Some of the best albums have been created under the darkest circumstances. Did anyone initially expect The Beatles' self-titled "white" album to be so acclaimed despite the band members' tensions? Or how about the writer's block that plagued the recording sessions of The Smashing Pumpkins'
Siamese Dream and Kansas' huge breakthrough record
Leftoverture? In the case of Alice in Chains, eviction was the inspiration for one of their biggest successes. Upon returning to Seattle after their highly profitable
Dirt tour and playing at Lollapalooza, Alice in Chains ended up being removed from their residence because they didn't pay their rent. So what was the best thing to do? To channel their depression into writing one of the best records of their entire discography.
First things first, this is no
Dirt.
Jar of Flies features almost none of the high distortion and volume of its predecessor, but expecting another
Dirt is missing the point entirely. This is a beautiful, intimate, and mostly acoustic affair that really benefits from subtlety and minimalism; the atmosphere is just as gloomy as Alice in Chains' typical material, but just expressed in a new light with this record. Right from the opening motif and talk box of the hollow and oppressive "Rotten Apple," the band waste no time establishing a sound that's both vivid and isolated in nature. This is all coupled with Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley's rich vocal harmonies that permeate most of the record, further adding to how layered each song is. That is, except for the incredible ballad "Nutshell," which is probably the most minimalist track on the album; most of the emphasis on the song lies with Jerry Cantrell's mix of electric and acoustic guitar tracks and the vulnerability in Staley's essentially unadorned vocal work. Once again, the intimacy of
Jar of Flies is really what separates it from the rest of the band's records.
There are also some interesting experiments throughout the experience, such as the use of violins on "I Stay Away," the harmonica on "Don't Follow," and having the group's first true instrumental with "Whale and Wasp," which focuses almost exclusively on Jerry Cantrell's gorgeous guitar harmonies. These songs definitely break up any potential monotony in the songwriting; however, I would also be remiss if I downplayed the importance of Sean Kinney and then-newcomer Mike Inez on
Jar of Flies. They may not initially seem very important in the grand scheme of things, but in reality they are just as important as Cantrell and Staley in giving the album its identity. Inez's bass lines add a new dimension to the guitar work on faster songs like "No Excuses" and the bluesy closer "Swing on This," while Kinney's lighter and more subtle drumming proves to be a great blend with the other instruments during the slower tunes. The only flaw with the album is that, being the EP it is, it's quite a short experience; the record only barely breaks the half-hour mark.
Despite this, the mark
Jar of Flies will leave on you will likely be extraordinary. This is quite a different Alice in Chains, but one that had a large impact with the band's future discography; soon enough, their later records like the self-titled album and
Black Gives Way to Blue ended up using acoustic tracks unlike previous works like
Dirt or
Facelift. If anything, it just proves how successful an experiment
Jar of Flies was and how much lasting power it still has; this is a wonderful album, probably the band's best alongside
Dirt. If you enjoy acoustic guitar playing and the softer side of alternative rock, this is an absolute must-buy... even if it's a bit short.
