Sap (EP)

Sap
EP by Alice in Chains
Released February 4, 1992
Recorded November 1991
Studio London Bridge Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre Alternative rock, grunge
Length 20:49
Label Columbia
Producer Alice in Chains and Rick Parashar
Alice in Chains chronology
Facelift
(1990)Facelift1990		 Sap
(1992)		 Dirt
(1992)Dirt1992
Singles from Sap
  1. "Got Me Wrong"
    Released: November 1994

Sap is the first studio EP by the American rock band Alice in Chains. It was released on February 4, 1992 through Columbia Records.

Background and recording

Following the tour for Facelift, Alice in Chains entered the studio to record demos for its next album, but ended up recording five acoustic songs instead.[1] While in the studio, drummer Sean Kinney had a dream about "making an EP called Sap."[2] The band decided "not to mess with fate," and Sap was recorded and mixed in 1991 with producer Rick Parashar at London Bridge Studio.

Music and lyrics

The EP features guest vocals by Ann Wilson from the band Heart, who joined vocalist Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell for the choruses of "Brother" and "Am I Inside." The EP also features Mark Arm of Mudhoney and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, who appeared together on the song "Right Turn," credited to "Alice Mudgarden" in the liner notes.[3] The song was featured in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down.[4]

Regarding the lyrical content, Cantrell said he wrote "Brother" about his relationship with his younger brother.[5] The song specifically refers to the period after Cantrell's parents divorced, when his younger brother went off to live with his father while he stayed with his mother, and Cantrell said that the song "was a way of trying to build a bridge."[5] Commenting on "Got Me Wrong," Cantrell said he wrote the song about a relationship where one person thinks he or she can change the other person, and added that the song speaks of "the different ways that men and women see each other."[5]

A version of the song "Rooster" was recorded during the sessions for "Sap" and was to be included on the EP, but the band then decided to use the song on their second full-length album instead. This version is featured on the band's 1999 release "Music Bank".

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Rolling Stone[7]

On February 4, 1992, Alice in Chains released their first EP, Sap. Cantrell said that Alice in Chains released Sap "without any fuss or fanfare so as the real Alice fans could find it."[5] The EP was released while Nirvana's Nevermind was at the top of the Billboard 200 charts, resulting in a rising popularity of Seattle-based bands, and the term grunge music.[1] Sap was soon certified gold.

The album was re-released on March 21, 1995, when "Got Me Wrong" became a hit after its inclusion on the soundtrack to the 1994 film, Clerks. The re-released version included lyrics and slightly different artwork. The aforementioned song, as well as "Brother," were performed live during Alice in Chains' MTV Unplugged concert.

In addition to the CD, the album was also released in a limited edition double vinyl along with Jar of Flies (Jar of Flies was on sides 1 and 2, Sap was on side 3, and an etching of the Alice in Chains logo was on side 4). In the UK, Sap and Jar of Flies were issued as a double CD, as Sap had not previously had a UK release.

Track listing

All lyrics and music written by Jerry Cantrell, except where noted.[8]

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Brother"  4:27
2."Got Me Wrong"  4:12
3."Right Turn[I]"  3:17
4."Am I Inside"Layne Staley 5:09
5."Love Song" (Hidden Track)Sean KinneyKinney3:44
Total length:20:49

"Alice Mudgarden" is Alice in Chains with Mark Arm of Mudhoney and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Cantrell and Staley insisted that they both be involved with a song on the EP.

Personnel

Chart positions

Singles

Year Single Peak
position
US Main[9] US Mod[9]
1994 "Got Me Wrong" 7 22

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. 1 2 Gill, Chris (September 1999). Dirt. Guitar World.
  2. ↑ Glickman, Simon. "Enotes - Alice in Chains". Enotes.com. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Right Turn" (Media notes). Alice in Chains. Columbia Records. 1992. Buttnugget publishing/Jack Lord Music 67059.
  4. ↑ "Alice in Chains. Soundtrack. 'Right Turn'". Internet Movie Database. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Liner notes, Music Bank box set. 1999.
  6. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Sap review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  7. ↑ Brackett, Nathan. "Alice in Chains". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. November 2004. pg. 13, cited March 17, 2010
  8. ↑ Sap at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Sap – Alice in Chains. Awards. Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  10. ↑ "American single certifications – Alice in Chains – Sap". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
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