Not in a big ol' pile of them bones: Alice in Chains is back
Written: Sep 29 '09
Product Rating:
Pros: Amazing, moaning guitars; wonderful, introspective, dark, personal lyrics; perfect vocals by DuVall & Cantrell.
Cons: Many Alice in Chains fans won't even give this a chance, which is unfortunate.
The Bottom Line: Alice in Chains certainly does not stumble in their resurrection from the dead. Black Gives Way to Blue is a splendid album, possibly even the best of 2009.
blindsider's Full Review: Black Gives Way to Blue [Digipak] * by Alice in Ch...
Alice in Chains is in a really unique position right now. The legendary Seattle rock band has just released their first full-length studio album in fourteen years. Think about it. Last time this band released a new album, there was no such thing as online album leaks (which are inevitable these days) and no such thing as iTunes or any "click-and-download" service (which most people use these days). The music industry has changed a lot since 1995. So has technology. And the members of AIC have definitely been vocal about feeling strange regarding all of that.
However, what hasn't changed is a factor of utmost significance: Alice in Chains is still incredible. Black Gives Way to Blue is the debut of new vocalist/guitarist William DuVall, and the first offering of new material since Alice in Chains was essentially laid to rest following the tragic death of singer Layne Staley in 2002. Most AIC followers are cognizant of the fact that guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell has been the heart of the band's songwriting since its inception, so that alone should be an assurance that the music is in very capable hands. It doesn't hurt, of course, that DuVall is no slouch, demonstrating an outstanding vocal range and proving to be exceptional in harmonizing with Cantrell to maintain the trademark AIC "dual-vocal" drone.
It's interesting: when the band (which also includes Sean Kinney on drums and bassist Mike Inez) first announced plans to record new material, dozens of journalists immediately asked "What will it sound like?" Even though that seems like a legitimate question, the Alice in Chains guys truly seemed baffled by such an inquiry. I remember the responses all being in the vein of "Us. It will sound like us." I know that Cantrell has noted time and time again that he doesn't keep up with modern music, so it goes unsaid that they wouldn't be finding new influences that way. Still, even though we all were well informed before hearing Black Gives Way to Blue that the album would sound like, um, Alice in Chains -- there was an insatiable curiosity amongst the band's fanbase regarding how the absence of the phenomenal Staley and the inclusion of DuVall would affect the vibe, the songwriting, the overall cohesion of the music. Be it positive or negative, I think we all suspected that something would be different this time around.
The final verdict? This is all Alice in Chains. Very much Alice in Chains.
Even though there are still plenty of people who insist the band is only "cashing in" on the Alice in Chains name, those persistent cries and protests will soon be silenced. For one, how can they be "cashing in" when this IS the real, authentic band minus their former lead singer, who -- and no disrespect to the untouchable Layne Staley, an extraordinary musician and, in my eyes, the greatest vocalist to have ever existed -- often sang songs he didn't write? Additionally, the band has emphasized time and time again that there's very little money to be made in the music business these days. It's pretty clear cash is not their motivation. Alice in Chains is back because they so intensely craved the process of making new music. Their music is real and 100% heartfelt. Additionally, as anyone who picks the CD up will assuredly learn, there are tributes to Layne (more on a specific tribute later). Even the liner notes made me smile to see that in Sean Kinney's thanks list, he wrote "all of my friends... except that one guy," an allusion to Layne's thanks list in the 1995 self-titled CD's liner notes.
The catchy single "Check My Brain" is centered around a jagged, revving guitar riff (think lawnmower) and an adhesive, soaring chorus. It wastes no time in cementing its place as one of the most instantly infectious songs in the Alice in Chains catalogue. "Last Of My Kind" plays a bit rougher, allowing DuVall to shine on lead vocals. This is an aggressive, pounding one, with a bit of a psychedelic Dirt feel as DuVall's voice quivers and escalates into a shout of sorts.
Plaintive and somber, "Your Decision" unites acoustic guitars with Cantrell's unmatchably powerful, emotive vocals and lyrics. "Overwhelmed, you chose to run / apathetic to the stunned..." This song is really beautiful, extremely moving, and it's already becoming a fan favorite. No surprise there, as it's the truest essence of Alice in Chains. "A Looking In View" clocks in at seven minutes long, with a dark, menacing, snake-like melody and a hammering stop-start rhythm. DuVall and Cantrell share vocal duty here, with DuVall exercising some of his range, commanding full attention here. Maybe the chorus is repeated a couple times too many, but this is still a great song.
Neither fast nor slow, "Lesson Learned" is one of the most straightforward, simple rock songs found on Black Gives Way to Blue (HIGHLY reminiscent of the flow of Cantrell's solo material). I love it because it sounds so free, natural and relaxed, like the band got together, jammed and went in whatever direction they so desired at the time. It has that feel of improvisation, yet everything fits together so flawlessly. Maybe "controlled chaos" is a nice way to describe "Lesson Learned," which also includes excellent lyrics: "In your darkest hour, you strike gold..."
"Private Hell" sounds in certain ways like a sequel to the Dirt classic "Down in a Hole." The verses are slow, gloomy perfection, so full of that chilling, harrowing dual-vocal harmony that at times -- and I never thought I would say this -- it's easy to forget that Layne Staley isn't the one murmuring along with Cantrell here. The guitar work here is overwhelming with feeling, a rush of beautiful melancholy. A short, simple, mesmerizing tribute to Staley, "Black Gives Way to Blue," closes this remarkable music journey. With elegant, tearjerking piano accompaniment from a special guest, one Elton John, Cantrell pours his heart out here for his dear best friend. The sense of loss and mourning is so heavy, but in some weird way, the song is uplifting. The lyrics are intriguing in that they simultaneously seem to reflect Cantrell's feelings of losing Staley and Staley's troubles with slipping deeper into depression and heroin addiction.
I don't want to feel no more It's easier to keep falling Imitations are pale Emptiness... All tomorrows haunted by your ghost...
Black Gives Way to Blue doesn't even sound like something that would be released in 2009, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. This music sounds like it's straight out of the mid-90s. In no way is that an insinuation that Alice in Chains is tritely rehashing their most famous songs. This isn't a carbon copy of Dirt or Facelift or anything else. Rather, this is raw, brilliant, emotional music that is truly hard to find these days. The magic of AIC's music is still alive, and I have no doubt that anyone who listens to Black Gives Way to Blue will quickly realize that.
BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE is the band s first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (vocalist/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kin...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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