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One of the greatest EPs of all time -- from my book -- Jar of Flies, 1994 (Columbia) The music for this EP was recorded after the band returned home from tour to find themselves homeless, evicted after failing to pay the rent. With nowhere to go, the band moved into Seattle’s London Bridge Studio and this self-produced EP was written and recorded there in just seven days. Having just fired bassist Mike Starr for his drug use (and bringing in new bassist Mike Inez), the vibe of the EP seems almost hopeful at times, especially when compared with the angst of the Dirt album that came before it. Showcasing this dichotomy, the EP’s very first lyrics on the very first song see Layne Staley singing “Hey ah na na... Innocence is over...” perhaps the perfect sentiments as he and the band begin to show personal cracks while still managing to artistically shine brightly through the self-chosen murk that was pervading the musical landscape in 1994. The music here does the same, feeling both dark and vulnerable while at the same time hopeful and introspective, with warm tones and acoustic guitars woven throughout, while dark basslines stab through muddy ambiance as bongos dance with Layne’s powerfully fragile but self-prophesying vocals. On “Nutshell” Staley sings “And yet I fight this battle all alone/No one to cry to, no place to call home,” literally homeless and sleeping at the studio while battling his growing addiction to heroin, for which he would check into rehab shortly after the EP’s release. The hauntingly beautiful tracks “Stay Away” — the first song co-written with new member Inez, with a four piece orchestra adding unexpected beauty — plus “Don’t Follow” and “No Excuses” were all released as singles to promote the spur-of-the-moment record that was never originally intended to be released by the band. But the band’s label insisted — and Jar of Flies became the first EP in music history to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 141,000 copies in its first week and was later certified triple platinum in 1995 and quadruple platinum in 2022. – Kevin Moyer
Aug 13, 2024
