Obie Trice: Cheers

Reviewed by REBECCA BARRY

Herald rating: * * *

Eminem's man of the hour has plenty of reasons to make a toast on his album cover, but the grim stare and menacing rhymes suggest he'd rather not engage in a warm-fuzzies drinking session.

As the first signee to Mr Mathers' Shady Records label and tour guest of the superstar's other protege, 50 Cent, Trice certainly makes a gangster entrance with Average Man, a track that should suggest otherwise, and spends most of the album acknowledging his past dealing in drugs, thugs and Detroit street politics.

Perhaps he should be a little happier he has Eminem's carnival-tinged beats to back up those effortlessly cool rhymes, not to mention a production cameo from pop-hop guru Timbaland, two tracks featuring West Coast crooner Nate Dogg, and one each with larger-than-life MC Busta Rhymes and Eminem mentor Dr Dre.

But while Shady's occasional lyrical contribution makes light of the dark themes, after a while the gunshot beats and gospel-led synths sound a little mechanical, the cussing a tad repetitive and the din too bleak for its title.

Someone give the man a drink.

(Shady/Interscope)