Eminem - Encore

[Guest whatitistoburn]

My quick and dirty review:

 

1. Curtains Up - I like the production on this. 1 for 1.

2. Evil Deeds - Tight beat. Slow to start though, cause I don't really dig the hook or the intro verse thing. Once he gets to the actual rap though (a whole minute and a half into the song) the track picks up considerably. 1 1/2 for 2.

3. Never Enough - Pretty straight forward mainstream rap song. Slim and 50 come pretty strong, and I really dig the hook. Go Nate. 2 1/2 for 3.

4. Yellow Brick Road - It's weird, I dig the samples, but the beat kinda annoys me. I dunno, it's nice but... lacking. Slim's rap is great though, and it's interesting to hear him apologize about the whole "racist tape" issue. 3 1/2 for 4.

5. Like Toy Soldiers - Quite possibly my favorite Eminem track ever. The sample fucking kills. The lyrics are quite interesting, giving a good look at why he's never said anything about Suge Knight and trying to get 50 not to battle with Ja. 5 1/2 for 5.

6. Mosh - I didn't really like this song when I heard it the first time, but it's grown on me slowly. Wish it had a stronger hook. Still, not a horrible track. 6 1/4 for 6.

7. Puke - Corny, but not bad. Nice puke effects in the intro. Frustrating track cause I like it, but it's just so cheesy. Props for making a song around the word puke. 6 3/4 for 7.

8. My First Single - White boy lost his mind. The beat is crazy. Pretty smooth flow on it. Don't really dig the hook though. 7 1/4 for 8.

9. Paul - Eh.. boring skit. 7 1/4 for 9.

10. Rain Main - I think this is track is kinda boring. It's not bad, I just don't really dig the beat, and it's just kind of pedistrian. 7 1/2 for 10.

11. Big Weenie - The hook is corny. CORNY. "Selfish" corny. Yeah I like it. Good throwback type to his first record. 8 for 11.

12. Em calls Paul - Fried gold. 10 for 12.

13. Just Lose It - What really needs to be said. The worst of his token-comedy-lead-off-single. I give it partial credit though because the 8 mile joke does bring a smile to my face. 10 1/4 for 13.

14. Ass Like That - Dre does bring the goods with the beat. Em gets silly, but at least he tries to work with it. 10 3/4 for 14.

15. Spend Some Time - After a bit of a dry spell, the record gets back to some greatness. Obie is good, Em has a pretty good verse, and a pretty funny 50 verse. 12 1/4 for 15.

16. Mockingbird - I'm actually very impressed Em produced this track. Token heartfelt song for his daughter, but a damn good one at that. 13 1/4 for 16.

17. Crazy In Love - For some reason I don't really feel this track. I think I perfer Puke. 13 1/2 for 17.

18. One Shot Two Shot - This track makes me giggle. I don't generally like D12, but this track is pretty fun. 15 for 18.

19. Final Thought - Nothing happens. 15 for 19.

20. Encore - Wow, Dre raps. And apparently Detox is coming out. That's all I got out of the track really. Nice to see everyone rallying around the man though. 16 for 20.

 

The real problem with this cd: just too many tracks. So much potential at times that falls short. On the flip side, some of the best songs of his career. Great record, but not quite a classic. "Like Toy Soliders" is brilliant though.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

I'm actually downloading this right now for some reason. Maybe I'll do a mini review without that psychotic rating system you have going on.

[Addy 0]

Like Toy Soldiers is my favourite as well.

 

I love the last verse on 'Yellow Brick Road'.

 

My only complaint with the album is there's too many silly songs.

[BUTT 0]

5. Like Toy Soldiers - Quite possibly my favorite Eminem track ever. The sample fucking kills. The lyrics are quite interesting, giving a good look at why he's never said anything about Suge Knight and trying to get 50 not to battle with Ja. 5 1/2 for 5.

Please tell me he samples Martika's "Toy Soldiers"!

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

Eh, I'm gonna review rap now, ok?

 

Evil Deeds - neat little driving beat that has like zero change through the whole song. The song is foolishness about his shitty life, only now he's saying it in a self aware way. Frustrating like trying to fight with Banky

 

Never Enough - I hate 50 cent. Nate Dogg rules rap.

 

Yellow Brick Road - Not good. Too much work trying to create one of those "timeless" songs that has a verse of the month in Source or whatever.

 

Like Toy Soldiers -

 

Please tell me he samples Martika's "Toy Soldiers"!

 

It does!!! 10 bazillion out of 10. Who's he talking about on this song? I'm not well versed on current goings on withing the rap community and all.

 

Mosh - Neat production. 2 years too late on the concept.

 

Puke - You haven't heard puking until you've listened to Nattefrost's Blood and Vomit album. What a stupid fucking song.

 

My 1st Single - This song has no sense, but the delivery is interesting I guess.

 

Rain Man - this album already didn't need more gay sex verses. Stupid.

 

Big Weenie - Dr. Dre seems quite uninspired on his work on this album so far. More of the same from eminem

 

Just Lose It - Yay it's clubbin time! this song is positively uplifting after the rest of this shit fest

 

Ass Like That - Eminem is fucking terrible. Lowest common denominator. This Dre beat is fun though.

 

Spend Some Time - Maybe the guests can save this one...Well this is eminem's most inspired work on the record so far, but it's still nothing new.

 

Mockingbird - song for his kid. he likes his kid.

 

Crazy In Love - Busting out Heart for this one. Neat. Nothing else of note

 

One shot two shot - D12 doing what D12 does.

 

Encore - Curtains Down - Thanks god, Dre is on the mic. I'm very pleased by this since he's near the only one I can ever stand anymore(along with the Wu Tang Clan and maybe a few others). Best song on the record, because it's a simple noise maker song for the club. This is the most conducive to the styles of eminem, 50 Cent and Dr. Dre. That's not saying much because this record is so goddamned awful in nearly every way. The only beats that are interesting is the one based on samples, and the talking is fucking terrible. No content that is new or interesting whatsoever.

 

I can listen to rap and be ok with it on a very basic level, but I always recommend metal right after. I probably do come off as elitist (or at least I might with this post) but that's because it's better in every way, simply stated.

 

Highest recommendation to avoid. And while avoiding, you should go buy Enslaved's demo "Yggrasil". You'll be better off.

[k thx 0]

I can listen to rap and be ok with it on a very basic level, but I always recommend metal right after. I probably do come off as elitist (or at least I might with this post) but that's because it's better in every way, simply stated..

LIES

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

Nope.

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

5. Like Toy Soldiers - Quite possibly my favorite Eminem track ever. The sample fucking kills. The lyrics are quite interesting, giving a good look at why he's never said anything about Suge Knight and trying to get 50 not to battle with Ja. 5 1/2 for 5.

Please tell me he samples Martika's "Toy Soldiers"!

Download

 

[k thx 0]

Just finished listening to it. Utter shit. The first thing to cross my mind is that this was just a red herring they leaked on purpose so that people still buy the real thing. Hell, this shit even makes Fred Durst look good.

 

I can't see anybody who d/ls this going out to buy it. Worst album I've heard in many years.

[Guest The Last Free Voice]

Just finished listening to it. Utter shit. The first thing to cross my mind is that this was just a red herring they leaked on purpose so that people still buy the real thing. Hell, this shit even makes Fred Durst look good.

 

I can't see anybody who d/ls this going out to buy it. Worst album I've heard in many years.

Harsh. But probibly justified. I, for one, won't waste my money on this, but more than likely my brother will get it for Christmas, so meh.

[Mole 0]

Damn, the CD is that bad?

[Guest Nanks]

Could you guys please qualify your opinions by telling us if you liked The Eminem Show or Marshall Mathers LP.

[k thx 0]

I loved Eminem's other stuff. Eminem Show was probably my favourite due to the fact it had a darker, tighter feel and flowed well as an album, but then MMLP had Drug Ballad which is one of my favourite songs of all time.

 

This album is not a good album. Just Lose It is possibly the best song on there. Most of the rest sounds like My Band without the flow and with more bad taste jokes (and not in a good way). Major disappointment. My mate downlaoded it and I can't see either of us wanting to listen to it again.

[SpikeFayeJettEdBebop 0]

I like "Like Toy Soldiers" and "Yellow Brick Road" is alright, not the best, and it's a bit weak, but not horrible.

 

If you like Eminems other stuff, atleast check this out, I wouldnt rec. buying it right away, but don't just assume it sucks.

 

And by the way, Im not a huge Eminem fan, did I like his other stuff?Yes, but im not a fanatic or anything. This is NOWHERE near making Durst look good iun my oppinion. I dont think anything can do that.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

K I'm a rap fan and I liked MMLP a lot. I liked SSLP and ES to a lesser extent. As for Encore:

 

What a horrible fucking disappointment. Two great songs on it(Toy Soldiers,Mockingbird) and three decent/good songs on it(Never Enough, Yellow Brick Road,Spend Some Time). The rest is GARBAGE.

 

Download Toy Soldiers though since it's one of Em's best and Never Enough has a great hook(damn how many bad songs does Nate Dogg save with his awesome choruses).

[k thx 0]

I really didn't feel Toy Soldiers or Mockingbird.

 

Maybe Madvillain and Deltron have raised my standards too high.

[Cartman 0]

The more negativity I read from you guys the more I want this album!

[Guest theanswer1824]

just got my copy last night:

 

imo, this is better than his last album. If you liked the marshall mathers album but hated his last one (like i did), you MIGHT like this one.

 

as far as the subject matter, it's typical em. he does step it up a notch reagrding the things he talks about (beef with other rappers, telling haley how mom and dad act, etc). but he does throw an in-your-face like it or not attitude on the album. at the end of the cd, to me, it sounds like he kills off his fans and then himself. he's prolly bored of the rap game and this album shows it.

 

if you're a true fan of emceeing, it is awesome however. his delivery is awesome and different on each song. i do think he uses a lot of patterns that tupac, jay-z, and rakim have used but that's ok. it's entertaining.

 

the skits were awesome, esp when he calls paul.

 

i for one, think toy soldiers is a dope song EXCEPT for the hook. I understand why he sampled it but c'mon, Martika's Toy Soldiers?! I fucking hated that song when I first heard it. Next thing we know, people are gonna be sampling Amy Grant and other office music.

 

 

 

if you support his music or a fan of em, cop it. if you're unsure, just dl it somewhere and see how you feel about it.

[Mole 0]

I loved Silm Shady, LOVED Marshall Mathers, and hated the Eminem Show at first. But about 4 months after the ES came out, I decided to give it another listen and it grew on me really quickly.

 

I just can't see Em making a bad album, but we will find out in a little bit. I am downloading it as-we-speak.

 

If it is any good, I'll buy it because I like to support him.

 

EDIT: Damn, it only took me 6 minutes to download the whole album. I couldn't find ONE copy of "Just Lose It" without it having a "coruption" or whatever.

 

Thank God the songs sucks, so I won't put it on the CD then.

[Cartman 0]

Well, as I predicted, I love this album.

 

Definitely not close to being his best work but still brings good stuff to the table.

[Guest Banders Kennany]

I hate Em, but I'll give his album a download in the guture to check out what is stewing. But still I love that line by Kurupt on "How Come" (out there wrecking with your crew (?) / it ain't the game it's you player / the only Shady changing is you).

[Guest INXS]

I picked this up at the weekend. I'm a huge Eminem/D12 mark and I have to admit that at first I was a little disapointed. Nothing stands out at first except for the either love it or hate it Toy Soldiers. After a few spins it IS a good album, not as good as The Eminem Show, but he certainly hasn't let himself down. Mockingbird, while great, isn't as good as Haile's Song. There's nothing on here that I can see him releasing that will get good airplay, except Just Lose It and Toy Soldiers.

 

It's an album where Eminem is very goofy in places, and if you don't particularly enjoy fart and puke gags I can see how you could find a lot of the tracks pretty lame.

 

Overall, it's not as good as I was expecting or hoping for but is still very solid.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

and if you don't particularly enjoy fart and puke gags I can see how you could find a lot of the tracks pretty lame.

Greatest qualifying statement I've seen in a while.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

It's gonna take time for this to grow on everyone.

 

The fact that you're saying "Solid, not as good as..." already tho is good.

 

It's much more than solid. This is good stuff.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

"someone heard a rumor that you got a new gun..."

[k thx 0]

Everyone here apart from Thumbtack has no taste in music.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I was big on Em before the Slim Shady LP dropped as I had the EP and had Infinate as well. I wasn't overly impressed with the Slim Shady LP although it WAS a different album and it had solid production with Dre. The Marshall Mathers LP is definately his best album IMO, and I was blown away with the writing on it when it was released. I really though he took a step back with The Eminem Show and I never really got into the album. I picked Encore up today and I have yet to give it a listen. I haven't been Em's biggest fan as of late, but I still want to see what the album is like. I'll definately put my thoughts up after I give it a listen.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Eminem Show was an album that I wasn't impressed with when I first listened to it but after I gave it a few listens, it grew on me alot. I think this album might do the same.

[ant_7000 0]

I haven't been a fan Em of late, im very cautious about buying this new album. Em's production is average at best thats why the Eminem Show was probably the worst album in his catalog IMO. Em needs to turnover the beat making duties to Dre or Kon Artis of D12. With Em being executive producer on the next 2Pac album really got me concerned thou.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

It seems as if Dre is doing more production on this one than on The Eminem Show. I still haven't heard it, so I have no clue what it's like though.