The Slim Shady LP (1999)
Vastly overrated by critics, this is basically what my first impression told me it would be when I heard “My Name Is” on the radio. That is, a one-shot deal with a lot of occasionally annoying filler. “My Name Is” is funny, clever, and (most importantly) catchy. The other funny and/or clever songs buried amidst the boring and/or annoying filler are not up to par. I’ve heard he got better after this, but I haven’t felt much urgency to check out his whole catalog.
(“My Name Is”)
Grade: C-
The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
“Stan” borrows a beautiful vocal hook from Dido, one of his betters. Then again, almost any legitimate rock act is this guy’s better. Talking the talk, walking the walk, I have no doubt he’s the real deal. I also have no doubt he sucks, even with outside songwriters helping to beef up his sound and give the poor starving artist some hooks to go with his rhymes. I can rhyme, too. So can most 6-year olds. Doesn’t make them great artists. When they think it does, that’s called delusions of grandeur. So there’s one more thing Shady needs psychiatric attention for. Every critic seems to love him. Is that because he’s great, he’s white, he’s “real”, he’s better than friggin 3rd Bass? No, maybe/maybe not, yes, yes. Sorry, that’s not enough. And I don’t really have much sympathy for him, given that he seems to like to talk to and treat people the same way he was treated. That is, abusively. I mean, I personally don’t give a sh1t about Em’s opinions, so I’m not slamming him because I think he’s sexist or homophobic. I just think his music sucks, that’s all.
(“Stan”)
Grade: D