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:: Track list & details
Over the past few months, word had been getting around that Eminem was retiring. Which just shows you how much people pay attention. Come on, Em's always been all about making big entrances and exits. He's been saying "I'm back" since his second disc! Don't buy it.
Still, the Devil from Detroit couldn't have picked a better time to take a break. As this obviously contractually obligated disc makes clear, Marshall Mathers is in serious danger of running dry. Three new songs, and they all suck, period. Two are such useless, obnoxious, unfunny, horndog throw-offs, they make "Ass Like That" look Shakespearean. And if everyone was too enamored of the stunt appeal around Eminem's Grammy show duet with Elton John on "Stan," the audio-only bonus track here makes it even clearer that it wasn't really a good performance.
You're going to think I'm just a hater if I don't stop right now and underscore that Marshall Mathers is by far one of the most original and talented lyricists (and maybe producers too) of the post-Tupac gangsta rap era, and the meanest freestyler I've ever seen. But his best work has never been captured in his singles, and even if the tracks here are "hits" I can't imagine any serious Em fan would compile this as the man's best. Since "My Name Is," his repetitive lead singles have always seemed a bit self-mocking anyway: "The Real Slim Shady," "Without Me," "Just Lose It." Having said that, I won't deny that there are several of Slim's greatest moments here, including "Lose Yourself," "Guilty Conscience," "Sing For The Moment," and the original "Stan." On the other hand, his last single, "Mockingbird," was so self-indulgent he could have spared us and just sent it to his daughter's Child Protective Services counselors.
Since Mathers has always made his personal life headline news, it seems fair for me to roll my eyes at word that he's getting remarried to Kim—what, does he need new inspiration for lyrics? Not enough psychotic episodes in his life? That's a marriage you wouldn't bet on lasting longer than a Hilton sister's engagement. God only knows what daughter Hallie is going to make of all this tabloid drama when she's older. Kids deserve privacy as much as a loving environment, Mr. Perfect Parent.
Of course if Marshall Mathers really did just take all his money and say "Fuck it, I'm done," that might be the coolest artistic move ever. Don't bet on it, though. Curtain Call also comes in a Deluxe Edition with another CD ("Stan's Mixtape") featuring some of his better non-single work and three hard-to-find older tracks. That these weren't just included in the single disc version instead of the weak new tracks just makes a fan even more cynical about the release. No doubt a "rarities" release—probably a box set—is also in the works. For the moment, anyone who doesn't have the good tracks here should just download them, or get the full original CDs.
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