The opening track to Marshall Mathers' 12th album is a minute and a half, making it more of an intro to remind you who he is without having to knock on your TV set. "Habits" is the first song that fakes you by making you think it's how he struggles with sobriety, but instead it's a commentary on cancel culture which makes more valid points than not. The album is littered with these little interlude songs. that crop out after "Habits". "Brand New Dance" is more like awkward pop than hip-hop. Though he has clearly kept his touch when spitting out clever verses. He uses a plethora of pop culture references which would feel like he is trying to stay relevant at 51 if it was not for the fact this has always been part of his style.
"Evil" is more laid back when it comes to the tempo of the beats, but his flow keeps the meter he is known for. The Dr. Dre-produced "Lucifer" is where the album really clicks together. I am sure this album is going to garner the controversy he is going for, due to its lyrical content that picks apart things like social media and the court of public opinion, as he tears down the idols of pop culture. As he raps "When you reach these heights/ freedom of speech dies". 'Antichrist" really puts this in your face, he is not going for a younger audience but giving the middle finger to them, as he raps about resetting things to 2003. Too many rappers play it safe so I am glad he is getting the job done in this regard. He is not doing anything different on this album in fact he is dishing out the same kind of critiques he did back 25 years ago. Today's listeners just have thinner skin.
"Fuel" starts off with Atlanta rapper JID taking the verse. Mathers joins in on the chorus. The song is darker and takes itself a little more seriously. He also shows his ability to weave his words around different time signatures better than most rappers these days. Dr. Dre takes over production once again for "Road Rage". He goes hard on society's increasing need to embrace obesity and calls it out for the enabling it is. "Houdini" is the lead single from the album. Borrowing heavily from the mood of "Guess Who's Back" which is mashed together with Steve Miller's "Abracadabra". He seems pretty proud of the target he has painted on himself by making what is an album that says fuck you political correctness, when pearl-clutching in this regard is at its peak in an election year. Though most social movements collapse on themselves the sentiments of today are at the end of their road.
"Guilty Conscience" feels a little more awkward in both the lyrical content and flow. While I get that this is a concept album, it seems like some of these concepts are being revisited too frequently like bringing up midgets and Caitlin Jenner, not that I think those should be sacred cows above mockery, but a couple solid punches are enough as there is plenty in the world at least equally demanding of his ire. EZ Mil starts the first verse of "Head Honcho" but the rest of the song feels like filler. Things take a pop-ballad turn for "Temporary' and his verses do not have enough of a beat to really work off well. Speaking of beats "Bad One " feels more like he is trying his hand at rapping over a 2024 hip-hop track rather than doing his own thing. But it still proves to be pretty effective. There are different versions of this album being released on different platforms so I am going off the one I am reviewing which ends with his collaboration with Jellyroll entitled 'Somebody Save Me". I have been impressed by anything Jellyroll has done thus far in his career and this song is no exception. I will give this album a 9, while it's better than most pop music on the radio these days, it falls short of his previous albums, though I am glad he did not censor himself and went for it on this one.
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