i feel like i’ve seen one too many status updates about how “classic” people believe eminem’s recovery is, and i felt the need to say something. i definitely grew up listening to eminem – especially in middle school. i maintain that his first three studio LPs are among some of the finest releases in hip-hop altogether. with the huge misstep that was relapse, it was easy for any record to succeed and be lauded by many, especially those who felt like relapse left something to desire. while i do feel that recovery is miles better than its predecessor, i still feel like there’s much more that people are looking past, which i hope i shed more light on in my review.
you know where it is.
-grizzly
Artist: Eminem
Album: Recovery
Record Label: Interscope/Shady/Aftermath
Release Date: June 21, 2010
Eminem’s 2009 comeback was a vain one at best. It was the same year where Raekwon released a stellar sequel to an album that was 15 years old and the year that held a Reflection Eternal reunion; we really didn’t need him back. Despite having the highest selling hip-hop record of the year, his critical shortcomings didn’t go unnoticed. He knew that Relapse was “eh…” (far worse, actually) and it was perhaps just a mere haze of drug-induced shock records chock full of sodomy and roofies. Recovery was meant to be Marshall’s critical redemption. With promises of a follow-up to Relapse being a near classic via Just Blaze and several others within his camp, the bar was set fairly high. Even after the release of “Not Afraid,” it was evident that Em had ditched the kitschy first single and was ready to make heads roll, the same way he did in his heyday.
Recovery starts out with three of Eminem’s strongest songs since The Eminem Show. “Cold Wind Blows” comes through with the throwback mischief we’ve all celebrated Eminem’s presence in hip-hop for, and “Talkin’ to Myself” is the most introspective cuts from the new batch. On the track, he addresses his childish envy of fellow heavyweights Lil Wayne and Kanye West, both of whom had banner 2008s, which left Em wondering what he was doing incorrectly. This thought process ultimately leads to the most prolific of declarations, “Encore – I was on drugs/Relapse – I was flushin’ em out.”
As far as the topic of album content goes, there are slim-pickings. There are far too many one-liners about male genitals and way too many songs focused on “haters” and “non-believers,” a few of which we could’ve stood to do without. However, the album does have its share of gems. Perhaps one of the most notable is the surfacing of Eminem’s audio tribute to childhood friend and late D-12 member Proof on “You’re Never Over,” which is vulnerable, earnest and honest – something this album needed desperately. The Sabbath-sampling “Going Through Changes” and “25 to Life,” the classic “marriage to hip-hop” metaphor are also two of the album’s finest, both boasting the intensity and verbal gymnastics Eminem has been known for.
Once the initial novelty of Eminem rapping without that half-assed Rastafarian accent wears off, you’ll realize that there might’ve been too much hype surrounding the release of Recovery. Sure, the artwork’s slick and the lineup for the production credits are as diverse as the actual beats are impressive. But it feels like the real fury that made his reigning predecessors such as The Eminem Show and The Marshall Mathers LP so respected is missing. On those albums, he was hungry. On Recovery, namely songs like “Seduction” and “White Trash Party,” feel like they were just Relapse throwaways. The feature with Pink plays smoothly, but the same can’t be said about “Love the Way You Lie,” his collaboration with Rihanna. Two serious questions are raised here; why her presence on the album exists, and why the content of her chorus tiptoes on a sensitive subject that Eminem hasn’t been the most diplomatic about throughout the course of his career*.
Recovery might’ve jumped the gun a bit too quickly after Relapse, considering it has only been a year since its release. There are a few too many filler tracks that he was working with, even though bringing the likes of DJ Khalil, Just Blaze and Boi-1da behind the boards for this project was an immense improvement from the tired and worn beats by Dre. The everyday “Stan” will insist that this is one of Eminem’s strongest albums, but what record wouldn’t seem that way after Relapse? As for those of us who enjoy keeping our higher standards intact, Recovery is a fairly average notch on the belt of Eminem’s discography.
Grade: 6.2/10
[*ed note: Domestic abuse.]
WEWOREMASKS IS DEAD. 
well done sir.
disagree with your grade though. B at least
LikeLike
Grizzly,
While I liked your review I feel it is built upon an unfair assumption of normality. As I’m sure you and I would agree, eminem’s first three albums from slim shady to eminem’s show are some of raps greatest and as fans, having been spoiled so frequently and so early on, we have come to have an expectation of greatness from em in subsequent albums…an expectation that is not only unfair to have towards eminem but on the whole could never possibly Be upheld and maintained. Greatness with regards to em’s work has become normal to us fans, thus when em makes an album such as recovery that doesn’t best The Marshall mathers LP we consider it a grade C album. The truth of the matter is, we have been spoiled to have eminem strike lighting three different times, in three differet locations, on three seperate occasions. And because of this we fail to see recovery for what it truly is…a damn good album that’s a b- at worst and and a- at best. Yes, next to relapse it’s great. Yes next to em’s first three it’s aight. But remember em’s first three were magic. I don’t believe many other, if any other emcees are held to such a high standard as we and you hold eminem to.
Ortiz
LikeLike
it’s not like i’m picking on him, though. just because a rapper once had classics doesn’t mean i’m just gonna give him a pass for his weak records. i still wouldn’t given jay-z leeway for vol 3, kingdom come, blueprint 2 just because he released reasonable doubt and the blueprint. i still hate nas’ nastradamus despite his work on illmatic and it was written and so on.
as a guy who listens to music all day, everyday, i can’t just give eminem an A- (which for this record is a flat out ‘hell no’ from me.) because i like the guy’s work ethic and the marshall mathers LP. there’s just too much great music out there much more deserving of an A- (see: the roots’ how i got over). if i gave him an A-, i’d just further perpetuate the “stan” stigma. i rate things based on how much i like the album, not the artist.
i knew giving this a C- would be pretty polarizing (especially to a few of my friends) but that’s why this whole journalism spiel exists, haha. and for the record, i wish more people went on rants in our comment section. that shit was awesome.
-g
LikeLike
i see ortiz’s point, and i think grizzly’s C- was harsh, but then again if someone makes 3 classics you SHOULD expecta high standard
and people shouldn’t get free passes for past work.
Recovery gets a ‘B’ from me though
LikeLike
stop fighting
and start the machine
LikeLike
Word. I have a feeling we might revisit this train of thought when Good Ass Job drops.
Ortiz
LikeLike
haha – i wish i could give that review an objective listen, but i’ve already been calling “album of the year” prior to even hearing the first song.
-g
LikeLike
I agree with 90% of what you wrote. My only question is why people keep hating on Em for including Rihanna on the album? I mean, right, her “scene” consists of teenage boys who don’t give a flying fuck about lyrical content (obviously); but the woman can still sing. “Love The Way You Lie” is one of Em’s strongest tracks; not just on Recovery, but in his career. The third verse of the song is lyrically ingenious, and it is also apparent that Em was talking about personal experience, not rape or incest or making shit up, as it seems he was with Relapse and most of Recovery.
Great review though. Keep it up son.
LikeLike
well, first off, thanks for digging the review. a lot more people have disagreed with me than usual.
but on topic, i hate on em for including it just because i currently can’t even stand to listen to rihanna. all of her recent singles are atrocious and i feel like she’s gotten worse at singing. the song seems to be a HUGE rip off of b.o.b.’s “airplanes.” the structure is the same, has that same melodic female hook and is even produced by the same dude. all of it feels forced and contrived. i listened to it twice and unless it becomes a single, i guarantee i’ll never listen to it again.
-g
LikeLike
This sums up the past of his career.
“But it feels like the real fury that made his reigning predecessors such as The Eminem Show and The Marshall Mathers LP so respected is missing. On those albums, he was hungry.”
When he’s hungry/angry, he’s at his finest. Look at that Mariah Carey/Nick Canon diss song. Classic Em, b/c he was motivated. I thought that the death of Proof would evoke that same artist which we came to love. With all that said, Em will produce great albums in the future. I’ve always felt that he is somewhat comparable to Bob Dylan if you transfer it into hip-hop. Both artists give so much of their personal lives that you expect to hear every detail in their music. At this point, Ems life is boring and so is his music.
LikeLike