Juggaknots
Use Your Confusion
Amalgam
Rating: 
If you’re an artist and your debut release was anything comparable to the Juggaknots’ Clear Blue Skies, I’ll feel sorry for you when you’re faced with the daunting task of putting out your sophomore album. Not only has become somewhat of an underground hip-hop cult classic; but add the anticipation of a ten-year time span, and expectations for the Juggaknots’ follow up, Use Your Confusion went through the roof. Of course if the sibling trio tried to recreate Clear Blue Skies to appease purists, it would sound outdated, as well as a cheap cop-out. But even with an evolved sound, Use Your Confusion is a valiant attempt at a successful follow-up that falls just short.
Today, with maturity and longevity in the music biz, Juggaknots no longer have that first time innocence. Use Your Confusion is recorded with purpose and tact. The song “30 Something” best encapsulates this element as Breeze is joined by guest Sadat X, and the two trade verses about aging with peace of mind in the hip-hop game. Another guest appearance comes courtesy of fellow New York native Wordsworth on “Liar, Liar.” While Breeze and Herawin are worthy emcees, Wordsworth proves himself to be an emcee’s emcee when he drops lines like, “Can’t say nothing nice for the life of you/Lying ain’t right/But in tight situations it’s polite to do.”
With the production credits split up among six beatsmiths, the Use Your Confusion tracks are hit or miss. Stones Throw’s Oh No shines with “Daddy’s Little Girl.” The track exudes soulful grime from the Oxnard, CA resident, and Herawin plays biographer as she relates the experiences of little girls growing up. Meanwhile “Strip Joint,” produced by Breeze also raises question marks. It is about Â…well, you guessed it, a strip joint, which the chorus very unimaginatively reminds the listener of by repeating the song title over and over.
Use Your Confusion isn’t altogether negative. Other head bangers include “Smile” and the EMPD-esque “New $$$,” the former on which Breeze laments how the simple act of smiling is clowned on in hip-hop today. Overall, Use Your Confusion isn’t a bad release. But when held to the candle of Clear Blue Skies, it can’t hold the weight.
— James O’Connor
