Hidden Gems: Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged

Today on Hidden Gems we are going to look at an album that many critics at the time panned it as a so so album but would later become very iconic with an iconic performance to back it up and that album is Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged.

The year was 1996, three years after Nirvana’s legendary performance at the Sony Music Studios in New York for MTV Unplugged in New York show and album, and a lot of other bands and acts would play over those three years on Unplugged but none came close to that show. On April 10, 1996, out of nowhere the Seattle rock band Alice In Chains who last performance was almost about two and a half years before this show. It was stated that they were offered to do this show numerous times prior but for some unknown reason, they said yes and not told anyone.

From beginning to the end of both the album and the show they set a dark, haunting mood with a very beautiful acoustic melody in each song they pick to play in their set. Jerry Cantrell vocal and guitar playing, Sean Kinney drumming, Mike Inez bass playing, and Layne Stanley haunting yet emotional vocals, who was at the time dealing with heroin addiction and depression gave one of his best performances before his passing in 2002 at the age of 34.

Sadly upon release, a lot of critics didn’t think this album was brilliant at all and stated that the band should have stick to what they know, play very loud music. 23 years later a lot of the same critics are now recognizing that this was the group’s best album they made and the best performance that was ever recorded on Unplugged.

Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged is one of those albums you need to listen to once in your life and really appreciate the musicianship the group brings to the album and also a human-like charm on how they interacted with no only one another but also to the crowd who was at the show, here is a small sample so you cal listen to and see for yourself.

Nutshell
Brother
No Excuses
Got Me Wrong
Heaven Beside You
The Killer Is Me