Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
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Artist: Alice in ChainsBrand: Alice
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1995-11-07
Music Label: Columbia
Soundtracks:
- Grind
- Brush Away
- Sludge Factory
- Heaven Beside You
- Head Creeps
- Again
- Shame in You
- God Am
- So Close
- Nothin' Song
- Frogs
- Over Now
Free Music Notes for Alice in Chains
Free Music Review: Alice In Chains' Underrated Masterpiece...Don't Brush It Away!
Hit: 5 Stars
Alice In Chains (AKA Tripod) (1995.), Alice In Chains' third studio album
Alice In Chains, a band so downcast and tortured in sound, had proven their true worth as part of the Seattle grunge movement by the mid-1990's. Ever the epitomy of grunge, 1992's difficult metal masterpiece `Dirt' catapulted the band into great popularity and the subsequent acoustic excellence of their `Jar Of Flies' EP showed to many that this was a band of diversity and experimentation too. However, by the mid-90's, the grunge movement was a fading phase and the fates of many of the bands of the era were unsure. With Alice In Chains, questions over vocalist Layne Staley's huge drug addiction persisted and many wondered whether the band would ever release another album. In the midst of this, Alice In Chains emerged with their eponymous album in late 1995, a work of slow, depressing yet captivating style that earned the band their second Billboard 200 #1...
`Alice In Chains', or `Tripod' as it is affectionately known to fans has gone down as Alice In Chains' most underappreciated album. This album sees the band at their most bleak, downcast and emotionally devouring. All the more reasons not to buy this album I hear you say, but not quite. Previous album `Dirt' was a masterpiece, one of my personal favourite all time albums - it was difficult, moody and often edgy but it drew you in spectacularly. `Alice In Chains' has the same absorbing power on the listener but it achieves this though different measures. The whole album is extremely slow in tempo and literally grinds itself along. However, it is this, combined with areas of pure heaviness as well as beautiful yet downcast acoustic sections that keeps you captivated by the music. Staley's tortured voice paints a bleak picture yet his lyrical themes on this album have a fascinating aura of enigma about them with tracks such as `Brush Away' and `Shame In You' which keep you thinking just that little bit. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell also plays a much greater vocal role on this album and his softer sounding vocals complement Staley's troubled murmurs excellently. Cantrell and Staley are for me one of the great writing partnerships of the 90's who have sadly become unsung heroes. Alice In Chains have always conveyed a strong musical landscape in their music and it is no different on this album. In many ways, this album is a coalescence of ideas that have come before it as we have the `Facelift'/'Dirt' era heaviness in tracks like `Grind' and `Sludge Factory' and then the acoustic mastery of `Jar Of Flies' seen in tracks like `Heaven Beside You'. Every listen to this hour long album will hold you in some sort of painful tension but you'll always want to play the whole thing through. This is some dark masterpiece, afterall it is Layne Staley's chilling farewell as it is the last studio recording he would ever perform on before his sad loss in 2002.
`Grind' opens Alice In Chains' depressing showcase masterpiece. The song title is an apt description here, with slow heavy pounding riffs sounding out this excellent song. Cantrells' softer melancholy singing on most of this track is backed in parts by Staley's withering harmonies that create a really eerie style to the vocals. `Brush Away' sees Staley take to his role of lead vocals with some ambiguous yet cuttingly delivered lines. More pounding riffs and a great drum pattern from Sean Kinney set up an excellent second song on the album. The 7 minute epic, `Sludge Factory' is next, a song that sounds great heavy (on this album) and fantastic in acoustic style (as seen on `Unplugged 1996'). The tracks slow main riff sounds almost spiteful and Staley draws out some dark and again cutting lines. The chorus has an awesome melody to keep the song flowing and the eerie, distorted and dissononent outro is captivating. Alike `Sludge Factory', `Heaven Beside You' is another of the best cuts on here. The lead single off the album, this track has some excellent acoustic lines and some great Staley/Cantrell vocal harmonies. `Head Creeps' is a return to more heavier stylings. A very intense track that feels like it is constantly pounding you in the face. Staley's vocals are downcast and disturbing and add to the overall atmospherics of the song. `Again' keeps the album theme of gloominess going with plenty of heavy riffs and distorted chorus lines.
`Shame In You' is another enigmatic Staley composition that feels chilled out yet there is something uncertain lurking beneath the surface of the song that is somewhat unsettling. Jerry Cantrell plays a magnificently controlled solo at the end of this great track. `God Am' is more downcast and bonecrunching listening and `So Close' sees a quicker pace in the music yet there is an even more agonising and tortured vocal style from Staley. Another great track that aches pain. `Nothin' Song' has a really cool and mellow intro before the song picks up its grinding theme. The chorus has some pretty amusing lines in this otherwise mellow rocker. `Frogs' is the longest cut on here and is pure atmospheric excellence. The whole song is extremely slow and drawn out...the whole thing feels like a ticking bomb that could explode any moment. An on the edge of your seats, creepy song, it is a damn fine track in its own right. `Over Now' is a more upbeat epic to end the album. As it is more `happy' (using the term in its bleakest form!) it gives you the feeling of emerging from a difficult journey that has twisted your mind in many ways. Indeed that is true, this album is a mind twister! Cantrell shines on the guitar on the closer rounding off a fantastic album.
`Alice In Chains' is an underrated masterpiece from the Seattle grungers. In my entire record collection, this is perhaps the most downcast, despondent and depressing album that I own. It cuts you like a knife, yet it does it slowly and torturously. This is a great album from Alice In Chains yet it can be a difficult listen if your mood isn't right. Still, this for me is a unique and captivating work from the band that captured the spirit of grunge to the highest degree. `Alice In Chains' is a '90's classic that I would highly recommend getting hold of, just give yourself plenty of time to soak it up when you listen to it!
MY RATING: 9.5/10
R.I.P. Layne Staley
Alice in Chains Poster
No Description AvailableNo Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: ALICE IN CHAINS
Title: ALICE IN CHAINS
Street Release Date: 11/07/1995
Genre: ROCK/POP
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