sGeneticists have used genetic know-how to splice together the DNA of two separate entities allowing them to create a single entity known as a hybrid. This album sounds like the hybrid one would obtain from the splicing together of Eminem's genes with those of a big steaming pile of maggot-infested rottweiler crap. Suffice it to say that, for me, this is not a desirable combination. Eminem going from the likes of the Marshal Mather's LP to this, is not unlike Steve Martin going from "The Jerk" to "Sgt. Bilko". Or like Rick Moranis going from, well, going from-okay Rick Moranis is a bad example; the point is that Eminem used to make nothing but filet-mignon hip-hop, but has now decided to provide the hungry hip-hop consumer with a big heaping plate of rancid tripe. This album is the hip-hop equivalent of the thick, bloody vomit-like muck that covers the floors of filth-ridden slaughter houses owned by shady republican businessmen and manned by inept illegals. Well, okay, it's not quite that bad-but there's no denying that this is not a good album-on any level.

The production on the album typically ranges somewhere between abysmal and crappy, and only occasionally skyrockets to the realm of decent. I mean, come on, when is Eminem going to give up the whole production thing? Eminem should be producing his own beats like Quentin Tarantino should be acting in his own movies. When Dr. Dre is willing to give you an entire album's-worth of beats, you don't tell him "naw man, it's cool-I'll take care of it." You thank your lucky stars that such a blessing has been bequeathed upon you and you take everything he throws your way. Actually, unfortunately, that's kinda what Eminem did, as this CD features some of Dre's most lackluster, uninspired production in quite some time. Dre produced "Just lose it". In case you skipped over the previous sentence, let me say that again: "DRE PRODUCED JUST LOSE IT'. This is a beat that should be produced by a Casio keyboard, not Dr. Dre. If modern science could come up with a way to bestow consciousness/self-awareness upon that beat, it would have killed itself-and rightfully so. The other Dre brain-children aren't nearly as down-syndromed as "Just Lose It"; but they're definitely not up to Dre standards (even though they are better than most of Em's beats).

Lyrically, Eminem is strong on a couple of tracks-"Like toy soldiers" and "mockingbird" are both worth listening to--as is the second verse on "Rain Man". But overall, he's either whiny, corny, contrived or some combination of the three. If he's not making unfunny jokes, or rambling dementedly about Kim he's whining about his mom or some other facet of his life that we're all sick of hearing about. Plus his rhyme-structuring isn't nearly as complex as on previous installments. Insane, effortless rhyme-structuring is what helped propel Eminem to the super star status he ultimately attained, but this album features nowhere near the same degree of rhyming-prowess exhibited on "The Eminem Show", "The Marshall Mathers LP" and "The Slim Shady LP". I should note that I'd be willing to sacrifice some of the rhyming complexity for an equivalent boost in content, but no such content boost is present on this CD

On this album, when he's rapping he's not great. But I welcome his emceeing any day of the week over the vocal atrocity he euphemistically refers to as singing. Every time Eminem starts belting out a verse, I find myself yearning for someone to reach into the deep recesses of my ears and rip out all the innards that allow me to process audible data. Eminem sings as well as Richard Simmons isn't gay. He's off key, he's got a terrible singing voice and worst of all, he sounds corny as hell. I mean, come on, what are you thinking dude? Remember the whole Everlast beef? Remember? Singing=bad, rapping=good; remember? There are certain things I'm no good at, and I've come to accept that fact. I wish Eminem would realize where his strengths lie (emceeing) and where his weaknesses are (everything else).

I still think Eminem is an immensely talented guy, and placed sporadically on this album there are glimpses of that greatness. I've heard a lot of talk pertaining to the notion that Eminem has "lost his gift". I don't think it's possible to truly lose a gift, but he's definitely not using that gift to it's full extent. Eminem has said this will not be his final album and I, like most Eminem fans, hope he can rekindle the flame that made his previous albums so impressive and maybe finally grace us with the classic album that I truly feel he has the capacity to create. All in all, this album suffers from bland production, uninteresting concepts, and weak/corny lyrics. There are a couple of decent beats, and a handful of tight verses, but the overall lack of talent exhibited on this album result in a product not worth buying and barely worth downloading (even if you've got DSL).

I think it is inarguable that Eminem is one of the most talented MC's currently putting out material. That is what makes Encore so disappointing. Lazy raps over monotonous, repetitive production ruin what could have been the album of 2004. Some lowlights:

- Just Lose It: unless you live in a cave you have heard this single; a lazy mishmash of his other work where he stops and just babbles for a while. "Stop, pajama time?"

- A$$ Like That: an entire song as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Reread that sentence. Goes over about as well as you would expect, which is terribly.

- Puke: another ode to Kim. What has been funny, disturbing, or at least interesting in the past has been transformed to an amalgamation of body noises.

- My First Single: more body noises. It seems that Em is determined to prove he could s___ on record and people will still buy it.

The rest of the album is largely forgettable, but saves itself from one star status by having a couple of decent songs. Never Enough with a wicked hook by Nate Dogg (and where 50 cent actually outshines Em) bumps, and Toy Soldiers is an interesting take on the recent Aftermath beefs with near everybody. I think a line for that song sums up the album perfectly. Em says that while the battle (with Ja) was won, he felt he lost it because he but so much effort into it. He is right: that effort translated into excellent tracks. This cd could have used some of that effort. It would be easy to say what Eminem needs to do to make a better album (stop producing, TRY), but in reality the answer is nothing: this is going to go multi-platinum and the fans will refuse to hold him accountable for this hot mess. One can only hope his artistic pride will have him work harder on his next endeavor.

I was a huge Em fan before this album came out but the truth this album sounds like it was made to quickly and he didn't put any thought into the lyrics especially the hooks. Instead of having his usual one "stupid" song like "Real Slim Shady" or "Without Me" he put two or three on the album this time. And now hes using jibberish to rhyme instead thinking of something significant to say. I miss the stuff he came out with that actually had a message or some substance to it now it sounds like hes reminsicing over all the things that has happened to him. He's lost his creativity and he especially needs to stop singing in the songs. If you want Eminem at his finest buy Marshall Mathers LP that is by far his best album to date.

i have listened to this album for two weeks now. The first time i listened to it, i thought that it was absolutely rubbish. But, after listening to the album it does grow on you a lot and begin to enjoy it. Encore is a new style for eminem changing from the eminem show. The best songs for me are

Like toy soldiers

Rain Man

Spend some time

Mockingbird

Crazy in love

However, unlike the eminem show which every song was likeable, Encore does throw up a few songs that just dont cut it. In my opinion they are

My first single - annoying beat

Ass like that

A new direction for eminem in which he includes more politcal messages and differing styles.

I've been a fan of Eminem since he burst onto the Rap scene, in fact, he was the first rapper i ever listened to. But THIS, was a HUGE disappointment.He's still got some lyrical genius, which can be seen on tracks like 'Mockingbird', 'Like Toy Soldiers' and a FEW otheres. However he totaly ruins this album by putting on annoying meaningless crap like 'Big Weenie' and 'Ass Like That'. 'Just Lose It' was also one of the worst songs on the album, at the start it was ok, but if you think it's a good song after time and time again, you know nothing about Hip-Hop.

Giving this album 3 stars is being kind.

Please bring back the old Marshall Mathers that caught the attention of our ears in the first place, not this rich successful rapper who sounds like he's lost his lust for music :-(.