Track-by-track album review

Album title: Recovery
Artist: Eminem
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Release date: June 22th, 2010

1. Cold Wind Blows
Sin: “This is one intense intro track. It definitely sounds like he’s not kidding around. It’s like that serious stare he’s carrying around nowadays has been embedded into this track musically and lyrically.”
Immy: “What strikes me by the introduction of this album is that Eminem finally lost his grotesque sense of humor, and that accent. It’s as if Encore and Relapse never happened. Eminem’s bête noir has returned, and I personally think this is gratifying. Shady’s grief turns me on.”

2. Talkin’ 2 Myself with Kobe
Immy: “I have no idea who Kobe is. Did the Los Angeles Laker all of a sudden turn to R&B or something? The production of this song is wack, and the vocals would’ve been better off sung by Eminem himself. Kobe should sit the fuck down. I’m literally on my knees begging Dre and Fiddy to return.”
Sin: “I guess this is catchy, but the instrumental overpowers the rap, which I don’t like one bit. It doesn’t overpower the vocals though, too bad.”

3. On Fire
Immy: “This is dope. Very raw verses, familiar female choirs in the background. So-so choruses but Eminem himself owns up to this in the track so I guess he gets away with it. “This ain’t a song, it’s a warning.” Old-school Eminem. I love when his voice breaks at some points in the track, just sayin’.”
Sin: “Very easy on the ears and somehow exudes tranquility, probably because of the choirs on the background.”

4. Won’t Back Down with Pink
Immy: “Yeah, no. I don’t get why he chooses to team up with Pink if there are Jay-Z’s, Alicia Keyses and even Drakes waiting for him on the other side of the line. I’m un-ticking this one in iTunes.”
Sin: “I’m trying to be objective here, but Pink, really? The “edgy” guitar loop doesn’t do it for me either. I thought Weezy taught us a lesson that some random guitars plus mistakenly hip vocalists doing a chorus does not equal a good hip-hop/rock collaboration. I was rooting for you, Shady. Learn from this.”

5. W.T.P.
Sin: “The wait for the humorous side of Recovery ends at this White Trash Party and I can’t help but take a liking to it. Plus, I’m not even done listening to the album but I’m sure that W.T.P. contains my favourite two lines from this album already — Ladies if your bellybutton is not an innie, then I’m outtie. Truer words have not been spoken, Em, what’s up those outties…”
Immy: “The kind of track I can listen to dozens of time and still discover new word plays. I’m not a  fan of the beat, it kind of sounds like we went five years back in time but Eminem’s djinni makes more than up for it in this track.”

6. Going Through Changes
Immy: “This track displays the aghast person that still hides inside B-Rabbit, and is the only track off the album that kind of proceeds to tell his private life story this explicitly. Heavy, saddening, honestly I don’t have a strong opinion on this track. I listen to it and I think it’s good, which is enough. Is this really Ozzy Osbourne? The fuck.”
Sin: “I don’t hate it. But I’m not crying tears of joy either. Switzerland.”

7. Not Afraid
Immy: “This is the only track that was on heavy rotation before this album leaked. In this track he dismisses Relapse which is kind of an oddball thing to do. However, I agree that this album is better than the last one so whatever. I love the chorus, I personally think angry Eminem verses alternating with tragicomal vocals are one of Em’s sides I love the most.”
Sin: “The first time I heard Not Afraid I was somewhat underwhelmed. It was sort of cheesy emotional, but maybe the lyrics were too saddening to me. Listening to it in the context of the rest of the album helps a lot, it fits in quite nicely.”

8. Seduction
Immy: “Average production by DJ Khalil and wack lyrics about verbal seduction. He’s just trying to chat up some girl and I’m like cool story bro.”
Sin: “Well, this is boring. Total filler.”

9. No Love with Lil Wayne
Immy: “Fucking Haddaway, go away.”
Sin: “Someone needs to make a grand list of songs that should never be sampled. Who thought this was a good idea? Just Blaze, what happened?”

10. Space Bound
Immy: “It’s like an explosion evertime I hold ya I wasn’t joking when I told you that you take my breath away, you’re a supernova. Wow! This track is dope. Quick run off at the mouth.”
Sin: “Somehow the chorus and guitars on this track seem very misplaced. If I could run the verses over a rawer beat, I would.”

11. Cinderella Man
Immy: “The fortitude sparking off this very track is amazing. It’s also one of the few tracks whose instrumental background doesn’t get on my nerves in any way, it’s very minimal and the beat is provided by sounds of people pitching and clapping. When listening to this track I finally realized Eminem has taken a complete turn on this album – there’s an eighty percent decrease of his homophobic verses and distrust of females. People who listen closely will find some remains of the old Shady, however. Then again, Eminem wouldn’t be where he is right now without portions of unjustified hate towards the world.”
Sin: “The title got me scared at first. Was this going to be an ode to Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray’s onscreen love story? I’m glad it wasn’t, even though I was secretly hoping for some lolz. An upbeat song with a soulful chorus that I don’t mind having stuck in my head for a day or two.”

12. 25 to Life
Sin: “The juxtaposition between the angry lyrics and the calm beat sorta gives this track a sunshine-after-rain feel to it, which makes it somewhat strangely optimistic. I’m probably the only person to rate a song optimistic that contains the line “Fuck you hip-hop, I’m leaving”, but I’m trying to focus on the “I’m leaving the abyss” part here. I can dig it.”
Immy: “Shady, go to your room. Don’t speak to me like that. Leaving hip-hop now, hey? I want to grow old with you. Some really cheesy punchlines on this one but it has a dope beat though. I will always love you.”

13. So Bad
Sin: “This beat is making my soul cry. Did I just hear an Entourage reference? I know, why so serious, Sin. But this is too much, I’m sorry Dre. This might have worked in 2002.”
Immy: “This beat is so good it’s making my soul brisk up. The lyrics are kind of fair to middling however I really want to get my drank on with Marshall now.”

14. Almost Famous
Sin: “I adore this. The build-up of every verse and the vocals of the chorus blend together symbiotically. The rest of the vocals on this album can learn a lot from Almost Famous. Just Blaze, I forgive you.”
Immy: “One of the best tracks on the entire album. Every single second of this track is interesting and Eminem and the unknown singer make a great joint. I can’t wait until some stan writes out the lyrics to this one, Shady spits poison on the verses.”

15. Love the Way You Lie with Rihanna
Immy: “Cheesy instrumentals as if this song was written for a Jonas Brothers’ hip-hop sideproject. I can’t hate though, as I love Rihanna’s vocals in this song. It would’ve been amazing to actually have the two of them singing together but no such luck. Pretty heavy how these two artistes teamed up on a track about abusive relationships.”
Sin: “Eminem working with Rihanna is a combination I would have never made up in my own mind but this works really well. Haters can step outside as I jam to this song’s catchy beat as well as feel bad for the story behind both of these artists. This is also the only track of which the guitar usage has been justified. The rest of the album’s blatant abuse of guitars saddens me deeply. Even moreso than Rihanna’s heartbreaking chorus.”

16. You’re Never Over
Immy: “If Proof could see me now, I know he’d be proud. Somewhere in me deep down, there’s something in me he found that made him believe in me. Now no one can beat me. I like how he doesn’t care about clean singing at all, it makes the track very raw. It’s an ode to Proof, very touching. This track has such an emotional vibe to it and upon the end of the album drawing near I realize that this album tops his last two, and I’m getting a little teary-eyed. Kudos. The old Eminem stan in me has returned and hopefully for good. Eminem’s vocals towards the end kill me too.”
Sin: “Aw, I like the victorious feel this track has to it. The beat somehow sounds very fulfilled, and as a result the track itself is a very fulfilling closer for the album.”

17. “Here We Go” (Hidden Track)
Sin: “I can’t help but feel some nostalgia to Eminem’s older material with this track. It’s a good example of how Recovery is classic Eminem in a new jacket and how the makeover without losing the old touch has packed out in a great way.”
Immy: “On point, sharp, relevant, stunning, eenie, meenie, miny, mo, catch an eskimo by his toe. Google it until it POPS up! Eminem delivers.”

[wpaudio url=”http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3640368/14-Eminem%20-%20Almost%20Famous%20-%20DOPEHOOD.COM.mp3″ text=”EMINEM – ALMOST FAMOUS” dl=”0″]

IMMY TOP 5
1. Cinderella Man
2. Almost Famous
3. W.T.P.
4. Here We Go
5. You’re Never Over

SIN TOP 5
1. Almost Famous
2. You’re Never Over
3. Cinderella man
4. W.T.P.
5. 25 To Life

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