As an old Alice fan I had my doubts any one replace Layne . But this album impressed the shit out me , and I was happy I got to hear a band I loved again 🤘🏼
This album was a HUGE one for me, old school Alice In Chains fan and that summer of 2009 I was anticipating the return of one of my alltime fave bands but without a huge part of what made them who they were in Layne Staley, I still had confidence that Jerry and the boys could pull it off, they released 'A Looking In View' as the first single (a 7 min song!!!..that takes guts) , I was super nervous but 5 seconds in after hearing that riff I KNEW they had done it!! ..They came back like they never missed a beat, then 'Check My Brain' and 'Your Decision' were the next 2 singles and I couldnt believe how great the new material was, I ended up seeing them at 5 shows on that tour (and met the band outside and gotthem to autograph my album booklet and ticket stub) and it was amongst one of the greatest times in my life! ....even this year in February when my dad passed I referenced the lines "Lay down Black Gives Way To Blue, Lay Down, I'll Remember You" in his eulogy . such an important album in my life.
Thanks for the comment! Yeah this album was such a great return for Alice In Chains after their long break following Layne's passing. A Looking In View is such an immense song, I absolutely love the heaviness of it. I love that they picked it as the first single to release from this album. I'm definitely excited to hear the rest of their discography now.
This this is a really solid album. Layne is a legend and will always be missed, but this set proves that AIC is far from done, when most probably wrote them off. The core sound is still there, and William brings some new dimensions to the sound. I've been fortunate to see this lineup live twice, and William really does justice to the classic Layne tracks along with the newer material. Great vid, as always, Molly!
You said it perfectly, Layne will certainly never be replaced but the band did a fantastic job with evolving their sound into something new that works beautifully.
It took me 12 years, give or take, to finally sit down and give this album a chance. I wasn't upset that the band had decided to move on without Layne, I actually thought that was really brave and pretty awesome. I just had to get over my own notion of what Alice in Chains should sound like. Listening to Jerry Cantrell's solo works helped me to recontextualize the music he'd made in Alice. I do (much) prefer the live versions of Your Decision and the "Piano Mix" of Black Gives Way to Blue which features Elton John, I'd would highly recommend giving that version a listen. I'm currently trying to learn Your Decision on guitar because I absolutely love the chord progression. Glad you gave this a chance, it's a really interesting album in their catalogue and demonstrates a lot of emotional maturity by the band. William is just folded so well into the sound it's easy to think he'd always been there. In my humble opinion, Jerry Cantrell doesn't get enough credit as a songwriter, and the band in general still seems to be discredited by critics as some sort of product as their era when their music has only seemingly grown in popularity over time. Which is no surprise given how well its written. But Sean and Mike are both excellent at allowing room for everything in the mix and providing magnetic grooves that pull you into the song under Jerry's heavy riffing. BGWTB is really a stellar album. If you're an older fan like me, it's really worth overcoming any bias you may have and allowing it to be what it is - another rock solid Alice in Chains album. Nothing is replaced, it's simply an addition. Thank you for showcasing this one Molly!
Such a great comment, thanks for taking the time to write it! I completely agree about needing time to let this album grow on you, I can imagine that longtime listeners of the band would be a bit more apprehensive with them continuing on after Layne's passing, but I think it was such a courageous move on the bands part. And they did fantastic with this record in my opinion, it definitely still has that telltale AIC sound to it but they embrace a new style as well that really highlights them all as the brilliant musicians that they are. I am looking forward to continuing on in their discography and hearing more from them!
Yeah, Black Gives Way To Blue exceeded my expectations! They really bring a somehow polished and mature sound to this project while still having so much sludge and heaviness as well. It's so well balanced between the two.
Another great review, I enjoyed it and I was glad to see that you were able to tell that the title track was a sort of a tribute to Layne. One thing I want to clarify is that Jerry Cantrell didn’t really “step in” on vocal duties as he always did vocals. Layne was the lead singer, but Jerry did also did the vocals on a pretty regular basis. Many of the songs you’ve heard have had Layne and Jerry sharing lead vocals or Jerry doing lead vocals.
Thanks for the correction, you're absolutely right. I guess I was talking in regard to the majority of the lead vocals. I love Jerry's voice and am glad he continued to do vocals on Black Gives Way To Blue as well!
This record shows how.much Jerry was in the mix for all those other records.. and I don't know how true this is, but I heard Layne had always pushed Jerry to sing more..
I think you absolutely hit the nail on the head when you said it feels like all the emotions the members had pinned up came pouring out in a big way on this album. This album is a monster, and showcases all of the things AIC is known for: minor harmonies, sludgy guitars, catchy acoustic hits, and solid songwriting. You've been reviewing a lot of great selections as of late. I'm really digging the lineup. Please consider doing a reaction for the album by the band Temple of the Dog. I think you'd really enjoy it and is full of great songwriting, as well.
Yeah, there is such an amazing emotional delivery to this album. They really brought everything to the table in terms of displaying every aspect of their sound. I love how heavy and sludgy it is without losing those beautifully touching melodic moments as well. And as for Temple Of The Dog, they've been suggested quite a bit and I'll definitely consider doing a reaction! Thanks for the suggestion :)
If I remember correctly, "A Looking in View" was the first track they released off that one. I remember listening to it when it finally dropped, excited beyond word that AIC were back.
Jerry Cantrell’s albums Boggy Depot, Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2, and Brighten are definitely worth listening to as well. Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 may just actually be his best work.
This is by far AIC’s best DuVal era album. My favorites on this album are the opening track “All Secrets Known” and the last two tracks “Private Hell” and “Black Gives Way to Blue”. I also think it’s cool how they had Elton John play piano on the last song.
I went to an Alice in chains concert in my town two months ago for my fourteenth birthday. Check my brain played and everybody FREAKED. It was my first concert and Ive been listening to this band ever since.
Jerry sang in the older stuff too, sometimes as lead vocalist even. Heaven Beside You for example is Jerry singing most of it with Layne coming in during the chorus in the background. Layne had such a great range, it's understandable you'd think he did all the vocals before, but Jerry was always there.
Jerry does the leads, William mostly does backing and high harmonies behind Jerry. He does do lead's on a few tracks though. William is great he has a very complementary voice to Jerry's on the high end to Jerry's low end. William is also an exceptional guitar player and having him as a second guitar player really punches up the sound when they play live.
What you said here is absolutely on point. Where before, Layne was the lower end and Jerry was the high end. And they still have that amazing harmony, it's just a different sound to it. And the songs William takes the lead on, he absolutely smashes out of the park. Pretty sure he has more leads on the next album.
I saw William before they made any new music with AIC and he actually won me over that night and I loved this album so much.. Sad i never got to see Layne live ... AIC has always been a favorite band of mine "Your Decision" is a classic AIC song
I love William's vocals on this record, so glad that he joined the band. He really melds so well with their sound. And that's funny they toured with Deftones after this album, I can totally see that! A very similar vibe with the heavier tone on Black Gives Way To Blue.
I actually like this album. I was a little concerned with the direction the group was going to go without Layne Staley, but after giving this album a chance, it proves that Alice in chains is in good hands with William Devall. Now I want to go back and listen to this album again.
I'm not gonna lie I was a little apprehensive going into this reaction because I loved Layne's vocals so much, they seemed like such an integral part of Alice In Chains. But they proved me wrong, I thought Black Gives Way To Blue was a beautiful record that showcased so many elements of their sound. It brings a lot of the heavy sludge while also embracing a beautifully emotional aspect as well. Really impressive album, I'm so glad the band decided to stay together, and I'm looking forward to the rest of their discography now.
Easily one of the greatest comeback albums, there are very few bands that can come back as strong as AiC, the Duvall era is definitely amazing in it's own way, unfortunately there are so many Layne purists that think the band ended with him, not true at all, it's just the same iconic band with a somehow fitting replacement that never feels like a tarnishing of Layne's legacy either.
I was SO pleasantly surprised by this album when it came out. My friend told me they were working on the new album with Duvall and was extremely skeptical. But when I sat and listened to it that first time I was BLOWN away at how raw and emotional it was. It's my favorite album of the Duvall era.
The song BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE is sung by guitarist Jerry Cantrell ONLY with Elton John on piano and backing vocals. It was Jerry, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney's eulogy to founding singer Layne Staley seven years after Layne died. William DuVall is NOT on this track as it was a personal thing to Jerry, Mike and Sean. Layne met Jerry Cantrell ONE TIME, found out he had no family in the area, he had little money left and Layne (drunkenly) offered Jerry a place to live, he gave Jerry the guitars and gear he needed, Layne set Jerry up with a life. He set him up with a band when he gave Jerry the number to Sean Kinney's girlfriend and found out that the girlfriend was Mike Starr's sister. He encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all they were Jerry's lyrics, Jerry should sing them. Vice-versa, Jerry encouraged Layne to play guitar. It's how you got Layne playing guitar on ANGRY CHAIR and HATE TO FEEL. I'm sure Jerry would have made it on his own without Layne, but it would have been the long scenic route to get there. -- Jerry wrote ROOSTER about his father's experiences in Vietnam and when Jerry saw his dad in the audience at one of their shows, Jerry asked Layne (and the guys) to play ROOSTER and they did. It was the first time Jerry's dad heard Jerry's music and knew that his son understood him through that song. It brought Jerry and his dad closer together. After hearing the song, Jerry's dad agreed to be in the official video for ROOSTER. And Layne had a vital part in that reunion. (Meanwhile Layne's own biological father was an opportunist) -- Rolling Stone magazine has some unknown thing to do with the Hall of Fame, and after what Rolling Stone did to Layne and the band in the 1996 The Needle and the Damage Done article ("Oh no, it will be about the music" "Oh yeah, the band's picture will be on the cover" turns out it was only Layne on the cover and the article focused on Layne's addiction -- which Layne DID NOT want to happen -- and everything going wrong internally with the band.) that pissed off AIC management and the entire band to the point they threatened to kick the writer's ass over it. I don't see Rolling Stone chomping at the bit to vote AIC into the Hall of Fame. Although if they do finally get in with William as the singer and NOT Layne. I'm going to be pissed. -- Even at the end, with little to no teeth left and a lisp, he still had a vocal range that could run rings around any other grunge singer (including Cornell in my opinion). Layne was one guy who DID NOT need auto tune or Pro-Tools until around 1998. He stacked his own vocals, lyrics, harmonies, etc he did it all himself. -- The Dirt album, most of the songs written by Layne, aside from a handful of them, concern his own feelings about his drug addiction. He knew he had made a mistake by getting into drugs. He wanted his fans to LEARN FROM his mistakes, he never wanted them to follow in his footsteps. Having a fan come up and tell him they were high was the exact opposite of what he intended. -- As for having to cancel the tour with Metallica in 1994, James Hetfield is a jackass. JERRY was the one who was friends with the guys in Metallica. Layne wasn't. Layne tolerated the Metallica guys being in the front row of the Unplugged show for Jerry's sake. There's no love lost between Layne and Metallica since AIC had to cancel the 1994 tour with Metallica and James Hetfield made fun of Layne's addiction because AIC couldn't do large tours due to Layne's addiction. When Hetfield went through his own stint in rehab for being an alcoholic, he had the audacity to ask for "understanding" while he went through his rehab. Yet, he didn't give that same "understanding" to Layne when Layne was going through it. During the second KISS show in 1996 Layne took a shot at Metallica for wearing mascara and eyeliner, etc etc which they were at the time. Metallica says their Death Magnetic album started out as a tribute to Layne and SHINE was about Layne, but they did that for Jerry not because they all of a sudden started to like Layne after he died. "Oh, but Lars named his kid Layne." If he did it was a guilty conscience that got the better of him for how Metallica treated Layne. -- Layne had tried rehab 13 times, but he could never completely give it up. He tried quitting cold turkey on two of the last attempts at rehab, but that didn't work either. Mad Season is made up of Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and John Baker Saundersm McCready and Baker went through rehab together. They all got together and dragged Layne out of his condo, got him excited about doing ABOVE album, thinking if he was creative he wouldn't want the drugs, and for the length of time it took to do that, Layne was excited about the project, but it didn't curb his drug habit. Layne wrote the lyrics to the original songs he sang on the ABOVE album and he drew the cover art for the album. -- The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged and he knew it. He was just high enough to do the show to deal with withdrawal and so he didn't get dope sick. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon. That show was filmed in April, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse. -- Demri’s death devastated Layne. A few months later, Layne asked her mother for the teddy bear Demri had with her in the hospital and a few other things. It took another few weeks and an accidental meeting on a busy street to exchange the items. The consensus was that Layne never got over Demri’s death. He used her death as the catalyst to go into a drug-induced tailspin in which he would take his addiction to lengths few could imagine or sustain. People didn't see Layne outside of sporadic outings after those shows. Other musicians tried to spark a creative flair in Layne to see if they could help him, and he'd light up for the time it took to do the project and then shut down again. Jerry showed him the music for DIED and GET BORN AGAIN, and Layne wrote the lyrics for those songs, but when he showed up to record them, he had dropped to 90 pounds, he lost nearly all his teeth and had a lisp and HE STILL killed the vocals. If you listen to the two times he called into Rockline in 1998 and 1999, he's still Layne, with his humor and wit. Mike Starr was the last one to see him for all anyone knows and what I took from that was that while Layne was telling Mike that he (Layne) was sick, he still tried to get Mike to give up his own prescription drug habit. After that, no one noticed Layne had died because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. AIC drummer Sean Kinney and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana would take food to Layne, but he never opened the door for them. Sean would stand outside his building and yell for Layne to open the door and he never did. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911. And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike Inez and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show. Alice In Chains was a band, but they were also a family. They had internal issues just like any family. When Layne died, it was like losing a loved one, a family member, you don't think of the fights you had with the person who died. You defend their memory. There is a reason Jerry wrote NO EXCUSES about Layne and the line "You, my friend, I will defend / And if we change, well, I'll love you anyway." Layne was on this earth for 34 years. In that time he wrote songs that gave a normal person insight into the mind and journey of an addict. The pain and depression he endured to write the most brutally honest lyrics a musician could write concerning his feelings on his own addiction and the emotional and physical strength he had to perform those songs live when all he wanted to do was curl away and lose himself in the drug haze I can’t imagine what it was like for him. He was hounded by the press about his addiction. He was ridiculed for his addiction. The music industry blackballed him for his addiction. The Grammys forgot about him when he died. As far as MTV and Rolling Stone were concerned he’s just another addicted singer. They don’t want to acknowledge his contributions to music. Layne was so much more than his drug addiction. He was able to come up with lyrics and harmonies off the top of his head. He knew enough to know that Jerry Cantrell was playing with the wrong people and gave him contact info for Sean Kinney and Mike Starr. He wrote the lyrics for the songs he sang on Mad Season's Above album and drew the cover art for that album. Layne was a genius in his own right. Maybe not with the 149 IQ, but he still was able to figure things out in a snap off the top of his head. Layne just had his demons. I could say so much more, but in the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press.
I loved the first two albums with William on them. He's a special talent and a great fit for the band. As far as this album goes, I see it mostly as Jerry grieving and saying goodbye to Layne.
Oh Molly, thank you for this! I've been waiting so long lol. It made my day and much more. You're the first reactor that finally took this album seriously and did a full reaction. Everyone else sticks to the old stuff for views and it's so damn refreshing to have someone not care about that. I look forward to The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, but again thank you so much. You do great work, keep it up kiddo!
❤️ Your comment just made my heart melt, thank you so much for the kind words! Alice In Chains is such a fantastic band, I definitely need to hear their whole discography. Not gonna lie I was really skeptical going into this reaction because Layne really brought something special to their early stuff. But boy AIC really proved me wrong with this one. They did fantastic, and William Duvall really fits right in with their sound. Can't wait to hear The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here next!
Really great, Molly. You're analysis is always so well articulated. I wish you had a similarly themed radio show. I'd absolutely listen to a long form version of this.
Aww thanks! Glad you enjoyed the reaction. I've definitely considered doing a podcast or some sort of long form unedited content, I think it'd be a lot of fun!
I'm glad that you liked this one. It is one of my fav Alice In Chains albums. The title track hit hard. Being a strong AIC fan, that song was hard to hear but necessary. An appropriate goodbye to Layne and the hope of a brighter future. William Duvall is such a huge addition to this band. I'm so glad that they continued albeit after a long hiatus. But well worth the wait.
Yeah that sludginess of theirs really does hit hard on this one. Those instrumentals are thick but William and Jerry do something unique that I enjoy. There's a sense of melancholy that I think really defines this era of their vocal combo. Layne wasn't shy to melancholy but he had a ton more power and higher highs in his deliveries whereas these two maintain a droning sound on top of the powerful instrumentals. Even on Check My Brain which is one of the higher moments where they could soar if they wanted to vocally, they don't hit that zenith which isn't at all an insult. I love that subdued nature as it allows me to rest in a darker headspace with the post-Layne albums that feels so cocoon-like. Anyways, that was a lot but yeah, I'm glad you dig it. It's nice that they keep marching on with gusto.
For completionist's sake, you should give Jerry Cantrell's "solo" project a listen. It's actually Alice in Chains without Layne, but it's all material Jerry wrote after Layne died. Jerry has the drier, lower voice. William takes Layne's place in the vocal range of the group.
Finally got around to your reaction to this album and I have to say what a great reaction you have, this album is fabulous. I wasn't sure what to expect now Layne has gone but I'm glad I checked it out as it's a great album. 'A looking in view' was the first song I heard of it and I was hooked instantly as it's so heavy and catchy. Cantrell's vocals are great as well as Duvall's. This is one of my favourite albums
Layne Staley's first concert ever was a Elton John's and he was playing the piano on Black give way to blue, that's Jerry's song for Layne, really cool
I didn't realize until it was mentioned in the comments that Elton John was on piano for the title track, that's so cool. Such a beautiful song and a great tribute to Layne.
Just made a high pitched squee when I refreshed my page & saw this. Now wondering if my flatmates heard me… Alice In Chains new material is more streamlined than the older stuff & has more of a formula to it. For me Black Gives Way to Blue is the strongest of the 3 but the next album is real nice if your a fan of the sludge & doom that AIC does. A great & unique band from the 90s barely anyone reacts to is Morphine & their debut “Good” is such a fantastic mood that once again, brings you into a world of their own. Apologies, I know I’ve recommended something on every comment I’ve left on this channel but it’s not my fault there’s so much good (haha) music out there. 😅
Haha, glad you were looking forward to this one! Sorry I had y'all wait 8 months since the last AIC reaction... that was a bit cruel of me lol. But yes this record was a great re-introduction to the band after Layne's passing, I loved the sound of it. Very streamlined as you put it, and I personally loved that sludgy style that it has. Really excited to hear the rest of their albums now! And I'll have to add Morphine to my list, thank you for the suggestion :)
@@mollyesanbornHonestly I thought the wait was intentional given how long it was since before Black gives way to Blue, the last thing AIC released was in 1999 (and that was 2 songs in a compilation) - always worth it for the reaction!
@@mollyesanborn Boggy Depot is a masterpiece in my opinion. It has a similar feel to Jar of Flies and Sap ( A little heavier in the instrumentals department), but also much different at the same time, with lots of guest musicians too. Degradation Trip 1 and 2 is a very heavy double album and pretty depressing at times because Jerry was in a dark place at that point in his life, and to make matters worse Layne passed away during the tour for that one. Finally, Brighton is a very mature album, now as an older, wiser man, he just sounds much happier and calm on that album. All three are amazing and I think you would like each one a lot.
Ah, nice Molly! Was not sure if you were going to continue on with Alice in Chains? Very cool. Also, when you get a chance listen to the song "What the Hell Have I." It's one of my favorite Alice in Chains songs but it's off of the Last Action Hero soundtrack. 👍💯
Thanks for watching! Yeah this reaction took me WAY TOO LONG to get to, sorry I kept y'all waiting! I loved this record though, I thought that Alice In Chains did a fantastic job with creating a new style without going too far out of the box. And thanks for letting me know about What The Hell Have I, I'll have to give it a listen!
This album is great. For me is the second best of their albums and it has one of my favourite songs in general: Check my brain. Maybe with Layne could have been their best.
Yeah I can see this album taking some time to grow on listeners, especially for long time fans of the band who were so used to Layne's voice. They really did a fantastic job with staying true to their original style while introducing something new as well.
Glad you enjoyed the reaction, that's too bad that their later albums without Layne are often overlooked. Black Gives Way To Blue is beautiful, I love how heavy and at times atmospheric this one goes. Can't wait to hear the rest of their albums!
Jerry Cantrell's solo stuff is also definitely worth checking out. As for right now he has 3 solo albums: Boggy Depot, Degradation Trip Vol 1 and 2, and Brighten.
Not sure if you take suggestions from the YT comment section, but based on stuff you've reacted to and liked before, here are my recommendations for band reactions, where whole albums/discographies are worth listening to: Sunny Day Real Estate Sevendust Nirvana Stone Temple Pilots P.O.D. Quicksand King's X Radiohead Queens of the Stone Age 311 Skid Row Cinderella and of course continue through the discographies you already started for any band that you enjoyed :) thanks for the content!
Nice list! Thank you for all of the suggestions. I still need to check out all of those bands except Nirvana I've heard a fair amount of songs from, and Radiohead is one of my favorite bands actually. I did a discography ranking a while back on the channel for all of their albums.
You've got to review Jerry Cantrell's degradation trip volumes 1 and 2 at some point. It's like having another AIC album with a mix of the dark sludgy stuff with the occasional brighter tunes.
1:38 Jerry takes the guitar pick and plucks the strings past the bridge along where it wraps to those knobs, where the strings are super tight. Heh, I know that one!
Pretty good album. When it comes to this era, Rainier Fog is my favorite but this one would be my second favorite. A Looking In View has to be my favorite, especially because of the riffs.
Holy Hell, was really looking forward to this, so, if u enjoyed BGWTB, u r definitively gonna check out "the devil put dinosaurs here", MASSIVELY underrated Anyway, keep up the good content
Hello Molly, I like the way you react to the albums, so far I've been following them all, I really liked it, about Alice in Chains, I'm one of those old guys from the beginning when Man in the box exploded, everywhere, after the death of Layne, the guys stopped for a bit, to make matters worse, bassist Mike Star also died a few years later, I thought I wouldn't see any more of their albums, until I found Jerry's solo albums, I can recommend one in particular, Degradation Trip, I believe that you will like
Sir Elton John played the piano in the title track. And there's an alternative piano mix version of the song too! th-cam.com/video/IgaGzuYLyq0/w-d-xo.html This album is amazing, and I was glad to see them go on after Layne's passing. William is a great vocalist and guitarist in his own right (check out his band Comes With The Fall if interested, they're groovy) and he fits perfectly with the band. He doesn't try to imitate Layne at all, he has his own style. If there was a flaw with this album, it's that William didn't get to sing lead enough and I think he should've at least got one or two more songs to lead on. But I get it, without Layne here Jerry is now the frontman of AIC and with that in mind you can see the progression between the self-titled to Black Gives Way To Blue. With the self-titled album, Jerry started to gain confidence to sing more, and on this album (and the two past it) he's now the primary vocalist on most of the tracks, with William doing harmony and backing vocals with a few leads here and there. There is a bit of a side quest here if you're curious. Jerry Cantrell released two solo albums before AIC reformed; Boggy Creek and Degradation Trip. Boggy Creek is kinda a Alice In Chains without Layne as it features Mike on bass and Sean on drums, and it's an amazing album too. You can see more of the progression from the self-titled album to this album with those two solo albums. Degradation Trip is an amazing and very catchy album. Originally it was supposed to be a double album but the record label essentially forced Jerry to release it with 14 tracks. Degradation Trip was fortunately re-released as a double album, Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. Highly recommended album! Layne was able to record a side project too before he passed, Mad Season. It's a supergroup with Layne, Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, etc. They recorded a single album, Above, and it's an great album too with some interesting jazz, baroque pop, progressive rock, grunge, etc. influences all mixed together in one. Highly recommended too!
Thanks for all of the info! I will definitely give that piano mix version of the title track a listen. I'll definitely plan on a Mad Season reaction once I finish up with all of Alice In Chains' albums, I'd love to hear Layne's vocals again on another project. I'll have to check out those two solo albums of Jerry's as well, thanks for letting me know!
I'd like you to listen to Solitude Aeturnus - Alone, and also Celtic Frost - Monotheist. (If you dare!). To switch it up, Kara Jackson's 2023 release is beautiful... Happy listening.
I’m sad I didn’t get to watch your Unplugged reaction before it got taken down! :( Hope you can reupload it maybe without the music audio so it can stay up.
Thank you! So glad that you're enjoying the channel. I'd love to check out Death's music sometime, I will be sure that your suggestion is on my list :)
It's your decision song is probably my fav song of all time. I will say i do not like William Duvall though. Jerry Cantrell has alot of good songs on his own too in case you are curious. Also of note, if you like Layne Staley you can listen to Mad Season. Some good songs that Staley sings for them. One on top of my head is called "River of Deceit." And if you want to listen to a singer who sounds 95% like Layne Staley listen to Chout and Skorned. Skorned did one album then disbanded. The lead singer then later started Chout. Which is still a current band. One Chout song is "Seasons", One song from Skorned would be "Psychosis." Both on youtube.. Singers name is Brendan Maier But yeah, this album in your video is so diverse unlike other aic albums of the past. I love this album. Alice in chains is only 1 of maybe 3 bands i can actually listen to every song they make. Godsmack and Staind for sure being the other two.
Yeah, I've done Jar Of Flies already and absolutely loved it! Here's the link if you're interested: th-cam.com/video/vltdDe8vSUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EA2X-ZV9HDSqmoCJ
Fun fact: Elton John played piano in “black gives way to blue.”
Oh really, I didn't realize! I absolutely love the piano on that track, such a beautiful way to close out the album.
Underrated album IMO
Yeah, this one was great! Such a well crafted album.
@@mollyesanborn Totally
As an old Alice fan
I had my doubts any one replace Layne .
But this album impressed the shit out me , and I was happy I got to hear a band I loved again 🤘🏼
I agree, I went in to this reaction a bit skeptical but Alice In Chains quickly proved me wrong. They did a great job with this record!
Jerry Cantrell was always the heart of aic, and a great singer in his own right. Layne's voice added another level that will always be missed. ❤
Well said!
To me, Jerry has always been the brains. Layne was the heart.
This album was a HUGE one for me, old school Alice In Chains fan and that summer of 2009 I was anticipating the return of one of my alltime fave bands but without a huge part of what made them who they were in Layne Staley, I still had confidence that Jerry and the boys could pull it off, they released 'A Looking In View' as the first single (a 7 min song!!!..that takes guts) , I was super nervous but 5 seconds in after hearing that riff I KNEW they had done it!! ..They came back like they never missed a beat, then 'Check My Brain' and 'Your Decision' were the next 2 singles and I couldnt believe how great the new material was, I ended up seeing them at 5 shows on that tour (and met the band outside and gotthem to autograph my album booklet and ticket stub) and it was amongst one of the greatest times in my life! ....even this year in February when my dad passed I referenced the lines "Lay down Black Gives Way To Blue, Lay Down, I'll Remember You" in his eulogy . such an important album in my life.
Thanks for the comment! Yeah this album was such a great return for Alice In Chains after their long break following Layne's passing. A Looking In View is such an immense song, I absolutely love the heaviness of it. I love that they picked it as the first single to release from this album. I'm definitely excited to hear the rest of their discography now.
This this is a really solid album. Layne is a legend and will always be missed, but this set proves that AIC is far from done, when most probably wrote them off. The core sound is still there, and William brings some new dimensions to the sound.
I've been fortunate to see this lineup live twice, and William really does justice to the classic Layne tracks along with the newer material. Great vid, as always, Molly!
You said it perfectly, Layne will certainly never be replaced but the band did a fantastic job with evolving their sound into something new that works beautifully.
It took me 12 years, give or take, to finally sit down and give this album a chance. I wasn't upset that the band had decided to move on without Layne, I actually thought that was really brave and pretty awesome. I just had to get over my own notion of what Alice in Chains should sound like. Listening to Jerry Cantrell's solo works helped me to recontextualize the music he'd made in Alice. I do (much) prefer the live versions of Your Decision and the "Piano Mix" of Black Gives Way to Blue which features Elton John, I'd would highly recommend giving that version a listen. I'm currently trying to learn Your Decision on guitar because I absolutely love the chord progression. Glad you gave this a chance, it's a really interesting album in their catalogue and demonstrates a lot of emotional maturity by the band. William is just folded so well into the sound it's easy to think he'd always been there. In my humble opinion, Jerry Cantrell doesn't get enough credit as a songwriter, and the band in general still seems to be discredited by critics as some sort of product as their era when their music has only seemingly grown in popularity over time. Which is no surprise given how well its written. But Sean and Mike are both excellent at allowing room for everything in the mix and providing magnetic grooves that pull you into the song under Jerry's heavy riffing. BGWTB is really a stellar album. If you're an older fan like me, it's really worth overcoming any bias you may have and allowing it to be what it is - another rock solid Alice in Chains album. Nothing is replaced, it's simply an addition. Thank you for showcasing this one Molly!
Such a great comment, thanks for taking the time to write it! I completely agree about needing time to let this album grow on you, I can imagine that longtime listeners of the band would be a bit more apprehensive with them continuing on after Layne's passing, but I think it was such a courageous move on the bands part. And they did fantastic with this record in my opinion, it definitely still has that telltale AIC sound to it but they embrace a new style as well that really highlights them all as the brilliant musicians that they are. I am looking forward to continuing on in their discography and hearing more from them!
I love all the 90s albums by them but maaan this album was always my top 1. Absolutely adore every single moment of this thing.
Yeah, Black Gives Way To Blue exceeded my expectations! They really bring a somehow polished and mature sound to this project while still having so much sludge and heaviness as well. It's so well balanced between the two.
William is awesome, I listen to All Secrets Known almost everyday. Such a great introduction to a band
Yeah, I loved him and Jerry both doing the vocals on this album. Their voices really go well together.
@@mollyesanborn they really do!!! I loved the video Molly! Same as always ☺️☺️🥰
Another great review, I enjoyed it and I was glad to see that you were able to tell that the title track was a sort of a tribute to Layne.
One thing I want to clarify is that Jerry Cantrell didn’t really “step in” on vocal duties as he always did vocals. Layne was the lead singer, but Jerry did also did the vocals on a pretty regular basis. Many of the songs you’ve heard have had Layne and Jerry sharing lead vocals or Jerry doing lead vocals.
Thanks for the correction, you're absolutely right. I guess I was talking in regard to the majority of the lead vocals. I love Jerry's voice and am glad he continued to do vocals on Black Gives Way To Blue as well!
Yeah, with an addict like Layne as the lead singer, it was wise to have backup
No disrespect intended
This record shows how.much Jerry was in the mix for all those other records.. and I don't know how true this is, but I heard Layne had always pushed Jerry to sing more..
I think you absolutely hit the nail on the head when you said it feels like all the emotions the members had pinned up came pouring out in a big way on this album. This album is a monster, and showcases all of the things AIC is known for: minor harmonies, sludgy guitars, catchy acoustic hits, and solid songwriting.
You've been reviewing a lot of great selections as of late. I'm really digging the lineup. Please consider doing a reaction for the album by the band Temple of the Dog. I think you'd really enjoy it and is full of great songwriting, as well.
Yeah, there is such an amazing emotional delivery to this album. They really brought everything to the table in terms of displaying every aspect of their sound. I love how heavy and sludgy it is without losing those beautifully touching melodic moments as well. And as for Temple Of The Dog, they've been suggested quite a bit and I'll definitely consider doing a reaction! Thanks for the suggestion :)
If I remember correctly, "A Looking in View" was the first track they released off that one. I remember listening to it when it finally dropped, excited beyond word that AIC were back.
Jerry Cantrell’s albums Boggy Depot, Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2, and Brighten are definitely worth listening to as well. Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 may just actually be his best work.
This is by far AIC’s best DuVal era album. My favorites on this album are the opening track “All Secrets Known” and the last two tracks “Private Hell” and “Black Gives Way to Blue”. I also think it’s cool how they had Elton John play piano on the last song.
I went to an Alice in chains concert in my town two months ago for my fourteenth birthday. Check my brain played and everybody FREAKED. It was my first concert and Ive been listening to this band ever since.
Jerry sang in the older stuff too, sometimes as lead vocalist even. Heaven Beside You for example is Jerry singing most of it with Layne coming in during the chorus in the background.
Layne had such a great range, it's understandable you'd think he did all the vocals before, but Jerry was always there.
Jerry does the leads, William mostly does backing and high harmonies behind Jerry. He does do lead's on a few tracks though. William is great he has a very complementary voice to Jerry's on the high end to Jerry's low end. William is also an exceptional guitar player and having him as a second guitar player really punches up the sound when they play live.
William was a great addition for this record, I loved the harmonizing between his voice and Jerry's.
What you said here is absolutely on point. Where before, Layne was the lower end and Jerry was the high end. And they still have that amazing harmony, it's just a different sound to it. And the songs William takes the lead on, he absolutely smashes out of the park. Pretty sure he has more leads on the next album.
This album is a classic to me. One of the greatest comebacks ever.
I saw William before they made any new music with AIC and he actually won me over that night and I loved this album so much.. Sad i never got to see Layne live ... AIC has always been a favorite band of mine "Your Decision" is a classic AIC song
Ha deftones vibe they toured together after this album one of my fav shows i've been to.
I love William's vocals on this record, so glad that he joined the band. He really melds so well with their sound. And that's funny they toured with Deftones after this album, I can totally see that! A very similar vibe with the heavier tone on Black Gives Way To Blue.
Layne Staley will always be missed, one of the best voices in music history, but this album is a Classsic in my mind, love every second of it
What a great underrated album!
The title track made me cry first time I heard it knowing it's about Layne. Miss you Layne
I actually like this album. I was a little concerned with the direction the group was going to go without Layne Staley, but after giving this album a chance, it proves that Alice in chains is in good hands with William Devall. Now I want to go back and listen to this album again.
I'm not gonna lie I was a little apprehensive going into this reaction because I loved Layne's vocals so much, they seemed like such an integral part of Alice In Chains. But they proved me wrong, I thought Black Gives Way To Blue was a beautiful record that showcased so many elements of their sound. It brings a lot of the heavy sludge while also embracing a beautifully emotional aspect as well. Really impressive album, I'm so glad the band decided to stay together, and I'm looking forward to the rest of their discography now.
Easily one of the greatest comeback albums, there are very few bands that can come back as strong as AiC, the Duvall era is definitely amazing in it's own way, unfortunately there are so many Layne purists that think the band ended with him, not true at all, it's just the same iconic band with a somehow fitting replacement that never feels like a tarnishing of Layne's legacy either.
I was SO pleasantly surprised by this album when it came out. My friend told me they were working on the new album with Duvall and was extremely skeptical. But when I sat and listened to it that first time I was BLOWN away at how raw and emotional it was. It's my favorite album of the Duvall era.
They did a fantastic job, I agree! William's presence on this record is great, he blends so well with the rest of the band.
The song BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE is sung by guitarist Jerry Cantrell ONLY with Elton John on piano and backing vocals. It was Jerry, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney's eulogy to founding singer Layne Staley seven years after Layne died. William DuVall is NOT on this track as it was a personal thing to Jerry, Mike and Sean.
Layne met Jerry Cantrell ONE TIME, found out he had no family in the area, he had little money left and Layne (drunkenly) offered Jerry a place to live, he gave Jerry the guitars and gear he needed, Layne set Jerry up with a life. He set him up with a band when he gave Jerry the number to Sean Kinney's girlfriend and found out that the girlfriend was Mike Starr's sister. He encouraged Jerry to sing more because after all they were Jerry's lyrics, Jerry should sing them. Vice-versa, Jerry encouraged Layne to play guitar. It's how you got Layne playing guitar on ANGRY CHAIR and HATE TO FEEL. I'm sure Jerry would have made it on his own without Layne, but it would have been the long scenic route to get there.
-- Jerry wrote ROOSTER about his father's experiences in Vietnam and when Jerry saw his dad in the audience at one of their shows, Jerry asked Layne (and the guys) to play ROOSTER and they did. It was the first time Jerry's dad heard Jerry's music and knew that his son understood him through that song. It brought Jerry and his dad closer together. After hearing the song, Jerry's dad agreed to be in the official video for ROOSTER. And Layne had a vital part in that reunion. (Meanwhile Layne's own biological father was an opportunist)
-- Rolling Stone magazine has some unknown thing to do with the Hall of Fame, and after what Rolling Stone did to Layne and the band in the 1996 The Needle and the Damage Done article ("Oh no, it will be about the music" "Oh yeah, the band's picture will be on the cover" turns out it was only Layne on the cover and the article focused on Layne's addiction -- which Layne DID NOT want to happen -- and everything going wrong internally with the band.) that pissed off AIC management and the entire band to the point they threatened to kick the writer's ass over it. I don't see Rolling Stone chomping at the bit to vote AIC into the Hall of Fame. Although if they do finally get in with William as the singer and NOT Layne. I'm going to be pissed.
-- Even at the end, with little to no teeth left and a lisp, he still had a vocal range that could run rings around any other grunge singer (including Cornell in my opinion). Layne was one guy who DID NOT need auto tune or Pro-Tools until around 1998. He stacked his own vocals, lyrics, harmonies, etc he did it all himself.
-- The Dirt album, most of the songs written by Layne, aside from a handful of them, concern his own feelings about his drug addiction. He knew he had made a mistake by getting into drugs. He wanted his fans to LEARN FROM his mistakes, he never wanted them to follow in his footsteps. Having a fan come up and tell him they were high was the exact opposite of what he intended.
-- As for having to cancel the tour with Metallica in 1994, James Hetfield is a jackass. JERRY was the one who was friends with the guys in Metallica. Layne wasn't. Layne tolerated the Metallica guys being in the front row of the Unplugged show for Jerry's sake. There's no love lost between Layne and Metallica since AIC had to cancel the 1994 tour with Metallica and James Hetfield made fun of Layne's addiction because AIC couldn't do large tours due to Layne's addiction. When Hetfield went through his own stint in rehab for being an alcoholic, he had the audacity to ask for "understanding" while he went through his rehab. Yet, he didn't give that same "understanding" to Layne when Layne was going through it. During the second KISS show in 1996 Layne took a shot at Metallica for wearing mascara and eyeliner, etc etc which they were at the time. Metallica says their Death Magnetic album started out as a tribute to Layne and SHINE was about Layne, but they did that for Jerry not because they all of a sudden started to like Layne after he died. "Oh, but Lars named his kid Layne." If he did it was a guilty conscience that got the better of him for how Metallica treated Layne.
-- Layne had tried rehab 13 times, but he could never completely give it up. He tried quitting cold turkey on two of the last attempts at rehab, but that didn't work either. Mad Season is made up of Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and John Baker Saundersm McCready and Baker went through rehab together. They all got together and dragged Layne out of his condo, got him excited about doing ABOVE album, thinking if he was creative he wouldn't want the drugs, and for the length of time it took to do that, Layne was excited about the project, but it didn't curb his drug habit. Layne wrote the lyrics to the original songs he sang on the ABOVE album and he drew the cover art for the album.
-- The Unplugged show in 1996 is so heartbreaking to watch because he was deep in his heroin addiction (and yes, I know he was other drugs). His liver was damaged and he knew it. He was just high enough to do the show to deal with withdrawal and so he didn't get dope sick. He was such a ghost of himself during Unplugged. (Of course, Jerry had food poisoning) All Jerry saw when he looked over at Layne was his best friend was going to die soon. That show was filmed in April, 1996, premiered in May 1996. They did four shows with KISS in June-July 1996, after which Layne survived an overdose and became a recluse.
-- Demri’s death devastated Layne. A few months later, Layne asked her mother for the teddy bear Demri had with her in the hospital and a few other things. It took another few weeks and an accidental meeting on a busy street to exchange the items. The consensus was that Layne never got over Demri’s death. He used her death as the catalyst to go into a drug-induced tailspin in which he would take his addiction to lengths few could imagine or sustain.
People didn't see Layne outside of sporadic outings after those shows. Other musicians tried to spark a creative flair in Layne to see if they could help him, and he'd light up for the time it took to do the project and then shut down again. Jerry showed him the music for DIED and GET BORN AGAIN, and Layne wrote the lyrics for those songs, but when he showed up to record them, he had dropped to 90 pounds, he lost nearly all his teeth and had a lisp and HE STILL killed the vocals. If you listen to the two times he called into Rockline in 1998 and 1999, he's still Layne, with his humor and wit.
Mike Starr was the last one to see him for all anyone knows and what I took from that was that while Layne was telling Mike that he (Layne) was sick, he still tried to get Mike to give up his own prescription drug habit.
After that, no one noticed Layne had died because he never answered the phone nor opened the door. AIC drummer Sean Kinney and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana would take food to Layne, but he never opened the door for them. Sean would stand outside his building and yell for Layne to open the door and he never did. It took inactivity over the span of two weeks for his ACCOUNTANT to notice something was wrong and called Susan Silver who called Layne's mother to alert her to the situation who then called 911.
And to pour salt in the wound, MTV (and the music industry) has more or less blackballed Layne (and yet, they laud over Kurt Cobain every April 5th, because Kurt was the "face of grunge", meanwhile Layne gets a "by the way"). The Grammys went so far as to invite Jerry, Mike Inez and Sean to the Grammy show in 2003 and then refused to put Layne's picture up in the memorial of the musicians who died in 2002. (Or they "forgot" to) which pissed Jerry, Mike and Sean off and they walked out on the show.
Alice In Chains was a band, but they were also a family. They had internal issues just like any family. When Layne died, it was like losing a loved one, a family member, you don't think of the fights you had with the person who died. You defend their memory. There is a reason Jerry wrote NO EXCUSES about Layne and the line "You, my friend, I will defend / And if we change, well, I'll love you anyway."
Layne was on this earth for 34 years. In that time he wrote songs that gave a normal person insight into the mind and journey of an addict. The pain and depression he endured to write the most brutally honest lyrics a musician could write concerning his feelings on his own addiction and the emotional and physical strength he had to perform those songs live when all he wanted to do was curl away and lose himself in the drug haze I can’t imagine what it was like for him. He was hounded by the press about his addiction. He was ridiculed for his addiction. The music industry blackballed him for his addiction. The Grammys forgot about him when he died. As far as MTV and Rolling Stone were concerned he’s just another addicted singer. They don’t want to acknowledge his contributions to music.
Layne was so much more than his drug addiction. He was able to come up with lyrics and harmonies off the top of his head. He knew enough to know that Jerry Cantrell was playing with the wrong people and gave him contact info for Sean Kinney and Mike Starr. He wrote the lyrics for the songs he sang on Mad Season's Above album and drew the cover art for that album. Layne was a genius in his own right. Maybe not with the 149 IQ, but he still was able to figure things out in a snap off the top of his head. Layne just had his demons.
I could say so much more, but in the end, it all boils down to: Layne Staley deserved better than what he received from the people around him who he thought mattered. He wrote about things with maturity and knowledge well beyond his years. He didn’t deserve to be turned into tabloid cannon fodder by the press.
I was skeptical about a new vocalist. When I heard it, I thought it was a worthy addition to their catalog 🤘
Absolutely, William and Jerry really did a fantastic job with the vocals on this record.
1:33 that sound effect is just Jerry strumming his guitar strings behind the bridge
This is my second fav AIC album. Glad you reviewed it. Every track is a banger, and it really grows on you.
Jar of flies is the best
I loved the first two albums with William on them. He's a special talent and a great fit for the band. As far as this album goes, I see it mostly as Jerry grieving and saying goodbye to Layne.
For me Bgwtb and rainier fog are great, but the devil put dinosaurs here album...idk that one seems a little weak imo
Oh Molly, thank you for this! I've been waiting so long lol. It made my day and much more. You're the first reactor that finally took this album seriously and did a full reaction. Everyone else sticks to the old stuff for views and it's so damn refreshing to have someone not care about that. I look forward to The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, but again thank you so much. You do great work, keep it up kiddo!
❤️ Your comment just made my heart melt, thank you so much for the kind words! Alice In Chains is such a fantastic band, I definitely need to hear their whole discography. Not gonna lie I was really skeptical going into this reaction because Layne really brought something special to their early stuff. But boy AIC really proved me wrong with this one. They did fantastic, and William Duvall really fits right in with their sound. Can't wait to hear The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here next!
Really great, Molly. You're analysis is always so well articulated. I wish you had a similarly themed radio show. I'd absolutely listen to a long form version of this.
Aww thanks! Glad you enjoyed the reaction. I've definitely considered doing a podcast or some sort of long form unedited content, I think it'd be a lot of fun!
I'm glad that you liked this one. It is one of my fav Alice In Chains albums. The title track hit hard. Being a strong AIC fan, that song was hard to hear but necessary. An appropriate goodbye to Layne and the hope of a brighter future. William Duvall is such a huge addition to this band. I'm so glad that they continued albeit after a long hiatus. But well worth the wait.
i HIGHLY recommend that you listen to a band called “Saosin”! Their first album/EP only has five songs, but is most definitely worth the listen.
Yeah that sludginess of theirs really does hit hard on this one. Those instrumentals are thick but William and Jerry do something unique that I enjoy. There's a sense of melancholy that I think really defines this era of their vocal combo. Layne wasn't shy to melancholy but he had a ton more power and higher highs in his deliveries whereas these two maintain a droning sound on top of the powerful instrumentals. Even on Check My Brain which is one of the higher moments where they could soar if they wanted to vocally, they don't hit that zenith which isn't at all an insult. I love that subdued nature as it allows me to rest in a darker headspace with the post-Layne albums that feels so cocoon-like. Anyways, that was a lot but yeah, I'm glad you dig it. It's nice that they keep marching on with gusto.
For completionist's sake, you should give Jerry Cantrell's "solo" project a listen. It's actually Alice in Chains without Layne, but it's all material Jerry wrote after Layne died.
Jerry has the drier, lower voice. William takes Layne's place in the vocal range of the group.
Always when I'm down this album is there for me. Such an impressive melodic lines and great lyrics by the band!
I completely agree, this album balances the emotional and melodic with the heavy, sludgier side of their sound so well.
I love the chorus on Take Her Out. ❤
Once you listen to a few live shows with DuVall, you start realizing the massive loss of Layne. He just doesn't cut it.
Finally got around to your reaction to this album and I have to say what a great reaction you have, this album is fabulous. I wasn't sure what to expect now Layne has gone but I'm glad I checked it out as it's a great album. 'A looking in view' was the first song I heard of it and I was hooked instantly as it's so heavy and catchy. Cantrell's vocals are great as well as Duvall's. This is one of my favourite albums
I am glad Alice In Chains kept going after after Layne Stayley. This is very similar to the 3 legged dog album.
Layne Staley's first concert ever was a Elton John's and he was playing the piano on Black give way to blue, that's Jerry's song for Layne, really cool
I didn't realize until it was mentioned in the comments that Elton John was on piano for the title track, that's so cool. Such a beautiful song and a great tribute to Layne.
I highly recommend the Jerry Cantrell solo album Degradation Trip, imo it's on the level of Alice in Chains
I loved that they decided to embrace the Alt Doom Sludge sound they experimented with the Self-titled album. I love their comeback albums!
I love the heavy sludgy sound of this record too! Can't wait to hear the rest of their albums now.
Just made a high pitched squee when I refreshed my page & saw this. Now wondering if my flatmates heard me…
Alice In Chains new material is more streamlined than the older stuff & has more of a formula to it. For me Black Gives Way to Blue is the strongest of the 3 but the next album is real nice if your a fan of the sludge & doom that AIC does.
A great & unique band from the 90s barely anyone reacts to is Morphine & their debut “Good” is such a fantastic mood that once again, brings you into a world of their own. Apologies, I know I’ve recommended something on every comment I’ve left on this channel but it’s not my fault there’s so much good (haha) music out there. 😅
Haha, glad you were looking forward to this one! Sorry I had y'all wait 8 months since the last AIC reaction... that was a bit cruel of me lol. But yes this record was a great re-introduction to the band after Layne's passing, I loved the sound of it. Very streamlined as you put it, and I personally loved that sludgy style that it has. Really excited to hear the rest of their albums now! And I'll have to add Morphine to my list, thank you for the suggestion :)
@@mollyesanbornHonestly I thought the wait was intentional given how long it was since before Black gives way to Blue, the last thing AIC released was in 1999 (and that was 2 songs in a compilation) - always worth it for the reaction!
7:07 I love the album. But to me, it really starts to get freaking good from here. Non stop until the end.
Lot of passion for music, the new era is too good 💙
❤️❤️
Jerry Cantrells solo albums are definitely worth a listen ❤
I'll have to check them out!
@@mollyesanborn Boggy Depot is a masterpiece in my opinion. It has a similar feel to Jar of Flies and Sap ( A little heavier in the instrumentals department), but also much different at the same time, with lots of guest musicians too. Degradation Trip 1 and 2 is a very heavy double album and pretty depressing at times because Jerry was in a dark place at that point in his life, and to make matters worse Layne passed away during the tour for that one. Finally, Brighton is a very mature album, now as an older, wiser man, he just sounds much happier and calm on that album. All three are amazing and I think you would like each one a lot.
Ah, nice Molly! Was not sure if you were going to continue on with Alice in Chains? Very cool. Also, when you get a chance listen to the song "What the Hell Have I." It's one of my favorite Alice in Chains songs but it's off of the Last Action Hero soundtrack. 👍💯
Thanks for watching! Yeah this reaction took me WAY TOO LONG to get to, sorry I kept y'all waiting! I loved this record though, I thought that Alice In Chains did a fantastic job with creating a new style without going too far out of the box. And thanks for letting me know about What The Hell Have I, I'll have to give it a listen!
This album is great. For me is the second best of their albums and it has one of my favourite songs in general: Check my brain. Maybe with Layne could have been their best.
I didn't like this album at first but I have come to love it.
Also, it is easily the best of the post Layne albums.
Yeah I can see this album taking some time to grow on listeners, especially for long time fans of the band who were so used to Layne's voice. They really did a fantastic job with staying true to their original style while introducing something new as well.
it's easily the best overall album but i find myself playing "the one you know" the most.
My fav alice album! THis is so amazing to see! Nobody ever reacts to this album except for the occasional Check my Brain.
Glad you enjoyed the reaction, that's too bad that their later albums without Layne are often overlooked. Black Gives Way To Blue is beautiful, I love how heavy and at times atmospheric this one goes. Can't wait to hear the rest of their albums!
@@mollyesanborn glad you enjoyed it Molly. I always enjoy your reactions.
Jerry Cantrell's solo stuff is also definitely worth checking out. As for right now he has 3 solo albums: Boggy Depot, Degradation Trip Vol 1 and 2, and Brighten.
I'll have to give it a listen, I'd be really interested to hear Jerry's music outside of Alice In Chains.
@@mollyesanborn His latest solo album "Brighten" is very recent, relased in 2021, making it his first solo album in almost 20 years.
Not sure if you take suggestions from the YT comment section, but based on stuff you've reacted to and liked before, here are my recommendations for band reactions, where whole albums/discographies are worth listening to:
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sevendust
Nirvana
Stone Temple Pilots
P.O.D.
Quicksand
King's X
Radiohead
Queens of the Stone Age
311
Skid Row
Cinderella
and of course continue through the discographies you already started for any band that you enjoyed :) thanks for the content!
Nice list! Thank you for all of the suggestions. I still need to check out all of those bands except Nirvana I've heard a fair amount of songs from, and Radiohead is one of my favorite bands actually. I did a discography ranking a while back on the channel for all of their albums.
@@mollyesanborn Good call, i missed that. i forgot to add: Foo Fighters, Toadies and Paramore to that list. Rock on fellow music fan!
That "droning quality" is just a matter of bending the strings and then releasing them and picking while doing so.
Couldn’t wait till you got to no decision so I could hear you say acoustic. I got goosebumps.
Hahaha, glad you get a kick out of my strange pronunciation :D
Jerry’s solo albums are worth a review too!! Boggy Depot and Degradation trip
You've got to review Jerry Cantrell's degradation trip volumes 1 and 2 at some point. It's like having another AIC album with a mix of the dark sludgy stuff with the occasional brighter tunes.
1:38 Jerry takes the guitar pick and plucks the strings past the bridge along where it wraps to those knobs, where the strings are super tight. Heh, I know that one!
That sound is so cool! Doesn't even sound like a guitar.
Pretty good album. When it comes to this era, Rainier Fog is my favorite but this one would be my second favorite. A Looking In View has to be my favorite, especially because of the riffs.
Ahh yes, A Looking In View is my favorite as well! That track is so heavy. I'm looking forward to hearing their remaining albums now.
Aloha and Happy Holidays, Molly. Check My Brain was my fave on this album :) So catchy
Thanks, happy holidays to you as well! Check My Brain is so fantastic, great track!
Great choice, I love your album reactions
Holy Hell, was really looking forward to this, so, if u enjoyed BGWTB, u r definitively gonna check out "the devil put dinosaurs here", MASSIVELY underrated
Anyway, keep up the good content
Thanks for watching! I'll definitely plan on continuing on in their discography with The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, can't wait to hear it!
Hello Molly, I like the way you react to the albums, so far I've been following them all, I really liked it, about Alice in Chains, I'm one of those old guys from the beginning when Man in the box exploded, everywhere, after the death of Layne, the guys stopped for a bit, to make matters worse, bassist Mike Star also died a few years later, I thought I wouldn't see any more of their albums, until I found Jerry's solo albums, I can recommend one in particular, Degradation Trip, I believe that you will like
Glad that you're enjoying the channel! I'll have to check out Jerry's solo work as well, thanks for letting me know.
Hi Molly 👋 "Your Decision" is my favorite. It don't get the recognition it deserves 4 sure. Be cool
Yes, Your Decision is such a beautiful track!
Sir Elton John played the piano in the title track. And there's an alternative piano mix version of the song too! th-cam.com/video/IgaGzuYLyq0/w-d-xo.html
This album is amazing, and I was glad to see them go on after Layne's passing. William is a great vocalist and guitarist in his own right (check out his band Comes With The Fall if interested, they're groovy) and he fits perfectly with the band. He doesn't try to imitate Layne at all, he has his own style. If there was a flaw with this album, it's that William didn't get to sing lead enough and I think he should've at least got one or two more songs to lead on. But I get it, without Layne here Jerry is now the frontman of AIC and with that in mind you can see the progression between the self-titled to Black Gives Way To Blue. With the self-titled album, Jerry started to gain confidence to sing more, and on this album (and the two past it) he's now the primary vocalist on most of the tracks, with William doing harmony and backing vocals with a few leads here and there.
There is a bit of a side quest here if you're curious. Jerry Cantrell released two solo albums before AIC reformed; Boggy Creek and Degradation Trip. Boggy Creek is kinda a Alice In Chains without Layne as it features Mike on bass and Sean on drums, and it's an amazing album too. You can see more of the progression from the self-titled album to this album with those two solo albums. Degradation Trip is an amazing and very catchy album. Originally it was supposed to be a double album but the record label essentially forced Jerry to release it with 14 tracks. Degradation Trip was fortunately re-released as a double album, Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. Highly recommended album!
Layne was able to record a side project too before he passed, Mad Season. It's a supergroup with Layne, Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, etc. They recorded a single album, Above, and it's an great album too with some interesting jazz, baroque pop, progressive rock, grunge, etc. influences all mixed together in one. Highly recommended too!
Thanks for all of the info! I will definitely give that piano mix version of the title track a listen. I'll definitely plan on a Mad Season reaction once I finish up with all of Alice In Chains' albums, I'd love to hear Layne's vocals again on another project. I'll have to check out those two solo albums of Jerry's as well, thanks for letting me know!
Let us not discuss that freak
I'd like you to listen to Solitude Aeturnus - Alone, and also Celtic Frost - Monotheist.
(If you dare!).
To switch it up, Kara Jackson's 2023 release is beautiful... Happy listening.
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll have to keep both of those albums in mind :)
I’m sad I didn’t get to watch your Unplugged reaction before it got taken down! :( Hope you can reupload it maybe without the music audio so it can stay up.
Great album! Great review!
Thanks for watching! :)
“A Looking in View” is their sludgiest song in their discography.
Right? That one has such a heavy quality to its sound, I absolutely love it!
For me this is top 3 Alice in Chains
NO Layne but still a masterpiece
A beautiful album, I agree!
Last of my kind and acid bubble are my favs 🫶🏻
Both are such great tracks!
Do you have full reactions somewhere else or is this the only video? I don't mind the cuts that much, but I do love seeing the full reaction too :P
Hello?
Nice. Will you be reacting to their album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here?
I will plan on it! Looking forward to hearing that one as well.
Hoping you are not done with Mr Bungle, still waiting for Disco Volante! Love your channel!
I'll definitely do a reaction to Disco Volante at some point! I'm excited to hear it.
Not a huge AIC guys but really enjoyed yo7r review!
Love your videos! You should checkout Death - symbolic or any death albums really. Would love that!
Thank you! So glad that you're enjoying the channel. I'd love to check out Death's music sometime, I will be sure that your suggestion is on my list :)
It's your decision song is probably my fav song of all time.
I will say i do not like William Duvall though. Jerry Cantrell has alot of good songs on his own too in case you are curious.
Also of note, if you like Layne Staley you can listen to Mad Season. Some good songs that Staley sings for them. One on top of my head is called "River of Deceit."
And if you want to listen to a singer who sounds 95% like Layne Staley listen to Chout and Skorned. Skorned did one album then disbanded. The lead singer then later started Chout. Which is still a current band. One Chout song is "Seasons", One song from Skorned would be "Psychosis." Both on youtube..
Singers name is Brendan Maier
But yeah, this album in your video is so diverse unlike other aic albums of the past. I love this album.
Alice in chains is only 1 of maybe 3 bands i can actually listen to every song they make. Godsmack and Staind for sure being the other two.
You should check out the album Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears. That album from top to bottom is amazing
Maybe you should do Sonic Youth? Begin with Daydream Nation. It's a stun-locking album
Private Hell is one of the best AIC songs ever.
cool reaction
Thanks for watching! :)
Molly when are uou gonna do rhe 2 latest AiC albums?
I suggest you listen to Core by stone temple pilots it's a classic from the early 90s
I'll keep it in mind, thanks! :)
Kind regards from Poland🇵🇱 and… let the music speak
Thank you for watching :)
@@mollyesanborn 🤍❤️
Will you do the devil put dinosaurs here? :D
Yes I'll plan on doing a video for that one as well :)
@@mollyesanborn
:D
Devils put dinossaurs here
Definitely, I'm really looking forward to hearing their fifth album now!
Have thou dine the self titles album? Amazing
You should listen and hear "Take off your pants 👖 and jacket 🧥.."from Blink and 182. Just FYI lovely.
Like actually you gotta listen to Stone Temple Pilots. They got a similar sound to alice in chains but theyre more rock/punky. PLEEAASSEE.
I've got Stone Temple Pilots on my list! :)
Still waiting for The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here reaction!
Um dos melhores albuns de retorno
I should note that I'm still hoping for a Nothingface reaction. Please!!!
A sound garden album next. Lol
I'll definitely plan on doing more Soundgarden!
You should listen to candlebox by candlebox
Thank you for the suggestion! I've got it on my list :)
Will you listen to "dinosaurs" 2013?
You should do Dream Theater
I'll keep that in mind! I'd love to hear their music.
@@mollyesanborn they’re a great progressive metal band
Please! Vitalogy - Pearl Jam!
I'll definitely get to a reaction for that one! Really looking forward to hearing more from Pearl Jam :)
Next album when?
you should do jar of flies if you havent done so already
She's already listened to and reacted to Jar of Flies and Sap
Yeah, I've done Jar Of Flies already and absolutely loved it! Here's the link if you're interested:
th-cam.com/video/vltdDe8vSUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EA2X-ZV9HDSqmoCJ
Please listen to Core or Purple by stoen temple pilots pleeasse youd actually love it no joke its like extremely good and nobody talks about it
Thanks for the suggestion! I've got Stone Temple Pilots on my list :)
@@mollyesanborn les gooo