craft. Even his verses on Relapse, few as they may be, are way better than anything Eminem throws down on the record. Take "Crack A Bottle" for instance, the first, very successful, song released from Relapse. Eminem delivers an average effort that, while not terrible (despite him using the word 'cut' three times within the span of twelve words), isn't really as exciting as Dre's following verse. Although Detox is, unfortunately, most likely still way off, Dre’s rhymes on this album makes me even more excited for it. The verse is classic Dre; rapping L.A. and rhyming about cars. It is no coincidence that my favorite tracks on the album also happen to be the ones Dre features as guest on.

I struggled to decide on a stance on this album. Prior to listening to it, I expected it to be absolute trash and an uphill battle to listen to it all the way through. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few tracks on the album that were actually pretty good ("Old Times Sake", "Crack a Bottle", "Underground") despite the predictive nature of Eminem's lyrics. While Relapse is far from Eminem's worst album, the repetitiveness of his lyrics and inclusion of a few filler tracks (“Medicine Ball”, "Hello", "Must Be The Ganja") prevent the album from being anything more than a mediocre effort that is largely kept afloat by Dre's superb production.

Track List

1. Dr. West (skit) (1:30)
2. 3 A.m. (5:20)
3. My Mom (5:20)
4. Insane (3:01)
5. Bagpipes From Baghdad (4:43)
6. Hello (4:08)
7. Tonya (skit) (0:42)
8. Same Song & Dance (4:07)
9. We Made You (4:30)
10. Medicine Ball (3:57)
11. Paul (skit) (0:19)
12. Stay Wide Awake (5:20)
13. Old Time's Sake (4:38)
14. Must Be The Ganja (4:03)
15. Mr. Mathers (skit) (0:42)
16. Déjà Vu (0:19)
17. Beautiful (6:33)
18. Crack A Bottle (4:58)
19. Steve Berman (skit) (1:29)
20. Underground (6:11)