REVIEW: Curtain Call - The Hits (by Eminem)

I’ve never been a fan of rap, and Eminem is certainly no exception. Any form of entertainment that permeates misogyny and the stereotypical image of teenage angst is not my idea of a good time. There is enough of this kind of crap on TV and being played on the radio, and unfortunately, Curtain Call - The Hits by Eminem is no exception.

By producing a CD with all of his famous (and not-so-famous) hits, Eminem is able to secure himself another few years of royalties before his rap career goes down the toilet. Finding a CD with 17 tracks these days is rare enough, but finding one with as many bad tracks is even worse.

The album starts on a very condescending tone, with Eminem telling everyone to SHUT UP while he tells his story. His story apparently starts with the song "Fack" (yes, you read it right), thereby proving that any teenage white rapper does not need sex-ed. We all know what word means, and we really don’t need Slim Shady to explain to us in full detail what he would like to do with a gerbil.

The album is followed up by an introduction to Eminem’s Slim Shady character in three songs. “My name Is” first introduces the character, “Without Me” is an egotistical attempt at keeping Slim alive, and “The Real Slim Shady” allows us to explore a new facet into Eminem’s life, “Multiple Annoying Personality Disorder”. After all, how many introductions does this guy need?

Some of his more recent songs are also on this album, which is a definite change of pace from his earlier writings. For example, songs like “Lose Yourself” and “Sing For The Moment” send a mostly positive message of working hard to accomplish anything you set yourself to do.

Luckily, the album is not a total loss, and neither is the lyrical content, at least in some of the songs. The gripping song “Stan” tells the dramatic story of a fan who is so upset by Eminem’s lack of interest in his life that he ends up killing both himself and his pregnant wife, and blaming it on the clueless rapper. With Dido making her first break-though debut in North America, this song is definitely worth mentioning. The lyrics are well written, the rap is done well, and provides a shocking reaction at the end of the song.

The album also features a rendition of “Stan” with gay rocker Elton John. This is a surprising combination, but the two musicians appear to work well in this live version of this song.

All other songs on this album appear to be lost in the magnitude of the hits surrounding them. You know it’s time to call your career a wrap when you have difficulty finding 17 good songs to put in your Greatest Hits package.