Dec 14, 2017

"Before we start this...

I got the album before most of y'all so I was already 8 tracks deep when the links started to be passed around and after first listen I HATED the album. I thought it was dogshit, in part to my speakers being kinda on the wrong setting. The mixing was off to me and everything just sounded s--- and unfinished. But when I say I hated it, it's not an understatement,.. I skipped 4 songs during my first listen because I was so overbearingly disappointed that my favourite artist of all time would really give me that after a four-year hiatus. Songs such as Arose and Castle didnt even click with me I just thought they were boring as I was already burnt out after hearing the s--- songs before hand.

After listening to TES I decided to re-vist REVIVAL with my headphones on instead of using my speakers and have an open mind to what I was hearing.

My Review.
Eminem said that he's tried to make a little bit for everyone on this album and this is not an understatement, this album has everything from Relapse themes and flows to TES themes and flows. We get a little bit of everything from Marshall, we start of with Eminem laying all of his cards on the table with 'Walk on Water'.. I loved this song when it came out due to its rawness and how emotionally vulnerable Eminem was on this track. His seeming self-awareness gave me huge hope for this project as he addressed the fans displeasure to his shouting and general awkward music since 2011. This song also sets up a huge problem for the rest of the album being an opener, in the past Eminem's openers tend to dictate the direction of the album for example; Cold Wind Blows dictated the sound of RECOVERY in terms of the punch-line driven sound that most of the songs contained (of course it didn't set the precedence for the album but it gave an indication of the direction he was going)
"‘Cause some things just don't change
It's better when they stay the same
Although the whole world knows your name
Some want a bigger stage
They came to see you spit your game
But it shouldn't be difficult to explain
Just why you came back again
You hate the fame, love the game
Cold as ice you remain, f--- them all
Tell them all eat s---, here we go again"

Marshall instead tells his fans he knows he hasnt been good enough in recent years and that he's trying his best to meet our expectations as well as his own. He is aware that his time in the rap game is almost to an end. His awareness and delivery on this song also is one of the albums biggest hindrance, as a critical fan of his previous works you are now aware that he is as aware as you are of his musical flaws.. THIS SETS HUGE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE LISTENER as this once great artist is about to load his revolver for the last time.

We transition straight into Believe which is a song that has the same stance as Walk on Water but instead is a confident Eminem rapping over a trap beat. Eminem challenges the fans who believe in him to stay with him and the fans who dont believe in him anymore to prepare for something... Basically, this is a REALLY good song.


Edit: I have a 6000 word essay due in tomorrow night so I really shouldnt spend time on this review, if anyone wants me to do a full write up I'll do it when I have the chance but ill do a TL:DR

Basically, its a very weird album, on first listen I hated it and the more i listened the more i began to like what i was hearing. There is something about this album that makes me wanting to keep coming back to it (I know it's new but I didnt have this need to listen to it with MMLP2 or any of his projects since Recovery) His voice is all over the place and hes able to replicate his 'old' voice on some songs such as Remind Me and he even dabbles into his old flows in songs like Framed. Album legit has everything on here that you would want from an Em album in 2017.

Songs like Bad Husband will go criminally underrated for a while and songs like River will be all over the radio for the foreseeable future. Like Home is great for what it is, it's an ANTHEM against Trump and it will work for those who hate him. I wouldnt be surprised to see it played everywhere and it to be the go-to song for anti-trump protests. River tells an engaging story and it's catchy as f---.
Castle and Arose are a league apart to most of the s--- he has ever put out. In my opinion, they belong in the god-tier of Eminem songs when it's all said and done.
There are duds on this album that are also some of the worst songs hes ever created, Nowhere fast is terrible, Remind me had a great intro but fell flat due to it's backdated production. Heat wont click with me and that Pink song is hilarious but they dont take away that this album has at least 8 strong songs, more than any of his albums since The Eminem Show. Time will obviously play a huge part in this album and if people are revisiting songs such as Arose and Believe in 1 years time that should hopefully cement them in his legacy.

I also dont why there are filler songs on here when whats relevant is actually great. The need to have several love songs on here negates Bad Husband as a concept and Walk On Waters vulnerability is shat on during Offendeds hook.

Albums like a 7/10 IF you remove the duds. (5/10) otherwise, it's literally split right down the middle.
I Do Believe that Eminem has the tools and skill at his disposal to create one more classic album (songs like Arose and Castle prove that)


Basically:
WoW - 8
Believe - 9
Chlorseptic - 6
Untouchable - 6
River - 7
Remind Me's intro >>> Remind Me (4)
Like Home - 7
Bad Husband - 7
Tragic Endings - 6
Framed - 8
Nowhere Fast - 3
Heat - 3
Offended - 5
Need Me - 3
In Your Head - 7/8
Castle - 9/10
Arose - 10 idc

 

Dec 14, 2017

Great review man... I feel ya on the essay. I got a final tomorrow and I accidently found myself writing that monster review I did earlier! I shaved half of it due to it being too long for most people to read. It totalled around 4000 words at first ahaha.

But ya I agree with a lot of points here. I really wish this was a 10 track album because everyone would've thought it was amazing if the low tracks weren't on this.

Castle/Arose are quickly becoming some of my favourite Eminem songs.

 

Dec 14, 2017

Also I played Arose to my friends..

5 grown a--- men basically crying at the end of it.

 

Dec 14, 2017

 

Dec 14, 2017

@Koolo can i tag the em sxn?

 

Dec 14, 2017

arose is good but you and your friends sound like p-----s

 

Dec 14, 2017

I say crying.

Everyone got chills

 

Dec 14, 2017

@Immy washed what happened to you fam

 

Dec 14, 2017

Drake fell off after signs

 

Dec 14, 2017

He dropped Freak In You after that tho

 

Dec 14, 2017

Nah fam
I remember that came out on my birthday and i was so disappointed

 

Dec 14, 2017

So if this is 7/10 without the duds, is it 4 or 5/10 as is?

 

Dec 14, 2017

oh yeah its like a 5

 

Dec 14, 2017

See in 2018 for the summary

 

Dec 14, 2017

Revisit Nowhere Fast.

It deserves a 7

 

Dec 14, 2017

 

Dec 14, 2017

Get the pine box b---- f--- you

 

Dec 14, 2017

freak in you suchhhh a vintage drake song

need an album full of those

 

Dec 14, 2017

I think believe is very boring