To continually point out the obviousness of Eminem being past his prime seriously negates all the good he still brings to the Hip Hop table. Mr. Marshall Mathers unequivocally exists as one of the best MCs to ever wield a microphone but the title he arguably holds with undisputed repose is being the best rhymer of all-time. Like his unappreciated 2010 interview with Anderson Cooper attested to, Eminem is Hip Hop; he’s the kid with the notebook who tunes out the rest of the world to squeeze codas out of diction regardless if the English language agrees or not.
As the highest-selling rapper of all-time, Em could easily sit back and let history orgasm his ego. Yet, the demand and itch to create remains equally high. Said demand, however, is loaded in insuperability. Fans say they want new music that reminds them of the self-imposed good ol’ days.
Recreating the past is progression poison but times will always change. Sometimes even architects don’t always have the blueprint for going forward, which makes Revival, Eminem’s ninth crack at snatching a Best Rap Album Grammy an admirable feat — even if it doesn’t whiff the top half of his storied discography.
Understandably panned for its bottomless harmony and leaning on Beyoncé’s radiance, lead single “Walk on Water” buys back its credit for the sheer level of coherence it employs, especially with lyrics like “It’s the curse of the standard/ That the first of the Mathers discs set/ Always in search of the verse that I haven’t spit yet/ Will this step just be another misstep?,” later acknowledging he often second-guesses his own decisions, even after the world has already picked them apart.
Eminem’s dedication to wrecking mics like Robert Mueller can never be questioned but the production choices still remain an enigma. When he’s not bathing in lamely visible rock samples like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” or The Cranberries’ “Zombie” (on “Remind Me” or “In Your Head” respectively), he’s mostly square pegging his intensified lyrics on mechanical slabs of assembly line pop hybrids. On paper, having Just Blaze and Alicia Keys assisting in a sharp-tongued slandering of an asinine president sounds like the 2002 winning lottery ticket we never scratched off. Yet, “Like Home” falls short. Its unblemished piano dribble casually leads to the patriotic crescendo before capping a beaming Keys chorus. Still, it doesn’t come close to the impact felt from his solo BET Hip Hop a cappella freestyle (that still warrants a response from Donald Trump).
Sonically, Revival mainly signifies that the Eminem/Alex da Kid Era — and everything its influenced has run its course in terms of delivering moving records. 2010’s Recovery birthed the widely successful “Love the Way You Lie” and has regurgitated tone deaf records in efforts to duplicate its success ever since. When you strip the present-day apologies that shatter “Bad Husband’s” core, you’re left with his previous diary entry heard on 2004’s “Mockingbird” — without the dazzling melody.
On “Need Me,” Em is demoted to being a guest on his song, thanks to P!nk’s hefty passion-filled verses over top an orchestrated circus of bass drums and noisy arrangement. And then there’s unfiltered “Untouchable,” where Em affirmatively shows where he stands in terms of this country’s racial ills and blue lives matter bullshit (sorry, passive conservatives!) yet the yucky composition of the track lends more focus to its lack of rhythm more so than the message.
And the overarching choice to tap into platinum pop stars for assistance isn’t a crime — but failing to synergize the best of their individual talents most certainly calls for jail time. Every Top 40 guest hook feels like a mailed-in envelope without enough spit to secure the package. Kehlani’s trademarked painstaking vocals are severely underused on “Nowhere Fast.” Even her generic “Ashes blowing in the air/ Our world’s on fire, but we don’t care” lines add red-hot cringes on an already burning pile of a track. Ed Sheeran’s appearance on “River” is no less cookie-cutter than the rest of the batch but he does get positioned to shine over the self-loathing, ruminative grunge track.
While Em’s bullheaded decision to experiment with the flow should be heartily respected, it doesn’t shroud the fact that he’s not charting any new territory, at least topically. But it’s largely the retreads of past glory where he hits his stride the hardest. On the hypnotically-produced “Framed,” Marshall dons the hockey mask for old times sake and pulls up off homicidal fantasies that for better or worse, feature the album’s most in-pocket rhyme moment.
Call the filler track “Offended” the “Rap God” sequel all you want but the bars of fury intertwined with Illa Da Producer’s muted horn loop feature the album’s most true-blue Hip Hop moment. And when he plunges into his drug-altered psyche to speak on his greatest love — his daughter Haile Jade — the ever-reliable DJ Khalil steps up to the plate on “Castle” with a darkened soundbed of macabre guitars and deathly drum marches that feature the album’s most vintage Eminem moment.
Try to use imagination and empathy for a second, and understand what it’s like to currently be Eminem. Strip your mind of all the riches, success and accolades earned by a Hip Hop legend nearing the better side of 50-years-old and one will realize how an album like Revival is even created. No, the LP never realizes its title’s definition but real fans don’t subscribe to a “classic-or-bust” mentality. They hold their heroes accountable for their shortcomings but don’t dismiss the entire effort. Mr. Mathers has earned that right once again with yet another salvageable body of music. Salute.
Classic
Why do you have to troll? This isn’t the worst album I’ve heard from Em or even the worst one I’ve heard this year. But calling it a Classic is just plain dumb.
5 out of 5 great album has a little bit of everything!
Great album!
i loved the album
It’s his worst album yet, freaking sad moment for hiphop but also one of the worst rap albums released this year…Yeah ruining his legacy…
Only song i liked on the album was “Believe”. Some of the worst beats i’ve ever heard were used on this album, Em’s worst flows, worst guest features were included in this album, but i’m not mad. Expecting someone like Eminem who has been through a roller coaster of bullshit in his life to make a classic album at 45 is ridiculous. I didn’t expect anything so wasn’t disappointed, the album is a fucking mess. The combination of Rick Rubin & Alex Da Kid doesn’t even sound good on paper. I was, am and will be a fan and supporter of Eminem, and he’s a legend in my eyes because of at least 2 classic albums, countless great verses, having a whole Shady era in early 2000s with Dre, G-Unit & D12 and… (Nostalgia), 8 Mile, live performances, 20 decades in the game. But of course his catalog doesn’t match his skill level. Same goes for any other legendary rapper, Scarface, Nas, Ras Kass, Prodigy, list goes on. Rappers and getting old is not a good mix.
Overall, the album was lit, probably best since MMLP. You can clearly see Marshall killing the modern trap beats, as well reminiscing on his traditional beats. Rhyme schemes were extraordinary, the way “Castle” and “Arose” are connected is beautiful. I don’t agree that the Kehlani collab is whack, it’s awesome. The way that the songs are connected is fascinating. The man is evolving even more!
5/5
I think the album is a grower like the last CD. There is a lot of filler and he definitely could have cut down on the corny love/hate relationship tracks. I also feel that the album has more of a pop or rock vibe than actual hip hop. But he does has some stunning flows and wordplay on display and I liked the rewind concept he did with the last two two tracks (I’m surprised the review never mentioned that). Production is all over the place but if you can get past that then it holds up lyrically. It just feels too “normal” for an Eminem album and the middle section definitely killed the momentum somewhat.
My scale:
Eminem Show
SSLP
MMLP
MMLP2
Encore
Relapse
Recovery
Revival
Anybody and I mean Anybody who claims this album is even good is a complete Stan or fan of pop rap*shady isn’t hip hop*Facts*dude just knows how to put words together really well*hope this puts the em is better than jay talk to rest*444 a grown man Rap album*this shit??no words to describe*btw yea shady got jigga on renegade and jigga got shady when it comes to careers*eminem been wearing all these classic album tees as of late*a real historian but continues to drop pop crap*dude is a vulture*the real slim shady has been stranded up*lol*
“ my flow is so so special” ..fuck outta here
Ol Stan asssss*lmfao*real heads know it’s the truth b*foh*
It was absolute trash. Just a shitty album.
the chasers put the fear of jesus in yoy guys, not a dc4 review or wins and losses hhdx HOLD THIS L
I been saying the same shit
Ima let you know bone thugs did the same thing ..use a bunch if pop r&b singers on their last new waves album and for bone it worked to perfection..bone is the only older cats that still got it and sound dope on anything..sorry buddy but not you em
Bone thugs also have a much different style and sound when compared to Eminem. So when you compare those 2 it’s like comparing a shark to a tiger. It just doesn’t make sense
Not a good album. 3.2 is being generous. I listened to the album twice and can’t remember a single song standing out enough for me to remember the title. It does have SOME good moments, but the production is way off and Em just doesn’t sound comfortable on the album. I appreciate him trying new stuff, but at least this attempt was mostly a failure.
I am extremely surprised by this album. The first two single releases “Walk On Water” and “Untouchable” seemed a little different to me and I was a little scared. I do enjoy them now though because they sound very good with the rest of the album as a whole. If he never said a word about Trump then everyone would be all over this thing like the second coming of christ. It’s crazy what some crappy president/reality tv show/realtor will do to a famous person. Eminem still has the real lyrical ability he always has and actually sounds more lyrical than some of his past releases in some songs. His word play is great and flow is also great. It feels like this album is a refined style of all three of his past releases. He even manages to put a few gems on here that reminded me of his early styles like “The Eminem Show” and “MMLP”. The standout songs for me were “Arose”, “Framed”, “Believe”, “Chloraseptic” and “River”. I usually dislike the pop features he has but they make a lot of these songs sound even better. “River” is a good example of what a hip hop song can gain from a well used chorus from a pop or contemporary folk artist. His last few albums since “Relapse” left me hungry for more because I felt like Eminem could have added something more to those projects. I feel extremely satisfied this time around. Eminem really outdid himself for the first time in a very long time and I hope everyone else can enjoy it as much as I have been. Definitely worth a purchase. Side note. I disliked tragic endings and nowhere fast, they weren’t exactly bad, just not my style.
I was praying to be proved wrong about my initial intuition with Revival’s arrival. I was right though. I have songs by Em that I will cherish forever but this album no matter how I look at it is simply the worst album I’ve heard from this man. Sorry Em but I cannot fuck with a single song on this muthafucka! WTF ???
Rating: Had to give it 1/5
Really deservesdeserves: 0
What?? Believe, Framed, Castle, Arose, River, Chloraseptic?? You were never a fan then lmao
I can’t even argue with someone that fuks wit those songs. All I can say is Em should rename this album: Flat line
Good album. No classic songs, but the flow of the project makes it a great collective unit
yee yee
Personally, I loved it. I’ve been waiting for Em to rap on trap like beats. It’s not even just that. His word play is still phenomenal, his flow is incredible, even flows he’s picked up, he’s still able to make these songs that are touching to me. He’s shown his versatility that few may not have known he had, he touches on modern day issues, and man, I don’t really think I need to go on. He’s an Incredible artist who has reminded us why the world fell in love with him. He’s left his print in the grounds of hip hop and does not ever have to prove anything ever again. Eminem, I salute.
Really wanted this to be good but unfortunately it isnt. Top 3 of his worst Albums
Classic
First 5 out of 5 is the same Guy. Just look at the time stamp
Not his best work
Recovery was the last time he made something worth hearing. Problem with that album was it wasn’t and still isn’t what fans want. MMLP2 and now Revival have at least in my eyes done serious damage to Eminem brand. There is no other way to say it. I am a fan that is for better or worse on board but it is definitely hard to see hip hops best struggling at a time when I think hip hop fans and Stans want him to swoop in (sorry for the superman metaphor Beyonce, lol) and show em how it’s done.
I love the album. It’s a different sound than what we think is gonna come from Eminem. Many people will probably not like the fact he isn’t the psycho type slim shady but the weathered vet Marshall who’s seen and been through a bunch of shit. This was his way of gettin shit off his chest and it sounded great.
Amaizing
Classic shit
Mmlp
Tes
Ss
Revival
Recovery
Strong album
Fucc all y’all Stans and Eminem, you!
Eminem? No. Feminem? Yes!
Weakest effort yet. Completely underwhelming. We’ll see how long you fanboy stans will still be listening to this trash down the road.
Word play all day.
Most versatile album to date. There are songs in every style of Eminem.
This is a terrible review. Did you listen. Like home does not fall short at all. Unless your a trump supporter
I’m most definitely not a trump supporter and generally speaking I am an Eminem fan, but that is not a good song.
The same artist who once positioned himself as the outlier of American pop culture, a man that was here to exploit its biggest hypocrisies, has found himself latching onto the very same diluted pop music tactics that he initially found so appalling.
Its not a good album guys trust me!!! Don’t waste your hard earned money on this one….3.2 is fair just cause its Em….I give is a 2.8
Unfortunately, as Eminem and his listeners have aged, and society around him has progressed, the voltage of his shock rap lost its electromagnetism, forcing one of the most captivating MCs of all-time to reboot his own system using thousands of empty rhyme schemes and punchlines. On “The Real Slim Shady,” Eminem lamented, “I’m like a headtrip to listen to / And I’m only giving you things you joke about with your friends inside your living rooms,” but 17 years later, those same jokes are no longer funny.
What site did u copy and paste that shit*lmfao*original opinions please*
DJBooth’s 1 Take Listen. I thought it looked familiar. Credit people, you fuck!
I LOVE Emniem’s earlier albums. TBH Eminem show made me want to rap but this is utter shit
This album is fire! 1. MMLP 2. Eminem Show 3. Revival 4. Slim Shady LP 5. Recovery 6. MMLP2 7. Encore 8. Relapse 9. Infinite
Your list is completely fucked once u put revival before every other album…u the fuckin guy that should never give advice about a em album…I’m sorry but ur taste in his music is fucked
Holy jesus that is the worst list of anything I’ve ever seen.
dope!
One of the worst albums of all time. EMINEM SEALS THE BIGGEST FALL OFF IN HIP HOP HISTORY WITH THIS TURD!! 5 STRAIGHT GARBAGE ALBUMS!
Ima say this to the people say in they been wanting to hear em on trap beats..stay the fuck away from those people..those will be the same people say in obj u dont like em but u or only listen to lil yachty…the album was his worst period 0 replay value but after mmlp2 I had it set in my mind that if revival is the same as mmlp2 or a step deeper in that direction that id be done listen to em an not doin myself a reason to listen or give him another pass…its jus time to accept unless Dre is on the beats..the em we know is gone..obj btw me.porter ..rick Rubin and Alex da kidd need to jump of the nearest building..an dann of all ..porter u let em fans down
I think we are judging too harshly. I agree fully this album comes nowhere near the punch his albums once had and that makes me very sad. However all of Eminems greatest albums had Dr Dres fingerprints all over them. Em is a great in his own right however Dres sound and ear cannot be touched. And it seems, based on any and all content (aside from the Compton album) that Aftermath has dropped, Dr Dre is not making music- which sucks for us all. That said Em pours his heart out like none other and his bars on this album are only in question because its him. Anyone else wrote the rhymes on here and we would be praising them but we grew so expectant of Eminem blowing our minds more each time that he gets graded harsher then any rapper of any time. I give this album a 3-3.5 based on being a fan. I hope that Eminem can pull one more Dr Dre run out before he calls it and drop a hip hop heavy features album (50 cent, dre, obie trice, kendrick, conway and wg who he just signed) Royce 5’9… hell even the 2 chains verse we seem to have lost) instead of leaning on the pop stars he has looked to for the past few albums. We all should hope really because albums nowadays are never as moving as the Aftermath run of yesteryear and Eminem has the money and access to land WAY better beats then he chooses now. Hell, his own beats he produced were better then this Alex the Kid trash he seems to love.
terrible
It’s em but come on, if you think this album is good then you’re part of the problem. To many yes men and no honest ones. You pump him up thinking this shit is good then be prepared to be dissapointed again.
I give it a 1/5 and that’s being generous
Not necessarily true. The beats aren’t “hip hop” but the rhymes are solid and he has a better flow on most songs than in the past few years when we’ve heard from him. Still does the choppy stuff which is annoying, but overall the album is good. Not great, but not trash and does grow on you after a cpl of listens. 3.8/5.
Fire like your girlfriend’s vagina
Eminem is officially the RAPGOD – he should run for prez
found a troll! giving the album 5/5 just because he dissed Trump! But for reals! He lost the magic! This album doesn’t come close at all from the earlier albums that i would listen to the whole album on repeat throughout the day. Call it quits Marshall. Don’t embarrass yourself again.
Trash
I don’t like the album at all I’m sad to say. But then again I didn’t like Relapse at all when it came out and I now love it.
Here’s hoping Revival grows on me. I highly doubt it though.
This album isn’t as wack as it’s being made out to sound. I think lyrically Eminem is really pushing the envelope. The thing is – he’s at a stage in his career where he’s done it all. You have to expect him to experiment with new flows, different types of production, and subjects besides being the ‘Slim Shady’ character. I am picturing if Kanye did a Believe track, or if J. Cole did Like Home – and I know people would be praising it as the best thing recorded this year. Anyone who says this is a 1/5 or 2/5 doesn’t know wth they’re talking about. Depending on your taste in hip-hop this is between a 3 and 4.
Worst shit I heard in my life
5/5
Eminem isn’t a rapper who, at the best part of 50 years old, can still feasibly rap about microwaving guinea pigs and overdosing on narcotics to please the masses. What is presented here is a fantastic, mature medley of lyricism and wit. Sure, there’s a clear political theme and several ‘pop’ features, but genuine fans will acknowledge that this does nothing to detract from vintage Eminem. The emotion in the album’s last two songs, along with recovery throwbacks (such as ‘tragic endings’) and relapse-esque ski-mask-style shady (‘framed’) make this a project which spans a vast range of styles and every facet of Eminem/ Marshall Mathers/ Slim Shady. Eminem has always been – essentially without dispute – the best lyricist that has ever graced hip-hop. Whilst his flow ranges from fabled at best to questionable at worst, several listens to ‘less generic’ tracks reveal the intracacies behind his unorthodox and complex rhyme schemes which compliment the accompanying conventional melody and snares. What is to be concluded is that hip hop still possesses a weathered – but living, breathing and still thriving – legend, who still has the ability (…albeit selectively and situationally) to meet any technical parameter hip hop challenges him to.
Correction- Complement*… not compliment.
To discount the entire album over some filler tracks and mediocre pop hooks would be a terrible mistake. Yes, the album is messy, but most Eminem albums have always been so. I think Revival showcases Em’s manic nature. Mostly agree with this review, but think it should be rated more highly. It’s strong points more than make up for it’s shortcomings. I’d give it closer to 4/5. Maybe 3.8.
To discount the entire album over some filler tracks and mediocre pop hooks would be a terrible mistake. Yes, the album is messy, but most Eminem albums have always been so. I think Revival showcases Em’s manic nature. Mostly agree with this review, but think it should be rated more highly. It’s strong points more than make up for it’s shortcomings. I’d give it closer to 4/5. Maybe 3.8.
4/5 great body of work at this point in his career
I think it’s time for Marshall to throw in the towel.
3.2 out of 5 is like 64% which is a D if it were a test grade, and yet I still feel like you overrated it. This album is a disgrace to Eminem’s catalog. How he can have some of the greatest hip hop ever recorded in his discography and yet be so blissfully unaware of how bad some of his other music is – is beyond me. I assume he reads HHDX comments on stories about him so I’m going to try to get through to him: Marshall we know that you are the greatest emcee as far as wordplay goes, you don’t have to keep trying to prove it by continually elevating your lyricism to spectacular, unseen levels, because the entertainment value of your music has been suffering as a result lately. You can make more words rhyme than any human being can or ever will, but the beauty of your old music was the fact that it was relatable to people who were going through hard times, or it just had hard hitting verses, not the over-the-top rappity-rap shit you are doing now. You used to be the best at maintaining a balance between dope lyricism and entertaining music, but lately you’ve only focused on the former at the expense of the other. Stop having so many pop divas in your music. Go back to Dr. Dre, 50, and Royce for collabs. And get off this lame ass liberal activist crap you’re suddenly doing, nobody considers you a reputable source for political dissertation, you are just a former ecstasy junkie. I hope you heed my words and the next album will have less P!nk and more Slaughterhouse. Maybe it won’t sell as well, but it will appease your core fanbase who have suffered through so-so and bad projects from you for 9 years now
A little over the top. Eminem would probably sound better as a feature on the aforementioned artists’ records though if you’re looking for pure hip hop Em. He likes rock, he likes country, he likes Pink and Skyler so his albums are now going to blend all of it. This album wasn’t terrible, it gets better on 2nd and 3rd listen. I don’t get why ppl don’t want artists and athletes to talk about politics. They are people with opinions, they are men and women with brains and feelings not just robots who make content for needy fans. You don’t have to agree but Em been shitting on Presidents since Mmlp (went real hard at Bush a few years later) so I don’t know why you are surprised by this.
Let’s be honest, as a lyricist and rapper he’s still got it. It’s the people around him, trying to recreate ‘love the way you lie’ all the time. The monster was terrible. So are the pointless 4 toxic relationship on this album. He needs a more hip hop sound! MMLP sold like crazy and has rbx on, we won’t complain in 2017 if Kendrick is featured! He needs to realise sometimes less is more, cut this album down to 12 songs and add a couple of features it’s a 10. He can still outrap anyone on the planet! Framed and Offended are amazing. The song with pink is unbelievably bad. I’ll say it’s a 3.5/5 but 4 for the haters
WoW*…an honest fucking assessment*Thank you*aside from the out rap anyone one on the planet*cuz I just recently witnessed black thought emcee on another plataue*but cool shit*Stans take note*
5/5
Lot of really good songs, lot of really bad songs. I am not surprised by that because thats how I feel about most of his albums besides slim shady l.p. whatever #2 is called and framed are 2 of the best rap songs if 2017 easily. That pink song and walk on water are my least favorite tracks probably. I would give this album a 3.5 so I guess ill rpund up and give it a 4
5/5
the album is on fleek
God damn even on a album review from a guy who hasnt released a studio album in how long and you retatd libs gotts take a shot at trump… man motherfuckers are pathetic
He clearly disses Trump on the Alicia Keys song but you just had to make a bitch ass comment supporting your love for that wack ass dude. You are a bitch. Put it on your tombstone because nobody in your family loves you
You obviously have the IQ of a raisin and can’t formulate your own opinions. You watch liberal mainstream media and believe everything you see and can’t think for yourself. Since Trumps been in office unemployment is the lowest it’s been in 17 years, stock market has hit 70 record highs since election, one of the best real estate markets we’ve ever seen, and 5 million less people on food stamps. YOur probably upset the economy is doing good because you will actually have to work .
A 3.5 seems appropriate to me. The album starts off OK, then sags and is very good near the end.
Straight FIRE
5/5
Back to the drawing board.. It says a lot that this album took years to create, yet this was the finished product that he and the label release.. Not a very good sign about where this man’s talent rests in 2018. Very forced. Possibly his worst album in his catalog.
“Every Top 40 guest hook feels like a mailed-in envelope without enough spit to secure the package.” Trent my man! pwahaha cotdamn! best description of the entire album. (Drops mic and walks away on water) lol
This album is great
All i need was emeinem over Alchemist, dj premiere, havoc good dre beats etc with some good hip hop features. Em you rich already why you going the pop root for sales? Last good verse was good on best friend last good track was Groundhog Day.
Name one song tht shady in his prime obliterates a Mic like rakim on let the rhymn hit em*sick of this shit*em is lower top 50*foh*real heads stand UP*no racism involved*just Facts*stop over rating this fuck*got damn*black thought and pharohe monch has his ass too*……yo em u down talkn white privilege right????yea nuff said*
‘The Eminem Show’: take your pick, hater.
i was expecting more, lame features, no good beats but decent enough god damn it
I haven’t heard such a bad album in long time. WAOTY. How has Eminem fallen is beyond me.
After my first attempt at listening to this it’s been deleted so it doesn’t waste space on my Spotify account
I’m a die hard Eminem fan. He introduced me to the genre and helped me through tough times in my teenage years. This album is just okay. For every good song like Believe, you get an Untouchable. The three biggest flaws of this album is the beat choices, the flow, and the hooks. The latter almost ruined the aforementioned Believe and you’re deaf if you believe otherwise. In WoW he claims to hear the complaints but makes no effort to fix his mistakes. This is in no one’s top ten of 2017 if they listen to more than a handful of albums.
I feel the same exact way. “Believe” was good but that hook was cringeworthy. I liked “Framed” because his voice sounds like Slim Shady LP era Eminem and also “Castle” because it’s a great song and sounds like it was recorded in the Eminem Show era. Everything else i could live without. I can’t lie, I actually liked “Chloraseptic” too.
album was shit.
Album is great you people suck
“Question and answer:
What is a rapper doin when he starts at hardcore, but can’t sell enough records to remain in the record buisness?
Answer: He goes pop” – Ice-T
I applaud retards getting typing lessons. More power to you!
Question and answer: What is a rapper doin when he starts at hardcore, but can’t sell enough records to remain in the record buisness? Answer: He goes heavy metal, does weak B movies, does stupid reality shows and plays a cop.
There have been very mixed reviews of this album and there is only one way to scientifically come to an universal agreement on the matter: to use MY brain, as it’s always right and never failed me on any opinion. So this is the indisputable outcome on Em’s catalogue:
1. MMLP 96
2. TES 92
3. SSLP 89
4. Revival 86
5. MMLP 84
6. Recovery 78
7. Encore 69
8. Infinite 65
9. Relapse 62
You’re welcome.
Who else feels like Royce Joel Crooked I 50 cent Dr.Dre should have been on the album
Apparently Em and his camp missed your memo Rigo. Next time make sure you attend the meetings and maybe the next album will have your stamp of approval. Im sure Em is facepalming now.
Em shouldve used his time machine to go back to 1999, grab some beats from the Bass brothers, then to 1995 and get verses from pac and biggie, back to 1999 to get it mastered by Dre, back to now to release the album and then to the future to find out that everyone is still unhappy about the album.
Y’all are only tarnishing your own reps as a hip hop site with these trash ass 1 day reviews
I’m convinced that anybody who thinks this is a good album did not grow up playing Eminem. They’re new fans who jumped on around the “not afraid” phase.
This is a pure pop album… this ain’t hip hop
Only decent song was believe
Wrong
And you grew up to become a hater. Mom must be proud of little Sam.
Because he doesn’t like the album he’s a hater? The albums not very good. Has a handful of decent songs but nothing that would be in the top 40 Em tracks of all time…makes MMLP2 classic in comparison which is sad. As someone who grew up listening to Em this was a disappointment. I did like a few songs but could live without them
I like everything except dot the beats, the flow, the lyrics and the rapper. If it wasn’t for the above-mentioned problems, the album would be a 5, but as it stands it is the most solid 1 I have given this year.
The most solid 1 goes to you, your life and the p*ssy youre not getting. If you had a brain, good looks and the right mentality you might have been a 5.
Careful with the latest Eminem album cause it is a big sh*t, even bigger than you are.
One should be really dumb and become so aggressive if someone else does not share his opinion. Grow up, kid!
P.s. You can only dream of the p*ssy I am getting cause beautiful girls such as my girlfriend wouldn’t even notice someone with a childish attitude like yours.
This was supposed to be my reply to you, Flavius
Didn’t they tell you to leave your sister alone! Sex with siblings can lead to degenerated kids. Thats why your mom and dad no longer get busy in the bedroom.
This album is straight fire! Eminem just Ja Ruled the shit out of the whole industry! Murder Inc. is back baby!!!
As someone who grew up listening to Eminem too I think this album is right there below TES.
I also grew up listening Em since MMLP and the whole 50/G-Unit invasion happened right when I was a teenager. They released a shit load of amazing music back then. I’ve listened to Revival 3 times as a whole, but I just can’t say I like it that much; only a few decent songs. Revival suffers from absolutely horrible production and not even Em simply can’t turn a shitty beat into gold. TES I could literally play all day and not get tired of it. Hell, I even like Relapse more and that’s not a masterpiece like Em’s earlier albums all are! Maybe this album needs more time to grow on me, but so far this is a major let-down. I’m not saying Em couldn’t write anymore, hell no – it’s just that he picked the shittiest beats for the album and sounds uncomfortable spitting over them. That makes this album unpleasant to listen to.
This album isnt his usual antics, its deep. He touches on alot of issues that minorities encounter. Its a grown album. For all those ppl who still want his 1st 2 albums.. did u not expect him to grow into an adult. Or did u just want the antics… This album is great. Jay Z and Em released the best albums of the year for knowledge and self worth. If u didnt catch that… then put on Gucci Gang, and the rest of the rappers that cant rap freestyle or write an ill 16
Em really dropped the ball on this. Its a shame because it was so obvious what we all wanted. Its clear he didnt want to spend any cash on producers and features. Beyonce?? Alicia Keys?? They couldnt recognise quality music if they were hit in the head with a Grammy. And who is Rick Rubin..
All you had to do was call Irv and Ja..apologise for putting 50 on the game and acknowledge that you ruined their legacy. We couldve got that Shady/Murder Inc. Album people have been calling for everyday over the last couple of years. Ashanti on the hook. Fire from caddilac tah. But no..we get this mumble rap trash.
Sehr gute Album diese.
this album was dripping with a whole bunch of dumpster juice. a huge disappointment on so many levels.
Terrible album by Em, worse than Encore honestly. The Siri robot choppy flow hurts my ears and the production is bland and ass. Rick Rubin needs to leave the studio, the rock riff bullshit is so overplayed. Castle was an amazing song and shows Em can still rap but he chooses not to. So frustrating.
classic
Beats his last last three solo albums.
This album is a piece of trash. Aside from the last two songs its an absolute snooze fest stink bomb. Worse than Encore.
On 1st listen, by the time I got to “Remind Me”, I was under the impression that it would be a enormous flop. But, then I heard songs like “Bad Husband”, “Framed, “Heat”, “Offended”, “In Your Head” and the finishing 2, and I changed my mind. After listening to the project 5-6 times, I have it as the 4th best Eminem Studio Album, behind SSLP, MMLP and TES on the top.
Take the time to listen to the full album a few times. Great album!
Lets look at at how it is.
Em had to sell records and maintain his “platnium” status so he recruited a bunch of popular at the moment mainstream top 40 artist to boost sales and make him seem relevant when hes just some 45 yr old white dude from Michigan.
He wanted to get political and still be able to sell records so he pushes the soft stuff and has the next song about Trump.
Its pretty obvious.
He doesnt want to just be hip hop anymore because real hip hop isnt mainstream anymore at least like the old stuff he used to do.
Wheres D-12?
I guess they dont fit the pop mold like crispy clean and sober M & M
This joint is sooo bad. Pandering and begging for clicks, relevance and sales. I don’t buy into the new PC shady. I think pandering to my fellow brothers and sisters is worse than an outright bigot. At least with the bigot I know who he is. Em is not a PC dude and he can’t play one on tv, so to speak. Not a single jam for my ride. He’s done after this.
5/5
Amazing
How is it it was 3.1 then I left a 1/5 and now its 3.2?
Seems kinda backwords to me.
Maybe because you are not the only person rating the album? Are you seriously asking this question?
Shouldnt it be 3.0?
Cause I def marked 1/5 it says in my review
No one posted before or after me so how is that possible?
I copied and pasted my review with the time stamp also if you try to delete it.
bad
Revival is the worst Eminem’s album. That’s a fact but it got some good songs like “Framed”, “Castle”/”Arose” and the one with Phresher.
Agree. Framed, Castle, and Chloraseptic are the definite standouts.
dude even relapse? that low?
Relapse is so underrated. 3 AM, Hello, Same Song and Dance, Medicine Ball, Stay Wide Awake, Deja Vu, and Underground are among my favorite Eminem tracks ever. Revival though? Believe, In Your Head, Castle, and Arose are the only decent tracks IMO.
Actually I think “Relapse” is Eminem’s most underrated album and probably one of the most underrated rap album EVER. The production on it is just too notch and it got great songs like 3 AM, Insane, Same Song and Dance, Stay Wide Awake, Beautiful, Déjà Vu, Underground and Music Box.
Some people hate Recovery and MMLP2 but this two got there moments too: Ridaz, So Bad, Untitled, So Much Butter, Brainless, Baby, Evil Twin…
Revival only got Framed, Castle, Arose, Chloraseptic and Believe.
2/5
I think this is a spot-on review. And that’s tough to say about reviews, there’s always something here or there that people will disagree with. I am on track with everything.
Going forward I am going to try and listen to this based on if I was in Eminem’s perspective. Take away the beats, I’ll bet these verses sounded insane when he was rapping them acapella to whoever was around him at the time. Also the political view is pretty strong, even though I’m not into politics. But again, right on point, sir!
I’d give it a 3.5, if I could, but we don’t have that luxury here. The album was better than I expected it to be, but it also had songs on it that I did expect and didn’t like.
Bad album
Believe is a great track. Loving the rhyming as always.
Eminem is facepalming on the cover to let us know that Revival is a huge letdown.
Care to elaborate? Would love to know why you think it was such a letdown. And if its because “Its a pop album” then I refer you to my comment replying to MtnDooDoo, I just dont want to waist my time re-writing an entire paragraph countering some dumb points
Yes, because it’s a pop album is part of the reason. It’s Recovery Pt. 3 basically. Only one rap feature and multiple pop features on it. Stale ass rock stadium type beats (thanks to Alex da Kid and Rick Rubin). And that god awful choppy flow he’s run down to the ground for years now. Em needs to bring the old Em flow back and pick much better beats. And yes, I get it. He’s 45 and not gonna rap about the same shit he did in SSLP and MMLP. But the end result shouldn’t be fucking terrible.
This has to be his worst album yet. I liked Relapse and Recovery but didn’t care for The Marshal Mathers LP 2. And this album feels like another MMLP2 times 10. Long story short, I think Em’s confused over who his audience actually is because there are moments where it really feels like he’s created a pop album catering to 10 year old girls.
I cant decide if youre trolling or not but for the sake of arguing, ill assume youre not. let me put some things in perspective for you. First off “I liked Relapse” should not be said under any circumstance. Ever. Im a huge eminem fan, but he let even his die hard fans down on that one. The only thing eminem has ever done worst then that is “Untouchable” First of, and the only thing I will actually counter, is when you said that at moments it feels like a pop album catering to 10 yo girls. While the song with Kehlani is the only thing that I can imagine youre refering to, his songs with pop stars actually go into territory that is pretty much untouched (unless it’s in a kidding way as if someone was saying “That bitch got an abortion 100 times” or something comedic with no intent to be taken seriously) in hip hop. I just hope you take the time to go through some of the album and pay attention to the meaning of each song. I could go on for hours but given you had no points that were backed to the slightest degree, I wont waist my time.
man , people are so fucking negative . if you dont like the new eminem , cool , but give the album a chance .
this is exactly what he was talking about with walk on water. i listened to the album once over and it was alright . mostly because everytime i hear eminem i expect a certain sound . and when he tried something new i get throuwn off . i suggest to anyone that didnt like the album , try to let down the judgements and listen to the album 2 more times . I think most of you will be surprised . it seems like people dont like the album because the type of people who comment are posting something negative . its sad that people get into this mob mentality.
I actually think this is a great album for em lyrically speaking. He spits really intricate verses and does some of his best work on this album, but unfortunately whatever enjoyment I get from the album is instantly destroyed thanks to Alex Da kid and his uninspired, milquetoast, piece of shit production. The beats on this thing were beyond garbage.
I don’t know back on “I Just Don’t Give a F*ck” and “Role Model” (and then everything on MMLP) all of his punchlines were DOPE. There are so many terrible punchlines on here that make Big Sean look like a GOAT contender. He also says some of the corniest stuff I’ve ever heard on a rap album on several songs. He needs someone who can keep it 100 with him and tell him when to scrap certain verses or lines. Also he needs to go back to his laidback delivery. He’s forcing these verses and his voice is now annoying af. It takes a few listens to get past his voice being so stained these days…and from “Framed” we know he can still rap like he used to in terms of vocal quality
fire
Garbage
rather hear that Mexican voice again. The production on this album was WHACCCKKKKKKK
His worst album. Walk on Water is as exciting as shopping for tooth paste
Album was trash I miss the old Eminem
We all do. Someone needs to get Dr. Dre on the horn and find out wtf happened to his label
Oh, lord… this… this is a hot mess. A grease fire to be exact. Where do we begin? Em has never been a PC type wannabe social justice warrior but he’s trying like hell to sell like he is now. You can tell dude is just pandering, he doesn’t feel it, because he doesn’t really believe it.
I wanted this thing to be a “revival” but dayum, we got so many tunes where dude is just spitting long enough for the “main event”, whoever the guest singer is to sing the hook. You never wanna be a guest star on your own joint but that’s exactly what these stadiums kid songs are.
Not a single song here that I will jam driving down the street, to make me feel good, when the sun is shining, my car just got washed and I wanna feel good. Yo em, I want to you to do what you do best and stop letting these producers talk you into remaking “monster” over and over again. We get it, you want radio hits but when you made your name calling out N-sync for making PC radio jams, it’s a real bad look when you turn out the same trash.
Won’t the real slim shady please stand up, please stand up?
hit nail on head with this comment
Listen to Castle and tell me that isn’t vintage Eminem.. did you even catch it on the next song Arose when he rewrites the ending? If you can look past some of the anthems that obviously aren’t for you then you will find there is a lot to celebrate on this album. Believe, Chloraseptic, Tragic Endings, Framed, Offended, In Your Head, Castle, Arose… come on man
I can’t explain how bad and off this whole thing is. His rap hasn’t gotten better and I’d say it’s gone backwards in so many ways. I guess him being creative with words is going to have to do because there are no beats worth turning up my volume. I never had such a hard time getting through an album. I forced myself. What’s with all the songs that sound like he just there to fill in time before the real singer come in? That’s weak and if I wanna hear those other people sing hooks, I’d buy their albums. I just can’t do this one fam. I’m out.
trash. hang it up old man
No.
Yall have nothing better to do but hate on a legend and then turn around and listen to Carti or 21 savage
I dont think anyone is hating on Em and most would agree this album is not so good…2/5 sounds about right….I will give it another go on the plane and see what happens….
This albums sounds horrible. An overkill of words in every sentence just to keep rhyming. The beats are crap and his voice is so anoying. Oh and stop whining about your daughter and ex wife and your drug accdiction. Most people here have two day jobs and Eminems keeps complaining about his depressive life. It sounds more like a gimmick to sell recordds and be relevant.
After a few listens the album is an easy 4/5. Great effort by a legend.
Unlistenable bullshit
No comment.
There is no surprise with this album. I felt like I’ve already listened to this album before even though it was my first time. Previous one was much better than this.
Well, touring should be something else. Even if people hated his last two or however albums, many would still pay to see him live to hear his classic shit since many probably haven’t been able to due to how rare an Eminem tour is since he returned to the scene.
Greatest rap albums of all time 1-5:
1) Revival
2) Macklemores greatest hits
3) D4Ls greatest hits
4) Benzinos greatest hits
5) shawty puts greatest hits
Xxxxxxxxxtencions greatest hits and fucking Lil pump get honorable mentions
Shady!!!!!!!!
I wanna smack all you hating ass back-in-the-day bitch asses. Give it up for the GOAT
He needs to do a song featuring lil pump, lil yachty, lil uzi and every other lil drug addict that is pooping right meow
Why do rappers feel the need to “evolve”? If you have placed yourself firmly in everyones top 5 (and considered the GOAT by most of the greatest rappers ever) then STICK TO WHAT MADE YOU THAT!!! If you arent making music for you fans then for who? Eminem has nothing left to prove but why continue to release music, and make fans wait 4 years between albums, only to choose these shit Alex da kid beats and fucking Rick Rubin approved rock samples? Dude- RAP NEEDS SUBSTANCE AND QUALITY! (As “I need a Doctor” plays in the background)
I Need A Doctor is super trash
man, the music is for himself, they do not feel the need to evolve they just evolve, they are humans, people changed dumbass, you need to get more life experience you still have things to live oldfuck.
Revivals biggest problem is that it’s too long. if it was 12 tracks maximum it would be pretty tight. also, he needs to stay away from rick rubins wack ass.
Matter of fact. Tracklist should’ve been.
1. Walk On Water <- I wish this track had some drums on the verses. still, good opener.
2. Believe <- shit is dope!
3. Chloraseptic <- shit is dope!!
4. River <- for the radio, ed sheeran is everywhere these days so im not surprised he's on here.
5. Like Home <- dope bars and alicia kills it
6. Bad Husband <- feeling this even though its poppy
7. Tragic Endings <- this could get cut because its an obvious the monster remake, but im keeping it cuz its catchy and skylar grey
8. Framed <- classic Em
9. Offended <- the way he structured his bars on this song is unbelievable
10. In Your Head <- I think that cranberries sample works. at least way better than that remind me bs
11. Castle
12. Arose <- last two songs might be some of Eminems best writing ever.
WORD! Totally agree!!
em needs to stop being a pop star and go back to his roots of what made him great…i miss the old em
We all do; but I saw Dr Dres face on a hip hop milk carton
3.2 is waaaay to kind…This album is so cringe, I almost feel sorry for the guy. Trump curse strikes again?
Thats right, The Alchemist’s name is no where to be seen on the credits of this album, he doesnt fuck with pop music snowflakes.
I truly think Eminem is trying to appeal to a new demographic. There is NO way he’s speaking to the same audience with MMLP or TES. I love Em, and there are about 45% of songs I really liked on this record, but Em in my eyes is officially a pop-rap artist. There were hints of it in Recovery and MMLP2, but I’m not it denial anymore. I guess that’s life.
M is straight garbage. This is not hip hop music. If wants to be a pop star then he should tell everybody that he is a wack ass pop artist now.
A bizarre listen. Fascinating project. Lots of blemishes. Lots of warts. Its almost like a rap opera. Everything is so overly dramatic and huge. Everything in excess. The rhyming is so incredibly technical. The flows are impossible to mimic. So many different inflections tones and voices. Hes overly serious and then overly stupid. Overly sensitive then sounds careless the next track. Eminem has morphed into something i never wouldve expected when he started. I find it intriguing and curious as hell. Puzzling. The beats arent very good but at the same time hes incredibly busy on every track. It almost reminds me of a Queen record. I dont mean to hurt anyones feelings w that, i like queen, i like em, i like the album. Just in its flamboyantly odd grandiose nature. This is an over the top gluttonous bloated mess of epic proportions. I dont understand it, so i keep listening. Ofc id love to see em lock in w the bass brothers and dre and himself and just take it back to beats and rhymes and simplify everything but hes obviously soooo invested and busy perfecting whatever it is he thinks hes doing now with this. Not as satisfying not as nostalgic but definitely interesting.. Mixing this album seems like itd be a real chore. Its huge. He sounds like n emotional wreck. His vocal quality is still a1 and hes still a genius in the way he rhymes and delivers lyrics. Id love to see a 98 eminem listen to this record. This is a freak show album. I like it. Thought mmlp 2 was maybe on the boring side. This is many things, but it aint boring. Dude is off the reservation. Ive never heard a song as pussy and emotionally cringeworthy as bad husband. Im.confused by it, and will no doubt play it again. Eminem has offfically entered the wacko jacko phase of overblown pop idol with immense talent who cant hide the crazy in his music anymore. The crazy used to be deliberate and in fun. Now hes really lost it. Like i said. Rap opera. It was certainly a journey listen. Eminem still makes event records good or bad. This was good and bad. Some of it so.bad.. its good
Garbage
Fire!
Should of called this album “Retirement” instead “Revival”..
Put the mic down and walk away you can still have a little bit of dignity. – Em.
Really good and people need to listen to the words he’s saying
True Talk…
I never thought I would see the day where Taylor Swift made a more Hip Hop album than Eminem
Awesome
Damn Right…
This was a very very fair review. I really appreciate it. But I still believe that Em is in his prime. But he has to change the following things:
1. Less pop features, maybe non for the next LP.
2. Instead we wanna hear collabs with other great or even new hip hop artists.
3. Stop with sampling Rock Sounds. The majority of the hip hop community does not like it.
4. Please get better producers. We need some new modern hip hop beats.
5. We want some hooks rapped by Em like in the good old days.
6. Make shorter songs with a max duration of 4 minutes. It is tough to listen to 5 or 6 minutes songs with so many filler verses in between over and over again in my opinion.
7. Less songs on an album. 12 songs max if you ask me.
I think he even improved his skills in the past years. But some thins gotta change. This is just may opinion.
Ay. I also said 12 songs max in a precious post. I also agree with your suggestions. Peace
A lifelong eminem fan who laughed and cringed through most of this horrendous POS. Please stop em, you don’t have it anymore and have become a cornball.
listen to the lyrics haahahhaha, this shit some good classic shit.
Simpler yet, stop listening to him, there you go, you’re welcome buddy
It’s a perfect album… if you like when a washed up so-called rapper burns your eardrums out with so kitschy pop music that Celine Dion would never release.
HAHHAHA…..NO!
Why is everyone hatin this CLASSIC…It´s almost perfect…
More Dre Beats…less Rick Losin..
Your goddamned right…Sir
Is there an actual Dre beat?
No. Dre only produced the interlude revival on the album.
Fire!
Try to imagine you delete all the reviews written by stans who would eat eminem’s shit from a jar and what do you get?
You butthurt offended Trump supporters are acting really salty, the amazing rythm to this album and the fact that it’s lyrically phenomenal makes it the best album of 2017.
Best album of 2017 lol…. this shit was laughably bad.
Great Album the best of 2017
FOH lmao you don’t know hip hop lil fella.
I can’t stand Trump as much as the next guy, so it has nothing to do with that, this album is just bad, I mean really, really bad. I’d take any joe shmoe mumble rapper’s album over this. Slim needs to hang it up, his heart isn’t in it any more.
He probably should have pushed this album back a few months and recorded mostly new material and brought in other producers and maybe some writers. Probably his worst album ever.
trash flow and repetititve lyrics. my favorite rapper fell off big time
Production ranges from amazing to trash. The best tracks production wise are the ones at the beginning and end. Topic gets repetitive and worn out and the filler tracks where he raps about the current bad ass chick he’s fucking while a rock beat plays are not good. The political track with Alicia keys is good but could have been so much more. Most of the features turned out okay, this album would not be anything more than a barely good effort if it wasn’t for the fact that the tracks Framed, and especially castle and Arose are perhaps up there in the pantheon of 20 Eminem tracks of all time an could easily have been part and go blow for blow with anything on The Eminem Show. Offended, Believe and Chloraseptic represent the next tier of songs quality-wise, all of them being high quality hip hop. Up next we have the “just good” which includes Tragic Endings,Walk on Water,Bad Husband and Like Home. The rest of the album is “meh” tier but I feel In Your Head will grow on us. The album also gains respect for showing Eminem styles ranging from Relapse,Recovery,Eminem Show and MMLP2, and for the fact that it is comfortably above his last effort (MMLP2), better than Relapse,Encore and perhaps even on par with Recovery and SSLP. The fact that at 45 he didn’t put his worst or second worst effort and that it can go blow for blow with recovery which is top-half Eminem material gives it a 4/5 for me
rap god
Sad.
Honestly just cut down the tracks to 12, cutting out the ed sheeran track, the x ambassadors (wow that was bad), pink, and that the i love rock and roll remix and the albums not that bad. All those pop feature songs besides beyonce and alicia, put such a bad taste in the mouth its hard to look past, but if you can its a decent album from em considering. Nothing like the 99-09 days but i think better than recovery and mmlp2.
Perfect way to explain this album. I agree with what you said 100% The features are what kill the album.
One of my fav. rappers since since childhood, he should’ve spent a bit more time on this album and put his heart into more of the songs like he did in Castle. But i do sense the issues minorities encounter, and trying to connect to this new generations “rap”. This isn’t a 5/5 but 3 between 4.
So much missing, it could have been a lot better. Poor production, But he still got lyrics, and for the lyrics and flow, i’ll give it a 2.
1.5/5
This album does not live up to the hype, its a disapointment
It’s not on us to discuss the work of one of the best rappers of all times. Music is your own therapy, diffirent for any individual.
I think the album is good, strong, but most of all honest.
You can’t expect to him still being the rapper from almost 20 years ago. He changed, like everyone does. Look at yourself 20 years ago, you aren’t the same person as well.
To me, this album is a 4/5, I feel his changes, feel the choices he made on the album. To me, he is still a legend. A grown up Legend.
Flow was terrible, production was terrible, features were terrible, this album was terrible.
I like the album a lot and I don’t blindly love everything he does…I thought Shady XV was awful. There are some weak moments so it gets a 3.5 from me instead of a 5…I rounded up to a four below.
impossible to enjoy
One word to describe the album: mediocre.
Pandering, poppy mediocrity that Em got a bunch of guest features to sell records. Pink? Ed Sherran? Yeah that’s pandering trash. It’s may be his worst album to date. I’m being nice giving it a 2/5 and that’s mainly because there is much worse out there as some of these rappers don’t even be rapping on their own shit. Em at least raps and there are couple of good songs.
the worst thing I’ve heard all year
I told Em not to put this shit out!
If this is not an eminem album then I dint know what is. Funny, political, personal, horrorcore…every type of song and the album is fantastic.
Non il suo migliore ma sti voti vanno alzati
I actually gave it a 7.2/10.
People who give this anything over a 2 are insane. Probably pop fans and this is in only hip hop they heard all year. I could nod my head once the whole album
Nope
With any variety table, not everything’s for everybody. When I go to a Chinese buffet, I eat almost everything. My mom has a select few foods she’ll touch. There’s so much to this album – even the 2 “interludes” are nice minute-long songs in their own right. There’s bars after bars after bars – most songs feature at least 3 verses exclusively from Eminem, showcasing many sides of the rappers and his alter egos. There’s a big variety of sound – obnoxiously goofy classic rock remixes like “Remind Me” and “Heat” with energy and humor, with dead-serious reflections like “Tragic Endings” and “Castle”. Classic, straight-up hip-hop tracks like “Framed” and “Believe” are few and far between. But when has hip-hop had such highs as “Arose”? The tracks have many hip-hop highs, even if you have to suspend your good taste occasionally to enjoy songs like “Offended” – but when did hip-hop get so high-brow? Among the best of Eminem’s songs were tongue-in-cheek and perhaps a little intentionally cringey. This is no different, although there are serious attempts to write deep, and yes, tasteful, songs like “Bad Husband” and that track with Ed Sheeran. There are serious wordplay and lyrical moments, and if you can’t laugh along at some funny punchlines now and then, then the jokes are on you.
The flow and production was wonky. That ruined the entire album.
One of the best EM’s Album !
After listening to the album from start to bottom several times, I’ve come to the conclusion that this album really is a big dissapointment. Even though I was really looking forward to the album ,the promotion songs walk on water and untouchable weren’t really what I was hoping for, but I still had hopes for the album. After seeing the track list and so many popfriendly features and barely any rap features except Phresher, I started getting more worried. So after going through the album several albums I felt the production from Rubin/Alex da Kid was pretty much rubbish and that Eminem yet again, went too mainstream with the features. Like who would expect a Ed Sheeran feature on album? Not that it was terrible, but that’s not the Eminem I want to hear. Specially not on every song at least. My clearly favorites song from this album was Framed and Chloraseptic which had both sick lyrics, beat and chorus. Which is also the only 2 songs I would really put in one of my playlists, tbh. Offended was another good song but the chorus was rubbish, imo. My favorite Eminem is when he goes bar to bar with his Bad Meets Evil partner, Royce Da 5’9, so I guess I need to wait for Bad Meets Evil 2 or something. It would be pretty much impossible for Eminem to make his whole fanbase satistfied with an album tho, cause he got such a huge variety of fans most likely considering how long his been doing this. But at least he should stick to his roots, get more rapfeatures and better beats aswell. Shouldn’t be that hard considering who we’re talking about here. First think he needs to do is to get rid of Rubin/Alex da Kid, and I would love to see him rap over some sick Alchemist beats again!
2.5/5. Too many pop fillers. Some good ones tho. Also sick of Rick Rubin rock samples.
Fuck you
I’m just going to come out and say it. The second verse on “In Your Head,” is the best written verse of 2017. Doesn’t anyone get that he’s bending words, choose more complex multi-syllabic rhyme patterns, and even now rhyming an entire verse with the middle words of each sentence. I’m sorry this isn’t Migos and offends the modern hip-hop fan, but lyrically and technically this album contains some of Eminem’s most praiseworthy work ever.
Yooo. I was listenig to that song yesterday and was really paying attention to the lyrics. That verse is so sick!!! The more I listen to revival the better the album gets. I dont like every beat and every guest but Eminems writing on this project is something I havent heard before. The layers and complexity is insane.
I’ll put this above relapse, it’s a solid 3 for me after the second listen. The first track don’t call you back for a replay of the album, if it was the revival intro then the revival track then yeah. I wish he would had the Slaughterhouse brotheren on there or a good lyrical competitor in there. There some skipple tracks especially those rock samples, he should have just link up with some for a better sound seriously! If he does do one more in the next 3 years pretty please cut down on the length for a better results, less cut worth album, I’ll be making a better playlist of this album later.
At 33 years old I LOVE this album I can let it play I Have a daughter so i can relate. Hes funny as fuck while be seroius giving u motivation last bars of do u believe chlrosiceptic hes making fun of drake if u can catch it i think migos as well swagger jacked there style lmfao I love thanks Em my wife Bought me the album also coped the Jay and K-dots were worth my $ this year Merry Xmas we just want a safe environment 4 are Kids……Godbless fuck your republican views
I love the album
You guys act like SSLP, MMLP and TES were praised. People ripped them up. Kill you… the flow the topic, was hated and now is one of his best. Mockingbird was considered pandering for record sales and now is one of his most heartfelt. Rock beats (we like Berserk), Some silly line and hooks (we laugh and shake our head cuz Em’s being Em), Crazy topics (thank god he didn’t go all PC), Social commentary (he’s never been afraid to stand up, agree or not with him, it should be respected). Oh and was VERY personal on this album which was amazing and appreciated.
Just like Nas I never really think about beats with Em, it’s all words. I go to every album to here him RAP. I wonder what he has to say and how he will tell me it. This is my fav album since TES and some songs on here will eventually go on his best of list.
First off, fuck all you 1 day reviewers, HHDX included. Secondly, all you muble rap haters who want lyrics then won’t listen to lyrics can fuck off too. Album isn’t perfect but it sure as hell is better than what a bunch of you want to portray. I would give it 4/5 but gave it 5/5 to balance some haters.
For those of you who dislike it and can actually articulate why, thanks, even though I may disagree.
Personally I don’t think anyone can take away from Ems lyrics if they can actually grasp them. Where it matters most is the harmony between beat chorus and lyrics. I think a lot of these hit all 3 but I know some would beg to differ. I also think pure em lyrically can outshine the other 2 aspects.
Overall a dope album. Would remove maybe 3 tracks. Otherwise it then gets left to taste. Which is the reason there is no universal top anything. All in all as a hip hop fan I hope all of you did your listening due diligence. If you didn’t, fuck you.
not his best work in my opinion, but there are some good songs there
Solid work from a legend. Best of all, it’s not just another MMLP, Relapse, or even Recovery. It has elements of all of Em’s styles. Took a few listens, but now I have a strong appreciation. There are also about four classic tracks on this album (in Em’s top 20 songs). If you didn’t like it at first, I urge you, give it another listen.
This album grew on me after a week. I’ve been bumping this for the last few days without a different perspective than I had the first go ’round.
This is mostly fire, with a little bit of filler, but show me a hip hop album released in the last ten years that has none. It’s not MMLP or TES, but then again Eminem is not a young man anymore. Give the man credit for producing a radio friendly album that has this level of lyricism and intricacy.
Shit’s fire. To me, a balanced addition to the discography. Lyrically, the best album of 2017.
really didn’t like it, he is trying to be one of the new guys. he must be lost. 🙁
I just don’t understand. Maybe I don’t know what people look for in hip-hop anymore. I think this album is straight fire. When I read these reviews it seems obvious that you guys know what you’re talking about, but maybe you are over looking things or have your mind made up before you even listen? Maybe Em is so highly regarded now that he can’t get more than a 3.5 unless it’s his best album ever? It’s not reasonable to expect this would be his best album ever, but I certainly think it’s one of his best. You didn’t even mention “Believe” which I think is probably the best song. The beat is absolutely bonkers and Em kills it like he kills every track. Every track has meaning, and none really discusses the same topic as another one. What I really don’t understand is how you don’t mention the ridiculous wordplay on the album. He’s clearly the best in the game. The only thing I can think of is that you are expecting too much. You want him to evolve at 45? How so? You want him to start mumbling and take about non-sense? The day he does that I will stop listening to him. Im almost done with you HHDX. How you can give garbage “rappers” like Future and Migos a better rating than this album is laughable.
I’ve seen some really harsh reviews on this album, this to me is the fairest assessment. I wholeheartedly agree that this “classic or bust” mentality is unhelpful and unfair to a great artist. Yes this doesn’t go anywhere near the top of his discography, but who cares? Nas never topped illmatic. It is a decent album with some really good tracks. The shitty rock samples and over-use, pop hooks, and choppy flows really detract from the album, but when he’s good, he’s damn good. Lyrically and technically no one can touch this man, but music is more than that, and sonically the album does fall short. Over-all a few good songs to add to the playlist, and that’s good enough for me
So many of these reviews are off the mark. People expect that if it’s Eminem it has to be flawless. If a guy at 45 years old can still put out tracks that are dope and hang with the best lyrically, that’s saying something. No way this album is a 1/5 or 2/5. For me, it’s a solid 4.
Revival shows Ems still very much capable of his brutal verbal assault, to anyone’s beats. Rolling Stones Chris W review is a reminder of XXL on Marshall Mathers LP, give him a min, he’ll come to his senses stop trying to sell printed copies of tweets, and revise his review.
Em in rare form. This album is absolutely sick in terms of lyricism. When you factor in the kinds of beats he’s rapping over, the increasingly complicated wordplay, and the staying power and ability to constantly create something sonically interesting and new, no question this is a 5/5.
I’m actually going to discontinue reading HipHopDx, not after this lukewarm but mostly fair assessment of the album, but after the absurd article on Chrloaseptic’s remix. If you don’t think that verse is fire you are out of your mind.
Exactly how I feel.
Not only Eminem’s worst album but probably the worst album ive heard in hip hop(from a artist i really fuck with) complete pop shit songs and what is with his flow smfh what the fuck happened.I cannot give it repeat listens cause it is too hard to sit thru its really that bad.Only thing worse is reading the absolute lies from the ‘stans’ fuck-boys claiming its amazing or his best work seriously FOH there’s dickriding and then there are eminems current fanbase get help
1 out of 5, really? You wanted a dance album?
#Believe #River #LikeHome #Castle / #Arose (if you want the old slim shady #Framed #Offended) please go to Genius and read along, it will help you understand. One day, you will appreciate #WalkOnWater
We got a dance album, framed was the only eminem song on the album
Wtf are you smoking? If you don’t fuck with artists who change and develop, I’m embarrassed to listen to the same kind of music as you.
The more I listen to Eminem’s new album #Revival the more I understand it.
The more I understand it the more I like it.
#Believe #River #LikeHome #Framed #Castle
These tracks are undisputably the Eminem you’ve “asked for”. Name 3 rappers these days with 5 undoubtably great songs on the album last year, I’ll wait.
The problem? There is something for everyone. The tracks that I like (#Offended #InYourHead) may not be the same you like. Different does not make it “whack”.
In my opinion, Eminem has outdone himself lyrically with the double entendres and the “over your head” word schemes. He finally got me listening to something other than trap or boom bap and it’s refreshing to hear lyrics that make me want to rewind to fully comprehend the punchline.
A perfect example; “So she’s been on the *web* lately, says maybe she’ll be my Gwen Stacy… to spite her man”
This is the guy that made just dont give a fuck, record executives and critics tried to push him to make a hit single and he put out the way i am going against that because he didnt wanna compromise his art to pander to everyone, fast forward to recovery, he shoulda called it now i give a fuck, called mmlp2 just kidding and called revival actually i do pls like me
Disastrous outcome from the washed up legend. His rhyme and rap still lit but wack instrumental, confusing contents, indefinite messages, disgusting punchlines, unbalanced featuring, awkward pop color made REVIVAL valueless.
I love Eminem but I can’t be fond of this album. Before you protest to my comments, you’d better listen to the MMLP again.
FUCKING TRASH, I GUESS R.I.P. SLIM SHADY, NOW WE GOT FUCKING POP EMINEM, WE GOT A SHITTY VERSION OF G-EAZY NOW
just listened to the whole record today. I applaud the way Em has adapted to different tempos due to today’s sound. Not all of the beats are up to bar with his wordplay but man… his wordplay is crazy on this project. When people age with the culture you have to accept their growth and not expect to hear the 27 yr Eminem that we were amazed by. Instead we have a wiser lyricist who cares about the craft enough to have damn near every line worded perfect. I personally think Encore was his weakest project and I began to tune out. There’s some bangers on here and I’m glad he added some conscious awareness due to the current state our country is in. All these rappers out here are acting as if the nation is normal… and it’s NOT. Not every song is great but the lyrics are 10/10, beats are 7/10. This is the type of record that will grow on you. In the end it will fit perfectly within his catalogue. Salute the MC that raised the bar countless time. #NoStanJustAHipHopFan | 4/5 overall
Eminem has turned into a culture vulture. Fast rapping with nothing to say for the sake of fast rapping, talking over most of his songs that have poor production(Btw I am so sick of this Alex Da Kid guy), a complete hypocrite when it comes to these guest features and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus on his next album. I knew this wasn’t the same Eminem back in 2010 when he did a track with Pink & Bruno Mars on the “Bad meets Evil Ep” but it has only gotten worse.
I’m not saying I want to hear him rap about glorifying drugs and alchohol like he did almost 20 years ago, but there has to be something else he can bring to the table besides this junk. Don’t believe me? Read some of the lyrics on the album and tell me that shit isn’t outdated. Listen to his flow and tell me he isn’t being unintentionally lazy and lethargic. I honestly don’t think he can recover from this. After surviving through “encore” “relapse” & Recovery, I think this is the one that has finally stuck the fork in his career.
gay
Walk On Water is beyond dull, and Beyonce’s appearance makes it worse.
The best tracks are on the last third as well as Like Home with Keys’ ft.
Honestly, I consider this an experimental album. Which is always a risky move, especially for such an established and acclaimed artist like Eminem. He used a variety of flows throughout the album, some calling-back to his hey-day, others falling flat and out of sync with the beat. He had features from damn near all across the spectrum, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, P!nk, Ed Sheeran, Phresher, X Ambassadors, and even 2 Chainz (if you count the Chloraseptic REMIX).
These features were met with varying degrees of success, which is to be expected, and none of them where the type of artist we are used to hearing on an Em track except for, maybe, P!nk. What can’t be denied, disregarded or overlooked is his unrivaled lyricism. Complex metaphors, over-the-head punchlines, double-entendres, and wordplay all combine to make this one of the greatest albums (in regards to lyricism) this year. And while that may not be your cup of tea, it is a skill that is in short supply these days.
As for the production, beats and samples it’s definitely sub par to most of his previous works. Though that is what I expected from an album that is very experimental in every way. The Rick Rubin/Alex da Kid production attempted to recreate the rock and pop heavy sound from the MMLP2 and SHADYXV projects. And they succeeded in that goal. But what they failed to understand is that those previous albums did not fare all that well with fans and critics alike. So doubling down on a formula that wasn’t very successful would only lead to further dis satisfactory/mediocre production on this project.
Upon taking all of these factors into account, I personally give this album a 3.5 overall, 5/5 lyricism, 3/5 production, 2.5/5 features, 2.75/5 flow. The experimental showcasing of Marshall Mathers legendary lyrical versatility is offset by unexpected features that rarely work out well, production that fails to learn from it’s predecessors mistakes, flows that cut-in and out of the track, and a almost buffet-esque sampling of skills and song types from across the whole of his career.
He shouldn’t be crucified for trying to evolve his craft further than what we are familiar with or for treading new territory and topics in his lyrics. As a fan, you don’t have to like every work an artist creates, but you can’t just dismiss a new project due to the fact that the artist has grown far beyond their initial experiences and is attempting something new to keep from getting caught in the same rut.
In my personal opinion Revival is similar in many ways to The Path of Totality & The Paradigm Shift albums Korn released in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Those projects were widely unpopular with their fan-base and critics due to the experimental nature of both and the heavy influence of dub-step and EDM in the production.
Not the best album out there, but far from the worst, and in this day and age, what more can we ask for?
I saw em live a month ago. Hearing walk on water live really made me like that song. First time I heard it I thought it was mediocre. Now I dig it. Song is better live than on wax. Anyway. Revivals biggest problem is its lenght. If this was the tracklist Revival would be better. 1 walk on water 2 believe 3 chloraseptic, with 2chainz worse decision ever to cut his verse from the original 4 river 5 like home, this shouldve been the first single with a kick ass anti political video to it 6 framed 7 offended 8 in my head 9 castle 10 arose, last three songs are still some of Eminems best writing so far in his career. I give Em props for rapping so much on this album. His pen game is still sick. Hope he learns from the mistakes he made for his next album. He needs to get in the lab with dre, bass brothers, royce and d12 (because d12 will not be yes men but tell him straight up if something is wack) 5/5 for lyrics 2/5 for beats
I really enjoy this album. People sleep but the bars on this album are on par with the level of Eminem that we expect. I still give it the occasional listen. Lots of hate from people and at times it’s credible, but even more hate without good reason for this album
This was a good solid rap . It just went over alot of people heads . Hip hop every body’s are not suppose to sound alike . And Eminem brings flavor
I just listened to this album again. Jesus, I slept on this. this album was fired fuck the bars on Believe song had bars to last the whole year.
This album was slept on, even by me. Listened to the whole thing again after the storm had calm down.
Deep stuff
Highly Underrated
My favorite Eminem album, IDGAF
This album has most content than any other Eminem album, lyrically he is on his peak. Flows are many and are amazing. Maybe people didn’t like the pop beats but I loved the hooks and the efforts.
I could not ride the hate i listened to it continously for 7 days it truly is a great fucking album man this people are idk whats wrong with people