alice in chains c/d

the strengths of unplugged are the vocals and the “mood” imo. and layne’s hair. the guitar solos do sound sorta weak, like Jerry and the other guy are trying to play acoustics as electrics.. and yeah xp laynes harmonies on the chorus of “brother” > Ann Wilson’s, sacrilege as that seems.

I actually love the story of Jerry’s dad hearing Rooster for the first time at an AiC show. this toughass cowboy crying and waving his hat when it was over, v touching <3

Did anybody else have the Jar of Flies ENHANCED CD ROM

You know what doesn't get enough love? The Mad Season album. It's pretty great imo.

Abso-fucking-lutely. That was a vibe that didn't get explored enough and I really wish they'd have managed a second album. The deluxe edition from 2013 is fantastic, I sued to have the Live at the Moore on VHS back in the day.

I was a listened to tons of grunge back in the day, but never listened to Mad Season. Listening now and it's really good and has a unique vibe.

The chorus of I'm Above really reminds me of the titular lines in Still of the Night by Whitesnake.

God, I need to proofread my posts.

For me Mad Season has a v specific “heroin” vibe, I find it hard to listen to unless I’m in the right mood

might be just a me thing tho

def not a stick on at any time kind of album yah

AiC are kinda like that for me too tho.

They are not my favorite "grunge" band (Soundgarden4eva), but they might be the most grunge of all 90s bands.

i wanted to do a grunge poll

Sign me the f up!

Yeah, this might be the ultimate "grunge" album. It just sounds like ... grunge. This or Screaming Tree's "Sweet Oblivion," maybe.

I was listening to "Badmotorfinger" the other night, and it's like the ultimate prog-metal album that isn't quite prog or metal. I think the key to Alice in Chains (or Screaming Trees, for that matter) are those vocals. Cornell is the best singer of the entire bunch, but it's that low, guttural Layne/Vedder/Lanegan wail that kind of defines grunge for me.

Totally agreed (and lol, because I went Mad Season > Dirt > Sweet Oblivion tonight). Soundgarden always my favorite grunge band, but AiC and Screaming Trees have such distinctive vocals.

i would participate in a grunge poll!

Strangely I was in the middle of listening to dirt yesterday and felt a sudden urge to hear “outshined”. Good god, Cornell’s verse vocals there. “SOOO DOWN”

with aic for sure it’s the vocals but also really solid songwriting, really nice melodic touches and cool middle eights and things

I have somehow never listened to Mad Season and always mixed them up with Temple of the Dog!

Tracks or albums poll? Or both?

Tracks, I would say, but I would do either. Maybe tracks with an album top-10 side poll?

Cornell is just a monster. Staley has distinctive vocals, but it's also the treatment. They're double-tracked a lot, correct?

Tracks would be the main poll but would prob do albums too

I'd be in for a grunge poll, albeit I suspect I don't know grunge as well as I think I do.

Which bands would be eligible in a grunge poll? Seattle only, or would it extent to eg Smashing Pumpkins?

shawn smith is a legend in my mind just for his contributions to the first twilight singers record and having a band with my name

first pigonhed and satchel albums are all-time for me

S/T is exhausting, but the highs are high (pun not intended). Love the guitar sound, especially on Over Now.

Over Now is a highlight.

Love Brad/Satchel/Smith, I'm sure I read somewhere years back that the band (Brad) were originally called The Crash Test Dummies, and faced with litigation they renamed the band after the 'other' TCTD's lead singer.

The disappearance of the vast archive of Shawn Smith stuff on Bandcamp is an odd one. Must be estate-related, I assume? In terms of where to start, Let It All Begin and Shield of Thorns are both lovely solo albums,

I finally got around to look that up the other day, and was very disappointed to see it gone

Listening to the Mad Season album for the first time makes me realise how SOULFUL a lot of grunge could be

Which bands would be eligible in a grunge poll? Seattle only, or would it extent to eg Smashing Pumpkins?

― chap, Friday, January 15, 2021 1:46 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

no pumpkins. honestly i was just thinking the big 4 (PJ, SG, Nirvana, AiC) and maybe any of their offshoots. i could be possibly be swayed. could just do a soundgarden poll tbf.

i wanted to do a grunge poll

― a nice controlled drift (Spottie), Friday, 15 January 2021 00:42 (sixteen hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Sign me the f up!

― Jimi Buffett (PBKR), Friday, 15 January 2021 00:42 (sixteen hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I signed up years ago to do a grunge poll but you are most welcome to take it off my hands or we could co run it.

What about, like, Hole, Mudhoney, Green River, Mad Season, Tad, Screaming Trees, L7, etc.?

imo they all have to be in it

melvins too

Grunge was what got me into music aged 18 and I was into all those bands

What no Gruntruck?

Seriously though, Tad, Hole, Screaming Trees, Mudhoney, Stone Temple Pilots?

Lol, Xp

imo they all have to be in it

Agreed.

I never counted STP as real grunge, lol

Nor did I count Candlebox or Silverchair etc

Aye, STP definitely the FM version. I think a 'looser' remit would be more interesting? It's not like we're going to start nominating Kyuss or Neil Young.

stick to WA and it should be fine

No to STP, yes to Hole and L7. If your debut record didn't come out before Nevermind was released, you're out, unless you were comprised of members of other grunge bands (so yes to Brad and Mad Season).

Like basically this should be Green River > Down on the Upside.

And god no Smashing Pumpkins. It's a grunge poll, not an alternative poll.

I just got a box set of Mudhoney's mid '90s albums (when they were signed to Warners) and they're surprisingly good. If people really do the homework (LISTEN TO TAD YOU MOTHERFUCKERS), this could be an interesting poll.

i am already triggered by whats grunge/whats not lol DIDNT WE SORT THIS OUT 30 YEARS AGO

It's not that hard! Just leave the second wave grunge for the MTV Alternative Nation poll.

Listening to the Mad Season album for the first time makes me realise how SOULFUL a lot of grunge could be

This was the secret unlocked by the Afghan Whigs, by way of Ohio.

And Screaming Trees, too; not really much metal in either of those bands.

Yes to Mother Love Bone then?