Are Alice in Chains even a band anymore? It's been five years since they recorded an album, four since they toured and two since guitarist Jerry Cantrell apparently gave up on reclusive singer Layne Staley and issued a solo album. Understandably, their record label has been trying to keep the home fires burning by issuing compilations: an Unplugged disc, the Music Bank box, the Nothing Safe best-of, and now, finally, this inevitable electric live compilation. Not that Live is without merit. Assembled from four concerts between 1990 and '96, these 14 tracks showcase the band at maximum strength, with Staley's booming, Morrisonian baritone and Cantrell's gnarly, snarly guitarwork intertwining on darkly menacing grunge-metal pounders such as Angry Chair, Man in the Box, Rooster, Would? and Dirt. Still, for all but the truly rabid fan, Live just serves as yet another reminder that these guys are long overdue for a new album.

Track Listing 1.Bleed The Freak
  02.Queen Of The Rodeo
  03.Angry Chair
  04.Man In The Box
  05.Love, Hate, Love
  06.Rooster
  07.Would?
  08.Junkhead
  09.Dirt
  10.Them Bones
  11.God Am
  12.Again
  13.A Little Bitter
  14.Dam That River