THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2010 #18 - Eminem: Recovery

THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2010
#18 - Eminem: Recovery

Words by Dirk Calloway

Preface: I listened to 81 albums from 2010 and have decided to write a review per day on the top 20 from that bunch. You are reading #18 today. Come back tomorrow for more! A special hello to you all from the US, Spain, UK, France, Germany and Brazil, it's choice to have you here! You're reading a blog written in New Zealand, and it's likely because of the band New Young Pony Club's shout-outs on Facebook and Twitter that you're reading this. They were #20 in this series and you can read that here.

After shifting 6 million copies worldwide, Recovery became the top-selling album of 2010. In the process it took the record for best selling digital album of all time. A little while later, Eminem won the Grammy for the year's Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone ranked it much higher than I have in their own Best of the Year list. Wikipedia tells me that, "during 2010, Eminem's music generated 94 million streams, more than any other music artist." His single Love The Way You Lie was the UK's top single of the year, even though it never reached the peak position of #1 on the charts. Recovery dominated the globe last year... so why is it that many people I know are likely 'tisk-tisking' me right now? Allow me two paragraphs to give you some context and a brief history lesson? It's important, I promise. 

Many friends of mine can't stand Slim Shady. I would put money on the majority having never listened to a hip hop album from start to finish. If you're cringing because you're in a similar boat, that's cool. I understand. Eminem's always been alienating. Historically, he seems to have thrived off of the reactions he can provoke. Much like South Park and hundreds of stand-up comedians before him, he's gone out of his way to offend anyone who is easily upset. Back in his hey-day, this was what first captivated his legion of fans. Each barrage aimed at rich white society inspired higher sales, better music and more venomous lyrics than mainstream radio had ever served up before.

Eventually though, the schtick wore thin. Returning from a 5 year hiatus, Eminem blew his comeback in 2009. He released an album called Relapse that was wildly inconsistent and - much worse - predictable. The fans let him know. No-one liked it, and he lost a lot of street cred as a result. And that's where Recovery comes in...

Recovery's first lines feature a reluctant Marshall muttering, "you don't look too happy to see me. Fuck man, don't everybody welcome me back at once." He's on the back-foot, with his defences up, like a caged man hysterical at the idea of feeling trapped. From that point forwards he's competing for our attention. He knows that every song has to convince you - the listener - to continue on to the next one because his reputation is not enough to coast on anymore. There's a ferocity and steadfast refusal to relax that makes Recovery a great record. Check out the best track, Won't Back Down, for some insight into his mindset:

That song's the fourth track, and as soon as its monstrous hooks are laid out, the album transcends from 'so so' to 'so so so awesome.' It's an artful combination of hip hop and rock, reminding us who we're dealing with here: the uncrowned king of rap wordplay. He's prancing around, showing off, having fun, like a court jester who dresses up in hoodies and beanies. In the album version, there's even a moment where the song's producer breaks 'the fourth wall' and tries to fade the song out. Eminem's diatribe is unfazed by this interruption and instead changes his attention to the record producer, screaming for his vocals to be turned back up. This is a man who is intent on being heard, not because he has much to be said, but because he's finally realised he enjoys the spotlight. Hell, he even helped Chrysler do a commercial for this year's superbowl:

When you're as talented a word-smith as he is, I can't say I begrudge him for show boating. I wish I had half the skills he does. He rhymes in couplets whilst also spattering internal rhymes throughout many of his lines. A typical climax to a song on this record will involve him rhyming damn near every third word. Here's an example, and I'll highlight the different rhymes to help it 'read' better

Does a bird chirp, Lil Wayne slurps syrup till he burps And smokes purp, does a word search
gets circles wrapped around him like you do when I come through, I'd like you to remind yourself
Of what the fuck I can do when I'm on the mic

Sure, it's not Shakespeare, but it's a damn sight better than most "A-list" rappers out there. He called out Lil' Wayne while he was at it, as if to help me prove my point. Sometimes he also peppers his rhymes with double-entendres, and sometimes he even takes the time to point them out to us, because if he didn't we'd miss them in the rush. Check out this example of that happening: where the bold text is pronounced as a rhyme, and the underlined text is the double-entendre / pun hybrid

You say that you want your punchlines a little more compact
Well shawty I'm that man
These other cats ain't metaphorically where I'm at man
I gave Bruce Wayne a Valium and said
Settle ya fuckin' ass down, I'm ready for combat man
Get it calm batman?
Nah, ain't nobody whose as bomb and as nuts

Phewf! Now, if I still have to justify why it is that Eminem features in my Top 20, I'd say it's that you probably didn't notice I just quoted the same song twice. If you watched the video above, you probably heard the beats but not the twists in the lyrics. It's a rewarding listen in this way, as you an choose to just enjoy the vibe and the aggression, or you can actively hear each word and enjoy the way he has crafted them to flow. It's not that they're significant in any meaningful way, but it's truly fun to hear lyrics tossed about in the heat of the moment by a professional like this man. Enjoy him while he's still trying.

Alright, that's today's post. Tune in tomorrow for #17 - and I promise it's the polar opposite of Eminem's Recovery. It's a local group who have matured their sound perfectly over the course of the last couple of years.