It keeps switching between the brooding sludge of songs like It Ain't Like That with the hooks of Put You Down. Put You Down and funky banger I Know Somethin' (Bout You) are probably my favorites, but Sunshine is the best showing of the contrast. We Die Young is one of the best openers to any metal album, and just perfectly sets the stage for the perfect blend of depressive lyrics with pumped up heavy metal hooks.
A song like Put You Down sounds right at home with the likes of Dr. This is dark, Layne's drug addicted lyrics are all over this thing, but the music's got a party vibe backed by massive grooves and swaggering sleaze. I love AiC's following two albums too, but it's almost all doom and gloom. I love the unique sound that some bands had during the time hair bands were leaving the metal mainstream and grunge was entering it, there's this balancing act between dark heavy shit and dumb party hooks that isn't heard anywhere else. Best thing Alice in Chains ever did, partly because of the band transitioning from hair metal to grunge.