Eminem
Curtain Call
(Shady/Interscope/Aftermath)
It was the sociopath satirist Slim Shady who introduced Eminem to the world of hip-hop. The imagery in his lyrics was so comically exaggerated we knew he was simply pushing buttons, but fans ate it up. Shady helped Eminem/Marshall Mathers line his pockets with gold, but with the release of his greatest hits package Curtain Call, he's left fielding questions about the rumours of his impending retirement. If Em does decide to hang up his mic, Curtain Call is hardly a fitting end. Strong, emotional tracks such as "Stan,” "Like Toy Soldiers" and "Mockingbird" find themselves intertwined with the jokey "Shake That,” "Without Me" and "The Real Slim Shady.” While all the big singles are present and accounted for—along with a disc of five b-sides—the lack of decent track flow results in an underwhelming package.
—Trevor Savory