After the success of their last album, the intrepid group thought of where to go next. Clearly the reaction to their music video “Miracles” made them rethink their music. Should they go ‘meta’ in their music, becoming a parody of a parody of themselves? Violent J said no, they should take their music to a more serious place.
The follow-up focuses on the death of pop music as a medium used to convey ideas. Shaggy 2 Dope planned this out to further explore the less anti-social tendencies of their last album which explored ways of confronting evil, such as the track ‘To Catch a Predator’. Employing Godspeed You! Black Emperor after listening to a lot of Glenn Branca and Rhys Chatham, they set out to create an epic sound.
Knowing they needed some beats, they got Diplo to lay down the most ill, fresh-ass beats this side of the Dark Carnival. Originally they wanted to name their album “The American Metaphysical Circus” to continue with the Dark Carnival theme but multiple record store owners formed a class action lawsuit against them preventing the usage of the title. Claiming “haters gonna hate” they sat down and worked on what they hoped would be the best 2 disc set they’ve ever created.
In fact, this album devastates from the first track, the twenty-two minute “We know how Magnets Work”. A soft-spoken man begins talking about his life growing up, trying to write the perfect sentence. Slowly the man’s voice shows enthusiasm, hope and Shaggy 2 Dope quietly raps over, asking us if any scientist could explain the hope a man feels once they accomplished something truly great. As the violins reach a fevered crescendo, Diplo’s beats come in and Violent J joins him. This is in direct response to the endless parodying they received at the hands of the ‘lamestream media’ they mention at the end of the track, quoting Sarah Palin’s thoughts on the topic of celebrity.
‘Nailin Palin’ follows immediately after. Beginning with a reading of her most memorable quotes by various members of Negativland about her career devolving into a pure political meme, ICP begin the most inspired rap they have ever done. Words flow so smoothly, like milk and honey from the mouths of babes. They discuss how the media nearly did that to them, but this was before they discovered quality writers like William S. Burroughs, and proceed to cut up their raps making new meanings out of words and phrases. This goes on for 30 minutes to a mix between dubstep and modern classical music which gives a wink to Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray".
Disc 2 has some of the best stuff I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Let’s just say Slint appears on some of the tracks and makes those tracks mad dope yo. Additionally, they have clearly been listening to a lot of Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, and Kurt Schwitters’ tonal poetry. Hearing these songs is positively sublime, and may lead to countless imitators. Rumor has it that they had to be institutionalized during the course of the recordings due to the sheer genius which permeated their minds. No doubt James Joyce’s work played a pivotal role as well, as constant references are made to the book, especially in the song “Mookie”.
Ending it in heart-breaking fashion is the 35 minute-long “Jandek, Mad Respect”. They are joined by none other than that Texan iconoclast. Using his bleating, world-weary voice to great effect, he merges with Godspeed You Black Emperor and Diplo’s beats to create a track which defies all words. Calling it “Orgasmic” could not begin to do justice to the testament of American exceptional-ism it so clearly celebrates.
Honestly, I thought these guys weren’t very good before this album. I didn’t feel the love of the Juggalo or Juggalette community. After hearing this, I get the sense of artists no longer constrained by commercial considerations, though I hope this album makes some serious chedda. By this point, they have a dedicated enough fan-base who is smart enough to understand where this is coming from, it is coming from their tortured souls. If you ever wanted an introduction to the furthest extremes of the avant-garde while still remaining accessible to the masses, this is the best album for the job. Your mouth will drop at the sheer beauty contained within two mere CD discs. Violet J and Shaggy 2 Dope are clearly the voice of our generation. I know they call these “Jokers Cards” but there’s no joke about the sheer quality product they put out.