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Class 6(66)
Alice In Chains: Facelift
12/11/10 || Daemonomania
Another Class 6(69) both rocked and rolled by IG and Daemo. These write-up’s are like a buddy police action movie where two tough motherfuckers eat hotdogs while shooting the shit out of serial killers and breaking all the rules. Put our badges on the desk? Sure thing, chief, just watch this city to GO TO SHIT. When we interrogate criminals, instead of good cop / bad cop, it’s gay cop / gayer cop. You can decide which is which.
Introduction:
Daemonomania: I remember the heady time of my youth, listening to alternative rock radio. Those were the days… no cares, no responsibilities, I’d never met IG… life was perfect. Along comes this tune called “Man in the box”. Aside from being one of the heavier things I’d ever heard, sometimes the station wouldn’t block out the word shit. How badass is that? Badass. My interest grew. Soon my first band t-shirt was for “Jar of flies”, and a later purchase of a “Bleed the freak” shirt with Christ on it almost got me suspended from high school.
So while AIC is a very nostalgic band for me, this album in particular is far from their best. Some good tunes, some weak ones. But IG loves things that are weak, such as inner city high school children fatigued from crack use that can’t escape his clutches. Let’s hear what he has to say about the issue at hand.
Inquisitorgeneralis: Doped up and exhausted is just the way I like ‘em. Anyway, “Facelift” also brings back memories of better, more innocent days before my soul became raped by the unlight of death metal. This is a classic, groovy, grimy hard rock record that is extremely different from the band’s later material. “Facelift” is much more than “Man in the Box”… which is not a song about Daemonomania being forced to stay in his small apartment by his better-half. This along with “Badmotorfinger” makes up the best of the Seattle scene.
DDD: Hahafuckenha, that’s rich. By that same token, “I know something (bout you)” isn’t about me knowing that IG poses for the grainy black and white pictures in the ghay classified section of local Baltimore newspapers. I’d say the two best albums outta Seattle are “Superunknown” and the “Jar of Flies/Sap” combo, but that’s just me.
Igeezlouise: Watch it bub, those pictures are artistic and classy. Just like “Facelift”. Actually, it is not classy at all. It is a gritty, bare-bones record about all the happy things in life like heroin and depression. Let’s get on with the review, before even more lurid secrets are revealed…
Songwriting:
D.P.U.G.: Well, I was planning to slam the back half of this album, but upon second listen it ain’t like that anymore. The best material is still the first six tunes. You’ve got the classic asskicker “We die young”, radio staple with awesome video follows, and some solid AIC template slow burners like “Sea of sorrow”, “I can’t remember”, “Love, hate, love”. The rest are either hindered by some recurrent flaw (“Sunshine” rules at the end though), or are generic and too haunted by the ghost of Guns ‘n Hoses. Then there’s one song that is absolutely and utterly hideous.
IG: “Sunshine” is the hidden winner of the back end. Daemo will show you his hidden back-end winner too if you buy him a few Oatmeal Stouts at the local same-sex pub. “Sea of sorrow” is probably my favorite track from here. The piano’s (not keyboards mind you) are a nice touch. The more well-known tracks all kick ass too. Even though I have heard it 100,000 times I still sing along to “Man in the box” every time I hear it. “Bleed the freak” is the closest thing on here to “Dirt” material and another ace track. I wonder my soon-to-be-law-student friend, which song is utterly hameous?
DBest: “I know somethin’ (‘bout you)” sounds like a dirty fart that escaped the ass of the Red Hot Chili Peppers only to be inhaled deeply by some Brazilians and then breathed into the face of Washington state. A fartswap, if you will. I know Staley and Cantrell were in a funk band prior to Chainz, but this shit is inexcusable. It is so odoriferous, the overall score is brought down. Gonna go with a 7 here, your thoughts?
Igreatest: A 7 is fine with me. The songs are good but nothing mind-blowing or original. Alice in Wonderland would produce more creative material later on. Still, good shit.
Production:
Double Daes: This is Columbia, after all. Production sounds very clean and crisp, maybe lacking in punch but certainly better than anything that has been played on corporate rock radio in the last decade. Vocals sound excellent, and Cantrell’s guitarwork is allowed to shine.
IncestuousGeriatrics: Yeah, “Facelift” sounds pretty damn good. It should for being a major label release.
Daestroying Daevinities: Nothing more to say here. Good production. 9.
Guitars:
Dstring: People always say Cantrell is an understated and underappreciated axeman. I tend to agree. Simple, but good. Some dope solos throughout “Facesit” too – they were definitely going for the more metal end of the grunge spectrum.
Insatiable: Yeah, the riffs and solos here reflect the Chainz metal background much more than the grunge scene that blew up soon after this album’s release. High points for me are the opening of “Bleed the freak”, the monster main riffs of “We die young”, and the entirety of “Real thing”. However, the apex of axing is the bluesy masterpiece “Sunshine”. Nothing flashy or crazy to be sure, but solid guitar playing is the name of the game here. An 8 sound good to you booboo?
Daeneath the Remains: No, a 7.5 sounds good to me. Not a big fan of “Real thing”, either via AIC or FNM. But we’ll agree to diss-a-ig-dae.
Vocals:
Daedilus: Layne-O had some of the best pipes of this era. Pity he needled them into oblivion.
Icarouseralis: Agreed, it is shame Layne ended up stinking up his neighborhood because he was one of the best rock vocalists. Period. His haunting presence and sound is unmatched. He gets a bit more animated and funky on “Facelift” which is a stark contrast to the more somber, heroined-out style he follows on later releases. He and Jerry really did have a special thing going with their dual harmony, but not quite right sounding, delivery.
Daesertion: Come to think of it, he was probably at his prime on here, even if the songwriting doesn’t match his talent. Plus there was a bit of Axl Roseism scattered throughout, which is a pleasant addition to Staley’s already early-90’s-tastic delivery. Let’s not forget Cantrell, who didn’t sound quite as similar to Mr. Pincushion as he later would. 9 too high for you (heh heh), brotherman?
Ipeed: Nope, I agree with the 9. Do it.
Bass:
Daeny the Cross: You take this one. Start ‘er up.
IntercessionofthevirginMary: Is this the dude on Celebrity Rehab? Maybe. Who cares. Mike Starr does a decent job. The bass would be a bigger part of Alice in Chain’s sound later on when Mike Inez joined up.
Across the Open Dae: Dunno. The original dude was OK though, I’ll got with a 7.
Drums:
Influencedbysatan: Nothing too amazing here to right about. Kinney McGee keeps a solid pacing going behind the kit but does nothing to truly stand out. However, insane fills and 50,000 RPM doublebass is not what Alice in Chains was all about so I won’t say the drumming is bad or hurts the music. Just nothing special. 7.
Daetails, Daetails: Kinney wears a baseball cap with the best of them, but has never been anything to talk about in the wide world of drumming. Extreme metal has come to frame my skinbeating perspective so much that I can’t even really tell you what he’s up to at all behind the kit on “Facelift”. I agree wiv da G.
Lyrics:
D-bater: Oof, some weak and cheesy content in the ole lyrics sheet. See below:
I’m gonna tell your papa
Yeah I’m gonna try and ball your babe
Your gold key don’t fit my crapper
Ain’t got no shit today
Truly amazing. Again, the first half of the album vs. the second half is much better, but this is a band whose heroin-based whining would certainly improve with time.
Insulter: Agreed, AIC’s lyrics would exponential improve with the amount of drugs consumed. Still, I always sing along with “Sunshine”, “Sea of sorrow”, and “Bleed the freak” so I give the lyrics on here a 7. I am sure you disagree…
Daeride: Hmmm, I would go 6. Wait, I just rewrote some shit from “Sunshine”:
Then some dude came down to touch IG’s mother
IG’s mother touched and dude ain’t here no more
As you’ll probably conclude without difficulty, that was excellent.
Cover art:
Injectedheroin: Facelift? Facepalm? Facemelt? Who knows what is going on here but I like it. I imagine this is what people look like when you are juiced up on teh horse. Daemo, you have an theories about this?
DaeTox: Help, I’m meeeeelttiiinnnnnggggg! This photograph has not been edited or tampered with in any way – it is an actual picture taken in the aftermath of one of Seattle’s most horrific events. In 1989 a group of flannel wearing neo-Nazis found the Ark of the Grunge Covenant. Seeking to harness its awesome commercial power, they foolishly opened it and were consumed. Leaving the scene wide open for the bands we know and love today. 8.
Logo:
D-Beat: Always enjoyed the AIC logo. Looks cool. Looks scary. Cleary created by someone who NEVER forgets to dot the i when writing.
Instep: Agreed, Alice in Chains always had one of the better logos for a non-Satanic blvck metal band. A 9 you think El Daemerino?
Daemilitarized zone: Sure, why not. But let’s make sure to note that the 9 is in the context of their grunge peers. Battling it out against the likes of classic Swedeath logos like Unleashed, Grave, and the old Hypocrisy logo, and AIC would get about a 2.
Booklet:
Doughnuts: Black background. White type. Funny picture of the dudes all chillin’ in a sandpit or something with long hair, looking cool as hell. Imagine hanging out with these fuckers way back when. Drinking, drugging, whoring, and rocking the hell out around the clock. A lack of commentary from you, eh, IG? Well then I’m gonna go ahead and give it an undisputed 5.
Idonthavethebookletanymore: I don’t have the booklet anymore. 5 alive, no jive.
Overall and ending rant:
DaeoyathinkI’msexy?: Thanks to writing this review, my opinion of “Facelift” has changed. I recently replaced my tape copy with a CD, so my ability to listen to it has increased tenfold as well. Yeah. Daemo has always had a nostaliboner for AIC, and I’d almost forgotten how full of fun (if slightly less mature) material there is on “Chairlift”.
Ifyouwantmybody: “Facelift” has always been a favorite of mine, even in spite of its flaws. It still holds up today. Actually, it fucking destroys any hard rock coming out these days. Alice in Chains has seen a deserved revival in popularity lately and it is good to see the band carrying on after the loss of Layne. They will never recapture the feel of “Facelift” though. This puppy is a classic.
Daeon’tcryformeArgenpenis: Agreed. Well, to sum it up if you’re remotely interested in hard-rockin’ grunge, you already own it. If not, you don’t. But classics need to be reviewed, and we have taken care of that with the same attention to detail we show in brushing each other’s pubes. Gonna go with the big 8 here pal, whaddaya say?
Iseetheglory: An 8 is great. “Facelift” is greater than the sum of its parts. Now, my pubes are getting a bit wrinkled. You know what time it is big boy…
- Information
- Released: 1990
- Label: Columbia
- Website: www.aliceinchains.com
- Band
- Layne Staley: vocals
- Jerry Cantrell: guitars, vocals
- Mike Starr: bass
- Sean Kinney: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. We Die Young
- 02. Man in the Box
- 03. Sea of Sorrow
- 04. Bleed the Freak
- 05. I Can’t Remember
- 06. Love, Hate, Love
- 07. It Ain’t Like That
- 08. Sunshine
- 09. Put You Down
- 10. Confusion
- 11. I Know Somethin (Bout You)
- 12. Real Thing
