The Eminem Show (Deluxe Edition)

2002年に世界で最も売れたアルバム『The Eminem Show』に、"Jimmy, Brian And Mike"、伝説のフジロックから"The Real Slim Shady"(Live)等の18曲のボーナストラックを追加収録した20周年記念デラックス・エディション。
ブラック・ヴァイナル4LP

It's all about the title. First time around, Eminem established his alter ego, Slim Shady -- the character who deliberately shocked and offended millions, turning Eminem into a star. Second time at bat, he turned out The Marshall Mathers LP, delving deeper into his past while revealing complexity as an artist and a personality that helped bring him an even greater audience and much, much more controversy. Third time around, it's The Eminem Show -- a title that signals that Eminem's public persona is front and center, for the very first time. And it is, as he spends much of the album commenting on the media circus that dominated on his life ever since the release of Marshall Mathers. This, of course, encompasses many, many familiar subjects -- his troubled childhood; his hatred of his parents; his turbulent relationship with his ex-wife, Kim (including the notorious incident when he assaulted a guy who allegedly kissed her -- the event that led to their divorce); his love of his daughter, Hailie; and, of course, all the controversy he generated, notably the furor over his alleged homophobia and his scolding from Lynne Cheney, which leads to furious criticism about the hypocrisy of America and its government. All this is married to a production very similar to that of its predecessor -- spare, funky, fluid, and vibrant, punctuated with a couple of ballads along the way. So, that means The Eminem Show is essentially a holding pattern, but it's a glorious one -- one that proves Eminem is the gold standard in pop music in 2002, delivering stylish, catchy, dense, funny, political music that rarely panders (apart from a power ballad "Dream On" rewrite on "Sing for the Moment" and maybe the sex rap "Drips," that is). Even if there is little new ground broken, the presentation is exceptional -- Dre never sounds better as a producer than when Eminem pushes him forward (witness the stunning oddity "Square Dance," a left-field classic with an ominous waltz beat) and, with three albums under his belt, Eminem has proven himself to be one of the all-time classic MCs, surprising as much with his delivery as with what he says. Plus, the undercurrent of political anger -- not just attacking Lynne Cheney, but raising questions about the Bush administration -- gives depth to his typical topics, adding a new, spirited dimension to his shock tactics as notable as the deep sentimental streak he reveals on his odes to his daughter. Perhaps the album runs a little too long at 20 songs and 80 minutes and would have flowed better if trimmed by 25 minutes, but that's a typical complaint about modern hip-hop records. Fact is, it still delivers more great music than most of its peers in rock or rap, and is further proof that Eminem is an artist of considerable range and dimension. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

世界の注目を１人じめにしたパフォーマー”エミネム”の第３ＳＨＯＷ幕開け！！ 音楽界のスーパースター＝問題児＝エミネムの３ｒｄアルバム。本作ではほとんどの曲を自身がプロデュース。ロックテイストもＵＰし、注目のリリックは心境の変化！？今までとは違う一面を見せる．．．。Ｄｒｅ師匠との（３）（１７）、シリアスなトラックに実母に捧げる（４）、オススメな（５）、あの事件を再現する（６）（７）（８）、今回もメッタ斬り、シングル（１０）、エアロスミス”ドリームオン”使いの（１２）、父親の胸中を唄う（１４）、ｅｔｃ．．．エンターテイナーぶりに脱帽。スーパースター健在！！ (C)Flying Disco

ラキムっぽい?ミドル・スクール調の先行曲“Without You”サイコーですわ。それを受けてついに幕を開けた3度目のショウは、本人の手によるトラックが激増した、これまたタイトな逸品に!　今回もいろんな人たちを血祭りに上げてはいるが、それもまたユーモアなのですね。つまり、流血の魔術、最強の演技ってことです。メル・マンやネイト・ドッグ、D12の面々ら脇役も光り、総監督ドクター・ドレーのサポートももちろん完璧。
bounce (C)真珠夫人