You’ve waited patiently and now yer gunna get it:  my numero uno, big enchilada, my mother of all 90s albums goes to Alice in Chains’ Dirt; a whirlwind mix of complex emotions, moody and often jarring soundscapes, and hefty performances spread out across all twelve cuts on this mighty fine record.  While I was a fan of their debut disc album number two is a huge leap forward, maybe not entirely stylistically but most certainly in the darker and more unsettling lyrical content that was light years away from the “feel good” 80s- certainly not everyone’s cup of tea but it grabbed me hook, line, and sinker due its unique mix of anthemic riff rock, subdued bluesiness, and often mindbending drone of musicality that stood alone from the pack.  That darkness, which I may not have fully understood from my own personal experience, was one that certainly intrigued me and made me feel like I was watching a movie or reading a book that involved a descent into drug induced madness that I did not want to go through myself.

Still…  Dirt is not just a dark and foreboding place for the meek at heart.  From a musical standpoint there are quite a few punchy, raise your fist and yell riffs to let out your inner headbanger, starting with the first three on the disc:  “Them Bones” is solid crunch, blasting out of the speakers with Layne Staley’s “AHHHH” teamed with a ballsy riff from Jerry Cantrell that grabs you from the get go.  Killer vocal here as both Staley and Cantrell harmonize together in parts and gel perfectly, often rising to great heights above the fat tones.  Next killer cut is the great “Dam That River”, maybe my favorite tune on the entire disc as Cantrell lays down a suitably solid and snarly riff as he and Staley once again nail an excellent harmonized vocal while the latter belts out a strong chorus.  Third cut “Rain When I Die” switches gears a little, a little more lowdown grunginess yet swirlingly chaotic during the first minute of the song before slipping into an easy groove and once again, a fantastic vocal from Staley and underscored by Cantrell’s lower octave.  An excellent way to kick off the album.

All that said, the meat of this disc is where things turn personal or more observational- the latter served well by “Rooster”, a bit of gloomy yet powerful blues that flows from gently strummed chords and a vocal that’s essentially understated menace during the verses until a full on sonic gutpunch during the “yeah, here come the Rooster” chorus, eventually settling back down again for consecutive verses.  This, my friends, is a stellar track and a great reason why I love this kind of music:  outstanding vocal, fantastic musical buildup between the verse and chorus section, excellent biographical lyric (about Cantrell’s father’s experiences in Vietnam), and killer tension ebb and flow throughout.  And speaking of ebb and flow, the hazy undercurrent of the ravages and darkness of substance abuse is obvious in the emotional spillover on the next series of cuts:  “Junkhead”, “Dirt”, “God Smack”, “Hate To Feel”, and “Angry Chair” (throw in “Sickman” too) are disturbing lyrically but musically engaging, often leading to a mental mind numb and a physical exhaustion by the time the last note rings out.  These songs almost feel like a story arc that’s painful to visualize yet oddly arresting, kind of like watching someone struggle through an awful experience and trying to climb out of their darkness while all you can do is idly sit by and hope and pray that they pull themselves together.

Last two cuts on the disc offer up the slightest glimmer of hope:  the beautiful yet somber “Down In A Hole” is fantastic-  Cantrell’s multitracked guitar intro blends acoustic and electric as his and Staley’s snaky vocal blend serves well in this melodic stunner; and final cut “Would?” kicks off with a subtly cool Mike Starr bassline before drummer Sean Kinney hits some tribal toms during the intro, while Cantrell’s subdued riff gains power during the chorus along with Staley’s powerful roar.  Both cuts are a little more reflective lyrically, coming to certain realizations about life decisions (“I’d like to fly…. but my wings have been so denied”) and maybe, just maybe, how others view those decisions (“so I made a big mistake…  try to see it once my way”).  The hope lies in the questioning of final cut “Would?”…

Am I Wrong?

Have I run too far to get home?

Have I gone?

And left you here along?

If I would, could you?

Bottom line, Dirt was an incredible musical and personal statement produced by a quartet of musicians going through various struggles during the early 90s.  Unfortunately, some of the personal demons expressed in the lyrics caught up to singer Layne Staley as his heroin addiction led to an untimely demise in 2002 plus bassist Mike Starr battled substance issues and passed in 2011.  Was Dirt a cry for help?  Possibly.  For many of us listeners out there it certainly was a distressing yet rewarding listen-  while I don’t listen much to the entire album these days, there are a number of songs that are in regular rotation.  A courageous, soul baring album that was a frequent listen during the decade and definitely stands atop all others as my favorite album of the 1990s.