As expressed on the comical Steve Berman skit, a returning from retirement Eminem had enough material for two albums. Refill suggests an overstatement, its nine cuts only treading water with Relapse's weaker tracks. Forever feels like a false start, Em tacked onto one of Drake's pop rap songs. The music starts out strong but gets goofy as Elevator trades a quirky rap romp with its elongated sung chorus. Em reveling in the astonishment that his mansion has an elevator. It's likeable but shy of greatness. Music Box & Drop The Bomb On 'Em drag on, both lack a cutting edge, going through motions, feeling like exercises in creativity that didn't live up to his standards.
My Darling goes dark and grisly, a flawed execution of an interesting concept. Wrestling with a demonic voiced Slim Shady, he lives up to the ills of the character that brought him fame. The back and forth echos what he tried to do on The Death Of Slim Shady at length. It rolls into Careful What You Wish For, another dance with the devils of fame, commenting on the hysteria around his rise and how his records have been revisited as classics by critics. These two tracks feel like foreshadowing of an artist unable to escape that monumental moment in time. Entertaining but the last time it will feel fresh. One things for sure, Encore will never be considered an Illmatic.
Rating: 5/10