10-06-2009, 11:21 AM
“Black Gives Way to Blue” is the new album from Alice in Chains. Yes, a new album from Alice in Chains, the first new album in 14 years, it’s for real. Despite Layne Staley not being part of the band (or the living), William DuVall has filled in for him, and Jerry Cantrell, the real brains behind Alice in Chains, is as sharp a songwriter as ever.
1. All Secrets Known: 6/10. This is reminiscent of “Get Born Again” and other Alice in Chains songs with some slower mysticism behind them that aren’t really intended to be rocking singles. This isn’t bad, but it’s more of an introduction.
2. Check My Brain: 10/10. This is the catchiest song on the album. I particularly love the lawnmower riff here. This is the most obvious single, and I’m glad it is a single.
3. Last of My Kind: 7/10. DuVall gets a chance to show off his skills on this one (as opposed to Jerry Cantrell having the lead on most of the other tracks). This is good, and it rocks, but I feel it has some room for improvement.
4. Your Decision: 8/10. If you liked some of the sadder fare on “Degradation Trip,” and I did, this song is for you. The opening especially reminds me of “Angel Eyes,” another great Cantrell song. This isn’t quite as spectacular as “Angel Eyes,” but it should be a successful single.
5. A Looking in View: 6/10. I cannot figure out why this song is a single. It drags on too much, and it doesn’t hold together too well. That being said, there are a lot of cool ideas here, including the super heavy opening riff.
6. When the Sun Rose Again: 8/10. I really like the flavorful choices of background on this one. To me, it almost paints a picture of a desert and the sun rising on it.
7. Acid Bubble: 5/10. In my opinion, this is the weakest song on the album. Other reviewers seem to like it the best, and I can tell a lot of effort went into it, but I just don’t think it holds together very well.
8. Lesson Learned: 9/10. This is probably the second catchiest song on the album, but it takes a little longer to catch. I would give it a perfect score if the lyrics were a little better.
9. Take Her Out: 8/10. A lot of reviewers think this is a weak song, and while I agree that it’s not as deep or memorable as others, it’s still an enjoyable song, and it’s perfectly tolerable for multiple listens, which you can’t say of some of the other tracks on the album.
10. Private Hell: 10+/10. This is the best song on the album, and it’s the best song I’ve heard all year. This combines everything I liked in both Alice in Chains and Jerry Cantrell’s solo work, and it has the best lyrics. It reminds me a lot of “Down in a Hole.”
11. Black Gives Way to Blue: 6/10. This was the only way to end the album, but like the beginning, it’s not really a standout song.
Overall, this is a great album, the best new rock album I’ve heard all year and the most obvious choice for a Grammy. Because Jerry Cantrell does so much of the vocals and uses strategies he tested more on his solo albums, this really sounds more like a Jerry Cantrell album than an Alice in Chains album, but I loved Jerry Cantrell’s solo albums, and this definitely holds its ground with any of them or any Alice in Chains album.
1. All Secrets Known: 6/10. This is reminiscent of “Get Born Again” and other Alice in Chains songs with some slower mysticism behind them that aren’t really intended to be rocking singles. This isn’t bad, but it’s more of an introduction.
2. Check My Brain: 10/10. This is the catchiest song on the album. I particularly love the lawnmower riff here. This is the most obvious single, and I’m glad it is a single.
3. Last of My Kind: 7/10. DuVall gets a chance to show off his skills on this one (as opposed to Jerry Cantrell having the lead on most of the other tracks). This is good, and it rocks, but I feel it has some room for improvement.
4. Your Decision: 8/10. If you liked some of the sadder fare on “Degradation Trip,” and I did, this song is for you. The opening especially reminds me of “Angel Eyes,” another great Cantrell song. This isn’t quite as spectacular as “Angel Eyes,” but it should be a successful single.
5. A Looking in View: 6/10. I cannot figure out why this song is a single. It drags on too much, and it doesn’t hold together too well. That being said, there are a lot of cool ideas here, including the super heavy opening riff.
6. When the Sun Rose Again: 8/10. I really like the flavorful choices of background on this one. To me, it almost paints a picture of a desert and the sun rising on it.
7. Acid Bubble: 5/10. In my opinion, this is the weakest song on the album. Other reviewers seem to like it the best, and I can tell a lot of effort went into it, but I just don’t think it holds together very well.
8. Lesson Learned: 9/10. This is probably the second catchiest song on the album, but it takes a little longer to catch. I would give it a perfect score if the lyrics were a little better.
9. Take Her Out: 8/10. A lot of reviewers think this is a weak song, and while I agree that it’s not as deep or memorable as others, it’s still an enjoyable song, and it’s perfectly tolerable for multiple listens, which you can’t say of some of the other tracks on the album.
10. Private Hell: 10+/10. This is the best song on the album, and it’s the best song I’ve heard all year. This combines everything I liked in both Alice in Chains and Jerry Cantrell’s solo work, and it has the best lyrics. It reminds me a lot of “Down in a Hole.”
11. Black Gives Way to Blue: 6/10. This was the only way to end the album, but like the beginning, it’s not really a standout song.
Overall, this is a great album, the best new rock album I’ve heard all year and the most obvious choice for a Grammy. Because Jerry Cantrell does so much of the vocals and uses strategies he tested more on his solo albums, this really sounds more like a Jerry Cantrell album than an Alice in Chains album, but I loved Jerry Cantrell’s solo albums, and this definitely holds its ground with any of them or any Alice in Chains album.
![[Image: AppealtoReason.jpg]](http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/baw01002/Album%20Covers/AppealtoReason.jpg)
"I looked up and saw you;
I know that you saw me.
We froze but for a moment
In empathy."-Rise Against
