1001 Albums Summary

I prefer Heroes but this is still a great record, favorite for decades

I remember its ubiquity in 2000, never listened to it all the way through after my sister bought the CD and we listened to it in her room. I was really struck by the lyrics this go round; the beats don’t really stick to me unfortunately. Drug Ballad had to be my top track, favorite beat and the frankness of Em’s lyrics hit for me having seen too many friends go through addictions. And that’s what you get with a great Eminem track; incendiary commentary on American working class alienation couched in a catchy circus beat to penetrate mass consciousness.

In eighth grade study hall my friend Colin passed me this album; i listened to it all through lunch and then last period on the bleachers in gym I showed the CD in my bag to this kid Erol. This and the Simpsons were how we became friends that year. I have no objective way of rating this record or right rating it as an adult in their 40s so let’s just give it what I thought of it in gym class that day.

Thumbs down