When this extended play came out in February 1991, ICP have already released a studio album and three other EPs; however, this fifth effort is of crucial importance for the group which, despite the numerous projects churned out within a single season, has not yet "arrived".
It's the first ICP effort recorded in a recording studio (until now, they have only recorded from their basements) and it's the first record released by their Psychopathic Records. Until this album they are still called Inner City Posse, but immediately after the release of the album, they decide to be called Insane Clown Posse, also inspired by the cover: in the center there's in fact, not one of the three members of the formation, but a friend of Violent J, who's photographed shirtless, hanging on a rope in the middle of the degradation of the city with a glimpse of decadent ethereal panorama on the left, with his face painted black and red hair of an mad/evil clown. This friend first becomes the group's hype man, then leaves almost immediately.
The production of Chuck Miller (later disinherited by the group) is quite diversified in these four tracks and the group brings out fairly solid hardcore syncopated deliveries. "Ghetto Zone" is the first cut of the EP and also the first created by the group in the studio: hard and raw, heavy, hardcore boom bap with dark piano looped in the background, splendid jazzy sample with triumphant strings taken from "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart, which acts as a bridge on the functional chorus, the group delivers faster here.
"Wizard of the Hood" doesn't have the same efficacy, simple rhythm, light boom bap with skinny and distant drum machine, syncopated delivery with sound of "trumpet clown" looped tight in the background. "Life at Risk" follows, a splendid jazzy sample from a Nipsey Russell classic ("What Would I Do if I Could Feel?"), slow, light and calm syncopated delivery on this minimal boom bap with skinny and lively drum machine. Closes the title track, a fairly regular joint with a simple rhythm and delivery, which uses samples of Zapp and George Clinton.
This twenty minute long EP is a solid starting point for the group, one of their most inspired and probably among the best projects of a vast discography: however, at the time they are still an unknown group or almost, and the promotion of this EP becomes complicated due to the harsh reality of Detroit, a city that is not yet ready for this violent musical genre: children shoot to them, adults punch them, the radios reject them. Despite all this, Esham is still going strong, but how is it possible? Man, I don't know, I don't really know. With a little luck, however, the group manages to bond with Esham and somehow finances itself adequately for another album, what will become the first of the renewed Insane Clown Posse.
Rating: 7/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment