Alice in Chains really showed unchartered depths on Jar Of Flies. Up to this point they were the doomiest, sludgiest, most down tuned of the Big Grunge bands in the public eyes.
No Excuses changed them from a one trick ponybag of a band to a multifaceted contender for a cross over to the mainstream. The leap from genre big fish to the big pond didn’t last long. After Jar Of Flies and the attention No Excuses brought from a new kind of fan came the self titled (Three Legged Dog) album. A record mired in heroin addiction and a withdrawal from touring was followed with a decade of sporadic activity and eventually the staggering loss of Layne Staley.
The fragile beauty of No Excuses really can hold it’s own alongside major rock sculptors like R.E.M or Led Zeppelin.
This song has layers like an onion. It’s got captivating melodies and the musicianship and arrangements are mesmerising.
“It’s alright, there comes a time, got no patience to search for peace of mind, Layin’ low, want to take it slow, no more hiding or disguising truths I’ve sold”
Clearly a song about getting to grips with ones self. With your short comings and your strengths. No Excuses is the tune to pull you up by your boot straps and get a comb through your hair before you step out and face whatever it is the world has to offer.
The lyric doesn’t pull it’s punches, it’s matter of fact about the state of things.
It’s okay, had a bad day, hands are bruised from breaking rocks all day, drained and blue I bleed for you, you think it’s funny, well you’re drowning in it too”
But it wont let the challenges ahead become the reason to give up and flop back down into the mire.
“Yeah, it’s fine, we’ll walk down the line. leave our rain, a cold trade for warm sunshine, you my friend I will defend and if we change, well I love you anyway”
There are themes in Cantrell’s song writing which are clearly designed to communicate and empathise with his band mates struggles. It’s a thing of wonder that those themes can do the same for so many others.
This isn’t ‘Every little thing gonna be all right’ but there is an optimism at work none the less.
One of their best, this one. I really do miss this band (I don’t consider their post-Layne stuff to be much good).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely one of their best. Seeing the video of this and I Stay Away on telly was what how I got into them. The only one of the ‘grunge’ bands that I got into.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with the others. This is a great album.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A ways back I reviewed the Van Hagar show from November 91 and the opener was AIC. A total exact opposite of the headliners party rock sound.
This was back when Man In The Box was starting to get traction…
It was an interesting pairing but than again the last time i seen Halen they had KOOL and the Gang open so there ya go!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kool and the Gang? That’s amazing. Weird but amazing
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kool was great. Real Brass and positive vibes than Party Rock with Halen
LikeLike
Saw that show too; both bands put on great shows.
LikeLike
Do you like Sap? I love the collab w Layne, Jerry and Chris Cornell on the song “right turn.” Also- nice Lemmy photo!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do like Sap and Right Turn is a favourite
LikeLiked by 2 people
This was the first Alice album I listened to and it hooked me in
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said, here. It really was a change of course for them, but it just felt so right. It was as if we could never have imagined they’d veer that way, but once they did, we couldn’t see why we hadn’t seen it coming. The music was different, but thematically it fit with so much of their other stuff.
LikeLike