I posted my quick review yesterday in the "Mosh" thread, but I'll repost here. Keep in mind, this is just off one or two listens, so of course, my views on certain songs will change.

The Encore album is better than I thought it would be. It's not a great album (or even Em's best) but it is solid. Before listening, I was very happy to see that Dre produced 8 tracks (!!!) which is more than any other album he's worked on since Chronic 2001. Among those productions though, are 3 that have already been out there (Just Lose It, Mosh, and Encore...one of the album's best tracks). The first real song on the album, Evil Deeds, features an outstanding Dre beat, but it's quickly ruined by Em's sing songy, nursery rhyme flow. Em is at his peak on the dark,yet bouncy Dre produced Rain Man. One of the non-Dre standouts is a track called Like Toy Soldiers, which is produced by Em. In the track he looks back on his various beefs, some with mixed emotions. He talks about how he felt having to go after the Source, which was a magazine that helped him reach stardom before the Benzino beef. On this track he also addresses Dre's beef with Suge (although Suge's name is edited out) and why he's never said anything about the Death Row honcho. Of course there are the requisite Paul Berman skits (one of which has Paul calling Em about the Michael Jackson situation, the other is em returning Paul's message dropping mj song titles), which are basically a waste of disc space and seem to be included only for continuity sake. He also has the requisite "I hate Kim" track called Puke. As far as guests, Nate Dogg is featured on a track, 50 is on a couple of tracks, Stat Quo is featured alongside Obie Trice on the track Spend Some Time and he really steals the song...I am anxiously awaiting the Stat Quo album. On the previously leaked track Encore, Dre is the star (I wonder if someone such as Em or Stat Quo wrote his verses) while Em and 50 play supporting roles and at the end of the song Em says something like, "Don't worry. Detox is coming soon. We're going to make Dre do it." All in all a good album...while not track for track as strong as Jay-Z's Black Album, Kanye's College Dropout, or even Get Rich or Die Tryin', it is an album that has quite a few highlights over the course of it's hefty 20 song tracklist.

good post, kurupt, it ties with what I'm thinking after a few listens. It might eclipse The Eminem Show for me, but it will never touch the Marshall Mathers LP. My first reaction 25 seconds into Like Toy Soldiers was "WTF?! Em sampling Martika?!" (even though, on the low, her song used to be one of my pop guilty pleasures ) but the song might be my favorite on the album so far. Meanwhile, "Puke" is aptly titled, as far as I'm concerned - not exactly one of Em's best songs.

agree with the good post of kurupt

puke wouldn't be horrible if it weren;t for the puke sound effects

i like the two heavily sampled songs (like toy soliders and crazy in love)..

mockingbird is the required "ballad", but it is a good one

When he performed this on SNL last week, he seemed embarrassed when he had to lip-synch that part.

I listened to the entire album last night and thought that its easily his worst album. Not only are his rhymes not that tight, but the music is only really good half the time.

They way they blank out Suge's name in Toy Soldiers is retarded. Worse than blanking out Notorious B.I.G. calling himself "the son of satan" in Victory

this is growing on me. especially Rain Man, Big Weenie, and Ass Like That. At first I couldn't stand them but I can't help but crack up when I listen now. The other solid tracks are Yellow Brick Road, Like Toy Soldiers (the hook is too much though) and Mockingbird.

I think Big Weenie and Ass Like That are two great Dre beats, but Em ruins them with his cornball "weenie" fascination over and over, and singing a mock reggae verse.

it may turn up on shelves earlier than that.

I can't wait for this Cd to come out

This album is growing on me as well, I love a couple songs and like most of the others.

I still say that Eminem is one of the greatest modern-time novelty singer-songwriters, and I'm glad he's around because he allows me to like rap. Can anyone deny that Just Lose It is a goofy record?

Other past Eminem novelty records:
My Name Is... (from his first album The Slim Shady LP)
The Real Slim Shady (from his second album The Marshall Mathers LP)
Without Me (from his third album The Eminem Show)

I think its great that you can be on top of your game, and still release fun singles like the ones mentioned above. I only wonder if those songs will be evident on future Novelty compilations that include songs by The Chipmunks and that Halloween classic, The Monster Mash.

I don't mean to sound like I'm dissing Marshall, but it is possible that his hardcore material will be overlooked later on by the light-hearted singles his record company bring to the forefront.

isn;t the BIG line only muted on victory 2004? If so, i think it is a label decision like removing the line "blowing up like the world trade"

The only time I can remember the "son of satan" line not being muted was on the Victory cd single that had the extended version and the Trent Reznor remix. It was muted in it's original form on Puff's No Way Out album (unless they've changed it on subsequent printings).

i stand corrected... although that is one of the worst edits ever.. it is the son of s-tan... real tricky to figure out what he says ... but good call kurupt and ted

The Victory CD single actually had the Drama version (they basically just threw in a female choir) and the NIN version. Only the NIN version had the full satan line, as the drama version was the radio edit.

The one thing that The Real Slim Shady, Without Me, and (according to this week's Rolling Stone interview) Just Lose It also have in common is that they were the last song made for each album, and all 3 were at the request of the label because they felt Em needed a catchy first single.

At this point, it's almost color-by-numbers for him to make this type of song: upbeat tempo, singsong chorus, namedropping current celebrities, wacky video, etc. It reminds me in a weird way of L.L. Cool J after he had success with "I Need Love" - after that he felt he needed 3 or 4 "love" songs per album, usually to the detriment of the album. Fortunately, so far Em hasn't fallen into this trap with his "novelty" songs, he's seemingly kept them to a minimum just to appease the label.

For the most part, Eminem's albums have become "color-by-numbers" albums. The "catchy" first single (which the Shady/Aftermatch camp always blames on Interscope and Jimmy Iovine...not saying it's not Iovine's fault, but they always make a point to say he asked for the track), there's always one or two songs about Kim. The song dedicated to his daughter. The song featuring D-12. The off the wall, look-at-me-I'm-crazy record. The serious, let-me-explain-myself track and so on and so on. You can take almost any cut from Encore, and find it's counterpart on the past Eminem albums. Unfortunately, these generic songtype tracklists are found on almost all major label hip-hop releases now days. You have to have the thug-luv track, the club track, the gangsta tracks, the timbaland track...That's why I'm anticipating Nas' Street Diciple album. From all reports, he's said to hell with this record lable executive approach and just made good music without feeling the need for a radio hit. Plus, with Jay-Z retired, Nas is the best mc in the game (sorry Eminem, you're not even top 5).

Well after listening to this one pretty heavily for the last 4 or 5 days I might as well throw in my input. Great CD, has grown on me a lot, similar to the Eminem Show...I would categorize it as a great CD with some amazing cuts, and some alright ones here and there.

Evil Deeds: great great way to start off the CD...in fact my favorite first track of any Em album. Great Dre beat, of course, and just one of the best songs there is on the album.

Yellow Brick Road: Has grown on me for sure, tackles the tape issue well. Great Em beat, one of the best songs as well.

Like Toy Soldiers: Until I heard it, totally randomly, on the radio, I didnīt realize that the chorus is taken from an old 80īs song...at first I was all confused with it, but it now it somewhat makes sense. Another strong cut, that I have really enjoyed more and more each time.

Mosh: Great song, donīt need to say much since weīll all heard it.

Puke: Eh, okay. I like it sometimes, sometimes I donīt. Cool beat though.

My 1st Single: Hilarious song, making fun of himself and more. Very funny.

Rain Man: My favorite song right now! So good, such an amazing Dre beat and just perfect. He doesnīt say shhhiiiitttt the whole song but itīs great, yeah?

Just Lose It: Good first single, expected of course

Ass Like That: Ripping on R. Kelly is always funny...not the strongest record though.

Encore: Great way to go out, very strong I like how it ends the album.

Any other songs not mentioned I havenīt really listened to enough...otherwise this is a definite buy for me and I am very happy with it. It has grown on me a lot, at first I definitely didnīt like it as much.

Definitely took me a couple listens to get into it... some of the songs are ruined though by what seems to be a total lack of planning on Em's lyrics... they alll seem like he's just making shit up as he goes and not even trying to say ANYTHING at all (which he admits on one track!). It's a decent album and the beats are great, just some of the lyrical content is not up to Eminem's usually high standard.... and I happen to think that PUKE is wicked...if it weren't for the sound f/x it'd be one of my favourite tracks. (faves now are evil deeds-, never enough, like toy soldiers, puke)

MATT

Very true, and I think this is the thing that is keeping this album from even surpassing The Eminem Show with me. He's found a very safe way to have a successful album and to make millions (which is fine) but the "holy shit!" factor is not there on this album.

i miss the old eminem....
the 'hitting the trees harder than sonny bono' eminem

hes all serious now

FYI, its $9.99 at BestBuy.com right now, the Collectorīs one is still at $19.99 though.

I heard it was coming out this fri is it true or still next tuesday?

Why am I obessed w/ Puke and Ass Like That??

I haven't taken that cd out of my cd player in about a week..

True...Friday Nov `12.

MATT

and I think the "hit the trees harder than sonny bono" eminem is most certainly present on this album... listen to tracks like Puke, Rain Man and Big Weenie... serious? I think not.