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(3 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5)

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Having been a fan of the Insane Clown Posse since 1997 I got the chance to experience the original six jokers cards firsthand and when they announced a second deck I was disappointed to say the least.  We were told when the 6^th jokers card was released the end of time would consume us all.  So of course, we expected to only ever get 6 jokers cards.  In 2012 I had the good fortune to attend my first Gathering of the Juggalos and finally meet Scottie D face to face.  That year The Mighty Death Pop was released at the Gathering.  After asking Scottie if I could work with the site I was given the task of writing a sample review for that album.  I spent about a week crafting the review that would grant me access to be where I am today as a reviewer for the #1 site in the underground.  With that being stated I am honored to review the latest release and 6^th card of the second deck, The Naught.

Track list

Intro

The Naught

Watch Me

Everybody Dies

Happy Fun Day

Only Wicked Shit

Flashback 1

Dead Kelly

Here We Go

Cinnamon Pigtails

I’m Still Breathin

Pop Out

Flashback 2

Throw Em Up

Softy Pillow Man

I’m Fallin

While It Lasts

Ratings

Intro- Long intro that includes several throwbacks to previous cards. N/A

The Naught- Slow and driving beat that hits hard immediately.  Track explains the meaning of The Naught, Nothing.  Both Shaggy and J give their verses solid flow and purpose.  For many fans this is a sign of hope for things to come.  One of the better album leading tracks in recent memory.  The hook is catchy and adds to the darker feel here.  Rating: 4/5

Watch Me- A much livelier and more energetic track here.  Some will enjoy the word play used here aka “uba gooba loppa, lipa doca doe.”  Others might find it a little too much.  The hook is solid throwback with “The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire” but they throw their own flavor at the end.  Overall a fun track and should play well in live settings.  Rating: 3.5/5

Everybody Dies- With a more up tempo beat this track flows back to the darker tone and more what ICP is known for.  The verses are presented well but the overall flow of the beat, lyrics and music are disjointed.  The hook harkens back to “Everybody Rize” from The Amazing Jekel Brothers while updating it to fit the title.  The biggest downer in the track comes about 3 min into it when they decide to somewhat cash it in with “Death, died, dead, everybody dies” in repeat.  Rating: 2.5/5

Happy Fun Day- This track immediately incorporates the “clown” theme and wants so badly to be a contrast of wicked lyrics juxtaposed against joyous tones but fails to capture the magic they had in songs like Mr. Happy and Rainbows and Stuff from previous releases.  Better than the last track but still falls flat.  Rating: 3/5

Only Wicked Shit- A dark menacing tone fills the beat in this track.  Shaggy delivers great lyrical flow in the first verse that gives way to a hook which is addictive to say the least.  Violent J hits the second track hard and shows he still has some gas in the tank.  A great track that proves the clowns still can deliver the wicked shit their fans expect.  Rating: 5/5

Flashback 1- Track is exactly as advertised, a throwback to previous jokers cards backed by a dominating bass driven beat. Rating: N/A

Dead Kelly- A track that chronicles a woman named Kelly, who is dead.  The beat is slow and evil sounding and supports the content in the lyrics.  ICP has always been able to create mental pictures with their lyrics and this track is no exception.  The hook is easily followed and easy to sing along with.  Rating: 4/5

Here We Go- Similar to Happy Fun Day this track puts happy tones in opposition to dark themes. Unlike the previous track this one blends the two conflicting styles much better.  The hook is solidly put together and works well with the verses.  Rating: 4/5

Cinnamon Pigtails- A little humor to break up the darkness in this track.  The beat reminds the listener of the King & Duck Music from the 1992 film White Men Can’t Jump. The track is all about being catfished and adds some levity to this album.  The hook is catchy, pun intended. Rating: 4/5

I’m Still Breathin- Slick guitar riffs lead this track off followed by some deep bass and a much slower flow in the verses.  A lighter tone in this track with singing in the hooks which is just eh.  Rating: 3/5

Pop Out- Slow plodding deep bass driven music gives the slow methodic verses a nice backbone.  The hook is not bad overall and fits really well here.  The lyrical delivery is switched up here and is a different sound for the clowns but it works.  Rating: 4/5

Flashback 2- Another track of joker card flashbacks. While not a track it pushes the timeline leading up to this album with some good snippets  Rating: N/A

Throw Em Up- This track is a definite shift from what fans are used to.  It has a late 70’s early 80’s vibe with funk/disco sound and that will get people moving.  A solid change of pace and quite enjoyable.  Lyrics flow really good with the beat and the hook is one people can sing along with.  Rating: 5/5

Softy Pillow Man- A very slow and deliberate pace to this track.  Describing a meek and soft man who can’t really do anything manly at all.  The hook says it all “Softy, softy, softy, (Bitches) softy pillow man ass

Softy, softy, bitch, certainly a bitch” nice ODB soundbite thrown into this one.  One of my favorite lines is “Absurd, a big fan of Big Bird
And SpongeBob, but terrified of Squidward” LOL.  Funny and intentional track brings additional humor to the album.  Rating: 4/5

I’m Fallin- The last tracks humor gives way to another dark track here.  The lyrics here are simple and very obviously express the fallin theme.  The hook is super simple but forgettable.  What it lacks in hook the verses make up some ground.  Rating: 3.5/5

While It Lasts- If you like “Toto by Africa” you will love the beat as it is a remix of that song.  The hook is sung by Violent J so fans know what to expect here.  While the theme of time running out is expressed the levels of music to vocals seems way off and makes it difficult to fully grasp that.  Fans will applaud the effort of remaking a classic it falls flat for me.  Rating: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Conclusion: Many fans of ICP found the second deck of Jokers cards hit or miss.  Most of the albums had tracks that stood out and tracks that fell way flat.  At this years Gathering I heard everything from “Another disappointment” to “Best Jokers card of the second deck.  I fall more towards the second opinion.  This album had some of that old school magic I love and also some tracks that left me shaking my head.  “Only Wicked Shit” captured that original six feel and flow and I loved it.  “Throw em up” captured something completely different and new and I really enjoyed that.  The last track to me fell way short of previous albums final tracks like “Thy Unveiling”, “Pass me by” and “Bang! Pow! Boom!” which all have been used as concert finale tracks.  Some tracks on here felt like the clowns were just checking the boxes to make a track while others seemed to capture that old spirit that drove the first deck.  The clowns created a legacy and a culture that no one in history will ever repeat and that can never be taken away from them.  The old school Juggalo in me wants this to be the final Jokers card and the young Juggalo inside me feeds off that magic that was rediscovered in some of these tracks.  Time will tell where this falls in the discography with fans, for this fan it will be added to my collection and some tracks will make my playlist.

Favorite Tracks:

1. Only Wicked Shit, Throw Em Up

Length:

• 66 Minutes

Record Label:

• Psychopathic Records

Websites:

• Psychopathic Records

Reviewer:

• Juggalotus