•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
Mad Season was the name chosen in '94 for Layne Staley's side project, which involved, alongside the famous singer, other figures from the music scene of the time. Joining him were “Pearl Jam” guitarist Mike McCready and “Screaming Trees” drummer Barrett Martin, while the bass was placed in the capable hands of John Baker Saunders.
The result of this unusual collaboration is “Above”, a work completed during the decline of grunge, inheriting its class and characteristics. The album presents itself with dark hues, balancing between melancholy, unease, discomfort, rebellion; yet always melodic, even in its harshest and darkest moments. In any case, songs like “Lifeless Dead” speak volumes about the atmosphere that pervades the listening experience. Staley's raw and damned singing, the true protagonist, manages to express itself in all its natural essence, in a sort of self-portrait of the soul, as in the haunting “River of Deceit”, where the depths of pain are explored.
The music does not fall short either: Mike McCready successfully experiments with rough and dirty sounds, sharp and biting tones, unusual for him, but now revealed. Even the seven instrumental minutes of the captivating “November Hotel” do not bore, on the contrary, they further elucidate the validity of the members of the improvised band and the successful fusion of their techniques. Conversely, the extremes of the record, such as “Wake Up” and “All Alone”, stand out for their hypnotic cadence. In two of the best tracks, instead, Mark Lanegan's participation, singer of the “Screaming Trees”, becomes vivid and unique. In the first of these, “I’m Above”, the rhythm accelerates and the voice unleashes, while in the other, the splendid and suffering “Long Gone Day”, there's a free outpouring of emotions with bluesy undertones.
Moreover, the strong emotions that emerge are the true success of “Above”, one of the last masterpieces produced by Seattle's brief, intense, and frenetic rock period.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Mad Season's 'Above' is a dark and melancholic grunge album created by Layne Staley and notable musicians from the 90s Seattle scene. It balances raw vocal emotion with experimental grunge sounds. The album features haunting tracks like "River of Deceit" and showcases strong musical synergy. It is regarded as one of the last masterpieces of the Seattle grunge era.
Mad Season
Mad Season was a Seattle supergroup formed in 1994 by Layne Staley, Mike McCready, Barrett Martin, and John Baker Saunders. They released one studio album, Above (1995), noted for its blend of grunge, blues, and psychedelia, with Mark Lanegan guesting on two tracks.07 Reviews
Other reviews
By sausalito
This album is perhaps the artistic pinnacle of Seattle grunge, the result of a supergroup including the great Layne Staley.
Layne Staley expressed emotions and poetry in a much deeper way: something especially demonstrated in the eponymous Alice in Chains album released a few months later.
By treno
Blues and Hard rock blend into a brew of sadness and anguish that emerges in tracks like 'I Don’t Know Anything.'
'River of Deceit,' the gem of the album, introduces a very sad track with a dark text which transforms into an incredible live version.
By Nevskji
"Mike McCready’s guitar work on this album is a masterpiece, balancing electric outbursts and sweetness in perfect harmony."
"Layne Staley once again confirms the extraordinary talent bestowed upon him — a voice capable of stirring emotions and dreaming."
By Black Creep
Every note is as if a bullet fired to the heart.
'Above' is an unrepeatable work, it has something tremendously magical, it enters your soul making you experience many unique emotions.
By Diego Remaggi
Seattle was the center of the world. From there came the cries of anger and fear of a devastated generation.
River Of Deceit is a gem, delicate and suffused like a jazz song, delighting the listening of anyone.
