AIC - Black Gives Way To Blue - verdict?

Edved82

Brilliant album, shame DuVall doesnt get more lead vocals but as the first album with him on board i guess it was inevitable that Cantrell would do most of the lead vocals.

Leagues ahead of Backspacer in my view, favourite tracks are Last of my Kind and When The Sun Rose Again.

Kinda surprised that it doesnt seem to be getting much discussion on here.

Opinions anyone?

jr19

how have you heard it . i thought it was tommorow.

intodeep

i know the leak has been out for a while but i'm holding out for tomorrow to buy it.

I like the two songs i've heard on the radio though.

Stephen Flow

ledzep wrote:

Brilliant album, shame DuVall doesnt get more lead vocals but as the first album with him on board i guess it was inevitable that Cantrell would do most of the lead vocals.

Leagues ahead of Backspacer in my view, favourite tracks are Last of my Kind and When The Sun Rose Again.

Kinda surprised that it doesnt seem to be getting much discussion on here.

Opinions anyone?

I like the album a lot, in fact, I love it, but that's probably b/c it's the same ol' AIC sound... except with new songs... But... I don't think it's much more than that. I don't see how it's leagues ahead of Backspacer... it doesn't push the envelope or even try to sound very different from anything they've released previously... aside from having a new lead vocalist that is... there are certain songs that stand out (Acid Bubble) and certain songs that are kind of weak but still mildly enjoyable (Private Hell)...

The opening track is a nice way of saying "we went through a lot of shit, it's time to move on, we're ready" I think they show on the album that they do miss having Layne around but are willing to go on without him... It's seems though that they put DuVall in as few spots as possible to keep the AIC sound there and not get older fans upset... but DuVall shines on the tracks he is singing lead on, so I have nothing to complain about. The last song & title track is a beautiful tribute to Layne... I love the album cover with the heart... I think the title and image on the cover is a nice metaphor to show the band becoming alive again.

musicismylife78

Duvall lives up to the hype, and Cantrell is great as always. Its a dark album, but what would you expect from Alice in Chains?

The elton john track is pretty astounding, and I wouldnt know it was Elton unless I was told it was him.

Some of the songs seem to be about drugs and Layne, others not so much. The first single, Looking In View, seems to be about how drugs can look appealing to someone in a desperate situation, yet the chorus repeats the word "low life". Would they really be calling layne a "lowlife"?


I dont know where it fits in with the Alice catalogue. It was obviously never going to be the next Dirt.

These songs, at least for me sound timeless. Alot of the songs, sound exactly like Layne, and sound reminiscent of the early 90's.

I am not blown away by the record, but its good music.

musicismylife78

what does the album title mean?

Black gives way to blue?

tcaporale

musicismylife78 wrote:

what does the album title mean?

Black gives way to blue?

I don't know, but maybe if you read the lyrics to the title track it'll become more clear.

I still have yet to listen to this, all the links I've found have been dead. I'll probably end up buying it.

Stephen Flow

musicismylife78 wrote:

what does the album title mean?

Black gives way to blue?

To me it means this...

When we die we turn a blueish hue first from lack of oxygen... then eventually we are buried and rot away... hence the black... this is why black is associated w/ death.

I think that since this album is seen as a rebirth of sorts that for AIC, the Black (death) gives way to blue (blood is starting to pump again)... In a way, something dead, being brought back and now living, breathing once again...

The alum title juxtaposed with the heart on the cover of the album brought me to this conclusion...

facepollution

I've only given it a couple of listens, I was kind of frustrated at the lack of lead vocals from Will, but it sounded solid.

Jennytree

I'm very much enjoying it and I've given it many more listens than other albums recently released. Great sounding, usual vibe from them.

Saw them in Seattle last Thursday and they put on a great show, as always. I'm delighted that they're back

OGT92

So...the Walmart version says Limited Edition, but of course it doesn't give any info, not even a tracklist. Does anyone know what the LE is?

Also at Best Buy I saw an AIC s/t cd for $42. that contains bonus tracks. Anyone know what they are? Again no info on it....Thanks.

yield2me

It's a solid album for sure, but it's nowhere near as good as Backspacer in my opinion. Like someone else said, it doesn't really cover anything new or try anything different. It sounds like an AIC album from 1994, which is cool but after my initial enthusiasm wore off after the first 5 or so listens, it got a bit stale for me. I've yet to tire of Backspacer after 60+ listens so take from that what you will...

itsevobaby

It's a Beast :twisted:



Now, Sony, do something useful & re-release Dirt on vinyl please

Darka

Really digging it. Picked it up yesterday, shaping up to be my favourite AIC album

vedder_soup

i like it

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

kinda dissappointed. i wasnt expecting anything new, but damn. old AiC was a little more out there than this. a few of these songs sound like they are aping bands that ape them.

its ok i guess. can't say that i hate any of it. probably won't buy it now. i'l try it out some more and see if anything sticks.

Crane

Jennytree wrote:

I'm very much enjoying it and I've given it many more listens than other albums recently released. Great sounding, usual vibe from them.

Saw them in Seattle last Thursday and they put on a great show, as always. I'm delighted that they're back

You really are just an evil Irish person aren't you. Pearl Jam AND AIC! Give us Kildare folk a chance.

Love the album. First track is the only weak track imo. Love Private Hell and still can't get enough of A Looking In View. Top album, one of the best of the year

12345AGNST1

Pretty dissapointed. I had high hopes for this and was let down pretty bad. Hardly any of the songs sound like AIC songs. They just sound like old Jerry solo riffs. The only parts of the album that sound like old aic to me is the intro to a looking in view and the acoustic riff of that song distance(?). Which I'll admit is a really good song. I was also really looking forward to hearing Williams LEAD vocals, which are almost non existant. They shouldve just called this Jerry Cantrell Degradation trip 3. The songs are all basically the same tempo wise. There isn't a single fast paced song on it. ( I know they weren't known for this but atleast have song as fast as them bones) everything is either mid tempo or very slow.

Basically it's a really good solo album by Jerry.

intodeep

I've listend to about 5 songs so far. I had to just listen to it in the car on the way to work.....

I'm on board with this already. Obviously i need to hear the whole thing a few times before i form a good opinion, but this shit is good.

My little brother likes it a lot too and he is 10 years younger then me and did not grow up with AIC. I think that is a good sign.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

OGT92 wrote:

So...the Walmart version says Limited Edition, but of course it doesn't give any info, not even a tracklist. Does anyone know what the LE is?

Also at Best Buy I saw an AIC s/t cd for $42. that contains bonus tracks. Anyone know what they are? Again no info on it....Thanks.

great, so I just bought it and NOW I find out there might be a limited edition. I'm hoping that it's just the usual BS about the digipak format being "limited". I hate when bands do that. It's fairly misleading.

In the liner notes, in Sean Kinney's thank you's, he says "would like to thank.....all his family and friends...except that 1 guy". Anyone know the backstory to this?

And my take on the album title is actually a lot simpler than other ideas. Black clouds move away to reveal a blue sky. But then I just read the lyrics:

lay down, black gives way to blue
lay down, I'll remember you

That's the chorus. There's also a line "haunted by your ghost". It could be about Layne, but it also could be about his former self. Don't forget, they were ALL addicted to heroin at one point. Layne was the only one to fall victim to it.

stuartrdr

I thought it was okay. There are some songs I really like (Check My Brain, Acid Bubble, Black Gives Way To Blue, Last of My Kind and Private Hell) but there are songs that I can't really get into. Like when I first heard Your Decision I was like "Wtf? Is this a redux of Nutshell?". Maybe it will grow on me but at the moment I prefer Backspacer way more.

rhcpjam1029

it's amazing. of course leave it to rolling stone to give it a 2.5 out of 5 and only mention positive things about the album in the review.

i think the reason for why duvall isn't heard so much is because the band was probably afraid of losing their old fans due to the vocalist switch. however, i think he does a great job.

idk if anyone was listening to the radio broadcast of the album the other night hosted by james and lars of metallica, but it was really cool. jerry said that they recorded the album at dave ghrol's studio and when he first heard acid bubble and the awesome tempo change he just said, "are you serious?"

great album.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

rhcpjam6306 wrote:

idk if anyone was listening to the radio broadcast of the album the other night hosted by james and lars of metallica, but it was really cool. jerry said that they recorded the album at dave ghrol's studio and when he first heard acid bubble and the awesome tempo change he just said, "are you serious?"

great album.

SHIT! I MISSED THAT!! :evil:

scottstappsucks

http://grungereport.net/2009/09/29/look ... y-to-blue/

Booklet pics.

andrewb

I sincerely liked it. But it made me want to listen to Layne way more than I wanted to listen to it again.

MTV Unplugged Alice In Chains is my favorite live album and I have over 200 Pearl Jam Bootlegs. I'm rockin' that right now

red mos

It's a pretty good album. I'm impressed.

faves so far : "your decision", Black gives way to blue", "Last of my Kind", "Check my Brain"

My3rdEye

Can't do it. AIC died when Layne died IMO. Maybe if I didn't have history with AIC I could be more open to it but this, to me, is a different band. I wish them success but I won't be following.

timc

Great album!!! Start to Finish!!! I was lucky and saw them in 2006 at the house of Blues in SanDiego great performance. I did see them on the Dirt tour, new singer does all the AIC stuff justice.
I think my feet never touched the ground once the first song statrted

Sian-of-the-dead

I've just put the CD into the computer... I'll let you know in about approximately 53 mins...

SpinTheBlackCircle74

Awesome album, and I hope they will play some shows in scandinavia later this year.

Edved82

Good to see the positive reaction to the album, would love to see more DuVall lead vocals on the next one but its really good. The vocal harmonies are still there which is what AIC are renowned for.

Really loving "When the Sun Rose Again", one of the most beautiful songs i've heard in a long long time