Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

red mos

finally listening now. Will report back later.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

this, to me, is Alice's version of Metallica's Load/Reload. as others have stated, I'm going to give it a few more intense listens before the final verdict, but after first listen, I'm skeptical.

Of The Aggie

I guess I'm in the minority, but I actually like it. It's not as good as BGWTB, but it's a solid rockin' album. Devil Put Dinosuars Here is really the only song I don't care for. Standouts are Hollow, Stone, Lab Monkey, and Hung On a Hook.

I really want the vinyl but I'm not paying anywhere from $40 to $60 for it. Not sure why it's so expensive. Just because it's a picture disc? I hope there is another release since this one is marketed as limited edition.

Digital Twilight

Overall I found it pretty boring, not bad but just boring. A couple of good songs though, Phantom Limb is a real killer. Seems a lot of people are not impressed by this album.

red mos

It's ok, but I think it's a grower. I surprisingly took to BGWTB alot quicker. Off this album, I really like so far:

Stone
voices
Low ceiling
Breath on a window
scalpel
phantom limb.

IngeVS

I'm playing it in my car. Always thought that's the best place to listen to new rock albums. Need to get it out though, I miss the real rocking. It goes a little slow. I don't think it's bad, but it needs more guitar riffs

Edved82

Definitely a grower. Four listens in now, and it makes more sense each time you spin it. Couple of weak-ish meandering tracks, but some really good stuff on there too. Standouts for me so far are Stone, Phantom Limb, Voices, Hollow and Scalpel. One of those albums that takes a few listens to really get into, which is never a bad thing. BGWTB was much more instant for me, this has much more texture and depth to it.

RobbyD462

I like it but the QOTSA album takes up most my time.

CTD10

After a few more spins it is growing on me for sure.

iammine16

I dig it...that is all

eeriepadave

second listen, liked it a little more.

Edved82

AllNiteThing wrote:

First impression: My god, what happened? This album sucks. It's nowhere close to BGWTB, and certainly light years from the original stuff. I loved Stone and Phantom Limb, but the rest just sounded all the same to me.

After listening on good headphones at work, and then driving around listening to it a few times: It's a definite grower. I've actually come around, and after 3 or 4 listens, I may like it better than BGWTB. Not sure why my first impression was so negative, but I guess these songs just don't hit you right away. However, there's some excellent music in there, and dare I say very few fillers.

Hollow and Pretty Done start off the album pretty 'meh' for me, never was a fan of the leadoff track, despite its popularity. After that, it really picks up.

Stone is a great song, great video and should have been released before Hollow, IMO.

Voices has some nice harmonizing with Jerry/William and some great guitar work over the acoustic rhythm. Doesn't have the same feel as older AIC acoustics, but a good song in its own right.

Not a big fan of the title track, it's kind of a droning plodder (like a dinosaur?), but it's better than the opening track. Listenable, but will probably be a skipper soon.

Lab Monkey sounds like it easily could have been off Dirt, and held up well as an average track on that album.

Low Ceiling could have my favorite verse melody/delivery on this album. Nice little clean but simple solo. Not a big fan of the chorus, sounds a little mailed in, but the verses really make this song. Sounds more like a Jerry solo song though.

Breath on a Window might by my favorite right now. The verse sounds a little oddly upbeat for an AIC song, but its catchy. Chorus is very average. That outro though, wow. The breakdown around 2 minutes in, leading to the solo and then build up into that amazing outro really sends this song over the top for me. That final 3 minutes is the best part of this album, IMO.

Guitar tone on Scalpel sounds like something off of Sap, but again a little more upbeat in tone. Overall it's another that could be off a Jerry solo album, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Decent song, but not as good as Voices when it comes to the slower songs. Probably will end up being skippable.

Phantom Limb - I knew this would be one of my favorites when I first heard it. Sounds like it has more William than any of the other songs. That haunting refrain of 'Ill just haunt you like a phantom limb' in the middle and then as the outro is another highlight of the album, second to that of Breath on a Window. Classic AIC.

Hung on a Hook, to me, is going for the Down in a Hole/Private Hell sort of feel. While it doesn't hold up to them in my view, this is a very good song. I love that droning guitar repeated at the end for the last few minutes, very hypnotic and powerful. They're really hitting it out of the park with these outros.

Choke, while not as good as the BGWTB closer, is a decent song, albeit another very Jerry solo sounding song.


Overall, I think the slower, droning pace of this album is the reason it's not an immediate impact. Given a few chances, it really comes alive. IMO, the big difference with BGWTB is with that album they were really trying to bring back AIC, write about Layne and recreate that old sound. With this, they're more comfortable and I think Jerry is more free to just do what he does, which ultimately will probably sound more like the direction he was going with his solo albums, which is why there are more songs that sound that way here than on BGWTB. All in all, I think this will top the previous album in my mind.

You pretty much summed up everything that I've felt about this album since my first listen. After the first listen I was thinking "God this is such a letdown" but on each subsequent listen I've found more and more things that I like in it. Just read your review in the other thread too and glad to see that people are enjoying this record as much as i am

CTD10

Yeh listened to it 5 or 6 times now and I'm starting to love it.

Olivavu

It's not a remarkable album. It's not bad, it just happens.

Ernie Vedder

I can't get into it. It's a mediocre album, to me. Maybe the songs sound better live. I'll catch them on tour.

primussucks

Awesome album! Low Ceiling is brilliant! Sure kicks the shit out of King Animal!

PSUS2H

Phantom Limb is classic creepy dark AIC. I enjoy this album the more and more I listen to it.

Olivavu

I'm going to see them tonight.

Barely listened to the album as the first few spins just bored me.

red mos

the new songs came off better live, and now, I appreciate the album a lot more.

nickburrows14

primussucks wrote:

Awesome album! Low Ceiling is brilliant! Sure kicks the shit out of King Animal!

First listen and I'm liking it. Not given them a listen since they started recording again.
Not sure about the King Animal statement but yeah, pleasantly surprised

EdLaw

They kicked ass last night. The latest album is probably their weakest, but I still like it a lot (it grew on me immensely). I'm kinda disappointed they're not playing more of it on this tour.

Olivavu

They started well, but the momentum was lost by Rotten Apple and they never got it back.

And there were way too many metal gonks in the crowd.

eeriepadave

eeriepadave said:

I thought it was ok, nothing great though. Most of the songs sounded the same. I dug Phantom Limb a lot though. Will have to give it a few more listens i guess

wow they actually put a video put for Phantom Limb a year and half after the album came out. Cool video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inIedyj9slE

PJ_Soul

I barely even get it. The new "AIC" dropped off my radar pretty quick, but I just watched that vid above, and (video itself aside) this doesn't really make sense to me as AIC. Why didn't they just start a new band instead of trying to pretend they were Alice In Chains?? Then maybe the singer could be himself instead of sounding goofy.

.... oh right. $-) $-)

RobbyD462

Call it the Jerry Cantrell Project or
Anything but AIC .People would still buy it and they wouldn't have upset so many of their original fans

Nothingbetter

BryanWeb said:

The good songs on this album are VERY good. Although there are more "meh" songs on this album then any of
But there are a few killer tracks on this one. Just not too many.

^^^This. Love "Stone".

dudeman

Did anyone else find the brick walled, compressed all to hell sound of this album fatiguing? I like the songs but the production kind of sucks, IMO.

jlj_swe

I find the two latest releases from Alice In Chains to be totally brilliant. Probably two of the albums that's been spinning most on my turntable for the last years.

BGWTB probably is the stronger one, but on a rainy day the dinosaurs might take over, who knows...

SmallestOceans

jlj_swe said:

I find the two latest releases from Alice In Chains to be totally brilliant. Probably two of the albums that's been spinning most on my turntable for the last years.

BGWTB probably is the stronger one, but on a rainy day the dinosaurs might take over, who knows...

Incredible records. Jerry is nothing short of a genius. Have you listened to his two solo albums Boggy Depot and Degradation Trip? They're great as well.

pearldavidson

As much as I love and miss Layne, a true front man with amazing vocals, this has always been Jerry's band.