Alice In Chains

Jar Of Flies

The Quirk that makes you Smirk

Review Score:

(10/10)
Alice in Chains. Even mentioning the name in the presence of a random sampling of individuals will result in maybe HALF as many responses as there are sounds and textures on Jar of Flies. Alice in Chains have secured their position in the pantheon of rock and roll by crafting memorable songs out of talent, emotion, and just a pinch of elusiveness. Polarized as people's thoughts on the band are (most people either love 'em or hate 'em), the pure refusal by the band to be categorized is what keeps bringing many listeners back for more. From the early 'Facelift' that was labeled Heavy Metal, until the moniker "Grunge" was crafted by the rock writers of the day, and applied to the next effort, 'Dirt.' 'Jar of Flies' takes the quartet in a new direction entirely - jazzy/fusion/country/rock/metal. Sound impossible? I would have thought so too, before many years of prolonged listens to this album.

At seven songs, most differing greatly from the one before or after it, the listener is taken on an interesting ride, that ends before the journey becomes too exhausting. "Rotten Apple" and "Nutshell" have the listener that might be expecting "them Bones" scratching their heads, saying "what happened to the Dirt album?" Once the inital curiosity wears off however, Cantrell's masterfully textured and layered guitars set a steady, and level platform for the distinct voice of the late Layne Staley. The bass and percussion carry this album however. The fusion of the two, keeping a consistently 'on the toes' feeling, yet never off balance.

"I stay away" and "No excuses" begin to sound a bit more like the Alice in Chains that people know and love, but with a sligtly more matured outlook on their craft. "No Excuses" percussion arrangement and sonic characteristics are reborn almost a decade later on Tantric's debut album (Track 2 - Live your Life) - possibly due to the efforts of Toby Wright, a producer/engineer on both efforts.

"Whale and Wasp" could have an entire article written on it alone, and is unlike anything the banc had done to date, and simply needs to be listened to over and over to capture all of Jerry Cantrell's subtle efforts.

As I mentioned earlier, Alice in Chains isn't for everybody, and even those that care for the band's earlier recordings may not dig Jar of Flies as much. But I urge you all, regardless, to give this album a try. It will take some time most likely to fully grasp your attention, and force you to listen intently, but once that happens, you'll thank your patience.

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