ALICE IN CHAINS · Unplugged | BLACK 2LP

Black double vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

Background information about ''

There are live albums, and then there is "Unplugged" — one of the most emotionally devastating hours ever committed to tape. Recorded at the Majestic Theatre in Brooklyn on April 10, 1996, this was Alice In Chains' first public performance in nearly three years. The weight of that absence hangs palpably in the air the moment the band takes the stage. With Layne Staley visibly frail but possessed of a voice that could still tear through you like a rusted blade, the band delivered something that transcended the MTV format entirely. Jerry Cantrell's acoustic guitar work is immaculate, Sean Kinney's understated percussion provides the heartbeat, and Mike Inez anchors it all with a quiet intensity that never overwhelms.

The setlist reads like a greatest hits collection reimagined through a veil of melancholy. "Nutshell" opens the proceedings with such raw vulnerability it practically redefines the song. "Down in a Hole" becomes even more gut-wrenching in this stripped-down arrangement, and "Would?" closes the night with a singalong that feels more like a communal exorcism. The band even throws in "The Killer Is Me" — an unreleased gem that only adds to the mythic quality of the evening. What makes this recording endure is not the tragedy that followed but the sheer brilliance of the musicianship on display. This is a band at their most exposed, playing without a safety net, and somehow making it look effortless. The vinyl format finally gives this masterpiece the warmth and depth it always deserved.

For fans of:
Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Mad Season, Temple of the Dog, Jerry Cantrell

Other Versions

CD · Sold out

Track listing

LP 1:
A1. Nutshell
A2. Brother
A3. No Excuses
A4. Sludge Factory
B5. Down In A Hole
B6. Angry Chair
B7. Rooster

LP 2:
C8. Got Me Wrong
C9. Heaven Beside You
C10. Would?
D11. Frogs
D12. Over Now
D13. The Killer Is Me

Placer on the market according to GPSR: Four Flames GmbH & Co. KG, In der Garte 38, 49479 Ibbenbueren, Germany, Contact: fourflames.com