Alice In Chains "Nutshell"

No place to call home.

For someone like me who’s always preferred the lighter side of grunge, Alice In Chains releasing an acoustic EP was right up my alley. I still remember copping it from the old Tower Records on Broadway back in ‘94. But Jar Of Flies wasn’t their first acoustic release—they actually dropped an EP titled Sap two years before it in ‘92.

I honestly had never even heard about Sap until a few days ago—guess I missed that one altogether. Here’s a highlight from it, “Right Turn,” which features a guest appearance by the late, great Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell.

I used to listen to Jar Of Flies heavy from top to bottom, but I had a clear favorite track: “Nutshell.” It’s so insanely good. Though “Would?” was my entry point into the Alice In Chains catalog, and a song that will forever be my favorite (I know I said I prefer the lighter side of grunge but that shit is just too tough), “Nutshell” is also a special one for me. The lyrics, the emotion, the melody, the guitar work—it’s a straight-up acoustic grunge classic.

IP’S PICK OF THE DAY 2/19/26: Alice In Chains “Nutshell”

When Alice In Chains played their MTV Unplugged set in Brooklyn in April, 1996, it was their first live performance together since 1994. Their lead singer Layne Staley, who died of a drug overdose in 2002, had been in rehab for his heroin addiction, and was still noticeably unwell at the time of the taping.

Meanwhile their guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell had gotten food poisoning prior to the performance from a bad hot dog, so the whole thing was a bit of a shit show. (They literally placed a trash can on the stage next to Cantrell in case he had to yak chunks.) And yes, they opened their set with “Nutshell.”

Though haunting in many ways, AIC’s MTV Unplugged show was well-received, and is often grouped with other legendary acoustic grunge performances on MTV by their contemporaries Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots. Here’s an acoustic selection from each band to bring back that flannel feeling.

First, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged In New York opener “About A Girl,” off their Bleach album.

Next, Pearl Jam’s MTV Unplugged rendition of their Singles soundtrack fan fave “State Of Love And Trust.”

And although Stone Temple Pilots also had an MTV Unplugged performance, here’s a dope acoustic version of their hit single “Plush” that was actually recorded on MTV’s Headbangers Ball in 1992, and is available on their 2003 Thank You compilation. I personally prefer this performance over the MTV Unplugged one, but they’re both great.

And finally, one more MTV Unplugged beauty from Alice In Chains—“Down In A Hole.”

RIP MTV! And Long Live Layne Staley.

Peace out.