ROX-TV gets their very own copy of Wiked Wood’s self titled album from Grave-Bait and Cray-Z personally! Here’s our review…
Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. As always, I’d like to thank the returning the readers and any first timers drifting through the door. Tonight, we have a real special edition of the “ROX-TV Album Review” for you guys and gals. My homies Grave-Bait and Cray-Z from the one and only Wiked Wood got me my very own copy of their brand-new release…the self-titled album “Wiked Wood”. I was honored to receive a copy and couldn’t wait to tear into it.
Author’s Note: Normally, these A.N. type notices come later in articles as needed, but I felt obligated to stop and say a few things before I go any further. The copy is in CD form, and this is very important to me for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I’m a collector. I collect Juggalo related items and underground music. I’ve done this for the better part of the last thirty years.
Because I have an insane desire to hoard the shit, it is imperative that “physical copies” are created by artists, which gives the fans something to collect in the first place. Streaming may be convenient and YouTube videos are fresh…but nothing replaces real life shit! At least not yet. Some artists these days skip “physical copies” all together and this is a fatal mistake for your longevity. Please, keep one foot in the physical world.
I was heading down to Detroit for work related travel, so I figured what better way to enjoy a new album, then on the way to the Motor City. Wiked Wood drops some dope music for the Juggalos and Juggalettes, so I thought it was appropriate cruising music. I started ripping down I-75 and as I changed lanes travelling about 93 miles an hour, I tossed in the self-titled album “Wiked Wood“. There is something magical about firing up an album for the first time. Great expectations mixed with the thrill of new material can be amazing and also become a fixed memory under the right conditions. I remember (among other releases) when ” The Great Milenko” by Insane Clown Posse hit the stores back in June of 1997. If you’re a Juggalo and you know your history, I waited for the release and was able to get a Hollywood Records copy, before Disney pulled the album from store shelves. I remember listening to that cassette for the first time. I remember very clearly buying it at Mr. R’s (went out of business a few years later) and even what the weather was like that day. Music is like that for true fans. It’s like that for me.
So, the intro kicks in and I’m digging it. Among the voices on the track, I hear a familiar voice introducing Wiked Wood at the now legendary “Prom Night Massacre” 25th Anniversary show in Indiana. The voice belonged to Juggalo Royalty Jumpsteady, who was introducing Wiked Wood to the stage on 4/30/2021 at Piere’s. The bit sounded great, and I could feel the excitement building.
Track 2: “Gotta Keep It Wiked” (Cuts by DJ Clay)
Produced by Devereaux
The track starts out with that wonderful stamp of greatness, the calling card of murderous production…the Devereaux echo. As I stared at the bumper of the car in front of me and changed lanes near the Pine Knob exit (89 to be exact) I heard the echo. We’ve had Devereaux on the ROX-TV website recently and although the coverage was for the GOTJ22…I’m itching to get that cat back in for a deep dive interview. His fingerprints appear on dope tracks like gun powder on short range victims. There was no surprise on what my ears detected following that jump start. The track was dope.
The music was atmospheric (any time I hear a song that crowds me like a dense fog, it’s atmospheric, that’s the best description I know of). A sound that gives you an instant feeling in your blood. The first ten seconds are ominous and create that lonely feeling which strangely reminds me of “The Hobbit” (Released in November of 1977, animated movie based on the 1937 book of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien) when Bilbo Baggins falls into a dark underworld which belonged to Gollum (Song 10 on The Hobbit 1977 Vinyl Soundtrack “Gollum’s Riddle”). The scratching is perfectly done and along with the raps, provides for a powerhouse track. It’s getting a great response on YouTube right now, just clipping past Twenty-Two Thousand views and steady climbing.
Track 3: “Spaceship” (featuring vocals by Hulk Hoagie)
So, this track was ironically fitting for my voyage as I ripped down I-75 in my Impala. The song started out with an interesting dialogue between someone who sounded like they were about to rip some gear off another cat. If you’ve ever heard strange questions from strange characters, who are rapidly closing the distance gap and admiring your shit…get ready for some fist i’ cuffs. The dopest part of the exchange is the answer given back about where the cat got the “vest”.
[ˈfistiˌkəfs]
“I got it from a fuckin bum”
Another song with the right sound. At this point I was intrigued. I passed the 14 Mile exit near the Oakland Mall and kept ripping. Traffic in that area starts to get shitty. If you’ve been through there in the last couple of months, you would know the left lane ends and the two available lanes shift onto the slow lane and makeshift lane (built out of the right shoulder of I-75). Even as the lanes turn to death canals, I continued to push the speed…mostly because speeding is easy when this track is going. Three tracks in and I was getting ready to call the album early (a victory based on all that had come before). I needed a few more tracks of Grade-A Dope to be sure, but the first three showings were money. I had faith in Wiked Wood and just assumed more fly shit was on the way. I wasn’t disappointed…
The next song was track #4 and it was titled “Petrified”. It was a nice piece, but I won’t lie…after a minute and thirty seconds in, I was ready to keep searching (Not in a bad way, but I was getting closer to my destination and the opportunity to sample the new album was limited. By then, I was approaching the 9 Mile exit, which I decided to take because I-75 was fucking crowded. I rolled up the ramp bumping W.W. and made a left onto 9 Mile at the light. I quickly shifted into the right lane and bust a right turn onto John R. I was heading over to a location in Warren but decided to take 8 Mile because the pace is better and also because it’s a pretty interesting stretch of road. The great divide between Detroit City on the South Side of the road and the northern territories of Hazel Park and Warren to the North Side. It’s weird and strange to see so much change just by crossing one side of the street to another (no easy task on 8 Mile, too many lanes to contend with). Historically, there may be no other street in America which features such stark contrast from one side to another. For those cruising the zone looking for some green, there is the “House of Dank” (8 Mile and Klinger). I was running out of time and road. Little did I know that the next four songs in a row were showstoppers.
Track #5: Icarus
Now at the time, remember…I was running out of time. I was almost to my location and after passing Dequindre, Warren, Ryan, Mound, and Van Dyke….I was turning north onto Hoover. The song “Icarus” started out with a haunted crow, “cawing” in the distance, perhaps over an empty lot or field (at least that’s what my mind conjured up). The track makes me feel like I’ve been dipped in a light coating of sadness and then forced to walk home with a jacket on in the cold temperatures of November. The kind of cold that eats through that jacket with ease and numbs the face. If I may be so bold and go one step further, the neighborhood is desolate, and the sun is approaching dusk.
For those of you who are not familiar, this is what I like to call a “smart” song because it has that deeper meaning within reach, and dives into one of my favorite and most applicable Greek Legends, the story of Icarus. Greek mythology has it that Icarus, son of Daedalus (the creator of the Labyrinth for King Minos, which housed the dreaded Minotaur) was given wings made by his father. The wings were made of wax and feathers. Apparently, they were trying to escape Crete. Daedalus warns Icarus not to fly to low (close to the sea) because the feathers might fail and not to fly too high because the wings might melt (if he got too close to the sun). Icarus does not heed his father’s warnings and flies to close to the sun, causing the wings to melt and fail…sending him crashing towards the sea where he allegedly drowns. The general interpretation and short game is “don’t fly too close to the sun“.
This song really hit home for me, because I’ve been known to fly too close to the sun, not so much anymore (?) but definitely when I was a younger person. I lacked or just didn’t care about the Longview for many years. I did a lot of stupid shit and almost completely destroyed my life at 17 years of age. Unable or unwilling to learn the full lessons of the day, I nearly drank myself to death hundreds of times during my twenties (probably more than hundreds). Strange feelings of introspection came over me as I listened to this track. I didn’t have time to figure out what it all meant, but over the course of the last two weeks…I’m getting closer. I haven’t taken this CD out of my car since it went in. In the coming days I would spend a lot of time with “Icarus”. To each is own…
Track #6: “New Sh!t” (featuring Lyte and Project Born)
So, I was on hand for the filming of the Wiked Wood video for this track with my homie A.O. and 810’s Lyte. Project Born is featured on the album track but due to Covid at the time, Lil Polk aka Polk D couldn’t make the filming. ROX-TV actually filmed the video at a studio in Detroit near E. Grand Boulevard.
Wiked Wood invited me to hop into a few scenes and I was more than happy to do it. (Fun Fact: The gun in the video was .380 Semi-Automatic and holds six in the clip and one in the hole). I thought the video for this turned out great and wrote a nice piece on the website about the experience. The song is dope and everyone’s parts are executed with deadly precision. (Fun Fact: I brought Wiked Wood some dope from Flint Town and Wiked Wood brought me some dope from New Jersey. That’s what I call the exchanging of ideas and good will)
Track #7: “Neck of the Woodz” (featuring Ouija Macc and Bernz of Mayday)
This is a haunting track done correctly. I dig the low-key vibe that rolls through this track. It reminds me of walking in the city at night, perhaps after a fresh rain with half burnt out streetlights flickering in the darkness. I smoked a joint and listened to this track, and could almost feel the pavement under my feet, with the street still wet from a late-night rainstorm. Desolate streets ahead and behind, and the moon blotted out by dark clouds. This song resonates with me in a big way. I dig tracks that not only entertain but can take you somewhere and this fire release does that.
(Author’s Note: The above description first appeared back on July 19th, 2021 in “ROX-TV’s news from the underground series”. I read what I had originally wrote for this track and felt that it was still relevant and precise. Had it been stale, I would have re-hashed it, but the words are still good and there’s no mold homies)
Track #8: “Spell it Wrong”
Produced by Shaggytheairhead
Nominated and Won: Best Nitrous Oxide Song of the week by ROX-TV 2022
Nominated: Best Nitrous Oxide Song of the year 2022 by ROX-TV
This song single handily was responsible for this article being completed late. This was the last song I played while driving northbound on Hoover. I had about five minutes left of travel the day I was initially reviewing/scouting the album. Once this song came on though, all bets were off. The harmony and sound of this track sent me into a five-day love affair, with the end result crescendoing into all day and night replaying. You could say that I was in the grips of a serious song binge with this tune. So much so, that I texted Wiked Wood to let them know, it was my favorite song and that I had been left rendered spellbound by the overall effect of the music. This track had me in a bad way (which is a good thing). I consider myself an expert in “good sounding” music from all walks of life and when I come across something that captivates me this hard, I don’t let go until I’m absolutely burned the fuck out by it. For five days, I listened to this song on repeat and consider it one of the best on the album and perhaps my favorite Wiked Wood song to date.
I entered the song in the ROX-TV Nitrous Oxide song of the week, and it won by unanimous decision supported by extensive testing (Think Acid Test type of vibe with the Grateful Dead and swap out the drug and the band). Even after I had fried my mind listening to this bomb track, I still want to hear it all the time.
We recently had Shaggytheairhead on the ROX-TV website to talk about the GOTJ22, but after hearing this song I want to deep dive into his brain about the process and inspiration for the track. The sound almost reminds me of the crazy baby toy that had a chime in it. Everyone in the 1980’s had one, I actually still have the one I played with. Both of my kids played with the same one (because I love history of all kinds and incorporate it into the future whenever I can) when they were babies as well. Whatever the case, that sound resonates with me as do all things which speak to me through the ages. This song somehow captures the spirit of that “red apple” and perhaps that is part of the draw. I’m also thinking of those kid Zyllaphones…but who can say for sure. My hat is off to Wiked Wood for the wonderful sound and Shaggytheairhead for the TNT production. The Nitrous Gods certainly enjoyed the ride. 333/89 on 8/9
Track #10: “Tomorrow” (Featuring Blahzay Roze)
The track has a really sad sounding guitar that calls to me like some type of evil pied piper. As Grave Bait pulls me in with his unique sounding voice, I close my eyes and try to feel the shit that inspired the track. The hook by Cray-Z hits the perfect tone and the hairs on my arms stand up, like they do every time I hear good music. It’s a proper track, that’s running on all cylinders with ease, like drifting at night with a head full of NOS. This song speaks to me. The subtle pain and sadness, combined with a sliver of hope that always seems to be out of my reach. Blahzay rips into the track like a sexy sludge hammer, with some serious emotion and I love it. There is a graveyard harmony in this track. You either know or you don’t, about the world and the shit that is out there…lurking, just waiting to hurt your heart. If you haven’t listened to this song, fucking do it…please, but only if you are into that dark cloud vibe type shit. I am and I live there from time to time.
(Author’s Note: The above description first ran on February 9th, 2021 in the piece below. I read the original words that I wrote and still stand by the emotions that are invoked by the song. Beyond the context of the description set to the song…that’s all I have for this track)
As far as the rest of the album is concerned, I enjoyed it, but the songs listed above really struck some serious chords with me. If you haven’t heard the album yet, go get a copy and do your part to support the underground. This album is one of my favorites to drop this year and pound for pound, is a contender for one of the best underground albums of the year.
I’d like to shout out Wiked Wood and thank them for sending me a copy of their latest drop. I live for that type of shit and I’m a collector to boot, so double salute fellas. That does it for this album review.
Rating: 9/10
Meaning: Buy the fucker
Juggalo/Underground Collectability Index: 4/5
(Multiple factors are considered with the Index including but not limited to potential of the artists, availability of release, previous releases, relevancy in the scene, previous important Juggalo Culture appearances, and more)
Signing Off,
Mike Shepard
ROX-TV Head Writer
