Album Review: Insane Clown Posse - Bang! Pow! Boom!
An artist’s fan base can make or break a career, and so was born the “crowd hype” at concerts and elaborate album art combating pirated music. Psychopathic Records knows the benefits of fan dedication, despite numerous jabs at the label’s creativity and legitimacy in the music world. Before Psychopathic became sole representative of Insane Clown Posse (ICP) following their departure from Island Records, a small but powerful following became evident with devoted fans calling themselves Juggalos/Juggalettes — this force is to be reckoned with, regardless of criticism directed at their taste in music. With such dedication to a “less accepted” act we now ask ourselves come 2009, is ICP’s 11th studio album Bang! Pow! Boom! everything the Juggalos hoped for? Is the album better, worse, or simply plateauing on a hatchet-happy medium?
The bread winners of Psychopathic consist primarily of rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. During the advent of the Joker’s Card albums, which introduced a “dark carnival” as symbolism for purgatory, ICP’s biggest reign rested upon the late ’90s rap rock sound and diminished some even before this lengthy conceptual story arc ended on Shangri-La come 2002. The pair had high profile issues, including a beef with then budding artist Eminem (ICP hails from his home state of Michigan) and the split from Island Records. Juggalos have remained intrigued, buying compilation after compilation, but once the carnival saga concluded, ICP tried moving away from it with minimal success.
Bang! Pow! Boom! is possibly a result, as the album’s been labeled a return to the Dark Carnival. Though not in its own right a Joker’s Card, it can be seen more or less like a sideshow act or carny peon speaking on their terms. Now, everyone who has listened to even ICP’s better known releases (we refuse to count the greatest hits disc) will note the gradual lessening of dark overtones and horrorcore, so one can safely assume once we hit The Tempest’s “I Do This” and Shangri-La’s “Homies” there was no turning back completely - and that is the tricky part.
Bang! Pow! Boom! is by and large a party record, with clean production courtesy of Mike E. Clark (Bizaar and Bizzar), generally uplifting tunes like “Juggalo Island” and “Miracles” and even ICP’s take on dance music with “Chop Chop Slide”. There’s even a moment of reflection that, while some say could play out like The Offspring’s “Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?”, deals in tones rivaling even Shangri-La’s “The Unveiling”, if one considers how often ICP gets serious. Stand out tunes here include “To Catch A Predator”, “Zombie Slide”, and, oddly enough, “Chop Chop Slide” for you nostalgic people out there reliving prom night. Taking the signature ICP exaggerations about murder and animated corpses out of Bang! Pow! Boom!, no one could suspect this of being anything but party music and that, my friends, is an utter relief in some aspects, a letdown in few others.
From a twenty-something fan’s perspective, those who harp on wanting another dark record can honestly learn to grow up. The message (taken seriously or not) post Joker’s Card was in fact a spiritually positive one, so let go of the acne-shaded you and move on from “kill the world” mindsets because negativity is not conducive to the family aesthetic true Juggalos are known for — though the routine visits to “Piggy Pie” and “Bitches” are, of course, plain fun. Bang! Pow! Boom! is not strictly for the fans, though fans will feel at home on the anti-pedophile track “To Catch A Predator”, which is reminiscent of “Halls Of Illusions” subject matter, or the bravado of “In Yo Face”. If we look at this record from a Juggalo perspective, they will eat this whole release up no matter what critics tell them.
On the downside, professionally speaking, ICP has never been able to write truly beautiful lyrics; “Miracles” tries to be such and winds up sounding like a parody of itself, though probably unintentionally. ICP has always had trouble expanding the fan base on their own terms, as typically word of mouth purists preach Carnival Of Carnage, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers, or The Tunnel Of Love EP at best, thus negating new material out of the gate. While it is well known amongst the duo’s brethren that nobody at Psychopathic gives a damn about the mainstream, it’s obvious ICP do at least want some fresh support based on Bizaar, Bizzar, and beyond. Bang! Pow! Boom! succeeds somewhat in emanating an “everyone’s welcome” atmosphere, whether this was purposeful or not.
We could argue all day long about the relevance of ICP during 2009, the attempt at making a record for dark carnies, and newcomers alike, which in this writer’s humble opinion was partially successful. We could debate for hours about who is more hardcore or what gimmicks this act is willing to take on, but there is nothing to be said that has not already been discussed at great length. It is one-third party record, one-third creep show, and one-third substituting substance for happy trails and funny skits, but for what ICP has always been Bang! Pow! Boom! cannot really be improved past its current incarnation. Experiments were done, pot smoke was abstained for better vocals, and lots of time went into this release, which like or not has been anticipated greatly in Juggalo circles. Bottom line here: Bang! Pow! Boom! is a damn good record for a new ICP, making a final transition with danceable rap rock and enough disturbing imagery to make us happy as a clown in a Faygo shower.
Rating: 
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Bang! Pow! Boom! - Insane Clown Posse
Successful troll is successful…
Not a dumbass: Re-read the comments. If these people are trying to “sound intelligent” (as you put it), let’s just say that they’re not succeeding. But that begs the question, what is wrong with trying to sound intelligent? Would you rather read the opinions of those who are trying to sound like idiots? If so, that says more about you than it does about them.
After a thorough and thoughtful review, I expected some intelligent comments. Why would anyone want to be part of a crowd that can barely write, let alone think? The stupid homophobia and 3rd grade taunts are just embarrrasing. Are you fans even real or just a parody of yourselves? You either grow in life or you die — spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. That’s what the brothers are trying to tell you. If you think that means they’re “gay”, then you’re an idiot. Grow up.
ICP are underrated
but better underrated than generic.
too much dumb-asses trying to
sound intelligent round here for my liking.
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion though
even dumb-asses…….
Hello juggalos & juggalettes,
I just want too say bang pow boom! was of the hook & is really good. i just wanted too say much much clown love you all.
i will allways be down but this ne shit is not cool
how can any of you so called juggalos hate on this album there singing the same shit listen to your albums for real listen to the lyrics and see if you understand and apply their lessons to your own life dats the truth all you niggas who listen to try and be hard or gangster is fake a juggahoe it’s a fam all bout the fam love your fellow fam whoop whoop
Jesus Christ. This is sad.
Wow, I thought ICP always sucked, but boy am I right.
I’m a juggalo for life. One thing that ICP rep’s is not to fall in with the biggots, love everyone, and their opinions, just keep reppin’ while the rest of these peeps live a sad un-enlightened life.
WHOOP WHOOP!
MMFCL ninjas
P.S. (underground os where all the REAL talent lies, all that radio shit is just to program you all into a managable existence, with out chaos, you can never be free)
Whoop Whoop!!! Bang! Pow! Boom! Is and well always be one of the best albums ICP put out and i can’t wait to go to the other concert in AZ hell yeah. Also to all you juggalos and juggalettes that don’t knoe yet J said at the Bang! Pow! Boom! tour that this album might even be the first of an all new Six Jokers Card!! Whoop Whoop! I’m gonna be down with the Clowns till’ I’m Dead in the ground!!!
Went to the show 9/29/09 at Marquee Theater it was off the hook ICP was the bomb along with Hed(P.E.) The Daton Family and a couple other undergroung bands. MMFWCL!! Whoop Whoop!!!
BPB! Is the shit.
Going to the show tomorrow.
Much clown love.!
WOOP WOOP.!
i’m printing this page out for proof that you are saying your going to kill me and take you to court and sue you but you probly dont have any money because you spend everything on icp i bet you even baught this gay cd just do something better with you money all you juggalos need to die so i can live my life
fuck you bitch your a fag and i’m going to kill you
all juggalos are fags who but fuck each other every day and fantasyze about fucking icp
FUCK YEAH. MMFCL!!!!!!
Seriously how can you guys even call yourselves Juggaloes when you can’t even spell Milenko correctly?!?!?! Not only that if you are true Juggaloes what difference does it make when they come out with a new album that YOU might not like, how many of us Juggaloes do like the new shit?? The only reason you guys don’t like it is because it has upbeat beats to it, listen to the fuckin’ lyrics people, its what they have always been about anyway!!! Love the album, LOVE the FAM!!! Juggalo 4 life, WHOOP WHOOP!!!
hell yeah fuck a juggahoe bang pow boom is the shit so FUCK OFF !
fuck anyone who dont like the new icp shit. you damn juggafonies.
Youve got 2 be fuckin jokin… You people are fuckin amazin this new album is straight shit. Id bin waitin for this but oh my god wen i heard this i sad as hell. The need 2 go back 2 like beverly kills and milinko and shit. I cant lie to catch a predator is sick but thats tha only good song.this is there viggest launch and tha biggest let down. Im not done wit icp but damn this is totaly not wut id bin hyped up 2. Im sorry. Shag and j but yall gotta go back 2 that old skool shit cuz this new shit just aint workin…
i think bang pow boom is the first of a second set of jokers cards i mean just take a good long listin to it you can hear a lil of all six of what i’m now calling the first set of jokers cards but this set might have a whole new message.
WHOOP WHOOP was up my ninja brothers this is ziggy the clown this concert is gunna be off the hook peace out
yo was up my ninja brothers this is goin to be the most wicked thing ever ceya there whoop whoop ziggy out my fav album is great malinko
yo was up my ninja brothers this is goin to be the most wicked thing ever ceya there whoop whoop ziggy out
YO CHECK it all of the freshest wicked shit can be found here on HATCHET RADIO tune in for myh show Lunatikks Asylum
ICP could make it or break it for me with this one. Been a juggalo for a while now and since the 6th it was dissapointment after dissapointment. I decided that if I didn’t like this BPB, its gonna be over with trying out the new stuff.
But man did they get their act together. If I believed in god, I’d thank him on my knees for Bang Pow Boom! This is my return to the dark carnival for shure!
Great album. I loved the jokers car era but that is dead and gone. Shaggy has always been a lil less hardcore than J, but that is what makes the duo great. J can be the insane killer while Shaggy can be the mellow, dope head who when pushed can kill ya. It is a great act.
My fav album by far is The amazing Jeckel Brothers, and 2nd being The Great Malinko.
Now bang, pow, boom, is a god album in its own. Beautiful Doom, In Yo Face, Zombie Slide, To Catch and Predator, Love, and Fonz Pond are all sounds from the blue album that I jam to everyday.
i think it’s 1 of the dopest albums they’ve brought out i’ve been a juggalo for about 10 years now will be a juggalo 4 life
downloading it now, oh yeah!
are you fucking kidding me?
This is a joke right? -100 for CoS
nope
Oct 15th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
[...] performance on October 13th is higher than that of the duo’s newest release titled Bang! Pow! Boom! – there is a significantly good reason for this. As stated before, the album was quite frankly [...]