REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers (Island)
- Linda Scott
Insane Clown Posse is one of those bands that critics, MTV and big music magazines attack or ignore. ICP gets almost no airplay, but their juggalo (fan) army snaps up their albums anyway. Enough albums for The Amazing Jeckel Brothers to debut in the #4 Billboard slot. ICP received media attention when the Disney-owned Hollywood label put out their previous album, The Great Milenko. After six hours on the record shelves, the album was pulled for being out of line with the Disney image. ICP took their album, their language and attitude to Island records. Out of Detroit, ICP is two white gangsta rappers, hip hoppers and thrash rappers with some rock thrown in. Last album had them emphasizing rock with guests Alice Cooper, Slash and Steve Jones (Sex Pistols). They were a raw, heavy act without polish and large doses of swearing and obscenities. The Jeckel album is hooked on thrash (or trash) rap and hip hop, and guests include Ol' Dirty Bastard, Snoop Dogg, Twisted, and the Jerky Boys.
It's not mainstream, but it works. Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J seem to have found their groove. If you don't like these guys, lighten up! Shaggy and J are two funny guys with creativity to spare. They act like lamebrain 20's Dropouts, but check their website and read the whole story of the six cards and the dark clowns. Shaggy and J spin a weird story. Then read the Q-and-A section and laugh your head off, or the clowns will sever it for you.
The theatre part of the act, reminiscent of Alice Cooper's shocking theatrics, sounds good and so does the music. Some highlights are "Terrible," "F*ck the World," "I Want My Sh*t" and "Everybody Rize;" hooky rhythms, cool lyrics -- they're great. ICP is raw, but they're fresh and new and funny and talented. ICP is scheduled to tour in support of The Amazing Jeckel Brothers beginning in July. They'll warm up in D.C. where they say they have only about 500 fans but they love them. Then they move through the US and Canada. Get your clown makeup on or your Ninja suit and head for the dark circus of Insane Clown Posse. Get your album and visit their website for juggalos at http://www.insaneclownposse.com
