Alice In Chains Albums Ranked From Worst To Best
2. Jar of Flies
After coming off of two blockbuster albums, Alice was becoming known as one of the greatest bands of the '90s. Not only did they manage to bring their unique sound to the masses, but they did it by not compromising any of their artistic integrity in the process. Though they may have been riding high professionally, Jar of Flies is where you hear the turmoil coming from within.
In the same vein as SAP, this EP is filled with prime acoustic cuts, which go over even better than many might have expected. You can really tell that these guys refined their sound from their first attempt, with songs like I Stay Away and No Excuses bringing a grandiose energy to Alice's trademark darkness. This also might be the greatest showcase for Layne and Jerry's harmony singing, with every other track featuring a practical choir of voices bouncing off of each other.
On the other hand, you can definitely hear that Layne is not doing well, with the lyrics to I Stay Away and Nutshell being some of the most candid looks at a man fighting a losing battle with his addiction. Nowhere is this melancholy more apparent than on Whale and Wasp, an instrumental that has just as much drama as any lyrics could have made. Even though this marked the beginning of the end for Alice, the afterglow sure is beautiful.