Looking to learn about the best Alice in Chains albums, including the Jar of Flies vinyl? Are you only just now tentatively dipping your toes into the world of Alice in Chains and want some expert guidance?
Then you are in the right place, as we will be exploring the Jar of Flies vinyl and more today in this codification of five of the best Alice in Chains albums to own on vinyl. From EPs to LPs, they sure do have it all, and so can you.
1. Jar of Flies Vinyl
Among all of Alice in Chains’s vinyl records, the Jar of Flies vinyl remains their crowning achievement, one that almost every local record store will at least be able to order for you, lest you have to do some serious crate digging.
The Jar of Flies vinyl is not just another EP, either. Besides the music appealing to some, it was also the first EP to debut at the top of the Billboard charts.
With printed inner sleeves and a gatefold sleeve of some proportion, the Jar of Flies vinyl is going to be a release that you will want to exhibit to the fullest. Some versions of the Jar of Flies vinyl even bring together the Alice in Chains Jar of Flies/Sap vinyl into one sprawling limited edition double album.
One thing is for sure – the Jar of Flies vinyl is an album by Alice in Chains, and it consists of music in the form of songs that you listen to with your ears. Unless, of course, you do not. In which case, I must extend forth the question: What is your secret, and can you let me in on it, or is it really so private an affair?
All nestled beneath the Jar of Flies vinyl cover that makes it seems as though the music is going to be a lot better than it actually is.
2. Dirt Vinyl
After Jar of Flies, this is perhaps one of the band’s most well-known releases and also one of their biggest sellers. Despite being such a big seller in its time, this is also an important release artistically for the band too, as it is the first to fully feature guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell.
Still, the amount it has sold is worth repeating, going quintuple platinum since its release in 1992 – proof that quantity definitely does not always meet with quality. Especially nowadays, the sound is incredibly dated, though this is precisely what keeps people coming back.
It is like a time capsule. Much like the cover itself, this time capsule keeps floating to the surface and will not stay down, will not remain dead and buried by the sands of time. Keep it in a record crate, and never let it see the light of day.
3. Facelift Vinyl
Arguably the band’s first real outing into the world, this is another so-called iconic album of theirs that you should consider hunting down on vinyl if the digital version just is not doing it for you.
The album’s musical qualities are perhaps best reflected in the album cover. Sure, in many lights, it is really rather grotesque and unappealing. But you have to think of how much effort went into it, after which you can at least say, “Good effort guys, well done.”
Columbia sure knows how to give a record the reissue treatment. For many years they have been reanimating the corpses of their dead roster of artists to do a death dance for cash – see Miles Davis and his constant cycle of new-old music, something that he himself predicted.
4. Live in Oakland Vinyl
At a time when it has become more and more expensive and improbable to see a band live, the live album really has come to hold a monopoly. This is especially the case for a band as big as Alice in Chains, at whose concerts it would be nigh on impossible to have much of an intimate or personal experience.
This live album can not only bridge the gap between yourself and them but can also transport you to a time when they were actually somewhat relevant and had an ounce of anything interesting to say artistically.
They have plenty of other live albums to choose from, too. This just happens to be a fan favorite. So, if this is your bag but also not quite as much your bag as it could be, then get amongst it.
5. Sap Vinyl
Alice in Chains’s third album, Sap, marks a real turning point in the styles of the time. Grunge was still in its heyday, but there was already a very real shift towards a more melodic angle.
Having been together for almost a decade at this point, the band was certainly at the peak of its powers and relative relevancy. They had just released what many consider their magnum opus, Dirt, hence why so many often neglect to mention this album when it comes to discussions of this nature.
Though inherently rather grungy in style still, this is a far more melodic take on the style. So, while bands like Nirvana were distilling their influences into far more raw and potent efforts, Alice in Chains was watering the style down for the masses.
With this album, they at least succeeded in making something different, even if it ended up being no good.
Final Tones
So, there you have it! Hopefully, you are now feeling a little more able to navigate the many twists and turns that make up Alice in Chains’s discography, including the Jar of Flies vinyl. Who knows, maybe even owning their records is not enough, and you now desperately want to see them live.
Hopefully, they will soon be performing in a venue near you, though I would not count on it too much lest you become disappointed. They are a busy bunch of guys who definitely do not have time to go all over the world.
FAQs Alice in Chains Vinyl
What year did Jar of Flies come out?
The Jar of Flies vinyl by Alice in Chains was their third studio EP and was released on the 25th of January 1994 through Columbia Records.
What genre is Jar of Flies?
Alice in Chains’s third EP, Jar of Flies, comes under a variety of different genres. Indeed, they manage to fit a whole host of different styles under one neat package. These included acoustic rock, alternative rock, blues rock, grunge, and jangle pop.
