Them Bones

Alice In Chains, 1992, from Dirt. Solo by Jerry Cantrell.

A multi-part solo that opens in murky blues territory and builds into a dense run over the song's lurching odd-meter riff.

Them Bones opens Dirt with a lurching, odd-meter riff, and Jerry Cantrell's short solo packs a lot into a small space. It starts in murky, bluesy territory, with low, heavy phrases that sound like they are crawling out of the mix. Then it builds into a dense, faster run, rising in intensity just before the song crashes back into the riff. The multi-part structure gives it a sense of drama, even though it lasts only a few seconds. Listen for the moment when the solo shifts from those dark opening phrases into the quick climb, mirroring the song's claustrophobic energy.

Them Bones by Alice In Chains is featured in our Grunge (#7) list. The solo is played by Jerry Cantrell and the song was released in 1992.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Grunge Guitar Solos — #7
• The Best Jerry Cantrell Guitar Solos — #5
• The Best Alice In Chains Guitar Solos — #6

Sources