Infinite (1996)
The Bottom Line:
A mediocre album that features a young Eminem who hasn't yet discovered himself. Interesting historical value for die-hard fans, but newcomers should avoid.
The 1 to 10 Scale: 4.5/10
Full Review:
Eminem, at the time of recording going by the name "M&M", released this album in 1996 with the help of local Detroit producers The Bass Brothers. It was released on the brothers underground label
Web Entertainment. This was an underground record that didn't make much of an impact upon it's release. It remains relatively unknown outside of Eminem fan circles.
From the outset, I think it's important to let you in on what Eminem himself thinks of the record.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Eminem
Obviously, I was young and influenced by other artists, and I got a lot of feedback saying that I sounded like Nas and AZ. Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself. It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like a demo that just got pressed up.
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That said, it's pretty clear from the outset that Eminem had yet to find his signature style. This album was recorded when he was fresh off the battle circuit, and he sounds like a battle rapper. There is little emotion felt on these tracks, and most of the time his voice is flat. That's not to say he was a whack emcee, he spit skillfully and was perfectly passable. But there's none of that signature aggression, wit, charm or fire that makes Eminem one of the best. The lyrics themselves are ordinary. There really isn't much to comment on about them. They touch on girl troubles (
Tonite,
Maxine, Jealousy Woes II,
It's OK), Eminem's upbringing in poverty (although with a lighter tone then what would appear on his later albums) and of course MC bragging (
313,
Never 2 Far).
The beats themselves are boring and aren't well produced. They aren't so much raw as they are at times grating. The production on the vocals is pretty bad, but at the very best they have a certain lo-fi charm to them.
As this was before the character was invented, Slim Shady is absent from this album. The only time we get close to a Shady-like persona is in
Backstabber, where the shadows of his later style seem to develop.
In the end, it was an honest attempt by an emcee who wasn't ready.