Alice In Chains

Jar Of Flies

Smooth

Review Score:

(10/10)
Most people point to Dirt as AIC's best album, but other than its short length Jar of Flies outdoes it in so many ways. This album is perfect to put on if you're feeling depressed and want to stay that way. Easily one of the best acoustic albums to come out of Seattle in the 90's, bettered maybe only by Cobain's MTV Unplugged in New York.

All of the first four songs fit together perfectly, a bunch of downers that you'll just keep playing over and over again. Nutshell may be the saddest song AIC have ever recorded, and I Stay Away and No Excuses are practically epic while still staying laid back. Stayley and Cantrell used the trademark AIC vocal harmonies more on this album than they ever had before, and it works to amazing effect. The sixth track Don't Follow has more of a folky feel or something, but its still as great as the first four songs. The remaining two songs aren't the greatest, but they're certainly not bad. Basically, Jar of Flies was AIC at their peak, even if it wasn't a full-length, and was the CD on which this already original band came across their most unique sound yet. After this one they tossed out the very boring self-titled album and pretty much faded out for good, which makes Jar seem even sadder for some reason. It showed how truly great grunge bands could be if they kept evolving, but instead Pearl Jam got old and boring, AIC and Soundgarden broke up, and Cobain put a bullet through his head.

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