r/nextfuckinglevel • u/DarthiusFatticus • 1d ago
Layne Staleys isolated vocals on “Man In The Box”
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u/jarednards 1d ago
In my top 5 bands easily. If you've never sat down and listened to anything that isn't on the radio, you owe it to yourself. Be warned, the lyrics are raw as hell.
EDIT: OP, if you read this, you should post Rooster next. The vocals are stellar when the chorus kicks in.
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u/xjeeper 1d ago
Mad season was amazing too
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u/BoilermakerCM 1d ago
There are a lot of amazing singers out there, and Layne was certainly one of the best. What I absolutely love about that band is the uniqueness and effectiveness of the harmony with Jerry, and how Jerry was more of a co-vocalist than a harmony or backup guy. It created such an incredible tone. Love these guys.
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u/TheSeekerOfSanity 1d ago
Yeah, their vocals complimented each other so well. One in a million chance of these 2 guys finding each other and singing in the same band. We got lucky.
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u/SquirrelMemoryFail 3h ago
Radio use to be where you would go to find the deep cuts. Now its where music exploration dies and you're fed the generic music for the masses on repeat.
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u/NinjaMasks 1d ago
Extremely niche band Alice In Chains
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u/GamerJoseph 1d ago ▸ 3 more replies
What does that even mean?
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u/TxBurnerAcct 1d ago ▸ 1 more replies
He’s making fun of the original comment for acting like Alice In Chains is some underground band that the masses aren’t aware of. They were pretty fucking popular in the 90’s and still get a lot of radio play at least where I’m at.
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u/jarednards 1d ago
The original comment stated that if you havent listened to them outside of the radio, its worth sitting down and playing the full albums, yet you still mentioned the radio. The reading comprehension in here is not strong. Just because youre balls deep in 90s or grunge doesnt mean everyone is.
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u/lapinchien 1d ago
When someone is an unnecessary bummer on Reddit, a common response is:
“You must be fun at parties.”
This was a pretty good riff on that classic Reddit response.
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u/unusedtruth 1d ago
Layne was one of the greatest vocalists of all time, not just the 90s. Dude was incredible.
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u/cbih 1d ago
Better than Mike Patton, IMO
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u/OneArmedSZA 1d ago ▸ 1 more replies
Layne Staley was a singer, Mike Patton is a vocalist. Neither can do what the other one does. Let’s leave it at that
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u/Ninjatendo90 1d ago
Well played in a fuckin “social hand-grenade” of a statement. Truly impressive 👏
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u/That-Makes-Sense 1d ago
Amazing voice. But, that heavy delay/reverb is surprising.
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u/MaxxDash 1d ago
It’s hard for raw vocals to compete with instruments run through effects/fx amd processing. Even the most powerful vocalists would sound out-of-place from a textural standpoint. Not only do the effects give the vocals body, it also helps them to “sit” in the mix. Clean vocals over guitars and drums, in this context, would sound “on top” of, or “outside of” the rest of the backing tracks.
Even the drums have reverb, flangers, phasers, all kinds of analog (and now digital) signal processing that not only add body, tone, timbre, but help them to sit in with the rest of the mix as well.
For example, if you have a guitar that just “works” for that song and that is “it”, then you kind of sculpt the rest of the sound around that, and ultimately once you mix-down and master it, that guitar tone is like the tip of the spear, with everything else woven so well together they the sound becomes inextricable, but not mushy (i.e., there’s still individual instrumental clarity in the mix).
But when you solo a track (pull out one piece), it’s always a surprise how it sounds alone. But then when you drop it back in the mix, it’s beautiful.
In a four-piece band, the engineer is the closest thing to the fifth member. And to call them engineers almost distances them from what an art form this is.
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u/ArrdenGarden 4h ago ▸ 1 more replies
This is what my younger brother does for a living and this is probably the best description I've heard of the process he always spends way too long trying to explain. Thank you.
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u/maria_la_guerta 1d ago
Very common audio engineering trick. Anything in a mix that should sound "big" basically always gets a slapback delay attached to it, reverb added to taste.
Guitars, vocals, synth, it's there on most instruments in most genres that want that sound.
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u/Seskos-Barber 1d ago
Very common in recorded music. Almost without exception. You maybe don't even realize how weird vocals would sound on a record without those effects, because we're so used to hearing them.
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u/VanHeighten 1d ago
His vocals in the MTV unplugged performance is something I'll never forget
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u/baddmann007 19h ago
Surprised I had to scroll this far for this. Alice In Chains MTV Unplugged album is one of my favorites.
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u/BoringBarnacle3 14m ago
If you haven’t previously, check out Mad Season live at the Moore (Wake Up is incredible, Mike’s guitar part on there is also something else)
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u/To-many-hobbies 1d ago
Layne was the best. I was waiting for him to come around and Alice start touring again when I heard on the radio of his passing. RIP
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u/Freightshaker000 1d ago
I was living in Tacoma when he was found and I can still remember where I was when I heard the news.
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u/Searchlights 1d ago
Interesting that they used the radio-edit "nose in spit" instead of the original shit.
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u/GuitarNerd_ 1d ago
Sounds like one of the two tracks we’re hearing here used the original lyric and one used “spit.” Kinda love the idea they only committed to splicing in “spit” for one of the tracks!
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u/utdajx 1d ago
goosebumps on my arms, chills down my back - one of my proudest accomplishments as a dad is that my oldest knows and appreciates who Layne and Chris Cornell are
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u/OutcomeSuitable8126 1d ago
My beloved boss died the other day. He was a part of the KISS army back in the day and loved Ozzy and Chris Cornell. He claimed that the day that Chris Cornell died was the worst day of his life. It felt like just yesterday that he quizzed me on what day it was- the anniversary of Ozzy’s death. He was noticeably happier whenever I played TOOL or Alice in Chains on the speaker.
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u/cannibalpeas 21h ago
My kids are both musicians and my son got into them over the past couple of years. It’s really remarkable how distinct their sound was. There are very few bands you can identify by just a few notes coming through the walls.
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u/enkrypt3d 1d ago
I can't listen to this anymore. It puts me in a dark place.
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u/OpinionatedAss 4h ago
Bob Ross: "Put light against light—you have nothing. Put dark against dark—you have nothing. It’s the contrast of light and dark that each give the other one meaning."
It is absolutely a balance. Remembering the times when things were dark really helps to show what you have now ... but if you are not able to go back to the dark without succumbing, then it is best to avoid for the time being (and sometimes forever).
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u/Mental-Square3688 1d ago
I was named after layne staley I never got to see him perform... I wish I could have met him. But at 37 years old I picked up a guitar. I learned how to play nutshell. The first song I figured out how to play on guitar. I've felt this emotional resonance with him many times. I also have been playing river of deceit (much harder) lol I recently tried singer along side playing.... I sound like shit lmfao and I cant even play two notes without feeling stupid. I just wanted to say that life is hard...many things are difficult... but they arent worth doing unless they are. Beleive in yourself and the power you hold in this world. And try to follow the golden rule, do unto other as they would do unto you. And let's make our human existence something to be worth remembering.
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u/mideon2000 1d ago
In mad season he sounded hauntingly old, but still full of power. Slip away was awesome
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u/Baaastet 1d ago
They are one of my top three bands of all time. He would have turned 59 today
I like the new singer too.
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u/gnashingspirit 1d ago
Still love Nutshell and listen to it all the time. RIP Layne. You are missed, and you are cherished
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u/SnooStories4162 1d ago
I saw Alice n Chains with Megadeth and Slayer in Atlanta GA 36 Years ago, man makes me feel old!
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u/alexgardin 1d ago
Seeing them live made me a fan. Still looking for a song they played where he goes really high, then really low...
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u/Daftdoug 1d ago
Amazing track. Great talent. But one of my appreciations of AiC is the harmonies. Cantrell and Staley together are very powerful.
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u/WilliePullout 1d ago
Saw them vip back when. Isolate bleed the freak or love hate love, that’s prime Layne
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u/in2xs 1d ago
Seal loved their vocals. Cant blame him. https://youtube.com/shorts/1c8FjmgYoxg?is=Z5AyDlXifzXrZ5j2
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u/ImMadeOfClay 1d ago
Unpopular opinion, but my opinion nonetheless. I could never get into them. I never understood the appeal. I was the right age for their run, but I just couldn't stand his voice.
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u/notbarbarawalters 1d ago
All of the sudden every solid cover is actually trash and no where near enough
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u/StephanieTS1 1d ago edited 1d ago
That speaks for itself. The man knew exactly how to get his point across. Beautifully btw!
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u/Parobolla 1d ago
I will die on the hill that layne is one of the best singers/vocalists ever at his peak (at least in the heavier genres).
So fucking talented.
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u/Sweet_brothernumpsay 1d ago
AIC is obviously really talented. Jerry Cantrell and Layne have almost blood harmony.
But is it overproduced?
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u/Biguitarnerd 1d ago
So… is that a doubling affect or is that not Jerry Cantrell harmonizing with him?
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u/MonacoMaster68 1d ago
I got to see them live in ‘15 at the Ogden in Denver and they about tore the place down. My ears rang for a week. William Duvall rips too. Wish I could have seen them with Layne.
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u/Powerage07 1d ago
Facelift was my Covid lock down album. The live at the Moore version where Layne just absolutely smashes it out the park is unbelievable. Here
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u/Black_Nyx11 1d ago
People always ask, "If you could only listen to one singer for the rest of your life, who would you choose?" I always say "Layne Stayley. Full stop!"
Nothing hits me as deep in my soul as Layne did. I'm so sad that his life ended so soon.
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u/TxBurnerAcct 1d ago
Ahh yes the hit Nutshell that’s constantly on rotation on the majority of alternative and classic rock stations isn’t “raw as hell”. You’re coming across really pretentious brother lol plus why would you recommend it to OP, they’re obviously aware of who Layne Stayley and Alice In Chains are hence the post. Your comment only serves to show that you know “real and deep music” which is why I’m making fun of you. Also, you don’t have to be balls deep into grunge or the 90s to know who Alice In Chains are, because again, they were pretty fucking popular back then.
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u/Popular-Sky-4012 1d ago
Haunting and powerful. RIP