1) Cold Wind Blows (7/10)
- Em starts the album off by bringing back an old formula that we’re all familiar with, mixing a bit of silly humor with his usual lash of intensity. Cold Wind Blows is one of those silly comical attacks aimed at Em’s haters. Em goes the comical route with his lyrics but maintains the bad ass persona through his tone and delivery. Not a great song, but definitely a good start to the album.
2. Talking To Myself (9/10)
- Easily one of my favorites on the album. The chorus, which is sung by both Kobe and Em, instantly grabs you. Throughout this track Em confesses his inner demons, he admits to his jealousy of Lil Wayne, his past drug problems, and even mans up to the fact that he is no longer the rapper that he used to be. Em comes with a strong performance delivering probably one of his best and most honest tracks in recent years.
3. On Fire (4/10)
- This is the first of many instances where it’s obvious that Em is trying just a little bit too hard to recapture his old self. There are parts that are a bit funny and maybe even clever to some, but for the most part the creativity just isn’t there. Lines like “cold as spiderman throwing a spider in the snow” just shows that Em is trying too hard to be random and funny and for me at least it doesn‘t work. The beat is solid and Em delivers pretty nice on this track, but the lyrics just don’t cut it for me. First mediocre track of the album.
4. Wont Back Down (7.5/10)
- Love the chorus, but Em’s over aggressive delivery kills it for me. Lyrically, I can’t decide if I love it or hate it. If you really listen to what Em is saying there’s really no structure or direction that he is going in with his lyrics, he’s just throwing out random punch lines and bouncing off one to the next. There are instances where the punch lines are so stupid that it’s funny (I’m a shit stain on the underwear of life) then there are other instances where it seems like Em is just rhyming just to rhyme and doing it just because he fucking can (does a bird chirp/lil wayne slurps/syrup til he burps/and smokes purp/does a word search…seriously wtf?). This is probably another one of those tracks where Em is trying too hard, but some of it works and the chorus is catchy so overall the song works. Solid track.
5. WTP (8/10)
- I think I’ve figured out Em’s problem. He still has it in him to be ridiculous and stupid on a track, it’s just for it to be good he has to have a concept or a structure that he’s following. With this track Em follows the white trash concept and for the first time in a while we see his creative side alive and working. The chorus is absurd but it’s extremely catchy. The lyrics are ridiculous and random but it follows a concept so it’s not all over the place. Die hard fans of the old Em should love this track.
6. Going Through Changes (9/10)
- This song is so deep and real. Em’s lyrics open you up to his world and what he’s had to go through these past years, the grief of losing proof (I sit alone in my home theatre, watching the same damn DVD/of the first tour, the last tour, when he was still alive), the drug problems, and the struggles with his own insecurities. The chorus isn’t my favorite, but it samples Ozzie and it fits well with the track. Overall it’s a great personal track.
7. Not Afraid (10/10)
- The chorus still gives me goosebumps to this day. This track fits perfectly in this album and where it’s placed in the album, because after confessing and admitting his wrongs in “Talking To Myself” and “Going Through Changes” he is now standing up to everything and facing all his problems head on. This is easily one of my all time favorite Em tracks.
8. Seduction (5.5/10)
- This track is about Em being an amazing rapper, so amazing that he is able to steal your girl whenever he feels like it. It’s a pretty cool concept, the lyrics are solid, but the chorus was so so. Average track for me.
9. No Love (9/10)
- From what I’ve read and heard from people, the popular notion seems to be that Em absolutely slaughtered and body bagged Lil Wayne on the track. I’m not going to lie I’m an Eminem fan boy myself, but I don’t think Em out shined Wayne at all. As a matter of fact, lyrically you could make the argument that Wayne had more stand out lines and a bit more creativity in his verse. The one reason why it seems that Em totally outshines Wayne is the way he delivered his verse. The tone he used and the passion behind his voice. With that being said though, Em did steal the spot light, but Wayne held his own on this track. Great track, one of the best of the album, but a little bit overhyped (wasn’t mind blowing like everyone made it out to be).
10. Space Bound (7/10)
- Eminem stricken down by love? This is definitely a different side of Eminem that we haven’t seen or at least not for an entire track. We’re so used to the Eminem that “leap[s] tall hoes in a single bound/I’m single now/got no ring on this finger now” (Superman) not the Eminem we see in this track that’ll “do anything whatever it takes when I’m with you, I get the shakes/my body aches when I ain’t with you, I have zero strength.” It’s always refreshing to see an artist show a more personal side, a weaker side of himself that not a lot of people have seen. Solid track.
11. Cinderella Man (8.5/10)
- This beat reminds me of “Til I Collapse,” which is a great thing, because it brings back Em’s old ferocious flow and delivery. The lyrics are focused on Em’s comeback and his rise from the depths where critics had buried him. Em delivers with a passion and intensity that moves even the most casual fans of his work.
12. 25 to Life (9/10)
- This song is incredible, some might think this song is about a girl, but it’s really a metaphor for Em’s relationship and ties to the rap game. He speaks on this track as if he was talking to a female “maybe if this bitch had acted right I would’ve stayed/but I’ve already wasted over half of my life I would’ve laid/down and died for you…I gave up my life for you, totally devoted to you while I’ve stayed/paved for all the way this is how I fucking get repaid” but really he’s talking about how much he has given up for the rap game and how it has controlled him and turned him into a monster. Definitely one of the more creative tracks we’ve seen from Em in a while.
13. So Bad (4/10)
- The title fits with the song. It’s a jokey song that goes the comical route with no true direction or meaning at all. Definitely a filler, probably the worst song on the album.
14. Almost Famous (6.5/10)
- This is a decent track. The chorus has a dark and eerie feel to it. The track is about Em’s rise to stardom and lyrically he has a lot of fun on this track. The wordplay is sick and his delivery is even better. Not my favorite but definitely worth a listen if you’re a fan of Em’s lyrics.
15. Love The Way You Lie (10/10)
- Em and Rhianna sound perfect together on this track. It’s also fitting that both have been involved in some sort of domestic violence in their life, which just speaks to how real this track is. Lyrically this track touches base on the issue and Em does a great job of painting the picture of a couple spiraling to an end. Easily one of the best tracks on the album and most likely will be the second single on the album.
16. You’re Never Over (10/10)
- Some might hate the singing, but I love it. Em singing off key is not done cause he can’t sing, it’s done purposely to emphasize the fact that he doesn’t care if he sounds like a fool, he misses his best friend Proof and he’s not embarrassed to let the whole world know that he loves him. The lyrics on this song are really touching and heart felt.
17. Bonus track (4/10)
- Filler track. In my opinion I thought that the album would’ve ended perfectly after “You’re Never Over” adding this track was just unnecessary.
Is Eminem back? On the charts, yes, but will we ever see the old Marshall Mathers/Slim Shady again? Probably not. Em’s voice has changed and so has his life and surroundings, so I don’t think we’ll ever see slim shady again. which is refreshing to some and disappointing to others, but I’m just glad we got an authentic Eminem album instead of a lack luster poorly put together one we’ve gotten his previous two albums. As for the album itself, the lyrics on Recovery are incredibly honest and it’s refreshing and rare to see an artist be able to spill out his heart on an album like this. There are many flaws to it, and instances where Eminem is trying too hard to recapture the old magic that brought him to super stardom, but for the most part, Em’s honesty and ability to win over an audience overshadows the minor flaws in Recovery. In my opinion Recovery has a chance to be one of if not the best album of the year. Better than Marshall Mathers LP and Eminem Show, probably not, but honestly how many albums in recent history even hold a candle to those two, so it’s kind of unfair to compare Recovery to those stand alone classics.
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