Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue

Okay, so I've spent the past 6 days with this album, listening to it as much as possible. I really wanted to give Black Gives Way to Blue a very thorough and fair review because growing up, Alice in Chains was a very important band to me. I have fond memories of hanging out with friends, playing guitar and jamming out to Jar of Flies (AiC's best album by far). There were many moments and situations in my junior high/high school days that Alice in Chain's music really helped me through.

Layne Staley, former front man for AiC, passed away on April 5, 2002...seven years after their last studio release (Alice in Chains, 1995). Though the band never officially called it quits, touring and recording was impossible due to Staley's substance abuse problems. Now seven years after Staley's death and 14 years since their self titled album, Alice in Chains releases Black Gives Way to Blue, with William DuVall taking over the role left by Layne Staley. Does he fill the impossibly huge shoes left by Layne? Does the album measure up to the high standards set by AiC's previous studio releases? Lets dive into the album and find out.

"All Secrets Known" is a song about looking back at what the band was, and knowing that they can never go back to what was, they can only move forward in what they want the band to become now. Musically, its a typical AiC slow, heavy song. Jerry Cantrell covers the lead vocals on this song, with DuVall harmonizing with him at key points in the song. Its a good song, noteworthy because of the lyrical content and significance.

The next song, "Check My Brain", is the first single off the album. I have to be honest, when I first heard this song on the radio, I hated it. So much so that it gave me second thoughts about picking up the album all together. After listening to it over and over again, I can say that I still don't care for it. Musically, its not bad. the riffs are good, the distortion has that classic AiC muddiness to it, and Cantrell and DuVall's voices harmonize together perfectly. But, when listening to the lyrics of the song, its the equivalent of AiC singing a modern day Beach Boys song...it just doesn't work for me. If I wanted songs about California I'd grab my copy of Pet Sounds and listen to it.

On "Last of My Kind", you finally get a listen at DuVall's chops as he takes the lead on this track. Its an okay song, but what it really does is help establish that DuVall is in no way trying to be a Layne Staley sound-alike. His voice is much different than Layne's, and he in no way attempts to imitate the former lead singer's unique voice (though on this song, when DuVall and Cantrell harmonize, there is a definite Staley sound there).

"Your Decision" slows things down, bringing in an acoustic guitar for the start. When the song starts, you really want to hear Layne start singing. This is a very good song, but really would have been better with Staley singing. The lyrics of this are most definitely about Layne, the path he chose in his life, and the end that that path ultimately brought him to. "You feed the fire that burned us all/ When you lie/ To feel the pain that spurs you on/ Black inside/ No one plans to take the path that brings you lower/ And here you stand before us all and say its over"

AiC picks up the pace and the heaviness with "A Looking In View". This song has a very classic Alice in Chains sound and feel. This is one of the better songs on the album, and definitely brings back memories of listening to AiC's 1995 self-titled release. The song centers around a relationship swamped with deceit. It could be a relationship between two lovers, or it could (I don't know specifics of their relationship) represent Cantrell's relationship with Staley towards the end of Staley's life.

"When the Sun Rose Again" brings back the acoustic guitars, though its a completely different sound than "Your Decision" and it's acoustic sound. The chorus of this song is one of the best musical moments on the album. "It seems you prophesized all of this would end/ Were you burned away when the sun rose again?" A very good song, that is quite different from anything AiC has done in the past.

"Acid Bubble" is a very heavy, very muddy guitar song that brings memories of "Angry Chair" to mind. It is a song with a sociopolitical theme that Cantrell has always been a fan of. The song has a stop/start transition between verse and chorus that I would normally hate, but it works for this song (somehow). This song is one of my favorites off the album. The guitars and drums are top notch on this track, and the vocal harmonization between DuVall and Cantrell is amazing.

Next is "Lesson Learned". It doesn't really stand out on the album; it kinda feels like its there for filler. Not a horrible song, but I've gotten to where I skip past it to the next song, which is...

"Take Her Out". This song's opening riff is something different...almost reminiscent of bands like Heart. The song is about a faceless love. This love, since it is faceless, is again Alice (the band - a recurring theme throughout the album). This song is okay, but it lacks alot of the punch I'm used to with AiC.

"Private Hell" is easily the best song on the album. Its also one of the best songs AiC has recorded (oh snap). The lyrics on this song have been pulled from a very deep part of Cantrell's psyche, and the song really benefits from it. Lyrics like "I excuse myself/ I'm used to my little cell/ I amuse myself/ In my very own private hell" speak of a pain and isolation that we all feel from time to time (some of us more frequently than others). When he and DuVall scream that line at the end of the song, you feel the wretch in your heart.

The last song on the album, "Black Gives Way to Blue", is very obviously a song written to and about Layne. It is a very sad song that doesn't come across as forced sentimentalism. "Fading out by design/ Consciously avoiding changes/ Curtain's drawn, now it's done/ Silencing all tomorrows/ Forcing a goodbye". This song is a beautifully written and performed poem to a lost friend.

Okay, so my final verdict: overall I like the album. It has a classic AiC sound over most of it, and the recurring theme of both Layne Staley and the band itself helps gel the songs together. There is so much pain and emotion wrapped up in this album that its hard not to take notice. Does William DuVall fill Staley's shoes? Yes and no. The album makes it quite obvious that DuVall is not trying to be Layne Staley 2.0. He brings his own sound and his own style to the band. In doing so, he honor's Layne and rightly takes his place as the frontman of the band.

However, I can't help but feel this album is 10 years too late. Grunge has all but died out or evolved into the punk/pop sound of today's popular music. Die hard AiC fans and students of 90s music will pick up this album (and they will enjoy it). Younger music fans (those who were watching Barney when Alice in Chains released their previous studio album) won't get it. They won't get the muddy guitars and the heavy drum beats. And they'll wonder why the lead singer is whining so much (ironic, considering some of the popular stuff that's out there these days).

As for me, Black Gives Way to Blue has found a spot in my iPod and it will get regular listens. It is no Jar of Flies...but I never expected that.

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Let me get this out of the way: Hayley Williams and Caleb Followill should get married and make lots of wailing babies...talk about rock and roll pedigree. This girl can sing better than any female frontman (and most male frontmen) that has come along in a looooooooong time. When I first sat down to listen to Brand New Eyes, I was expecting more of what I'm used to with Paramore: hard driving riffs, beautiful and powerful vocals, and insightful lyrics. Did I get what I was expecting? A little of it, but Paramore certainly slipped in quite a few surprises.


Brand New Eyes starts out with "Careful". This is a straightforward, typical Paramore song, with all the qualities listed above. The drum work really shines on this track. Its an enjoyable song, with amazing vocals and catchy lyrics.

The second song on the album, "Ignorance", is the first single to be released off of Brand New Eyes. This is another fast, hard hitting Paramore song. What makes this different from songs on their previous albums is the lyrics. This Paramore album has a darker, more serious tone that Riot or All We Know Is Falling; and that tone gets kicked off with "Ignorance".

"Playing God" slows things down a bit, and opens the curtain a little deeper into the angst this band has been through the past couple of years. Very poignant lyrics really stand out in this song: "If God's the game you're playing/then we must get more acquainted/it must be so lonely/to be the only one who's holy". Very good, powerful lyrics that Hayley delivers in a very honest way.

The next song, "Brick By Boring Brick", picks the pace back up a little. Its a song about wanting a fairytale life, and striving hard for it, only to realize that life is not a fairytale, and you can't always have what you want. A very mature theme for a song from such a young band.

"Turn It Off" is an emotionally wrenching song, and it is my second favorite song on the album. At first listen, it sounds as if Hayley is questioning her faith in God, and if you're unaware of the turmoil within the band that could be so. But, knowing the troubles they've had with each other and with fame, it shines a whole new light on this song. The vocals in this song are chill inducing, very very good vocals and a very good song. The lyrics in the chorus are absolutely beautiful: "and the worst part is/before it gets any better/we're headed for a cliff/and in the free fall/I will realize I'm better off/when I hit the bottom".

On "The Only Exception" Paramore breaks out the acoustic guitars and slows things down significantly. This is a new sound for their studio albums, but not to the band in general. They have done quite a few acoustic performances, and I can say that they really sound exceptionally good when performing an acoustic set. This song is no different. Beautiful sound, and a sad but hopeful message about the longterm effects that divorce can have on children.

"Feeling Sorry" kicks it up with a more traditional Paramore sound. Not much to say about this song...its not a bad song, but on this album it just doesn't stand out.

"Looking Up" is an anthem about where the band is in life and their career now, and how it almost never happened and they almost gave it all up. The guitar riff is fun and catchy. The drums again shine in this song. The whole song is fun and you can really tell the band put everything they had into this song.

The next song, "Where the Lines Overlap", is an upbeat, fun song that will probably end up being a single. Its one of the most radio friendly songs on the album. I can picture this song in a live performance, and the crowd is going to go crazy when she starts singing "now I've got a feeling/if I sang this loud enough/you would sing it back to me". Yep, crowd will go crazy.

Paramore goes acoustic again for "Misguided Ghosts", and in doing so creates another beautiful song with a beautiful message. Life is confusing and there's no right or wrong way to get through it. Because of this we often find ourselves wandering about, trying to run from our mistakes but having no real direction to get away from them. The guitar work is very clean and very comforting.

"All I Wanted" is the final song on the album, and can I just say...O M G! This is without a doubt the best song on the album, and one of the best songs I've heard all year and now my favorite Paramore song. If any of you doubt Hayley's vocal ability...wow, just wow. You have to listen to this song. Amazing vocals aside, the lyrics are heart wrenching, and when mixed with the amazing vocals and powerful music, this song is tear inducing. "I could follow you to the beginning/just to relive the start/maybe then we'd remember to slow down/at all of our favorite parts".

Bottom line: This is an amazing album. Die hard Paramore fans may scoff at the new direction the band has taken, but I firmly believe it is a step in the right direction. Hayley Williams and Company are maturing, and it is coming out beautifully in their music. I'll admit, part of me was afraid that Brand New Eyes would be Riot 2.0. Luckily, Paramore wrote what they were feeling and not what the record company would have wanted them to. This album is dark and soul searching, but it still has moments of fun.

Brand New Eyes is currently the front-runner for my album of the year. I'll give all of the contenders a few re-listens over the next few months, but as it stands now, this album could be unbeatable.

Muse - The Resistance

Ah, Muse...how I always wait in bated anticipation for your new albums. You have yet to ever really let me down with an album (though you came close with Black Holes and Revelations). I finally received The Resistance this week after a shipping 'incident' delayed its arrival. I opened the package with high hopes and eagerness, since its been three years since their last album. I loaded The Resistance into my iTunes and waited impatiently for it to finish importing before slapping on my headphones and getting to business.

The album opens with "Uprising", the first single from the cd. Its a fist pumping, high energy anthem the likes of which only Muse could deliver so successfully. Its got a great chorus that is easy and fun to sing along with. However, soundwise the song is sorely out of place on this album and would fit better in Black Holes and Revelations (it would slide in right behind Knights of Cydonia quite nicely). What ties it to the rest of the album is its theme: a wold at war, brewing revolution, and political unrest

Next is the album's title track, "Resistance". This song is much more representative of the overall feel and sound of the album than "Uprising". This track is a standout, and at moments brings memories of Queen's body of work. Its definitely a new sound for Muse, and they pull it off perfectly.

"Undisclosed Desires", while not 'technically' the best song on the album, it is easily my favorite. It has a hip hop beat that is incredibly fun to dance to. Whenever I hear this song, its just instinctual...doesn't matter if I'm at home listening on my iPod or in the car going 70 down the interstate...when this song comes on, my body just starts dancing. This track would not be out of place on a Depeche Mode album. This could eventually make it onto the radio as a single as it is the perfect length for the radio.

The next song, "United States of Eurasia", is an interesting track. It again continues Muse's tribute to Queen seen throughout the album. So much so that if you didn't know it was Muse, you would think you were listening to Queen. Its a good song, but I feel that for the scope and scale of importance they try to give this track, its just not long enough. The song clocks in at 5:47, but the last 2:06 of the song is spent by Matt Bellamy playing through Chopin's Nocturne (which makes the track come off as forced and pretentious). It still is fun to listen to, and Freddie Mercury would be proud.

"Guiding Light" is an okay song, but thats about it. It also has an excellent solo (no, Matt Bellamy is not Jerry Cantrell, but the solo fits the song perfectly). Thats really all there is to say about this track.

The next song is "Unnatural Selection". Its a decent song, it just doesn't really stand out. The same can be said for "MK Ultra".

"I Belong To You" is much better than the two songs preceding it. I love how halfway through, the pace slows and Bellamy starts crooning away in French and then belting out the sound again. This song grows on you the more you listen to it.

Next we have the "Exogenesis Symphony". A series of three songs tied together in Muse's idea of a rock opera. It starts with a rousing symphany overture composed by Bellamy. In the middle of part 1's overture, Bellamy starts to sing in his haunting falsetto that few can pull off. When the guitar kicks in, things get even more haunting. Its weird, but it in the context of these three tracks, it works. In this trilogy of songs, Muse try very hard to blend classical music and rock and roll more than they ever have before (and that IS saying something). They accomplish this masterfully during the three track symphony. It is a shining light on this album, and definitely worth listening to over and again.

I really enjoy this album by Muse. Is it as good as "Absolution"? C'mon, you already know the answer to that. "Absolution" is to Muse what "OK Computer" was to Radiohead in the 90s: unbeatable. Sure, Radiohead continued to release great albums after "OK Computer" (except "Amnesiac"...what was up with that album), but they never reached creativity of that level again. The same is for Muse and "Absolution". I will say that "The Resistance" is one of my favorite albums of the year. My absolute favorite? Its tough to say. Muse faces tough competition from Mat Kearney, U2, DMB, and Needtobreathe's 2009 releases. Plus, with next weeks releases of new albums for Alice in Chains and Paramore (yes, I listen to Paramore, get over it) the discussion of album of the year is only just beginning.

MuteMath - Armistice

MuteMath's new album is a bit of a paradox for me. Like their other albums, I find that its not fully complete, and slightly disjointed. The songs are short, and press hard on sounding 80s pop. The songs on the album don't always flow well from one to the other. Like their previous album, I find that the songs that are good are REALLY good, but the songs that aren't good, aren't really even okay. After the first few initial listens of the album, I've already gotten to where I skip over a few of the songs.

Armistice starts off with "The Nerve", which at first listened really turned me off automatically. It has since grown on me, but the song does not represent the rest of the album accurately, which should be the main goal of the opening track. "Backfire", the second track, is much more representative of the overall feel of this album, and is a solid song on top of it. Its sort of Armistice's "Peculiar People." For the next track, "Clipping", MuteMath tries to tone things down, which is not something they usually do convincingly (the rare exception is "Progress" from their Reset EP, which is one of my all-time favorite songs). Its a good song, it just doesn't seem genuine.

"Spotlight", the first single from the album, kicks things back into gear. This is a radio friendly song that does what it needs to do. It brings energy to the album and will bring new fans to the band. Its not the greatest song they've recorded, but its not a song I skip when listening to Armistice. The next song, "No Response", zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....oh, I'm sorry, where was I? "Pins and Needles" is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The music itself is okay, nothing really special. But the lyrics are very moving. "Sometimes I get tired of pins and needles/ Facades are a fire on my skin/ Oh, I'm growing fond of broken people/ As I see that I am one of them". Amazing insight into how we all play roles in our daily lives, and very rarely ever get to be our true selves.

"Goodbye" is upbeat, with a sound remeniscent of early U2. It wouldn't surprise me to hear this song as another single from the album. "Odds" isn't a standout on this album, and I'm probably in the minority, but its one of my favorites on the album. A beautiful look at having to make a difficult decision.

"Electrify" is a high energy song about desire for another. It is one of my favorites on the album. Paul Meany's voice really shines through on this track. Armistice is another stand out song. Bringing in the brass band makes this song slightly remeniscent of Radiohead's "National Anthem". "Lost Year" is another MuteMath style ballad that is one I usually fast forward through. Its a song about losing the love in a relationship that started out great, and it just comes across as forced. The last song, "Burden", is my favorite on the album. When Meany starts screaming "I just can't hold it together" I just want to scream out with him at the top of my lungs. It is a moment of almost perfect music. And just when you think its finished, drummer Darren King just goes crazy and ushers in the final 4:30 slow down before going crazy one more time to finish up the album.

If you are a die-hard fan of the album, you'll buy it no matter what I say. If you aren't a die-hard fan, but have heard "Spotlight" and are curious, its worth a pickup. In the context of MuteMath's body of work, it is the weakest of their releases, but considering their debut cd and the Reset EP, that doesn't mean its a bad album.