The title and first few seconds suggest another Relapse, but don’t hold your breath. That would be suicide. The concept here is homicide. This is Music To Be Murdered By, but it’s not the bloody horrorfest fans of that aforementioned album; I’ve mentioned it in every Eminem album review since; may have been hoping for.

There’s an Alfred Hitchcock theme, but the song concepts suggest another standard Eminem project, which has become somewhat predictable. Family therapy sessions, tainted “love” songs, an epic political anthem; they’re all accounted for. There’s also a rap boast throwback with Slaughterhouse.

Royce Da 5-9 steals the show on that one with just 16 bars; the last eight of which match peak Bad Meets Evil. That’s “just” 16 because Em rarely holds himself to that standard anymore. Of all the words he rhymes, “succinctness” escapes him. His verse is 40 bars. Better than Lord Jamar, yes, but way too long.

Eminem is a candy shell of his former self, which he seems to acknowledge, but even with these silly similes and double entendres; “I put that on everything like ranch on Neverland”; he’s better than most of his peers. That’s both a testament to how great he once was and how nowhere near great most rappers are.

The worst of this Music isn’t the verses though. Nor is it the beats, which include some bangers. It’s the hooks; the downfall of most albums. Most are okay, but Yah Yah; Q-Tip’s part is like a bridge; and Lock It Up; I hate Anderson Paak’s voice; are downright annoying. Where’s Swae Lee when you need him?

Ed Sheeran actually sounds pretty good on Those Kinda Nights; a fun dance anthem featuring Bizarre of D-12. It’s one of the album’s better songs. The beat, chorus and verses all pass an adequate level of quality. Listen to the “jokes aside” to “so am I” bit; an increasingly rare example of Eminem being effectively concise.

my rating : 3 of 5

2020

audio review : Music To Be Murdered By [ Side B ] ( album ) … Eminem