The rapper seems to have done a total 360º from his previous album, which left fans underwhelmed to say the least. He has returned to his roots as a hard-core rapper with no agenda except to say exactly what’s on his mind. But this time, in a much more honest and personal way.

Filled to the brim with big-name cameos, such as Lil’ Wayne (yes!) and Rihanna, on many of the tracks, and just enough samples to keep the CD familiar but not stale on the first listen, This CD packs the punch that will allow the rapper to bounce back to the level he was on before rehab and “Relapse.”

Generally, I’m not big on Eminem. I think the shock-value he depends on is gimmicky and distasteful at best. I get the whole persona he is trying to portray and I’m sure the feelings expressed in his previous albums are genuine. However the same old tricks of rapping about … well, tricks, was getting old, and although it does come up occasionally on “Recovery,” he seems to be putting a new and more legitimate twist on it.

He still has ill-will toward women and degrading slang and lyrics are, as always, prominent, but he seems to be focusing more on the bigger picture — touching on love instead of ex-wife Kim (though her name is brought up on the album), and trades in dwelling on stereotypical jargon for more personal touches and shout-outs to friends.

Overall, the whole album just sounds like he put more thought in to it, which I appreciate. If you’re going to tell me how much you hate something, I at least want to know you have thought it over a little. He even admits on the album how he considered ripping apart Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West at one point just because he was jealous and needed material, which makes his collaboration with Weezy even better. Cheers to honesty, Mr. Mathers.

Highlights of the album for me obviously were his collaborations with Rihanna on “Love the Way You Lie,” and Lil’ Wayne on “No Love,” where he sampled Haddaway’s “What is Love (Baby don’t hurt me, no more)” of “A Night at the Roxbury” fame. “25 to Life” also is a good listen, treating hip-hop like a lady and speaking on how he wishes he could get away from it. The song offers a good “joke’s on you!” element to the album. I listened to it for a solid minute, angry he was going on yet another diatribe about an ex-lover, but no — he switched it up on us.

Otherwise, the album has a nice feel to it — it’s not too similar, but it still feels like the songs are cohesive and belong on the same album. Other than the track “W.T.P.,” which stands for “White Trash Party,” I thoroughly enjoyed Eminem’s foray into clean living and truth-telling.

Between the cameos on the album and the return to Eminem’s original fast-talking, stream of consciousness-oriented Marshall fans loved and critics hated, Eminem has managed to not only create a great collection but also keep things fresh enough so he’s not ripping himself off. I haven’t heard these songs from Eminem before, which is a compliment of the highest order considering for me, his songs run together to form one long, enraged rant. You hit it, Em, and from now on, let’s try and stay in “Recovery,” instead of “Relapse.”