Random Review: Eminem, Recovery

Sigh. This album  has received very mixed reviews. I don’t even know why I bother to add to them. Seriously, isn’t this a BEAUTY BLOG? But whatever, I had the idea to have some sort of day for totally random reviews a while ago. Next week: Honey Bunches of Oats with Strawberries! (I could some that up on one sentence: Don’t waste your cash, the “strawberries” taste like concentrated tangy awfulness)

I go through a cycle with music. I don’t really like one particular genre – it depends on my position on the cycle. When I first started to take an interest in music, I started with the mainstream stuff – Britney Spears, Flo Rida, etc. I started to get bored with the normal stuff. At this point I become interested in Japanese anime/manga, and the songs associated with it. Cycle continues – jazz, alternative (!!), rock, ambient/experimental/weird, classical/orchestra music…and with the most recent obsession, soulful rapping.

How convenient it is, the release of this album – it’s all about soulful rapping, with very soulful lyrics! During the peak of the cycle, I had listened to it all – but the one thing I thought for sure I would never come back to is hip-hop. In my opinion, they were all the same – sleazy, disgusting, crackheaded fools who take pride in their nonessential bling-bling and airbrushed six packs – singing about how all the girls want them and how much money they have. I found it to be incredibly stupid at the time, especially considering how much I appreciate good lyrics.

One of the most annoying things in music reviews is when the reviewer looks at an album with a good reputation, and stares it down from every possible angle, pointing out everything that could possibly be considered “bad” and not ever mentioning the “good.” People eat this up, using the flawed equation of difference = philosophy, setting this random person on a high pedestal as a superior individual, just because this person was able to find some sort of disfigurement and make a fuss about it.

I personally think the lyrics can sound a tad cheesy to some, but if they are truly heartfelt, they are beautiful. Now, I’ll admit I haven’t purchased all the songs from the album – actually, I only have 8. That’s how I like to introduce myself to an album – slow exposure, picking songs not by how popular they are, but how interesting the preview sounds. lol. I’ll go through the lyrics of the ones I do have. 2. Talkin’ 2 Myself (feat. Kobe):

Ayo Before I start this song man
I just want to thank everybody for being so patient
And baring with me over these last couple of years
While I figure this s**t out

He mentions something about his episode and how sorry he is about 5,000 times. It does get a tad old. I sort of wish he would have kept each song an individual story about his life, instead of the album being presented as examples of his stupidity with a billion “I’m Sorry’s.” Aside from that, there is an annoying pattern (unrelated to this particular album) with other artists being feautured in rap songs: They record a few lines, and those same lines are played again. And again. And again. All throughout the song. For some artists I like to hear a bit more from them.

On the verge of going insane
I almost made a song dissin Lil Wayne
It’s like I was jealous of him cause of the attention he was gettin’
I felt horrible about myself
He was spittin and I wasn’t
Anyone who was buzzin back then coulda got it
Almost went at Kanye too
God it feels like I’m goin’ psychotic
Thank god that I didn’t do it
I would of had my *ss handed to me

Hahaha. I would have liked to see this. Too bad. Next is Won’t Back Down (feat. P!nk), but  to me that sounds like a bunch of angry, mindless gabble and I have no intention of deciphering it. So on to 6., Going Through Changes.

Lately I really, feel like I’m rolling for like Philly,
I feel like I’m losing control of myself,
I sincerely apologize if all that I sound like, is I’m complaining,
But life keeps on complicating, an’ I’m debating,
On leaving this world, this evening, even my girls

Again with the apologies…

This song is all about his addiction, his depression, and things pertaining to it. It’s certainly a sad song, one of my favorites. It samples Changes by Ozzy Osbourne. Next is 7., Not Afraid. But do I really need to get in detail about this one? Let me put it this way. This is what renewed my hope in the rap industry. So…on to No Love (feat. Lil Wayne).

I don’t think I’m going to post any lyrics for this one either. The song is rather confusing. These two are like polar opposites – why the heck are they performing a duo? The lyrics are just as explaining as they are confusing – It seems to be some sort of heated argument between the two. I’m no good at song metaphors, so maybe I’ve gotten this all wrong, but…(Eminem in bold, sampled bits in parenthesis)

It’s a little too late to say that you’re sorry now
You kicked me when I was down
F**k what you say, just (don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more)
That’s right b***h: and I don’t need you, don’t want to see you
B***h you get (no love)
You show me nothing but hate
You ran me into the ground
But what comes around goes around

On to 10., Space Bound! First thing that comes to mind is that whoever sings the chorus is annoying the crap out of me. It’s probably just me. Okay, back to business…this song seems to be about his (presumed) ex-wife, or somebody…I don’t really know. Not a favorite, really. So, to 15., Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna). Isn’t it a tad peculiar that she was chosen to be featured in a song like this? Heh. Jokes aside, this song is one of the best of the album.

And lastly, mysterious tack 17…Untitled. or Here We Go. Or something like that. It reminds me of the catchy We Made You-esque tunes from Eminem. I like it a lot. The lyrics don’t really make a whole lot of sense, but it is very catchy.

Rating: B