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Boggy Depot

Jerry Cantrell - Boggy Depot Audio CD

A fair review of the Jerry Cantrell "Boggy Depot" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Jerry Cantrell reviews here, or go back to the Jerry Cantrell tabs.

Band: Jerry Cantrell
Title: Boggy Depot
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-02-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Dickeye 2: Cut You In 3: My Song 4: Settling Down 5: Breaks My Back 6: Jesus Hands 7: Devil by His Side 8: Keep the Light On 9: Satisfy 10: Hurt a Long Time 11: Between 12: Cold Piece

Very unappreciated
Boggy Depot has a much softer sound than AIC and it's not nearly as downbeat; many songs on the album border on country western, particularly with Cantrell's style of singing. No, it's not Alice in Chains, but it's not supposed to be. Not every track is perfect, but Boggy Depot is still superior to AIC's Tripod and Cantrell's own overrated follow-up Degradation Trip.

Standout tracks include Dickeye, My Song, Between, and the absolutely brilliant Hurt a Long Time, and they are supplemented by other good tracks such as Cut You In, Settling Down, Jesus Hands, and Devil By His Side. One of the benefits of Boggy Depot is the variety of music, which ranges from hard rock to country to psychedelic. A couple of the songs don't work, but as an album, Boggy Depot is as good as any AIC album, and certainly one of the best albums of the late 90s. .

Very good first solo effort..
Pretty close sounding to AIC, which is pretty understandable considering that he is the main composer (+ or - 90% I guess) but still distinctive in its own way. If you like AIC, you're going to like this album. First, there is no Layne singing, and he was such a great part of AIC that you are going to miss his wonderful voice because you'll feel that it could fit just great on any of those songs. Second, this is a very personal-Jerry Cantrell-in your face work. This guy's guitar playing is so unique and most of all so capable to transmit anguish, pain, sorrow. . . . . ; just awesome.
As a first album is just a very good and honest effort, an enjoyful listening from a fantastic and real musician, probably one the few ones that are still around that still believes in creating great music for the fans instead in just thinking about money and putting out albums without any substance. In terms of sound quality I have the cd and the vinyl, and since this review is on the vinyl I'm going to say that the pressing is flawless, pretty well mastered in my opinion. There are 2 records with lyrics in the inner sleeves. .

awesome buy
this was a great buying experience it came fast was brand new just as described and played perfect awesome seller !!!.

Solid, Compact, Soulful, Feels good to hear, Jerry's got soul!
When I actually listened though and I mean a careful listen to the whole album not just a preview of a few songs, then I realized what I Jerry Cantrell had created was nothing short of amazing. When I first heard this I was ready to write it off as a boring, flat album full of uninspired riffs with standard vocals. His voice matches the mood, tempo, lyrics, and riffs perfectly. This album is more mainstream and easier to listen to than some of Alice in Chains work but that doesn't mean it lacks soul, it just exudes that soulful tone in a less tortured way. There are some really great catchy tunes here as well as the wierd ones. DICKEYE the first song is a great driving hard hitting rock song with a great catchy chorus. CUT YOU IN is a strange little number that has great little bouncing acoustic guitar riffs and the lyrics seems to speak of friends who are a little pre occupied with partying than keeping friendships. MY SONG is a great slow tempo song that bursts into a great loud chorus and nice little melodic guitar bits and soulful singing this song sounds like Cantrell times 10. SETTLING DOWN is another slow number with an uplifting chrous the piano througout the song is beautiful and haunting! BREAKS MY BACK is a acid tripping watery meltdown of vocals and chiming guitar over a slow bumping groove, very nice bass lines. JESUS HANDS starts mellow and haunting arrpegiated intro and continues with a mellow haunting chrous that becomes electrified, Jerry's voice sounds almost alien and childlike in this one, very creepy indead. DEVIL BY HIS SIDE is a rocking groove of a number similiar to a PIXIES song but with Jerry rocking pitch bending lead lines and soulful singing this like DICKEYE sound very poppy and mainstream but also haunting in that heart melting way. KEEP THE LIGHT ON sounds almost like an Alice in Chains song almost like It Ain't Like That great grooving pounding rock verse then just a great soulful sweet chorus, this one will have you humming along. SATISFY is a great slow number with Jerry's voice as the main event with very tender lead lines played throughout, and then a knockout hard hitting chorus. There seems to be alot of contrast here with either a very slow intro followed by a hard hitting chorus or a fast intro followed by a slow haunting chorus. HURT A LONG TIME is a very sad a soaring number almost country in it's nature with slide guitar and reverberated choruses very soulful ballad with sad love story lyrics and tragedy laced theme. BETWEEN sounds almost like another country inspired tune with very happy major chords but when the chorus kicks in you hear whats in Jerrys heart as he strums a nice kicking chorus with a short little twangy solo, this one is definiately a standout!! COLD PIECE is the closing song with some great lounge club piano and jazzy little drum sections as well as the most soulful singing yet from Jerry. So in conclusion this album has a standout in every song while not a well known masterpiece not one song on here is meaningless and Jerry fills this entire album with his heart and soul, meshed with hard rock rhythyms, crushing soaring guitar, pop hooks, sweet soulful singing, this album will bring the sunshine then the darkness, then the sunshine once again!!! There is never a dull moment here.

Solo debut of the sludge king
It's forgivable for a debut, but the lack of experimentation keeps it from ever having a chance to be considered a classic (not that it had much of a chance anyway. Jerry Cantrell's first solo album is more or less what someone would expect: Alice in Chains without Staley's atmospheric voice. . . ). Some powerful rock songs stand alongside some mournful, more introspective numbers, but little more. This is no-risk sludge rock, but few can do it better than Jerry.

Cantrell's status as a songwriter was solidified when he was with AIC, but now he proves that he can strike alone (though fellow AIC band members do make appearances). Precious few real standout tracks, but the record rarely falters; look for radio hits like "Cut You In" and "My Song" to strike first while slow burn tracks like "Dickeye," "Cold Piece" and "Jesus Hands" catch up later. Like his former band, though, don't expect to have a blast--this is a man who could use some happy pills. But there's nothing wrong with weariness and hardship in rock music; hell, the blues has been doing it for decades.

Best cuts: "My Song," "Dickeye," "Jesus Hands," "Cut You In," "Cold Piece," "Devil By His Side," "Keep the Light On," "Settling Down".

You can see a complete list of all Jerry Cantrell discography, or go back to the Jerry Cantrell tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.