Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged (1996)

The album

Alice in Chains were one of the cult band of 90s grunge scene, along with Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden. The band is still active, but owns much of its success to the wonderful voice of Layne Staley, died in 2002.
The MTV Unplugged has been registered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theatre in 1996; it has been mastered by veteran mastering engineer Stephen Marcussen. This album collects a wonderful acoustic performance of the band, following almost three years of total absence of concerts.


I think this album is a masterpiece both from artistic and tonal point of view. Artistically, the wonderful and melancholy voice of Staley finds a perfect collocation in the acoustic set of the concert, as well as the instrumental part. Alice in Chains, in fact, incredibly succeed in transforming the electric power of rock songs like “Rooster” (wonderful) and “Would?” in acoustic and sweet performances. It is amazing how the band has succeeded in operating this transformation in a natural and spontaneous way, and how these songs succeed in transmitting vibrations and intense emotions in their new acoustic nature. The atmosphere is always soft, melancholy, reflective, while Staley voice emphasizes the lyrics.

The sound

Coming to the sound, the great strength of this album, which blends beautifully with the artistic intent, is to put the listener in the middle of the concert, at the center of the musicians. In the center of the stereo image (mid channel), not too far, there are the bass, drums and voice. The voice is perceived slightly closer to the listener than the rhythmic section, to emphasize the importance of the vocal instrument. The acoustic bass is not point-like, but is a little "expanded", and offers a very natural sound. The drums provide contained transients, in line with the character of the recording. The two guitars are hard panned one on the left and one on the right, fairly close to the listener, but not too much.
The sound is "live" and warm, yet well defined; the public, perceived behind the listener, is audible only between the songs, thus leaving intact the detail of the recording during the songs. What is great is the natural and pleasant ambience of the theatre, which is beautifully captured in the recording without sacrificing the direct sound of the instruments. The result is that all the instruments offer an absolutely clear sound, which blends in a natural way with the early reflections offered by the surrounding environment; on the other hand, late reflections are fairly quiet, preserving the overall sound definition.
There is a great tonal balance in this album. No instrument prevails, no annoying peak is present. High and mid-high frequencies are contained but defined at the same time; low and mid-low frequencies are powerful but don’t muddy the overall sound. Mid frequencies, in particular, appear slightly dipped (probably in the mastering stage), giving extra smoothness to the sound.
Macro dynamics are remarkable, crescendos and choruses stand out compared with the verses. It seems that no perceivable compressor in the mastering stage has been used, while, probably, a limiter has been used to prevent the strongest transients.
Micro dynamics are quite contained, not because of the limiter, but because of the acoustic nature of the recording. The transients are relatively quiet and this makes the sound even softer and warmer.
The level of detail is remarkable. With an accurate listening and using professional headphones or speakers, it is possible to spot interesting micro details, which further enhance the live nature of the recording.
In conclusion, this is an album highly recommended both to grunge genre lovers, and to those who want to discover how an acoustic rock album should sound.

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