Eminem’s “Berzerk”: Review Revue
The influence of the Beastie Boys — by way of the work of producer Rick Rubin — is the first thing jumping out at critics when it comes to Eminem‘s new single “Berzerk.” The track itself is part of a larger throwback, in that it’s set to appear on Em’s upcoming Marshall Mathers LP 2 (out November 5).
But while many sites were quick to zero in on the nostalgic feel of “Berzerk,” only a few went a step further and put out there what they actually think of the song. Head below for our roundup of what the Internet is saying about Eminem’s latest.
:: USA Today kicks things off with a favorable review: “Eminem’s new single ‘Berzerk’ is half-rock, half-rap, all old-school hip-hop and completely glorious.”
:: VIBE raves, “Definitely an old-school feel on this, and if this is a taste of the album, it might just be a classic.”
:: Complex notes that “perhaps the most MMLP aspect of the song is when he wakes up in a Monte Carlo with ‘the ugly Kardashian.’ Other than that it sounds, unsurprisingly, like an aggressive Beastie Boys record.”
:: SPIN points out the following: “The song vacillates between minimal guitar-assisted beats the likes of which Rick Rubin (MMLP2 executive co-producer) once specialized, and synth-jacked G-Funk that beard the touch of Dr. Dre (the other co-producer).”
:: Rolling Stone keeps it pretty neutral by simply saying, “Eminem delivers the lyrics with his familiar staccato flow, winding circles around the beat and building up to the hook, in which he declares, ‘Life’s too short to not go for broke’.”
:: Under The Gun Review writes, “More wild than anything you heard on Recovery and more tightly produced than anything on Relapse, this is a side of Eminem that we haven’t seen in a minute.”
:: The Boombox was a little under-whelmed: “As for Em’s performance on his new single, there’s no questioning the hunger in his rhymes. He falls short, however, with his strained, somewhat-grating vocal delivery that sounds inspired at times and far too forced at others.”
:: According to Consequence Of Sound, “the song harkens back to Em’s early material when his tongue was pressed more firmly in his cheek, while also taking more than a few playful notes from Beastie Boys’ songbook.”
:: Finally, Zap2it ponders the following: “The song is littered with references that aren’t exactly considered cutting edge, from Ren & Stimpy to Kevin Federline, so one might ask if the rapper (real name Marshall Mathers) is still relevant.”
What are your own thoughts on Eminem’s new single “Berzerk”? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter.
