Written By Kaia Karamoko
What is it about fury and not so public demons that makes for a great album? Is it the passion required to illustrate honesty or is it how comparative the subjects truly are?
For nearly five years, Eminem has been stuck under debris somewhere in the lonely, depressed streets of Detroit. A month alone in Detroit, sober or otherwise makes for a descriptive poem or a full diary, thus; an album that has no gimmicks or uneasy satire.
This is the album strangely no one else has the guts to produce or some would say the complexion to conceive it. Eminem is best when he is tackling the ills of his universe with the fervor of Marilyn Manson. This reality is without a doubt the Vangelis soundtrack to our existence. There’s thirteen-year-olds who do more than rhyme about Lunesta, Vicodin or Ambien; or substance infected, “stupefied” nerds for the sake of scores.
Eminem has a clear obsession with calling out pop princesses, but I’m afraid with our numerous bouts with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan that the subject has been sensationalize straight to the files of defunct material. Nonetheless, he can not help himself on “Same Song & Dance,” “We Made You” and “Stay Wide Awake.”
Relapse is the psyche of a man on the verge of sobriety and seconds from waning. What is appreciated is that Relapse reflects Eminem’s life. His thoughts: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Art that imitates life is always beautiful. Jean-Michel Basquiat wasn’t a great Neo-expressionist because he painted pink flowers and yellow suns but rather because his art was gritty, dark, bright and authentic. “Death of Autotunes” is revolutionary because musically our ears are dead. Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson. One should not expect a sweet ballad about child molestation or the bottom of the pit feeling when one’s daughter finds their father hung over attempting to feast Three Musketeers: “Insane” or “Déjà Vu.”
Despite rehab stunts and a few bumps subject wise Relapse is the Eminem you hate to love. It is true that you can create as many caves as you want but sooner or later you have to see the Sun. Simply put, your pen should never lie. And when it doesn’t you get Relapse.
Relapse is worth indulging.
