tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post7635208669145337451..comments2024-03-02T07:40:22.786+03:00Comments on Only Solitaire blog: Alice In Chains: Alice In ChainsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-1609461365067697742018-01-20T05:32:01.858+03:002018-01-20T05:32:01.858+03:00Due to the first track being sung by Jerry, I had ...Due to the first track being sung by Jerry, I had the impression that Layne was absent for a large part of the recording due to his addiction. As a result, I thought the three legged theme of the artwork (there is also a 3 legged stool, iirc), was a subtle way of saying that, with Layne so drugged out, the band was like a 3 legged dog. Obviously, he wrote the lyrics as you say, so that cannot be literally true, but I still think it was a subtle, if not unconscious, message.Doug Johnsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-13539552353617887582014-12-17T01:42:45.929+03:002014-12-17T01:42:45.929+03:00Here's where I and a lot of other Alice fans d...Here's where I and a lot of other Alice fans diverge: I don't care for this album. At all, really. Like, I even like <i>Black Gives Way to Blue</i> and <i>The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here</i> better than this. I find it interesting that in your reviews for those records you decry what you feel is a lack of soul and personality, yet you praise this record that is essentially the worst of those two qualities when compared with the rest of AIC's output. Nothing on this record sticks with me. The delicious hooks and melodies of <i>Facelift, Dirt</i> and <i>Jar of Flies</i> are nonexistent. Sure, this was intentional, but it just doesn't work for me. THIS is the definition of a soulless AIC record in my mind. The whole thing is just kind of "meh", like the cover, and I don't find the irony of my appraisal to dilute my opinion. If anything, this album doesn't have a leg to stand on.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03062232221655247960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-21580300794167914672011-06-19T12:15:38.838+04:002011-06-19T12:15:38.838+04:00Austrian: Opinions on best songs are like statisti...Austrian: Opinions on best songs are like statistical margins of error anyway. I like 'Man In The Box' far more now than I used to.<br /><br />Kubrick - yes, certainly, although I think that "Space Odyssey" has dated REALLY badly, and, apart from certain iconic images and ideas, is almost unwatchable other than a Sixties curio. But nearly everything before and after, sure thing.G. S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05848634884798924824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-76588898259786631812011-06-18T05:27:10.048+04:002011-06-18T05:27:10.048+04:00Hi
I've been a reader of your old reviews sit...Hi<br /><br />I've been a reader of your old reviews site for years as well, and I share your appreciation for Alice in Chains, to me clearly the best grunge band.<br />There's just one thing: While I usually tend to agree with your judgmenet on best album or best songs, in the case of AIC however, my opinion on best song differs. To me, there are 2 candidates: Man in the Box of Facelift, and Down in a Hole of Dirt.<br /><br />As for the film conversation going on: Wouldn't you say that Kubrick qualifies for the "Golden Mean" as well?Austriannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-17504006303292911292011-04-15T17:47:21.831+04:002011-04-15T17:47:21.831+04:00Quite a few. All the ones you mentioned (I'd a...Quite a few. All the ones you mentioned (I'd actually put at least early Fellini, circa La Strada / Cabiria / maybe even 8 1/2 time under the Golden Mean as well) certainly make the grade, along with... oh I don't know, the question is waaaaay too broad.G. S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05848634884798924824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-6468985123622797502011-04-15T15:24:51.745+04:002011-04-15T15:24:51.745+04:00Oh shit. Forgot to ask. Just one more question if ...Oh shit. Forgot to ask. Just one more question if you don't mind...out of curiosity, from your personal views, which filmmakers do you enjoy and hold in high regard?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-92139975010872888912011-04-15T15:19:25.372+04:002011-04-15T15:19:25.372+04:00Yeah I figured you wouldn't be a fan of Tarkov...Yeah I figured you wouldn't be a fan of Tarkovsky. I've never enjoyed watching any of his films. I remember in your Beatles article, you said something about two theories. The Ivory Tower, and The Golden Middle. <br /><br />The Ivory Tower resists worldliness for academic preoccupation, so it rarely works with something that could be deemed traditional. <br /><br />The Golden Mean on the other hand builds upon traditional structures. The Beatles, like you said were examples of this theory. Same could be said about The Police (probably my favorite band) - giving meaning to old forms of music like Reggae and Punk.<br /><br />I'd like to think of Bresson as being part of the Golden Mean. He actually works under very traditional forms of melodrama - for instance a film like pickpocket is basically in essence a crime drama. Yet Bresson gives it his own personal style of minimalist deconstruction. And his films are short and simple enough that they remain accessible (well atleast to me personally). The other film artists I would classify as falling under Golden Mean: Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Bunuel, Charlie Chaplin, and Akira Kurosawa.<br /><br />While the Ivory Tower consists of people like Andrei Tarkovsky, Fellini, Antonioni (God help me), and experimental artists like Stan Brakhage.<br /><br />Though I understand greatly your non-fandom for the likes of Bresson. Thanks for answering my question and good luck with your music blog! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-70159171233758371162011-04-15T14:27:48.862+04:002011-04-15T14:27:48.862+04:00I'm not a big fan of either; on a purely intel...I'm not a big fan of either; on a purely intellectual level, Bresson (who himself was a big influence on Tarkovsky) definitely appeals to me more than Tarkovsky, but overall, this is certainly not "my" style of cinema, although I recognize its importance and uniqueness. But I guess you could predict this answer from my musical reviews as well. Tarkovsky to film is more or less what Peter Hammill is to music. I don't have any religious feelings towards either like some people can have.<br />I'd definitely take "Mouchette" over any Tarkovsky film, though.G. S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05848634884798924824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-660808341284783109.post-76064930880291440862011-04-15T00:17:44.369+04:002011-04-15T00:17:44.369+04:00Hey George, I'm a long time reader of your old...Hey George, I'm a long time reader of your old music site. I know this probably has nothing to do with Alice in Chains, but I find it interesting you use a Robert Bresson reference. Robert Bresson is probably my favorite filmmaker of all time along with Charlie Chaplin. <br /><br />What is your opinion about him? Are you also big on Andrei Tarkovsky, who is considered to be the best filmmaker to come out of Russia? I'm really interested to hear your views on film because you have a very interesting review style for music...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com