Eminem Masterful and Dominant On 'Recovery' LP

CLEVELAND - Eminem exploded onto the music scene in 1999 like a meteorite engulfed in flames. His skills were undeniable and his popularity was stunning. Then he lost his focus and as a result, it undermined his unmatched brilliance for years.

Folks, the brilliance has returned.

Eminem, the famous moniker of Marshall Mathers releases his 6th major-label album today a full two weeks after it leaked online. Recovery, as it's titled was originally due out tomorrow but instead was moved up a single day to whet the public's appetite for an album that has gotten mostly rave reviews. And it's not just for its content, it's also for Eminem's return to the searing dominance that won him endless praise and critical acclaim a decade ago.

Em opens the album with guns blazing, as he drops clever zingers at Elton John, Michael Vick and the Parkinson's Disease-stricken Michael J. Fox on "Cold Wind Blows." It is instantly apparent that his prodigious lyricism is reborn and he intends to be all business on this LP. His ammunition is in the form of metaphors and one-liners and his trademark smart-alecky wit is razor sharp.

"Talkin' 2 Myself" is an earnest confessional in which Eminem admits his own jealousy of the immense success of Lil' Wayne and Kanye West during the last few years. He also touches on his declining self-esteem (during his nearly five-year absence from the spotlight) as he cleans out his own psychological closet. Admissions of self-loathing, holding a false bravado and enduring writer's block are all stunning because of the sheer brutal honesty of the words, yet riveting because it delves into the psyche of an insecure genius.

He even disavows his previous two albums, both of which were considered lackluster by fans and critics yet they both still went multi-platinum.

"On Fire" once again puts Em's phenomenal skills on center stage. His lyrical dexterity is flawless as is his biting wit. Listening to this track reminded me that he's always been masterful at composing tongue-twisting, multi-syllabic rhymes about inane and preposterous things.

"Won't Back Down" is a surprising collaboration with pop-star Pink, ironic because Em made a career out of insulting pop stars. But if ever there was an appropriate pairing of him with a pop star, this is it. Both Em and Pink have cultivated defiant, fearless personas with non-conformist attitudes. They come off like two renegades declaring their toughness in the face of critics and anyone else turned off by them.

"W.T.P." harkens back to Em's early albums which usually featured a light-toned, party track. It's a silly song, but it's also more lyrical than its similarly themed predecessors.

"Going Through Changes" is another brutally honest confessional. Em discusses everything from his murdered friend Proof to drug dealers being at his beck and call during his heavy drug abuse period. He talks about how immense fame has isolated him and admits that he acts "high and mighty" while he's really "dyin'" on the inside. The powerful song also features Em saying that the "only thing [he] fears is [his daughter] Hailie."

"Not Afraid" is the album's lead single. Uplifting and potentially transformative, it's also an unusual first single for an Eminem album. In it, he disses his own 2009 album Relapse and acknowledges that he may have overused the strange accent with which he littered the LP (and also annoyed many fans with). He also apologizes to his fanbase for essentially putting out subpar material the last few years. One complaint I have about this song and various other points during the album; Em's unusual use of metaphors at times seem forced and unnatural. Still, they are very effective in some cases.

"Seduction" is an R&B-style track. Em is cast as a smooth playa' cum ladies man. He unleashes a torrent of rhymes while extolling his prowess as a chick magnet (mostly due to his rhyming skills).

"No Love" could be considered the album's centerpiece. It's a delicious collaboration with Lil' Wayne and is maybe the best Eminem collab since he teamed up with Jay-Z for 2001's "Renegade." Here, Wayne authors a pitch-perfect lyrical masterpiece delivered in his trademark methodical drawl. He certainly paints a dramatic picture: "Married to the game, but she broke her vows. That's why my bars, are full of broken bottles..and my night stands, are full of open bibles." Also: "been to hell and back, I can show you vouchers" and "I'm stickin' to the script, you niggas skippin' scenes." The hook, a re-working of a familiar, early '90's pop hit merges Wayne's verse with Em's rapid, machine gun delivery. Em drops such zingers as "get these wack cocksuckers off stage, where the fuck is Kanye when you need him?" Awesome track that just happens to join two of the most acclaimed and popular figures in the genre's history.

On "Cinderella Man," Eminem once again bad mouths Relapse, saying "fuck my last CD, that shit's in the trash." The song feels like a pep rally for him and his resiliency in the face of his much publicized, former drug addiction. Em is full of swagger on this track, but it's effective because he admits to artistic missteps, especially with lines like, "mediocrity can no longer fly."

"25 to Life" is a concept song in which Em portrays the hip-hop game as a metaphor for a committed relationship. He's dedicated more than "half [his] life" to that relationship and feels under-appreciated despite his tireless dedication to it.

"So Bad" is, from the very start an obvious Dr. Dre-produced track. It's also a reminder that the legendary producer is mostly absent from this album, uncharacteristic for an Eminem set. This song is a great example of how much Eminem vacillates between humble self-loathing and cocky braggadocio from song to song and even verse to verse.

"Almost Famous" is another punchline filled, lyrical roller coaster as Eminem name drops everyone from David Carradine to Verne Troyer and Sean Hannity.

"Love The Way You Lie" features another surprising pop star choice; Rihanna. Her feathery voice punctuates the catchy track with a silky and beautifully crooned hook. Em meanwhile, seems to wistfully recall his complicated relationship with his ex-wife Kim. Rihanna's voice is so good, so sugary to the ear that the sad surrender of her words are not immediately obvious. Em sounds remorseful throughout for bad decisions he made in his past relationship until the very end of his verse when his devious, sociopathic alter-ego Slim Shady emerges with a closing threat to set [Kim's] house on fire with her in it.

"You're Never Over" is a spirited tribute to Proof, celebrating him as his guardian angel.

A bonus track called, "Untitled" is actually one of the best on the album. It's three minutes of Eminem spitting an impossible series of rhymes, metaphors and punchlines with awesome precision.

All in all, I am highly impressed with this album. Eminem's first three albums are considered classics, yet beginning with 2004's Encore, he's been criticized as having "lost his greatness." Though I liked Relapse, this new album blows that one out of the water. Eminem hasn't sounded this fresh, crisp or driven since 2002's The Eminem Show. And dare I say it, but Recovery is not only an instant classic, but might be just as brilliant as his earlier strokes of genius. The fact that I specifically discussed all but one song says a lot.

The real Marshall Mathers has finally stood up!