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Retro Review: Alice In Chains ‘Dirt’

Published

16 years ago

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The early 90’s were the time when I was figuring out exactly what musical styles spoke to me and what drew my interest. It was also a time when music was…well, music, unlike much of today’s offerings. Gone were the days of hair and speed metal as well as electronic and synth-based bands, replaced by grunge, the beginnings of nu-metal, an evolving and growing hip-hop/rap genre as well as the popularization of contemporary country music. It was the end of an era that had grown into stagnation and the beginning of a fresh, new time that brought many of my (now) favorite artists to the forefront of the music scene. 
aliceinchainsdirtcover
One of these bands is Alice In Chains, whose 1992 release ‘Dirt’, is considered by many to be one of those ‘timeless’ albums that appears over and over in Top (insert number here) albums of (insert however long here). So, do I agree? Does ‘Dirt’ deserve all of these spots and this recognition? Find out after the jump.

Let me get that out of the way right now: The answer is yes. ‘Dirt’ is one of those albums that defines a musical era. Tackling subjects such as war, love, hatred and obsession, ‘Dirt’ musically and lyrically tackled these subjects with a poignancy and immediacy that was refreshingly honest and original. 
Kicking off with ‘Them Bones’, ‘Dirt’ wasted no time at all in kicking your ass. Huge guitars and Sean Kinney’s criminally under appreciated drum work, coupled with Layne’s iconic and instantly recognizable scream, caused me one hell of a scare the first time I hit ‘play’. That was NOT how I was expecting the album to start but man did it pull me in and make me want to hear where they were going. 
Production-wise, ‘Dirt’ sounds fabulous yet dated. There’s nothing really wrong with the production but it has that unmistakable 90’s feel to it. The album is also very diverse in terms of dynamics. Some songs are fast and heavy while others are slower and softer. The guitar goes through multiple effects as well as several tone changes, ensuring that the album doesn’t become tonally boring. 
The album itself has an almost hypnotic flow to it. ‘Dirt’ is one of those albums that you can put on, hit ‘play’ and then not touch a thing. There are passages of sublime haunting beauty coupled with brilliant vocal harmonies between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell. There are also songs that are intense, heavy, and, probably one of the reasons for AIC’s success, extremely catchy. The album ends on one of my favorite tracks from the 90’s, ‘Would?’, a track whose bass line is immediately recognizable. 
The Final Word: Let me put it to you very simply: If you don’t own this album, go and get it. For those of you who do own a copy, pop it on and hearken back to a time when Bill Clinton just won the presidential election, Mortal Kombat hit arcades and Bram Stoker’s Dracula hit theaters. 
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Movies

‘The Lost Boys’ Musical Extends Broadway Run With North American Tour Set for Spring 2028

Published

1 week ago

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May 28, 2026

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The Lost Boys: A New Musical officially kicked off on Broadway last month, and Deadline now reports that the show’s Broadway run has been extended into next year.

The show was originally set to run through November, but Deadline reports that The Lost Boys: A New Musical “has released a block of tickets through Sunday, March 7, 2027.”

The news comes in the wake of The Lost Boys: A New Musical becoming the most Tony-nominated musical of the season with twelve nominations including Best Musical.

Additionally, “The Lost Boys will launch a North American National Tour in Spring 2028, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Additional cities and tour dates will be announced later.”

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is of course an adaptation of the 1987 horror classic from director Joel Schumacher, with the cast including Ali Louis Bourzgui as lead vampire David (originally played by Kiefer Sutherland), Maria Wirries as Star (originally played by Jami Gertz), and LJ Benet as the soon-to-be-turned Michael (originally played by Jason Patric).

The horror musical’s cast also includes Shoshana Bean as Lucy Emerson, Benjamin Pajak as Sam Emerson, Paul Alexander Nolan as Max, Jennifer Duka as Alan Frog, Miguel Gil as Edgar Frog, Brian Flores as Marko, Sean Grandillo as Dwayne, and Dean Maupin as Paul.

The Lost Boys: A New Musical is Directed by Michael Arden, featuring Music and Lyrics by The Rescues, Book by David Hornsby & Chris Hoch, Story by James Jeremias & Janice Fischer, and Produced by James Carpinello, Marcus Chait & Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring) by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.

When a mother and her two teenage sons move to Santa Carla in desperate need of a fresh start, they soon uncover the darker side of this sunny coastal community. While Lucy tries to piece her family’s life back together, Michael keeps pulling away in search of belonging.

As he finds connection with a local rock band and its charismatic leader, his younger brother Sam comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality: When night falls, Michael’s new friends are even more dangerous than they first appeared.

Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys vampire movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

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