Dirt by Alice In Chains - DeepRiffs

ALBUM

Dirt is Alice in Chains' major artistic statement and the closest they ever came to recording a flat-out masterpiece. It's a primal, sickening howl from the depths of Layne Staley's heroin addiction, and one of the most harrowing concept albums ever recorded. Not every song on Dirt is explicitly about heroin, but Jerry Cantrell's solo-written contributions (nearly half the album) effectively maintain the thematic coherence -- nearly every song is imbued with the morbidity, self-disgust, and/or resignation of a self-aware yet powerless addict. Cantrell's technically limited but inventive guitar work is by turns explosive, textured, and queasily disorienting, keeping the listener off balance with atonal riffs and off-kilter time signatures. Staley's stark confessional lyrics are similarly effective, and consistently miserable. Sometimes he's just numb and apathetic, totally desensitized to the outside world; sometimes his self-justifications betray a shockingly casual amorality; his moments of self-recognition are permeated by despair and suicidal self-loathing. Even given its subject matter, Dirt is monstrously bleak, closely resembling the cracked, haunted landscape of its cover art. The album holds out little hope for its protagonists (aside from the much-needed survival story of "Rooster," a tribute to Cantrell's Vietnam-vet father), but in the end, it's redeemed by the honesty of its self-revelation and the sharp focus of its music. [Dirt was released on LP in 2010.] ~ Steve Huey

1. Them Bones

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Performer
Composer: Jerry Cantrell
J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: Jerry Cantrell
J. Cantrell; Composer
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

2. Dam That River

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley
Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell; Composer
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

3. Rain When I Die

by Alice In Chains

Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: S. Kinney
M. C. Starr
L. Staley
J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: L. Staley
S. Kinney
J. Cantrell
M. C. Starr; Composer
Mixing Engineer: Dave Jerden; Production
Producer: Dave Jerden
Alice In Chains; Production

4. Down In A Hole

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Ulrich Wild
Annette Cisneros; Production
Engineer: Bryan Carlstrom; Production
Mastering Engineer: Steve Hall
Eddy Schreyer; Production
Mixing Engineer: Dave Jerden
Annette Cisneros; Production
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

5. Sickman

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell
L. Staley; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell
L. Staley; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Ulrich Wild
Annette Cisneros; Production
Engineer: Bryan Carlstrom; Production
Mastering Engineer: Eddy Schreyer
Steve Hall; Production
Mixing Engineer: Dave Jerden
Annette Cisneros; Production
Producer: Dave Jerden
Alice In Chains; Production

6. Rooster

by Alice In Chains

Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains
Layne Staley; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Annette Cisneros
Ulrich Wild; Production
Engineer: Bryan Carlstrom; Production
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

7. Junkhead

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Composer: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Composer
Lyricist: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Ulrich Wild
Annette Cisneros; Production
Engineer: Bryan Carlstrom; Production
Mastering Engineer: Eddy Schreyer
Steve Hall; Production
Mixing Engineer: Dave Jerden
Annette Cisneros; Production
Producer: Dave Jerden
Alice In Chains; Production

8. Dirt

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley
Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: L. Staley
J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: L. Staley
J. Cantrell; Composer
Producer: Dave Jerden
Alice In Chains; Production

9. God Smack

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Composer: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Composer
Lyricist: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Ulrich Wild
Annette Cisneros; Production
Engineer: Bryan Carlstrom; Production
Mastering Engineer: Eddy Schreyer
Steve Hall; Production
Mixing Engineer: Dave Jerden
Annette Cisneros; Production
Producer: Dave Jerden
Alice In Chains; Production

10. Untitled

by Alice In Chains

Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell; Composer
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

11. Hate To Feel

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley
Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: L. Staley; Composer
Lyricist: L. Staley; Composer
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

12. Angry Chair

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Layne Staley
Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Jerry Cantrell
Layne Staley
Alice In Chains; Performer
Composer: L. Staley; Composer
Lyricist: L. Staley; Composer
Producer: Alice In Chains
Dave Jerden; Production

13. Would?

by Alice In Chains

Bass: Michael Starr; Performer
Primary Artist: Alice In Chains; Main Performer
Drums: Sean Kinney; Performer
Guitar: Jerry Cantrell
Alice In Chains
Layne Staley; Performer
Performer: Alice In Chains; Performer
Vocals: Layne Staley
Jerry Cantrell; Performer
Composer: J. Cantrell; Composer
Lyricist: J. Cantrell; Composer
Mixing Engineer: Jerry Cantrell
Rick Parashar; Production
Producer: Alice In Chains; Production
Recording: Bryan Carlstrom; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

13 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

57 minutes and 33 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1500x1500 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

12/13 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, Hard Rock, Alternative, Metal, Grunge, Adult Alternative, '90s Alternative, Alt Metal

Label

Columbia

Music Distribution Service

Sony

Country

United States

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Sep 28, 1992

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

74645247526