Since the 2002 death of Layne Staley, there have been several attempts at putting together a best-of compilation that captures both the hard rocking metal and thoughtful acoustic sides of Alice in Chains. There was the box set
Nothing Safe: The Best of Alice in Chains, and
The Greatest Hits, but neither album truly did justice to one of the most important bands of the 90’s. With the recent release of
The Essential Alice in Chains, it appears that the old cliché is true: the third time is the charm.
With this new double disc release, Sony has finally put together a compilation that pays homage to Alice in Chains. All of the familiar singles are there; “Rooster”, “Heaven Beside You”, and “Man in the Box” bring you back to the days of driving around listening to solid music on the radio. While the inclusion of these tracks and many others from the band’s albums
Dirt and
Jar of Flies is no surprise, Sony should be commended for including songs that delve deeper into the diverse talents of Alice in Chains. One of the great achievements of the band’s career was their stark and ominous masterpiece
MTV Unplugged. While many bands of the 90’s made attempts at unplugged records, the music of Alice in Chains translated perfectly to the acoustic format, giving us the dark “Over Now” included in this compilation. This track highlights the brooding beauty of Alice in Chains and gives listeners a brief window into Layne Staley’s struggles with drug abuse that would eventually claim his life.
As with any best-of compilation, there are songs that are left out. No one can explain why Sony didn’t include “Down in a Hole”, one of the most recognizable songs of the 90’s. I would have also enjoyed to hear at least one track from their Live CD, but with the strength of the other songs chosen for
Essential, complaining about what isn’t on the album is really nitpicking.
The Essential Alice in Chains is an adequate tribute to a landmark band. A great introduction for new listeners and varied enough for long time fans, this double disc is a must have for anyone who would like to sit back for a couple of hours, throw on a flannel shirt, and remember one of the best bands of the 90’s.
written by Adam Crowley 
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Alice In Chains- Essential Alice In Chains
