Common Sense Note
All the words (and sentiments) that make parents cringe are here, no doubt about it. But there's also humor, anger, political indignation, and a revelatory moment or two.
Talk to your teen about the fact that even adolescent rappers struggle to grow up, and this one is openly including us in the clumsy process.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Eminem is one angry guy, and he won't let us forget it. Using words and a level of intensity that are calculated to shock, he somehow also includes his audience in the raucous fun -- and occasionally even delivers a surprisingly valid point or two, albeit with a sledgehammer. So it's not as easy to write the guy off as a posturing pottymouth as one might think.
For better or worse, ENCORE offers few musical surprises; Dr. Dre's production sensibilities are predictable and a bit bland. The lyrics veer from wildly brilliant to poignant to utterly stupid. On "Mosh," Eminem delivers a searing pre-election, anti-Bush, rock-the-vote call to arms, followed on the next track by the visceral and all-too-realistic sound effects and sentiments of "Puke." On "Ass Like That" the singer describes what happens to a certain part of his own anatomy when he sees -- well, you get the idea. Somehow though, this comes across as honest and funny, as opposed to Chingy's tune on the same subject, which is mean-spirited and idiotic. The difference may be that Eminem is not afraid to reveal his own very real dreams, demons, and participation in the process. "Mockingbird" is the sweetest and saddest song on the album, in which young daddy Eminem tells his hurting daughter why sometimes, no matter how hard they try, parents can't always work things out and stay together.
The perpetual adolescent act is getting old though, far less appropriate for an incredibly overpaid, multi-award-winning young man than it was for a scrappy, hungry teenager. As Eminem lurches clumsily toward adulthood, he's sharing the process with a revelatory honesty that –- for some families -– will provide balance for a multitude of indiscretions, not to mention a lot of uncomfortable language.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentExplicit and sexist. |
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ViolenceMany violent images. |
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LanguageObscenities galore. |
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Social BehaviorYou don't want your kids imitating this guy. |
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CommercialismSeveral brand names mentioned. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSeveral drug references--some negative, but still... |
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