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album Relapse (2009)

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Title: Relapse
Artist: Eminem
Genre: Hip-Hop
Released: 2009

Tracks:
1 - Dr. West (skit) - 1:29
2 - 3 a.m. - 5:19 -
3 - My Mom - 5:19
4 - Insane - 3:01
5 - Bagpipes from Baghdad - 4:43
6 - Hello - 4:08
7 - Tonya (skit) - 0:42
8 - Same Song & Dance - 4:06
9 - We Made You - 4:29 -
10 - Medicine Ball - 3:57
11 - Paul (skit) - 0:19
12 - Stay Wide Awake - 5:19
13 - Old Time's Sake (feat. Dr. Dre) - 4:38
14 - Must Be the Ganja - 4:02
15 - Mr. Mathers (skit) - 0:42
16 - Déjà vu - 4:43
17 - Beautiful - 6:32 -
18 - Crack a Bottle - 4:57
19 - Steve Berman (skit) - 1:29
20 - Underground - 6:11

Overview:
Relapse is the sixth studio album by American rapper Eminem, released on May 15, 2009 by Interscope Records. It was his first album of original material since Encore (2004), following a four-year hiatus from recording due to his writer's block and an addiction to prescription sleeping medication. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2007 to 2009 at several recording studios, and Dr. Dre, Mark Batson, and Eminem handled production. Conceptually, Relapse concerns the ending of his drug rehabilitation, rapping after a non-fictional relapse, and the return of his Slim Shady alter-ego.
One of the most anticipated album releases of 2009, Relapse debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 608,000 copies in its first week. It produced three singles that attained chart success and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album received generally mixed reviews from most music critics, who were mostly divided in their responses towards Eminem's lyrics. It earned him two Grammy Awards and has sold 2.2 million copies in the United States and 5 million copies worldwide.
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Music information in first post provided by The AudioDB
Since the release of *Encore* in 2004, Eminem has faced a tumultuous five years. His battle with painkiller addiction and the reclusive behavior following the murder of his best friend, Proof, nearly brought his career to a halt. Given this dark chapter in his life and his tendency toward violent and misanthropic themes, fans might expect *Relapse* to be a challenging listen.

The album opens with "3AM," where Dr. Dre's slasher-movie-inspired synths set the tone for Em's chilling tale of murder and memory loss. The lyrics are intensely vivid, with references to *Silence of the Lambs* and lines like, "Wake up naked at McDonald's covered in blood again," and, "Put the key in my door/bodies laying all over the floor."

In "My Mom," Eminem revisits the subject of his mother, first addressed in his 1999 hit "My Name Is." He acknowledges, "I know you're tired of hearing about my Mom," but presses on with, "What kind of Mom wants her son to grow up as an underachiever?" The album is filled with profane outbursts, underscoring its angry tone.

"Insane" delves into darker territory, hinting at abuse by a stepfather with the grim line, "One night he walked in and said 'I want my **** sucked in the shed / can't I play Teddy Ruxpin instead?'" Meanwhile, "Medicine Ball" finds Slim Shady mocking the late Christopher Reeve, the paralyzed Superman actor, with the taunt, "Let's breakdance," over some of the album's slickest production.

The incongruous single "We Made You" is the album's most commercial track, offering a humorous critique of fame, complete with Bugsy Malone-style piano loops, jabs at Amy Winehouse's troubled marriage, and a catchy chorus.

Two light-hearted tracks, "Old Times' Sake" and "Must Be The Ganja," serve as laid-back anthems for smokers, with Dr. Dre dropping the line, "If at first you don't succeed, won't hurt to smoke some weed," on the former.

Eminem's sixth studio album is unapologetically raw, showcasing his signature sharp humor and honesty. *Relapse* is as bold, witty, and expertly produced as fans have come to expect from Eminem and Dr. Dre. However, when compared to contemporaries, the album falls slightly short in terms of innovation; musically and emotionally, Kanye West's *808s & Heartbreak* feels more groundbreaking.
 
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