eminem-bathtub

Visions of decrepit children’s toys in a musty attic. Abandoned amusement parks. A serial killer’s lullabye…

While all the above probably best describe the accompanying soundtrack to a Tim Burton flick, they also fit the description of Eminem’s music–especially as of late. Dark and deliciously morbid, Relapse, his first studio album in five years, was similar to a solar eclipse. Clouded undertones blocked most of the shine that was supposed somewhat of a glorious return. The mind of a recovering addict at work, Em even admitted to Complex the recording process was somewhat of an exercise lap.

Making Relapse, I was still working the drugs out of my system, so there was a lot of…just jokey shit. It was a lot of punchline-y, funny, shock value—kind of going back to The Slim Shady LP. And that was cool, but I’ve kind of flipped the page. Now I’m going for songs instead of one-liners. I don’t want to make shit that you hear once and then the joke’s over; I want to make records that you could play a hundred times, a thousand times.

It can be said that even an artist as talented as Eminem can’t fully give their best effort when they’re mentally jaded. However, for someone who has made the dark corner of the room their safe haven, expect some sparks to fly on occassion. While the bulk of the Relapse: Refill prescriptions have been mostly bullshit, there was one shadow that manage to shine bright.

The dismal emotions felt in “Music Box” do indeed entail all the “jokey, shock value” treatments that he may be trying to avoid. but at the same time, it captures the ambience of the current zone Em is currently thriving in. Who knows, come time to crack a bottle to Relapse 2, he may just perfect it.

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Download — Eminem – “Music Box” (Produced By Dr. Dre)