THE GRUNGE MATCH - 099

Match 099:

Alice In Chains "Them Bones" (Live) (1996)
Nirvana "Dive" (Live In The Studio, 1989)
Pearl Jam "Big Wave" (2006)
Soundgarden "Bones Of Birds" (2012)

Well, we're off to a good start.  For a man that's two days away from overdosing, Layne Staley sounds okay.  Still a shell of what he'd been three years ago, but not as bad as I was fearing.  This is a passable performance of a great song.  You can even hear a little bit of fire in the chorus.

This is a slower, more lo-fi version of the song that kicks off "Incesticide".  As a matter of fact, it's almost a full minute longer.  This recording sounds like a shitty cover band playing at Nirvana tribute.

"Big Wave" keeps with the "hang ten" feel of some of the earlier songs on "Pearl Jam", even with the title.  It's got frenetic energy, it's got a brightness to it and the key switch for the pre-solo is just what it needed to put it over the top.  Definitely worth a listen if you like Pearl Jam.

"Bones Of Birds" is the obligatory slow song.  It's got more soul than the rest of "King Animal", maybe combined.  It's understated in how simple it is, kind of just a chord with an a-typical arpeggio for a tail and of course odd time to make it sound unique (good ol' 7/4) but the vocal is what gives this song life.  Chris Cornell makes the melancholy flesh by imbuing it with his off-kilter melody.  A diamond in the rough to be sure.

"Bones Of Birds": 4
"Big Wave": 3
"Them Bones" (Live): 2
"Dive" (Live In The Studio): 1

TOTALS:

Soundgarden: 267
Alice In Chains: 256
Pearl Jam: 245
Nirvana: 222

The lead has widened as first, second and third are now all 11 points apart.  I did not think "King Animal" would be wrecking shop, but it's all in context I suppose.  I didn't think "Pearl Jam" would get off to such a good start either, and it's hanging in there.  (They used to be 20 behind AIC.)  Tomorrow is another song from the second-to-last Layne Staley performance before the three after that mark his conclusion. 

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