First things first. I have been a solid fan of AIC since I first heard Man in the Box in middle school. I also enjoyed Mad Season and both Jerry solo efforts. So my only stab here is that this new AIC album, Black Gives Way to Blue, is that it's obviously just a 3rd Jerry Cantrell solo album that happens to have 2 former AIC members on board, yet hidden in the background. Read on if you would like to know a full circle review of the new record... hozzles.
Track 1(All Secrets Known) is a welcome reminder of good chains sound, though is a bit too slow and literally goes no where. I felt this song needed a lot more than what was settled on to be the lead off to a potential beast of a come back album, but still ends up one of the best songs on the album by far after a second or third listen.
The second track (Check My Brain) I believe is the radio single (I have no idea since me and the radio got divorced about 10 years ago.) and man does it miss the mark by a mile. I feel the lyrics are cheesey and it's just more of a album filler than an actual lead off come back single. When I think of AIC singles this one is dead last for sure. Sorry, Jerry, but what? And it only gets worse...
I would have to say that track 3 (Last of My Kind) is by far the most horrible song ever to carry the name AIC. You could fight me on it, but seriously, it's that bad. (Unfortunately it’s one of the only songs that wasn’t fully written by Mr. Cantrell too, so that’s a bit frightening.) I think I can’t get over the fact that this track directly rips off the chorus of Dragula by Rob Zombie, though replaces his words with terrible terrible Cantrelly lyrics. Sooo disappointed in this song, but didn’t hate it enough to tear apart the whole album, just the afterthought that this seemed finished to them? Hopefully it will grow on me, but man, I just don't know at this point.
I really enjoyed track 4 (Your Decision) Seemed very Sap/Jar of Flies worthy and my only problem with it is that it never goes anywhere. Once it starts you get the feeling of Alice in Chains for sure. Now had William come in stronger over Jerry's voice the song could have really made it's mark. This song feels full and finished though, not quite so demo as the others. The guitar is excellent in this song as Jerry continues to remind us of that throughout the album.
I thought Track 5 (A Looking In View) was close to amazing and as I was listening to it I thought “Man, this is what AIC should sound like in today’s music industry!” But then the song just went on and on and never ever seemed to end then it started all over again, WTF? Was the producer scared to say ANYTHING to Jerry and the gang here? Seemed so. But everything here in this song aside from the fact that it shouldn't have restarted itself in the middle makes a good Alice In Chains jam for sure.
Track 6 (When the sun rose again) is obviously trying to reach back to Jar of Flies, but has a strong interruption into Degradation Trip that is however welcome, though the song also goes no where making it boring in the end, such a waste of potential. Great use of harmonizing between William and Jerry, but just too much Jerry voice, I'm sorry. I know you are the last remaining voice of Alice in Chains, but if you need to be heard so much now then why even have William at all, dude? Let the poor guy out of the wood shed so he can sing a few lines! Either way, nice guitar and music for sure. The lyrics are really awesome though. I just feel like at this point in the album, anything Jerry is singing sounds exactly the same.
Track 7 (Acid bubble) definitely has that AIC feel to it and was refreshing at this point in the album but almost too late to attempt to save it. If this song could have been sped up some more, maybe given a little Facelift jam or even Dirt feel to it, it would have been awesome and not just feel like a Degradation Trip outtake. Now I will say that the guitar jam and vocal chant in the middle and end are awesome and I almost wish the song started right there. But since the 2 parts of the song are such bi-polar opposites they goof the song up when put together, which reminds me of why Degradation Trip 2 disc edition was such a overall iffy failure. Look, I'm not 'stuck in the past' or condemning the band for trying different things and not clinging to what's been done by them, so get over that assumption. All I'm saying is that you put any of their albums up next to each other and this obviously feels less focused on even musically with or without Layne Staley. Okay, back to the review that's as long as the album's feel.
Track 8 (Lessons Learned) should have been the opening track, but it would have made anyone listening automatically say, "Hey, another Jerry solo album." But it is such a good Degradation Trip/Boggy Depot feeling kind of song that it could have almost shown up on Three Legged Dog or a soundtrack (like the 2 badass AIC songs on the Last Action Hero soundtrack - Little Bitter & What the Hell Have I are unbelievable and amazing non album songs). Lessons Learned saves this album from being forgettable in a month from now.
Track 9 (Take her out) was another that I listened to more than the others. I like the idea behind it, musically and lyrically, though have trouble seeing it as an AIC song, or more like where it fits with AIC? It’s just way too Jerry or even something else, and honestly not that great, but good for this album, especially the music side of it. Ultimately, just another semi-boring song on the album sad to say, but good enough to be a selected track pulled out of the album's mess.
Track 10 (Private Hell) is a good AIC type song. It begs from Rain When I Die and Nutshell a bit too much (maybe even the Dirt song) so in that I feel the AIC vibe very very strong on this song and in so I ALMOST love it, but after a few listens instead end up realizing it’s just okay and goes on too long for not being a great enough song capable of 5 minutes. Great guitar solo and feels like an early 90’s song for sure.
The title track to me is just odd and in no way is anything of the AIC name. I just don't feel it yet maybe, but it’s boring though pretty, a little lame and surprisingly short, closing off an album that to me is just too slow and repetitive even for a Jerry solo project.
I have forced myself to listen to (hate to say it like that) this album about six times now. My final decision is that it’s just too slow, every song resembles each other too much or another Chains song too much, and Jerry obviously intended on this to be his next solo album considering he wrote 95% of the album himself, but using a name from the past to push record sales. Whoops.
Now I've seen William live back in 01 and heard him sing some amazing covers of AIC with Jerry back then. This guy is a wicked vocalist but you wouldn’t even know he’s on this album. So disappointing and for every one vocal track of William, we get 3 Jerry vocal tracks that harmonize with each other over his. That may have worked with Layne on Three Legged Dog on a few songs, but obviously Jerry wants to be heard more on this album. Layne, as I’ve come to realize over the years of his absence, had a voice that just came out and existed. Then Jerry would harmonize around it, making it awesome. That’s why it worked, and was such a refreshing and addictive sound. Maybe live Jerry will hold off more, but somehow I doubt it.
Jerry needs to be Jerry with a band. Mike and Sean add close to nothing (I am so disappointed for ever having to say that) to this project other than the fact that when they tour they will be able to play old AIC songs for the crowd’s appeasement as AIC minus Layne and not Jerry with some band no one really knows. The songs are all written out seemingly effortlessly, though the filler and overlaying tracks of guitars are nice, which worries me on why it was even done. I’m not saying that Sean and Mike contributed a TON of writing material to the other albums, but it’s almost like they aren’t even here compared to other albums. I listen to Facelift and every instrument stands out, every vocal track stands out, it’s amazing. Dirt is the same way and Three Legged Dog is where it gets a little hazey, but with songs like Head Creeps and Frogs who the bacon cares, they are amazing in their own and showcase the individual members for sure. This album will never stand up to even Three Legged Dog in my opinion and thus will always be that long awaited Jerry solo follow up to Degradation Trip that didn’t quite cut the mustard beans…
On a final note... it’s almost like the whole time I was listening to it I felt like I was listening to songs in their early stages of formation. This makes me wonder if the producers of the AIC albums of past had more of a hand in the writing and structuring of the songs we know and love. That scares me and I'd rather not believe it. Instead I’d Dan Rather believe that there was either pressure from the record label or just anxiety and fear from Jerry and the gang going into this to make it right and dropped the ball some. Who knows, but it’s an overall okay album, good to hear something of this style so late in the middle of the age of mostly terrible, recycled music and we’ll just have to see what happens next, if anything at all.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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