SONG: Long Gone Day
ARTIST: Mad Season
ALBUM: Above
YouTube - Mad Season - Long Gone Day
Recorded in 1994 with a very dynamic combination of musicians. Vocalist Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees), guitarist Mike McCready (Pearl Jam and others), Vocalist Layne Staley (AIC), Barette Martin (Drummer for Screaming Trees) on bass John Baker Saunders (The Lamont Cranston Band) and a very good sax player named Skerik.
They tried a very different approach with this song. Bongos, saxophone, piano, and bass were strong factors giving it a feeling of jazz. Added with Mark Lanegan's deep, heavy vocals instantly turns the song into a dark, depressing mood. Lanegans vocals are so effortless. He doesn't make it seem like he is singing a song to an audience, it feels more like he is singing to himself what is going on in his head and what he is thinking. He adds a beautiful drifty line of lyrics right before Staley joins in on vocals. When Staley makes his presence known, he adds a burst of energy to the song and, unlike Lanegan, who keeps his voice pretty steady and deep thoughout the song, Staley fluctuates his voice up and down, loud and soft. These two contrastings styles cooperate wonderfully together. And the sax solo in the middle gives the song a wild, almost spiraling downward effect. A few more powerful bursts from Staley and the song is over.