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 AIC, but it always iriitated me that Layne didn't get more lead vocals, so I guess this is so with the new new "singer." I just never liked Cantrell's vocals. My Favorite AIC was "jar of flies" because Layne Staley got to sing
I'm confused. Layne was the lead vocalist on every track, save for one on Tripod (Heaven Beside You), if I'm not mistaken. His role was a bit diminished on that record due to his drug problem (or at least that's the speculation), and on that particular tune, Layne himself told Jerry "it's your song, sing it if you want".
Gimli 1993
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
totally irrelevant to BGWTB but anyone else think that jerry looks like anne heche? lol.
Beavis: All my friends are brown and red? What does that mean?
Butthead: It means that his friends are like turds and that they like suck.
Beavis: Heh heh. Oh yeah. Yeah! Get those spoons out of my face before I shove them up your butt!
Butthead: Huh huh.
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 AIC, but it always iriitated me that Layne didn't get more lead vocals, so I guess this is so with the new new "singer." I just never liked Cantrell's vocals. My Favorite AIC was "jar of flies" because Layne Staley got to sing
I'm confused. Layne was the lead vocalist on every track, save for one on Tripod (Heaven Beside You), if I'm not mistaken. His role was a bit diminished on that record due to his drug problem (or at least that's the speculation), and on that particular tune, Layne himself told Jerry "it's your song, sing it if you want".
and would... and over now... and brother... and the killer is me...and got me wrong they traded leads.
I like AIC, but it always iriitated me that Layne didn't get more lead vocals, so I guess this is so with the new new "singer." I just never liked Cantrell's vocals. My Favorite AIC was "jar of flies" because Layne Staley got to sing
I'm confused. Layne was the lead vocalist on every track, save for one on Tripod (Heaven Beside You), if I'm not mistaken. His role was a bit diminished on that record due to his drug problem (or at least that's the speculation), and on that particular tune, Layne himself told Jerry "it's your song, sing it if you want".
and would... and over now... and brother... and the killer is me...and got me wrong they traded leads.
and would... and over now... and brother... and the killer is me...and got me wrong they traded leads.
he sang lead quite a bit.
I guess there were more than I realized (what with the harmonization and all), but in the big picture of all the songs released, it was a relatively small percentage. To me, anyway.
Gimli 1993
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
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Growing on me after a few listens, good to have new stuff out by both AIC and PJ within a week of each other.
BGWTB is not going to be Dirt, but time will tell where it finds it's place. Did make me dig dirt out of the C D collection the other night for a listen, Good times.
Ive listened to it a couple of times now...and its so f***in good! I did not expect the record to kick this much ass. It sounds so AIC, even without LAyne. Layne is always gonna be unique, but Duvall does it great, and some of the songs on this record could have been on their earlier records.
People should def give it a chance
PJ
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Loving it - three listens and its not been out of my car since.
The title track is beautiful - anyone else just seeing a tiny you tube montage in their heads to this?
"oh when I was a kid, oh how magic it seemed"
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"Don't sweat the petty things, don't pet the sweaty things"
First heard the album during a listening party in London.. Like you,I have not been blown away. Was waiting for that 'punch in the stomach' but it never was to be. Came close a few times but it was not to happen. Good album though!
As with with PJ's "Black"... They cant see beyond their pain, everything is a dark...no hope.
...Gives way to Blue, the darkness is gone, but they are still admitedly blue (sad), but able to press on...
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There is light after darkness.
think of it like a time of day. Black being night which is usually put together with death or dreary topics (the death of AIC with Layne). Blue being dawn which is usually put together with rebirth and new beginnings (New AIC).
the album is awesome! they just played an acoustic show that from what i've listened to so far, is pretty awesome. check it out
The album just didn't do much for me on the first listen. Other than the two radio singles the album is kind of boring for me. I'm going to give it another listen but I'm doubting I'll be won over. Kind of disappointing because I was really pumped after hearing the singles.
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
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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...
Great interpretation! I thought the same thing. I really love this album. This is a great act of justice towards the name Alice In Chains. Jerry, Sean, Mike, and Will are carrying on Chains in a great way. I wish them the best of luck, and can't wait to see them continue to make more music together. I think Layne would be proud.
7/2/06 - Denver, CO
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
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I can't stop listening to it. Its great.
I keep changing between that and Backspacer.
August/September have been great for new releases
Black Crowes - Before The Frost...Until The Freeze
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
AIC - Black Gives Way To Blue
The trinity
7/2/06 - Denver, CO
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
0
goldrush
everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,633
Umm who bought it from itunes? you get bonus tracks of (my favourite song!!) Your Decision live and down in a hole? and some black gives way to blue piano remix!??
I've given this several listens. This is going to be kind of rambling a little, but Alice In Chains was also one of my favorite bands from the 90s. First off, no it isn't Dirt II, but they are never going to be able to capture that magic again for obvious reasons so they shouldn't even try. Everyone I talk to wants them to remake Dirt just like they want PJ to remake Ten. Not going to happen.
Anyway, I am a little disappointed with it. But just a little. All Secrets Known to me is a mess. Just an aimless mish-mash of sound that goes nowhere, except for that main riff. I like Check My Brain despite the retarded lyrics. A Looking in View is too damn long. It loses focus. Acid Bubble has ADD. It sounds like three different songs slammed together. I like the slower part of it. That chorus is horrid. Lesson Learned sounds like great radio pop. I wouldn't be surprised if that wound up as the next single. Very catchy. Black Gives Way to Blue (the song) is awesome. A little short, but haunting lyrics and vocals and the piano is a nice touch.
To me, the standout tracks are Your Decision and Private Hell. Alice has always been great at the acoustic pieces and it shows with Your Decision. But Private Hell is the best song on the record and the one that most sounds like the old Alice in Chains to me. I could completely envision Layne singing this one. I think they captured his mood perfectly. The harmony between Cantrell and Duval sounds best here. The chorus does sound like it is lifted right from Dirt. I'm OK with Duvall. I wish he took the lead a little more (like on Last of My Kind), but the harmony is just perfect on Private Hell. I think this one song saves the album for me.
It's weird because I don't hate it. But I don't love it either. Private Hell lifts it from complete ambivalence for me. It is that strong of a track. I wanted to be blown away by the record but that didn't happen. I am glad they are back though and I hope they keep it going. Maybe on the next one they can escape the ghost of Layne and not have to refer to him on every other song. They had to address it, but they need to find their own identity now.
There is light after darkness.
think of it like a time of day. Black being night which is usually put together with death or dreary topics (the death of AIC with Layne). Blue being dawn which is usually put together with rebirth and new beginnings (New AIC).
As with with PJ's "Black"... They cant see beyond their pain, everything is a dark...no hope.
...Gives way to Blue, the darkness is gone, but they are still admitedly blue (sad), but able to press on...
I don't see that at all in this, especially when you have a look at the lyrics of the song with the title... nothing to suggest the light after the darkness, on the contrary.
On the other hand, the lyrics of 'All Secrets Known' is more what you seem to suggest. I would think if they were going to choose a title of a song to reflect 'light/rebirth/new beginnings', this would be the one.
I just see the title of the album as a tribute/dedication to Layne as it is the first album since his death. But then I may be gloomier than you guys!
This album is growing on me. I was a bit disappointed at first but after a few listen I start to appreciate it much more. The song that I prefer right now is Private Hell and especially the chorus.
The harmony between Cantrell and DuVall works really great although I wish that DuVall had more lead vocals.
Comments
unplugged was their farewell IMO...........
I'm confused. Layne was the lead vocalist on every track, save for one on Tripod (Heaven Beside You), if I'm not mistaken. His role was a bit diminished on that record due to his drug problem (or at least that's the speculation), and on that particular tune, Layne himself told Jerry "it's your song, sing it if you want".
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
Butthead: It means that his friends are like turds and that they like suck.
Beavis: Heh heh. Oh yeah. Yeah! Get those spoons out of my face before I shove them up your butt!
Butthead: Huh huh.
and would... and over now... and brother... and the killer is me...and got me wrong they traded leads.
he sang lead quite a bit.
8/7/08, 6/9/09
don't follow.
Debuting with 130k-140k sold. Not bad for the lack of promotion and not having Layne Staley.
I guess there were more than I realized (what with the harmonization and all), but in the big picture of all the songs released, it was a relatively small percentage. To me, anyway.
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
BGWTB is not going to be Dirt, but time will tell where it finds it's place. Did make me dig dirt out of the C D collection the other night for a listen, Good times.
People should def give it a chance
2000 Roskilde, 2006 Barcelona, 2007 London, Copenhagen, 2008 New York 1, New York 2, 2009 Berlin, 2010 Dublin, Belfast, 2012 Amsterdam 1, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, 2013 Brooklyn 1, Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014 Milan, Trieste, Berlin, Stockholm, Milton Keynes
EV
2012 Manchester, London 1, London 2
The title track is beautiful - anyone else just seeing a tiny you tube montage in their heads to this?
Manchester, June 2024 - TBC £160!!!
"Don't sweat the petty things, don't pet the sweaty things"
First heard the album during a listening party in London.. Like you,I have not been blown away. Was waiting for that 'punch in the stomach' but it never was to be. Came close a few times but it was not to happen. Good album though!
I really don't like his voice....sounds almost Megadethish at times.
I keep changing between that and Backspacer.
Lisbon '06 (x2)
Katowice '07
London '07 '09 (x2), '10
MSG NY '08 (x2)
Manchester '09 '12
Belfast '10
PJ20 Alpine '11 (x2)
Leeds '14
As with with PJ's "Black"... They cant see beyond their pain, everything is a dark...no hope.
...Gives way to Blue, the darkness is gone, but they are still admitedly blue (sad), but able to press on...
East Troy 9/3/11
East Troy 9/4/11
Amsterdam 6/26/12
Amsterdam 6/27/12
Wrigley Field 7/19-20/13
Worcester, MA 10/15/13
Worcester, MA 10/16/13
Hartford, CT 10/25/13
Seattle, WA 12/06/13
Denver, CO 10/22/14
Fenway 2016 #1
Fenway 2016 #2
Fenway 2018 #1
Fenway 2018 #2
There is light after darkness.
think of it like a time of day. Black being night which is usually put together with death or dreary topics (the death of AIC with Layne). Blue being dawn which is usually put together with rebirth and new beginnings (New AIC).
the album is awesome! they just played an acoustic show that from what i've listened to so far, is pretty awesome. check it out
http://www.aliceinchains.com/content/?p=663
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Great interpretation! I thought the same thing. I really love this album. This is a great act of justice towards the name Alice In Chains. Jerry, Sean, Mike, and Will are carrying on Chains in a great way. I wish them the best of luck, and can't wait to see them continue to make more music together. I think Layne would be proud.
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
August/September have been great for new releases
Black Crowes - Before The Frost...Until The Freeze
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
AIC - Black Gives Way To Blue
The trinity
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
(Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)
“Put yer good money on the sunrise”
(Tim Rogers)
True/False?
When william sings by himself he does not sound like layne to me.
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Anyway, I am a little disappointed with it. But just a little. All Secrets Known to me is a mess. Just an aimless mish-mash of sound that goes nowhere, except for that main riff. I like Check My Brain despite the retarded lyrics. A Looking in View is too damn long. It loses focus. Acid Bubble has ADD. It sounds like three different songs slammed together. I like the slower part of it. That chorus is horrid. Lesson Learned sounds like great radio pop. I wouldn't be surprised if that wound up as the next single. Very catchy. Black Gives Way to Blue (the song) is awesome. A little short, but haunting lyrics and vocals and the piano is a nice touch.
To me, the standout tracks are Your Decision and Private Hell. Alice has always been great at the acoustic pieces and it shows with Your Decision. But Private Hell is the best song on the record and the one that most sounds like the old Alice in Chains to me. I could completely envision Layne singing this one. I think they captured his mood perfectly. The harmony between Cantrell and Duval sounds best here. The chorus does sound like it is lifted right from Dirt. I'm OK with Duvall. I wish he took the lead a little more (like on Last of My Kind), but the harmony is just perfect on Private Hell. I think this one song saves the album for me.
It's weird because I don't hate it. But I don't love it either. Private Hell lifts it from complete ambivalence for me. It is that strong of a track. I wanted to be blown away by the record but that didn't happen. I am glad they are back though and I hope they keep it going. Maybe on the next one they can escape the ghost of Layne and not have to refer to him on every other song. They had to address it, but they need to find their own identity now.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
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Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
I don't see that at all in this, especially when you have a look at the lyrics of the song with the title... nothing to suggest the light after the darkness, on the contrary.
On the other hand, the lyrics of 'All Secrets Known' is more what you seem to suggest. I would think if they were going to choose a title of a song to reflect 'light/rebirth/new beginnings', this would be the one.
I just see the title of the album as a tribute/dedication to Layne as it is the first album since his death. But then I may be gloomier than you guys!
The harmony between Cantrell and DuVall works really great although I wish that DuVall had more lead vocals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Gives_Way_to_Blue