The dynamic of Alice In Chains play intricately upon both Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley use of structured composition, their music to me evokes stark contrasts of emotion, stradaling between darkness, and melancholy. They epitomize complex melody without sacrificing performance. Sometimes the audio can trick the listener into hearing specific complexities, this band often used layering to promote a conflicted essence.
It is genuine to see how this dynamic worked. When it worked their overall output (while short) was an impressive auditory marvel. Some of the songs tricked me in the execution, when I later researched how the songs were constructed, made me a firm believer in simplistic melody, without sacrificing tonality.
Layne's voice was the glue to the pair. Jerry and Layne often played off their inherent cues, after watching the MTV performance, that spark while faded, still had the magic that I grew to embrace. Towards the end of Layne's short life, his well publicized ordeal with heroin addiction often took the sail out of the trajectory this band was destined to achieve, and while Jerry, and Sean tried to right a difficult situation, the eventual replacement of Mike Star, with Mike Inez these men would watch in horror as the foundation which was built years prior was crumbling apart.
Not everyone can survive the onslaught of addiction. Its a personal battle that often wrecks havoc on families, associates, and industry professionals. After some serious thought about approaching this topic, I wanted to clarify just a little bit on my understanding, but also keep the essence of this post clear in the initial review I setup those many years ago.
I write updated passage after reading many eloquent discussions of Layne's life, and I frankly feel disjointed being a tad harsh in my criticisms of Layne. He touched so many people with his stories, and gave a very real scope to weakness which was eating him alive. While I still directly believe that he still had the ability to, and a strong support system to seek ongoing treatment, the path that he eventually went down, took a core essence of what Alice In Chains was with him.
As I stated in the original writing here, William DuVall is an excellent vocalist, guitarist but I cannot find any connection to this new version of Alice in Chains. There are couple songs which mirror back to that magical time, yet whats out now is representing Jerry's vision to a much bigger point of where this band will evolve towards.
I think that groups that start with a core aesthetic eventually wain because of age, conflict, a change of direction, money and or fame (lack thereof) or addiction. Like so many other bands that come before, when there are vices that get introduced early on, those facets have a way of twisting around the narrative a little bit, making any reason to exist as a band questionable at best. For those few prominent years, Alice In Chains were my go to band, until their last official release, they became an infrequent listening choice.
In (2012) I went back to those records which inspired me, helped me, or gave an interesting variation to what music could be, and this band for me still has that element that I like so much: as it is dark, moody, and melodic.
Alice In Chains will always be 90's band. Incorporating blues, country rock, and rock n roll. Their music gave harmony to a inharmonious period. I was no different struggling with my own demons as it were. This band gave me resilience when I was going through a very long and painful transitional phase.
After being introduced by accident from an article posted in Metal Maniac's about the Clash of The Titan's tour in 1990, I had read a lot of hate was being directed at the band. The grunge term was still very nascent in exposure, as it would be another year before Nirvana would hit it big with Smells Like Teen Spirit. Alice In Chains were the lucky recipient of the tour they needed for wider exposure. They took it, and while some bands today would kill for this kind of exposure, in the early 1990's that was the biggest stage one could ever be part of.
Released in 1990, Facelift included: Jerry Cantrell guitar, Layne Staley vocals, bassist(then) Mike Starr, and drummer Sean Kinney.
This is a record I've kept coming back to. For many this is the one that started that 'supposed' grunge era. What I didn't understand was why this angered older stalwarts of the hard and heavy metal area.
Two years later Dirt arrives, and its a total 180 in heaviness, the guitar tone on this record is sharper, muddier, it has a lot of blues elements this time. I found it to be a fresh experience but it also had a groan component which morphed, and evolved during the play through. The focus this time is on the performances of Mike Star's basslines, and Jerry's guitar style. Layne's voice settles in after the first track Them Bones, and rounds out with Would? which was also on the soundtrack for Cameron Crowe's film Singles released in 1992 taking advantage of the Seattle scene. One of a couple things I really liked about this record was the color design choice. The desert landscape, the hardness, drought and barren landscape hit home the themes on this record. This record gives a lot of thought to the past, present, and the future. Dirt had a lot unease with how to approach addiction, and how to move forward knowing there was sickness eating away inside. Layne's performance here spoke volumes about his struggles, and he enciated pretty clearly about staying clear of this path/choice. His cadence was so profoundly impactful on my life, that I look at this period with sadness because this was going to be the last time I would hear Layne's energy unblighted by junk, and if he was shooting up during the making of this record this was a warning to many don't go down this path.This albums meaner tonality, along with deep lyrical subtest underscores much more going on than what's on the surface. While there is a cameo by Tom Araya of Slayer, and Anne Wilson of Heart, Dirt is a powerful record, and a accomplishment in a time when promotion was starting down hill. In essence the body of the mix is deep, powerful, and one can swim in its cadence.
Sap (1992)A short extended play, players like Heart's Anne Wilson, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden are on this release. I like this E.P. because it has a different side to the balls to the wall sound of both Facelift, and Dirt.
There are a few humorous numbers, as the funnier side of the band shines instead of the gloomy and depressing stuff. Sap has some pretty cool elements going. Though short in duration, it has been a constant companion of mine through the years.
Jar Of Flies (1994)
I believe that Jar of Flies institutes a change in direction for Alice In Chains. I'm not faulting anything here as I feel it is a good release, there are obvious flaws showing. Yes, Jar Of Flies is haunting, extremely sad, and yet I felt it was unsure of where it wanted to go.
Jerry's guitar work morphs into something more somber and reflective. Layne's voice sounds weak, and falters. My impression that I drew forth was he doesn't really care to be doing music anymore. He sounds sarcastic, giving off a nonchalant vibe which is weird from all the pep and crust of prior releases.
Using strong influences of seafaring travels, this E.P. makes no apologies for subtle nuances going forth. Each acoustic song has a leathery cold stiffness. I felt shanked by the end of the E.P. I really believe I was hearing a finality of what drew me towards Alice In Chains.
I don't like this record at all. I felt that overall performance of Layne had lost his gusto, and he sounds in obvious pain in half of the songs.
There are a few decent melodies sprinkled throughout, but the essence is exhausted, and predictable. The musicians really gave it their best, but I felt this record didn't have any real umph going forth.
I had a hard time accepting the Self Titled because of a loss of spontaneity which was now completely compartmentalized. The overall presentation was tepid, vacuous, and cliche. Creativity wise bore forth a more elongated drawn out performance, which fizzled and sputtered out. With Facelift and Dirt those records pulse, and feel alive, whereas Self Titled was following a script.
I understand this band had to make a decision with a direction and keeping current with MTV popularity. Plus this also cements that Kurt Cobain alternative nonsense that bristled forth after his suicide, as this album was that end result of what became wrong with this style.
The main meat of their career will always be the early 90's. Afterwards it was an exercise keeping relevant when one of their own couldn't control himself or his addiction. From their first Demo, up til Music Bank, I hung onto this bands work, until the passing of Layne in 2002 at the age of 34.
Because of Layne's death Alice In Chains became infrequent as my listening choices evolved. I eventually lost interest in the years after Layne's passing. I was pissed that he chose to go down this path and rob a lot of the fans his wistful presence.
While Alice In Chains has returned, I'm acutely aware of vocalist William DuVall. He captures a little bit of the what I really liked about this band, but I have hard time getting passed missing Layne's voice. Don't get me wrong William is a great and capable vocalist, but I don't feel any connection to this new version.
I will always feel that this was Jerry and Layne's project. Even when Layne did his Mad Season stint, I firmly believe Layne depended upon Jerry's melody, and tonality to give his vocal style with Alice In Chains that uniqueness in a pack of so-so groups at the time.
I often wonder where this band could have gone if Layne Staley didn't have his well publicized heroin addiction.
I commend them for coming back, but for me I will always remember what was. A special kind of magic that can never be duplicated, or replicated. Thanks for reading.
B.
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