The Wraith: Shangri-La
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| The Wraith: Shangri-La | |||||
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| Studio album by Insane Clown Posse | |||||
| Released | November 5, 2002 | ||||
| Recorded | Various | ||||
| Genre | Midwest hip hop, rap rock | ||||
| Length | 64:19 | ||||
| Label | Psychopathic Records | ||||
| Producer | Mike P. | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Insane Clown Posse chronology | |||||
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The Wraith: Shangri-La is the eighth studio album by Insane Clown Posse. Released on November 5, 2002, it is the first of two albums representing the sixth and final Joker's Card.
Contents |
[edit] Music
[edit] Production
"Thy Staleness" contains an excerpt from the film Killer Klowns From Outer Space.[1] A surround sound mix was prepared for the album by Nathaniel Kunkel and Mike Puwal. It was released on DVD-Audio format.[2]
[edit] Lyrical themes
The Wraith, which represents the sixth Joker's Card, is in essence the grim reaper, or death. According to the group's mythology, upon your death, the Wraith takes you to either Shangri-La (heaven) or to Hell's Pit (hell). In The Wraith: Shangri-La, the ICP guides the listener as The Dark Wraith takes the listener upon an exhibition of heaven (while he may change his mind and try to pull you out of heaven), whereas in the group's ninth studio album, Hell's Pit, The Pure Wraith takes the listener on a voyage through hell (as if to warn you not to end up in hell).[citation needed] In the album's final track, "Thy Unveiling", Joseph Bruce revealed that the hidden message of their music was always to follow God and make it to Heaven.[3] Ben Sisario criticizes the series' ending in the Rolling Stone Album Guide, writing "the whole thing was some bland divine plan [...] Is this man's final dis of God, or His of us?"[4] Some critics perceived the spiritual element of the storyline as a joke or a stunt. Allmusic writer Bradley Torreano wrote that "Even if it is a joke, it isn't a funny one, or even a clever one."[5] According to Bruce:
"We went on an in-store tour right when the sixth Joker Card came out. It was the most moving thing we ever went through in our lives. All across the country, it had such an effect. People would come to the in-stores crying, thanking us. A very, very emotional time. [...] Some people might've been upset by that, but through our eyes all we did was touch a lot of people. We definitely wanted it to be something everlasting. Maybe a 19-year-old might not understand or like that ending now. But later, when he has four kids, he might think, 'That was the shit.'"[6]
[edit] Release
In promotion of the album, Insane Clown Posse went on the 75-date Shangri-La World Tour, where the group performed across the United States, Australia, and Europe.[3]
The Wraith: Shangri-La was released in two compact disc editions, one with a bonus DVD featuring a seminar from the 2002 Gathering of the Juggalos, and the other featuring a live concert performance.[7]
[edit] Reception
The Wraith: Shangri-La debuted at #15 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums.[8] In 2003, the surround sound mix was named "Most Adventurous Mix" at the second annual Surround Music Awards.[2] The album received two stars out of five in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.[4]
In September 2003, Insane Clown Posse was voted the worst band of any musical genre in Blender, with The Wraith: Shangri-La named as the group's worst album.[9] The magazine also gave the album a positive review for its "charming, good-natured idiocy."[10]
[edit] Track listing
| # | Title | Time | Writer(s) | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Thy Intro" | Mike Puwal Jumpsteady |
Jumpsteady Mike Puwal |
|
| "Walk Into Thy Light" | 5:11 | Mike Puwal Violent J Shaggy 2 Dope |
Violent J Shaggy 2 Dope Mike Puwal |
|
| 2 | "Welcome To Thy Show" | 3:12 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal |
| 3 | "Get Ya Wicked On" | 1:47 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal |
| 4 | "Murder Rap" | 2:32 | Mike Puwal Above the Law ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal |
| 5 | "Birthday Bitches" | 1:18 | Mike Puwal ICP Anybody Killa |
ICP Mike Puwal Anybody Killa |
| 6 | "Blaaam!!!" | 3:39 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal Lil' Pig |
| 7 | "It Rains Diamonds" | 5:26 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Anybody Killa Jumpsteady Mike Puwal |
| "Bitch Slappaz" | Mike Puwal ICP Blaze Ya Dead Homie |
ICP Blaze Ya Dead Homie Mike Puwal |
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| 8 | "Thy Staleness" | 3:58 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal Syn Legs Diamond Lil' Pig |
| 9 | "Hell's Forecast" | 2:58 | Mike Puwal ICP Twiztid Anybody Killa |
ICP Twiztid Anybody Killa Mike Puwal |
| 10 | "Juggalo Homies" | 4:32 | Mike Puwal ICP Twiztid Anybody Killa |
ICP Twiztid Anybody Killa Mike Puwal Syn Lil' Pig |
| 11 | "Ain't Yo Bidness" | 4:49 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Syn Mike Puwal |
| "Soopa Villains" | Mike Puwal ICP Esham |
ICP Esham Mike Puwal |
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| 12 | "We Belong" | 2:44 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Anybody Killa Mike Puwal |
| 13 | "Cotton Candy & Popsicles" | 3:42 | ICP Zug Izland |
ICP Zug Izland |
| 14 | "Crossing Thy Bridge" | 4:14 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal Lil' Pig |
| 15 | "Thy Raven's Mirror" | 2:59 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Legs Diamond Mike Puwal |
| 16 | "Thy Wraith" | 3:33 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Mike Puwal |
| 17 | "Thy Unveiling" | 7:37 | Mike Puwal ICP |
ICP Lil' Pig Anybody Killa Legs Diamond Syn Mike Puwal |
[edit] Sampler
The Wraith: Shangri-La Sampler was released, but contained no songs from The Wraith Shangri La. Instead it concentrated on Psychopathic Records history. It also contains an interview ICP did at the Gathering of the Juggalos.
[edit] Tracks
- "Simple and Blunt" (03:43)
- "Knock 2 Dis Mix" (02:10)
- "Juggalo Chant" (04:05)
- "ICP Seminar" (From GOTJ 2002) (50:47)
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 15[11] |
| Top Independent Albums | 1[11] |
| Chart (2003) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Top Independent Albums | 1[11] |
[edit] References
- ^ Insane Clown Posse (1997). "Thy Staleness." The Wraith: Shangri-La. Psychopathic Records. ISBN 822489991224
- ^ a b "Surround 2003 - Surround Music Awards". http://www.surroundpro.com/2003/surround2003/sma.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-06-15.
- ^ a b Bruce, Joseph; Hobey Echlin. "Diamond Rain". in Nathan Fostey. ICP: Behind the Paint (2nd Edition ed.). Royal Oak, Michigan: Psychopathic Records. pp. 504–519. ISBN 09741846083.
- ^ a b Brackett, Nathan, ed (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 405–6. ISBN 0743201698.
- ^ Torreano, Bradley. "Review of The Wraith: Shangri-La". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:j9fixqwaldhe~T1. Retrieved on 2008-10-30.
- ^ Dominic, Serene (October 29, 2008). "(Not) just a juggalo". Metro Times. http://www.metrotimes.com/music/story.asp?id=13394. Retrieved on 2008-10-30.
- ^ "Insane Clown Posse to Release New Limited Edition Album with Bonus DVD!; Grass Roots Approach Gathers Major Steam on the Internet". Business Wire. October 22, 2002. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Oct_22/ai_93145946. Retrieved on 2008-06-15.
- ^ "Charts for The Wraith: Shangri-La". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=326&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+Independent+Albums&ci=3048322&cdi=7956457&cid=02%2F01%2F2003. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
- ^ "The 50 Worst Artists in Music History". Blender. September 2003. http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=466. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ Kemp, Rob (2002). "Review of The Wraith: Shangri-La". Blender. http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=216. Retrieved on 2008-07-14.
- ^ a b c "Insane Clown Posse Artist Chart History: Albums". Billboard. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=INSANE. Retrieved on 2008-08-19.
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