Encore [Interscope]

While Eminem has revealed levels of depth far beyond his Slim Shady persona, few could have anticipated 'Mosh,' the second single from his 2004 release, ENCORE. This song, by one of music's most controversial artists, features Em focusing his rage like never before, ultimately calling on the youth of America to rise up and vote. While his brilliantly scathing tirade against President George W. Bush didn't lead to the politician's defeat, it certainly captured the country's attention and attempted to raise listeners' political awareness. It also effectively increased the already huge stature of the expectation-defying Detroit rapper only a few weeks before his highly anticipated fourth record's release.
ENCORE is far from a letdown, as Eminem's twisted mind continues to produce razor-sharp rhymes, whether examining the world (the aforementioned 'Mosh'), venting his spleen ('Puke'), exploring his soul ('Like Toy Soldiers') or just being plain silly ('My 1st Single'). While Em's inclination toward the shocking is well documented, other than 'Mosh,' the record is relatively toned down; he even apologizes for racist comments made on a 1993 underground tape. However, that's not to imply that the proceedings are low-key; ENCORE burns with the fire of a master lyricist letting his words loose on whatever crosses his mind.