Withthis album we hear a mature Marshall Mathers who has cut back on his poppy raptunes mocking other performers. This time he's all snarls without the satire.Marshall Mathers is on the defensive now, and reeling from his mother("Cleanin' Out My Closet"), the price of fame ("When the MusicStops") and the politics of his skin color ("White America").Other than "Without Me," which takes pot shots at the usual charttoppers and other white rappers, the only real target on this album is himself.

Mathers and Dr. Dre are starting to repeat themselves with the likes of"Soldier," "Business" and "Drips." "EminemShow" lacks the overwhelming, single-minded force of the "The MarshallMathers LP." The best part of this album is that each song has its own beat;"Square Dance" has him beat boxing, while "Till I Collapse"sounds like a march. "Sing for the Moment" is the album's"Stan," a hip-hop power ballad rejuvenating Aerosmith's "DreamOn."

This album brings out Eminem's good qualities, illustrated by"Halie's Song." He even brought his daughter Halie into the studio tobe featured on "My Dad's Gone Crazy." This is a lighter, more matureEminem.