Album Details

• Artist: Mad Season
• Album: Above
• Label: Columbia
• Year of Release: 1995
• ME Rating: Indie Classic
• Reviewed by: hstisgod on 2011-07-14

Ever imagine your favorite artists getting together over a few beverages (alcoholic preferably) and forming the ultimate super group? Quit drooling and lets get back to the reality of example. 

Whether Mad Season was to ever get back into the studio again will never be known now after the untimely death of one its members. We’ll get to that in a second. Although not the result of a dedication to a passed on grunge comrade such as theTemple of the Dog album, “Above” may very well be considered one of the best albums you never heard in the 1990’s. "Above" was the brainchild of A.I.C. (Alice in Chains) front man Layne Staley (R.I.P.), and Pearl Jam’s Mike Mcready. The Super bluesy acoustic rock formation also included Barrett Martin, and John Baker Saunders from lower profile Grunge headers The Screaming Trees. 

“Above” spotlights the hidden talents of the easily stereotyped grunge generation. Bluesy but still moody, tracks one through ten each set a tone for the next. Like the Pringles slogan, "once you pop you can’t stop", this album takes on a life of itself once your CD tray sucks it in. Track one “Wake Up” is quite self-explanatory. Slowly fading in this coming of age inspired song exploring the beauty of simplistic repetitions in Soulful Rock. It also affords just a taste of what’s to come. 

Track two “X-Ray Mind” conjures a more up tempo beat, but still grasps the laid back atmosphere understood in “Wake Up”. Moving your mood downwardly is the first of the two radio singles pushed by Columbia Records. “River of Deceit” is an echoey branding of stoner rock that has arguably not been re-visited by ANY artist since the day of this recording. Here you may recognize its eerie chorus. “Down, Oh Down…”All right maybe on that hint you won’t recognize it. Regardless, it’s a song all music buffs worth their weight in gold must hear before they register their last breath. Though the lyrical content here is the purest example of negative energy on the disc, seen at just the right angle even the negative aspects can be seen as a positive. Almost like a man crawling out of his useless shell, Staley slowly utters words of personal struggle. “My pain is self chosen, at least so the prophet says, I could either burn, or cut off my pride and buy some time. A head full of lies is the weight… tied to my waist.” 

Put a gun to my head, force me to play favorites and I’ll tell you no lies about my favorite track on this disc. I’m choosing track four “I’m Above” and I am NOT hesitating twice. Regardless of what critics may speak of this song, if I die today tell my family to play this song at my funeral. A gingerly buildup gives way to the release of verbal and violent screams of emotions.

Track five “Artificial Red” also holds a special place in the mind of yours truly. Barely 21 years young, I was enjoying my…hmm… lets call them “experimental” days. My memories will never fail me as every time I relive these times of drug use, love gone sour, and poor living conditions. My brain is relentless in the face of fear as I recall such a confusing time. Compounding that confusion were the lyrics right on queue. “Is this the way I spend my days? In recovery of a fatal disease. Artificial Red, smoke, poison consumed in the house of ill repute, is this the place I search for love. When my need is within me, A gift from above.” 

From there the album seems to dig down and get edgier like a rarified pit bull with sharp teeth, and a slovenly drool around the mouth. As in “Lifeless Dead” track six is a grimy distorted creation consisting of the same back beat drum splash on the previous five tracks. 

For track seven “I don’t know anything”, its almost as if Jerry Cantrell and the rest of Alice In Chains joined Mcready and the gang to record this grungy and melodic radio single success. Though it was evident the lyrics weren’t given much thought or attention as Staley babbled the title repeatedly, its this track that carried the hard rock alternative sound we had all become accustomed to when listening to such acts as Alice in Chains, or Soundgarden. This really was the track my ears heard the most confidence and natural ability as Staley lead onwards. Though his tone, and vocal performance shine throughout the entire LP, this track only proves his natural fit for a more upbeat metal. 

Track eight “Long Gone Day” is on odd fit starting with an upright bass, and a xylophone type instrument. Nonetheless a fit as these instruments are coupled with the talented Mr. Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees vocalist) singing dual with Staley, and a saxophone solo by Nalgas Sin Carne this slow beat tiki bar tune allows Staley to showcase his golden pipes once again. For the remaining tracks, we’re lead to believe three of the four members have morphed into one insanely stunning and beautiful instrument. Even during the final track “All Alone” when Layne is called upon, his echoey bellows fit so neatly into this puzzle, his addition seems more like another guitar or additional instrument, rather than a human’s voice. 

There are just not many albums I would consider to be a living-breathing creature in its broken down form. So alive you can actually envision in your mind the very musicians creating that music right next to you in the same room. Though more time was spent in this review on the effort put forth by lead vocals Layne Staley, this album would not have come out as legendary in my mind, without the addition of these exact same artists (Mcready, Baker, Martin). Flip-Flop just one of them and you have a completely different project. Like a religious experience without the pressure of feelings religious, your mind, body and soul will feel clean and pure after listening to this record. There’s no verbal adaptation, or clever play on words effective enough to describe the unforgettable listening experience available at most stores for just $12.99. Even fans oblivious to the times of Grunge, or the genre of Rock Alternative just will not be able to turn the other way once exposed to this disc.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2011-11-04 gutterseed Said:

"He had a lot to say, He had a lot of nothing to say, we'll miss him"
Rating: 10/10

Review:

on 2011-09-30 CharlesMartel Said:

By and large I am somewhat unimpressed with grunge. Too often it seemed as if it was a rehash of the sort of bog-standard rock music which came out in the late seventies. Sure, some of it had an edge to it, but the number of decent grunge albums ever released could probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. "Above" by Mad Season is one of them and yet it remains largely forgotten except by those who were there at the time or have taken the time to track it down since. And yet in some ways it could almost be counted as a supergroup of grunge given the bands which its members had been in - Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees and Pearl Jam.

Part of this lies in the fact that Mad Season came late to the party by which time the grunge scene was on its last legs and people were looking for something new. But a large part of it must be ascribed to the fact that "Above" was the only album Mad Season produced. Though follow-ups were rumoured, they were dealt a blow when bassist John Baker died of a drug overdose in 1998, followed by Layne Staley in 2002 of the same cause. What might have become of Mad Season had these two remained alive is anyones guess.

Another factor may have been that if you were looking for grunge, it would not be here that you would find it. The band had the courage to branch out and the album is full of songs which have a bluesy, almost jazz sound in places, at times laid back and almost mellow, but never dull and commonplace. The opener "Wake Up" should provide you with clues. Starting with a slow strumming and drumming, Staley leaves his harsh vocal technique behind and becomes almost smooth in the vocal delivery. Quite unexpected.

It is not until "I'm Above" that you have some recognisable grunge and the vocal harmonies of Mark Lanegan are distinctive here. But by now it should have dawned on anyone who came here looking for something familiar in the vein of bands from which Mad Seasons members were drawn, that they are not going to find it. There are acoustic ballads, gentle guitar pieces and some damn good rocking music. Credit for this should largely go to Layne Staley who wrote almost all the lyrics and played a bit of guitar as well. This comes across as a personal catharsis in some ways as the lyrics clearly had a personal meaning for Staley.

Each time I hear this I am struck by just how varied it is. At times it sounds like an extended jam session, and then along comes a track, like the closing number, "All Alone", which has vocal harmonies, melodic guitar and very light drumming. Quite why "Above" is not more widely praised than it has been is quite beyond me. And given that it is unique in the sense that it is the band's sole album, that mnakes it all the more strange.

But then you realise the awful reality. The talent which was in this band and the feel which the album has is something which is lost forver. Staley and Baker added themselves to the long list of those for whom heroin cut short their talent. Like others before them, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, Malcolm Owen, GG Allin, Johnny Thunders, Dee Dee Ramone and countless others, heroin proved once again it is not cool and denies us all the music which has never been made as a result.
Rating: 8/10

on 2011-07-15 caroline Said:

I still listen to this and wonder what would have become of Mad Season if things had been different.....a must have for any serious collection!
Not Rated

on 2010-10-03 gutterseed Said:

This album is self chosen. Enough said.
Rating: 10/10