Shop Ireland

Jar of Flies/Sap by: Alice In Chains

Click to tell a friend about this item...

More Product Details...

Review Pages: 1 2 3 Next »

Click here to add a review!

Average rating -

Rating: - Alice in Chains Unplugged

The back to basics, stripped down acoustic performance is a key aspect of the grunge legacy; from Nirvana's iconic Unplugged performance, to bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam regularly trading huge power chords for acoustic strumming in live performance, if you couldn't make your misery potent with just an acoustic, you were lagging behind in 90s Seattle.

Alice in Chains acoustic EPs Sap and Jar of Flies are probably the apex of "acoustic grunge". They are also an excellent unadorned showcase of Jerry Cantrell's amazing songwriting, as well as giving the band a chance to fully embrace their less obvious musical touchstones; whiskey soaked blues, outlaw country and the Skynyrd of Tuesday's Gone.

From the moment Rotten Apples dark, rolling riff emerges from your speakers like a black cloud appearing on the horizon it's obvious that this is a distillation of all that makes AIC great; their brew of discomfort, harrowing darkness and atmospherics is at least as powerful shorn of the thunderous distortion of Dirt or Facelift. Both EPs also contain truly beautiful moments, from lush string arrangements to the harmonies on Nutshell or the mesmerizing guitar solo on instrumental Whale and Wasp.

Rating: - nutshell is pure perfection

if you own a single album/ EP by A.I.C it has to be jar of flies, it still stands out as their best. It's stripped down and the bare bones of what they were all about. a must have for any real music lover. Nutshell still has the haunting feeling it had when I very first heard it, the marks of a perfect song for me. 10/10!

Rating: - One of the best

This is the first album that i got of AIC and from the opening track 'Rotten Apple' this is just a fantastic album. Some of the highlights on there are 'Rotten Apple', 'Nutshell', 'Whale & Wasp' and 'Brother'. This was probably the best start i could have had for AIC. This is so much more mellow than albums like 'Dirt' and 'Alice In Chains'. But if you are starting out with AIC then this will ease into the brooding and pure brilliance that is AIC. This album is for chilling out late at night, and just listening to Layne's fantastic vocals and Jerry's sweet guitar solos and riffs. Great Album. All the songs on here are great, but with the exception of 'Nutshell' which is probably one of their best songs they've ever written.

Rating: - Jar of Flies/Sap

These two Alice in Chains ep's are short and sweet, but offer some great music. They show a more chilled side to AIC and are all the better for it. You get the usual amazing guitar playing and vocals and some moving songs (`Nutshell` probably being one of the best AIC songs out there). I tend to prefer `Jar of Flies' over `Sap', but considering you get both albums in one package this works out as quite a bargain. Kick back, chill out and enjoy two slices of laid back AIC.

Rating: - Perfection: No Contest

At the exact time of writing this, I am listening to the opening track of 'Jar of Flies', a song called 'Rotten Apple'. I'm listening to Mike Inez's beautiful bassline, and Jerry Cantrell's wonderful opening riff, and chills are running down my spine at the beauty of the music issuing from my computer. And this album is made up purely of tracks that do this.
I wouldn't go so far as to call this double album acoustic, because if you compare the songs on this to their counterparts on 'Unplugged', even someone who's never picked up a guitar should be able to tell that there are electrics on here. How could they create that riff at the start of 'Rotten Apple' otherwise? Anyway, this is a fantastic record, and I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing intrest in Alice In Chains. It was in my CD player for weeks - it is almost impossible to get tired of music this good.
'Sap' has its good points as well, but I do generally prefer the versions of 'Brother' and 'Got Me Wrong' that were performed for the 'Unplugged' taping. They do work better in simply acoustic format. Or maybe it's just the charisma of the band when they were playing them. Who knows? 'Right Turn' offers a rare treat, collaboration with other bands! Oh wow! Isn't it great! (For thos of limited imagination, that was sarcasm of its lowest form). Anyway, personally I think 'Right Turn' is a great track, but maybe that's just because I've got a recording of pretty much everything Chris Cornell has ever done (buy Temple of the Dog and Soundgarden! Now! Or risk beating by angry Soundgarden fans!). Mark Arm from Mudhoney pops up on here as well - it took a tab search to find that out. Anyway, brilliant album, buy now, do it, do it, DO IT! You won't regret it, unless you're a Westlife fan.

Review Pages: 1 2 3 Next »