Relapse by Eminem

It’s been five years since Eminem’s last album, and the break from making music, in which he reportedly started using a myriad different prescription drugs, has given him a lot of time to nurture his anger and inner turmoil. This comes out in some highly interesting and lyrically entertaining ways (despite the subject matter) on his new twenty track album, Relapse.

The record starts out with Eminem showing us a small sliver of what his reality must be like now - “Dr West” shows him talking with a doctor who is less than helpful when it comes to Em’s recovery, and shows how he is constantly battling people who don’t believe it’s important he becomes sober.

Em then goes on to lay bare almost every aspect of his problematic life as he talks about out-of-control drug use on “3 A.M.,” blames his mom for being the way he turned out on the beat-driven “My Mom,” and lays himself bare on “Medicine Ball” when he sings “I guess it’s time for you to hate me again” repeatedly.

Interestingly enough, the first single, “We Made You,” pales in comparison to the rest of the poignant album, as Eminem pulls out overdone jibes at ‘it’ girls and useless celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian. It’s funny for one or two listens, but nowhere near as captivating as the rest of the album.

Other top tracks include “Beautiful” and “Underground.” Old pals Dr Dre and 50 Cent are the only guest vocal appearances on “Old Times Sake” and “Crack A Bottle,” keeping the focus on Eminem and the story he’s telling here.

As with most of Eminem’s songs, it is not the music you notice - the slickly Dr Dre-produced hip-hop beats take a back seat to the stories Eminem so vividly creates for his listeners.

Relapse is a sometimes comical, often very dark, well-executed comeback album from a master of hip-hop. Even if you hate him, Eminem’s new album is still worth a listen.

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CelebSelect

Danielle Panabaker's Top Pop Picks
- Favorite Band: The Avett Brothers
  
  "I'm really into the Avett Brothers as of late."
- Favorite Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  
  "My girlfriends are I - we are very nerdy. We started a book club and the first book we read was Gone Girl."
- Favorite New Movie: Silver Linings Playbook
  
  "I thought it was a great film and I thought Jennifer Lawrence was incredible, you know those angry tears, I've certainly experienced that."
Paul Van Dyk: Current Favorites
- School of the Seven Bells
  
  The New York-based band unites Benjamin Curtis of "Secret Machines" and Alejandra Deheza. Formed in 2007, the duo is named after a mythical South American pickpocket training academy of the same name.
- Linkin Park
  
  The Californian rock veterans have come a long way since 'Hybrid Theory.' Back now with their fifth studio album in over a decade, 'Living Things' is one of Paul Van Dyck's favorite albums this year.
- Jupiter Jones
  
  The German punk rock band formed in 2002, but has already released several LPs, including an eponymously-named album in 2011.
- Depeche Mode
  
  The legendary Essex electronic band from the 80s remains a classic for Van Dyk. It was also recently among 'Q' magazine's "50 Bands That Changed The World!".
Cody Simpson
- Favorite Movie
  I'm still really into the Ocean's series. I got into them recently. I was always too young to watch them.
- Favorite Book
  This book called Contest by Matthew Reilly, he's an Australian author.
- Favorite Album
  Drake's Take Care — big fan of that
- Favorite TV Show
  The Mentalist
Styx's Lawrence Gowan
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
  
  "That’s got me laughing hysterically on airplanes."
- Making Mirrors by Goyte
  
  "I thought that was a tremendous record."
- The Artist
  
  "It really impressed me."
- Keane
  
  "They’re really strong."
90210's Michael Steger: My Favorite Stuff
- Favorite TV Show: Rome
  
  HBO's series starring Cirian Hinds
- Favorite Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  
  "Either that or The Gypsy Kings."
- Favorite Book: The Fountainhead
  
  "Probably my favorite book of all time."
- Favorite New Movie: Attack The Block
  
  “It reminded me of The Goonies.”