Product Reviews
Eminem's expansion of his 2009 comeback Relapse is cleverly titled Refill, playing off the prescription pill artwork of the original album while offering precisely what it promises: another seven songs in the same vein as the original. Generally, these songs retain much of the carnivalesque horror show vibe of Relapse -- when Slim Shady raps about "Buffalo Bill" it's not about the Wild West, it's the Silence of the Lambs -- but the vibe is looser, helped in part by an increased Jamaican influence but largely deriving from Eminem's re-entry to the world. Unlike the bulk of Relapse, Refill doesn't sound like the work of a hip-hop Daniel Plainview -- a mad genius locked in his mansion, forever stewing over his long-held obsessions -- but sounds like an artist re-engaging with the world, trying new phrasing, opening up his music. Rather than a finished statement, this is experimentation, pointing the way toward what he'll do next time around, but there's one considerable exception: the new single "Forever," which has verses by Drake, Lil' Wayne, and Kanye West, and is none too coincidentally the one track in the entirety of Eminem's 2009 comeback that feels utterly modern. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
Product Notes
Deluxe two CD edition of his Relapse release including a bonus CD containing seven new tracks. 2009 album from one of the most successful Rap artists in history. He's sold more albums than most Rock and Pop superstars. He's a Grammy winner. He's an Oscar winner. He's been on the cover of practically every music magazine since his debut album dropped in 1999. Now, 10 years after The Slim Shady LP, Eminem marks his 10th anniversary as a Hip Hop hurricane with Relapse, yet another skillful collaboration with Dr. Dre. Features the single 'Crack A Bottle' (which features Dre and 50 Cent).