Anniversary albums are coming through thick and fast these days, what with time passing with reckless abandon and all that, but this 30th anniversary reissue ofAlice In Chains’celebratedJar Of Fliesfeels special. Sometimes remembered as being lesser gods in the grunge pantheon, in factAlice In Chainshad a sound all their own, with vocalistLayne Staleyand guitaristJerry Cantrell’sgift for writing the kinds of songs you could really wallow in, and often keeping things surprisingly mellow. Released in January 1994, and featuring heavy hitters like Nutshell, No Excuses, and I Stay Away,Jar Of Fliesis a largely acoustic EP, almost a blueprint for theMTV Unpluggedalbum that would arrive two years later. –Flying Out

30thanniversary reissue of Alice in Chains acclaimedJar of Flies.

Released exactly 30 years ago, January 25, 1994, the EP made history as the first of its format to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in its first week of sales.Following an exhausting and transformative tour in support of the groups sophomore album Dirt (1992), Jar of Flies offered the Seattle grunge icons a chance to record music in a more relaxedenvironment and intimate, acoustic style. For the first time in the studio, singer Layne Staley, guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney were joined by bassist Mike Inez,who joinedAlice in Chainsmidway through their 1993 tour.

The self-produced EP acted as a spiritual sequel to the groups last EP Sap (1992), which also featured a more acoustic-driven sound.

Tracks like I Stay Away, No Excuses and Dont Follow showcased the range of Alice in Chains, further establishing them as one of the most unique and engaging rock bands of the decade. It garnered the group two Grammy Awardnominations for Best Hard Rock Performance (I Stay Away) and Best Recording Package.