jeffvrabel.com I humorist and music writer

Billboard — It would be easy — well, easier — to continue to dismiss the Insane Clown Posse as novelty jokers on the band’s eleventh album. But frankly, the only thing separating these particular cornballs in face paint from KISS is that you can buy the group’s new album, “Bang! Pow! Boom!,” outside of Wal-Mart. The new set heralds the return of ICP’s Dark Carnival popcorn mythology and stars a vengeful hellbeast known as Bang! Pow! Boom!, who is probably angry for having his name stolen by the Black Eyed Peas. But weirdly, the album weaves 1950s rock carbonation (the title track) and snappy surf-pop (the charming narrative “The Bone”) into the usual torture-porn (“To Catch A Predator,” basically an extension of the show). But credit ICP with this: The band is hip to its little corner of hell. And things get considerably more horrific on happy-time tracks like “Juggalo Island” and “Miracles,” a hilarious carpe diem about finding ordinary magic “everywhere in this bitch.” Stick with the hatchets, fellas.

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