User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 1078 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Jun 23, 2011
    6
    I don't know why this has a lower metascore than "Encore." It's a crying shame because it's easily 10 times better than that pile of **** This is undoubtably Eminem's return to form. Old Time's Sake, Same Song & Dance and Deja Vu are my favorite songs.
  2. CD
    Jun 10, 2009
    4
    I like Eminem, but to be honest this wasn't as great as all his "Stans" claim it to be. We are ALL happy to have him back but this album was less than average. It'd been a 7 or 8 maybe 4 years ago. But basically all he did was kinda rip off of Brotha Lynch on this one at times. I expect Relapse 2, due later this year, to be a lot better. C'mon suburbians, quit giving it I like Eminem, but to be honest this wasn't as great as all his "Stans" claim it to be. We are ALL happy to have him back but this album was less than average. It'd been a 7 or 8 maybe 4 years ago. But basically all he did was kinda rip off of Brotha Lynch on this one at times. I expect Relapse 2, due later this year, to be a lot better. C'mon suburbians, quit giving it 10's!! That's soooooo fake! REAL hip hop fans know what this album grades out at. Some of you frat boys need to listen to DOOM if you really want to hear word play! However, this IS bettter than Encore. Expand
  3. AjayD
    May 26, 2009
    4
    As a Em Fan, I cannot pretend, I am very disappointed with this album, this is not the return I was hoping for! He tries nothing new for his subject matter, It also Lacks the dark/mature tone of his earlier albums and many of his songs are sick fantasied revolving around hurting/killing women. I think he needs to move into other subjects and ditch the damn lame accent please!
  4. Jan 11, 2011
    4
    Now I know that Em isn't perfect (every one of his albums had at least one song I didn't like), but that doesn't excuse this album. It consists of one great track ("Beautiful"), one OK track ("Deja Vu") and everything else horrible.
  5. KateF.
    May 22, 2009
    4
    Pretty weak release from Eminem. First four songs are great and then you'll realize that you've wasted your money.
  6. TD
    May 29, 2009
    4
    Yeh got it today and I thought it was pretty shit. A lot of the songs aren't catchy like his first songs. He's trying to return to his less serious side like when he started up and it just comes across as forced. Lacks creativity overall. Honestly it sounds like he spent 2 days in the studio and wrote the songs in one sitting.
  7. Schmidty15
    May 19, 2009
    4
    Same ol' shock-value raps from a 37 year-old. Couple of great songs on this album, but mostly filler. Definitely thought Em was gonna step his game up after Weezy, T.I. and Luda all put out quality albums within the past year. And Dre...what up with the beats???
  8. Keith
    May 21, 2009
    6
    In midst of this 20 track dirt pile is their a few keepers and only one true track that is reminiscent of the mastermind that is Eminem. Beautiful is the fast-to-come-by climax of the cd with the rest of it becoming all too in the background. While this track and admittedly a few others, provide some insight into Em's situation, the album as a whole is sub-par to what his true potential is.
  9. JimmyB
    Jul 31, 2009
    6
    Average CD, I expected a lot more out of Em. I would agree this is better than Encore, but Encore was garbage so that is not saying much. The stupid accent and the high pitched voice kills Dre's beats. There are a few good tracks, but over all very disappointing. I really wanted to like this album, but some of the stupid, forced shock value seemed like a desperate to bring back his Average CD, I expected a lot more out of Em. I would agree this is better than Encore, but Encore was garbage so that is not saying much. The stupid accent and the high pitched voice kills Dre's beats. There are a few good tracks, but over all very disappointing. I really wanted to like this album, but some of the stupid, forced shock value seemed like a desperate to bring back his old sound. Expand
  10. Oct 13, 2010
    5
    Relapse was an attempted step back into the shoes of the sinister Slim Shady. Apparently when Eminem stepped in those shoes, they felt snug and uncomfortable. The album starts off with a creative and slightly seat-edging intro skit which is one another favorite element of Eminem albums (the skits are usually highly entertaining). 3am is a decent step into Slim Shady but its surprisinglyRelapse was an attempted step back into the shoes of the sinister Slim Shady. Apparently when Eminem stepped in those shoes, they felt snug and uncomfortable. The album starts off with a creative and slightly seat-edging intro skit which is one another favorite element of Eminem albums (the skits are usually highly entertaining). 3am is a decent step into Slim Shady but its surprisingly almost indecipherable. Eminem raps with an accent (perhaps a "Detroit accent") which is sometimes unbearable. It works for a select few songs. 3am isnt one of them. My Mom utilizes the weird accent, but to a lesser extent. Eminem performs decently, delivering a shocking and humorous song in which the accent could be taken as an extra tool of comical elements. Eminem doesnt twist his tounge in Insane for the accent. The song is pretty much a chronicle throwing shocker line after shocker line. Rather than a constant barrage of hitters, lines are hit or miss. Eminem does more hits than misses but the misses mess up the consistency of the song. Its lukewarm at best. Bagpipes From Baghdad is a plucky and witty song. Sure the accent is thrown around, but still proves to be a decent song. He goes from throwing a few teasers at Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon which show the return of Eminem's taunting and satire of pop culture figures (they actually took offense). Hello is rather dry and while Em's lyrics are above average, he sounds roughly monotone which supresses the effect of them. The accent returns yet again in Same Song & Dance, which is humorous and a tad bloody but Eminem is quite simplistic throughout most of the song. We Made You is yet another comedic song off the album, which is a bit swiveled by the accented delievry but still serves as comic relief to the point if you dont laugh at one of Em's jokes you'll just laugh at his voice instead. Medicine Ball is another accented-dark-comedy which brings back the pluckyness seen on Bagpipes From Baghdad. The songs Stay Wide Awake, For Old Times Sake, Must Be The Ganja, Deja Vu arent really anything special and are lukewarm to ok tops. Beautiful is the albums highlight which Em's speaks of his struggles accent-less and shows an exceptional amount of consistency. Its pretty odd that in the midst of all the dark humor, the conscious song is the best song. Crack A Bottle makes you wish Dr. Dre just stuck to producing and 50 Cent would just stop it. Its not even clear if the song wouldve been good with just Em. The final track Underground, is another highlight track and is right up with Beautiful. The track is meant to set the stage for the follow up Recovery album (at one time called Relapse 2) which is set to be forceful and more emotionally driven. The use of Undergound as teaser for the follow up album was an excellent choice. Relapse is practically a lightweight version of the Slim Shady & Marshall Mathers LPs. Its not right up beside either album, but is a decent attempt at going back in time. Expand
  11. Nov 16, 2010
    6
    Slim Shady is dead. Relapse is Eminems try to bring back slim shady, unfortanetley, Dr.Dre wasnt able to bring him back to life. Fortunatley, Eminems still alive. Relapse wasnt as good as it could have been.
  12. Nov 9, 2012
    5
    Excluding the song "Beautiful," and maybe a few others, Eminem is just fooling around on this album. He's better than this, and I know he knows it.
  13. Aug 1, 2013
    4
    What happened here? This has nothing to do with the previous albums! The beat and the lyrics on songs like 3 a.m are an insult to the Slim Shady ego, Old Time's Sake, We Made You and Beautiful are the only good songs from this album. Only three songs, the rest of the songs were terrible. As an Eminem fan, I have to say that this is awful...
  14. BenP
    Jul 13, 2009
    6
    It has some keepers, some throwback into the lake songs. A sober Eminem trying to mix rehab/being sober with his old gimmick from his first albums. Not a good mix. I was hoping he'd lose the middle eastern accent, but it seems he can't shake it. It was good once in "Ass Like That". The accent ruins any song. It's nice to see him sober up, but I don't he'll ever be It has some keepers, some throwback into the lake songs. A sober Eminem trying to mix rehab/being sober with his old gimmick from his first albums. Not a good mix. I was hoping he'd lose the middle eastern accent, but it seems he can't shake it. It was good once in "Ass Like That". The accent ruins any song. It's nice to see him sober up, but I don't he'll ever be as golden as his first 3 albums. Expand
  15. Feb 12, 2013
    5
    A disappointment, this album like Encore is mediocre. Some tracks are enjoyable with great chorus's, but his rapping style is kind of obnoxious. It seems like every other track was about him being a serial killer. It's a poor album with some great chorus's.
  16. Apr 14, 2013
    5
    Pretty bad album! Most of Eminem's fans from 99-03 know that he can do a lot better than this.

    Not much to say about this album.... it felt like a joke! It felt like he was purposely sucking because he knew people would still buy it, sort of like what Odd Future can do at times. A legend like Eminem should never be compared to a new and coming group.
  17. Jan 21, 2016
    6
    as a fan of him and his past work. there's only few songs on this album that are catchy while others fall short. while Eminem shows he still has the ability to deliver incredible rhyme schemes and vivid storytelling the album doesn't quite add up to what brought him to stardom. nevertheless it shows that he attempted a comeback after a long period of time of being absent.
  18. Jan 20, 2020
    6
    Probably my least favourite Em album. Even at his worst this beats other rappers. Fave tracks ; Stay Wide Awake, Deja Vu, Beautiful
  19. Mar 25, 2020
    6
    The first half of the album feels kind of filler. there are only 1 or 2 tracks in the the first half that aren't average. But then there is the second half. where there are multiple good songs. My Favourite songs on the album would be Same Song & Dance, Stay Wide Awake, and Beautiful. This Album had great potential, it just didn't work out in the first half
  20. Oct 2, 2022
    5
    ust to really love this album but growing up a bit more I realize its a messy piss poor attempt at rebranding slim shady and just shows his poor way on rebranding himself after an almost 5 year retirement
  21. Jul 19, 2023
    5
    Review só pra lembrar a nota que eu dei pro album:
    album ok, agora só escrever pra passar dos 75 caracteres.
  22. Jul 25, 2023
    6
    Relapse is an overall mixed bag, but it does have it's moments and i respect Eminem for going a slightly different route.

    Best track: Beautiful
    Worst track: Hello
    Best feature: Dr. Dre
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 27
  2. Negative: 4 out of 27
  1. Thankfully, producer Dr. Dre is there to temper the lyrical bloodletting, laying heavyweight hooks over even the most scabrous tales of family disturbia, and setting 'Bagpipes From Baghdad,' Em's inspired riff on rumored ex Mariah Carey, to snake-charming woodwind squiggles.
  2. It's an impressively focused and clever work. But this music is not transcendent. It's still stuck in Marshall Mathers' muck, his fundamental mistrust of pleasure and love.
  3. By letting Dr. Dre take over the low-end-funk production, and rhyming about things he actually cares about, he comes up with a more painful, honest and vital record than anyone could have expected at this late date, up there with "The Eminem Show" or maybe even better.