Silverchair - Diorama
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Free Music Notes for Diorama
Free Music Review: Even though I overplayed this to death, it's still great
Hit: 5 Stars
Silverchair, Rush and Weezer are probably only the bands that I can listen to any record and like it. I do like Metallica but certain songs on Justice I don't care for and Tool has filler now and then. So a new record by any of those bands is greeted with much enthusiasm. Silverchair over the years has been gradually evolving to what Diorama only confirms which is they could just be a great rock band.
Across the Night: 1 of 3 songs which got help from Van Dyke Parks, who worked with the Beach Boys on Pet Sounds. It's a pretty majestic and lush-sounding song although oddly I tend to skip but when I do listen I'm quite charmed by it. 8/10
The Greatest View: The first single and unfortunately not one of the better songs. The big killer guitar opening sounds great but the big poppy chorus and verses are a bit too much of a dynamic change. 8/10
Without You: One of my favorite songs but it could've been my favorite on the record if only the chorus didn't work. That "rolling" beat sounds great, Daniel's vocals, especially the "blooming like winter" part sound good but that chorus sounds too I don't know, happy? Colorful video though. 8.5/10
World Upon Your Shoulders: I love the guitar intro and the opening verses are beautifully sung but then that chorus kicks in. I'm probably one of the few that doesn't like it although I like the bridge. 7.5/10
One Way Mule: Probably meant to keep the older fans, which is a bit unfortunate because like Greatest View, the 2 styles don't really mix. A really detuned guitar for the verses and bright chorus with probably my favorite lyrics just doesn't add up. 7.5/10
Tuna in the Brine: An incredibly weird and ever-shifting song. Lyrics I can't understand(but then again I never can with Daniel) and many chord and tempo changes. 2 of 3 songs featuring Van Dyke Parks and there's nothing wrong with the song it's just gonna take you awhile to "get it". 8/10
Too Much of Not Enough: An oddball thing happens again: the opening and first 2 lines I love, but then it slightly goes downhill. Not that it's bad it's just the way that opening is sung and played is great but then it doesn't hold up a bit. But no throwaway of course. 8/10
Luv Your Life: My absolute favorite song on the record. The third featuring Van Dyke Parks and it's a very romantic sounding song, even the "doo doo's" which I normally hate in songs work well here, leading to a nice big outro chorus. Video sucks though. 10/10
The Lever: The second to have the band revert back to pre-Ballroom days and it works better than Mule. Nice and loud with a good beat, this could've been a song that would've fit on past records but on here it's kinda like a blue car in the middle of yellow ones, can't help but stick out. 8.5/10
My Favorite Thing: Probably my least favorite. To paraphrase David Spade(who I despise): I liked My Favorite Thing when it was called Cemetery. I like the chords but as a song I find it almost...boring? 7/10
After All These Years: Probably the most atypical closer the band has had. It's pretty much just Daniel playing the piano in a really beautiful song. Was used as show openers a lot. There's a little piano interlude hidden track at the end but like hidden tracks it's quite far. 9/10
Silverchair haven't really done a lot since the record came out. Since then Daniel's gotten married to Natalie Imbruglia(lucky bast*rd) and released a 2nd venture with keyboardist Paul Mac for the Disassociatives. Ever since Petrol and Chlorine to Emotion Sickness and Paint Pastel, the band has been going away from it's grunge-y drop D days and since every song has had least amount of them, we're hoping the next record is even better...whenever they reunite anyway.
Free Music Review: Silverchair's best cd yet
Hit: 5 Stars
I decided to edit my first review of this cd, because it simply didn't capture the way I thought about the album. So, I will attempt to describe each song one by one.1.)"Across the Night"- Wow. This is one of the greatest intros, and songs, to ever be heard by my ears. It really grabs you and kind of brings images of soaring the skies all night long and just watching the beauty of it all. I really enjoy the background strings and horns. Awesome. 10/10.
2.)"The Greatest View"- This one is also a great song that has a catchy chorus. An obvious choice for a single. Nice guitars and I like the pre-chorus. Also has a nice part in the second verse that has a little edge in it. 7/10.
3.)"Without You"- The third track on the album, it opens with a sort of rolling (best way to describe it) arrangement of drums and guitars that has a very nice flowing verse, followed by a cool pre-chorus, and then throws a surprising chorus that doesn't really sound like the rest of the song. Great drum beats and bridge. 8/10.
4.)"World Upon Your Shoulders"- Starts off with slow guitar and vocals, then it builds into the chorus, which shows Daniel John's control of his high notes. The middle of the song is freakin' awesome, because it is the climax of the song, and shows very good energy. One of my favorites on the album. 9/10.
5.)"One Way Mule"- Now, this one's a little off-balance with the other songs on the album, as it is very ovbiously similar to their past music, with its grunge sound, not that that's a bad thing. Shows they can still rock with the best of them. 7/10.
6.)"Tuna in the Brine"- Holy crap. How do I even begin to describe this one? This is one interesting song, that changes styles and tempos multiple times (from silly to serious), with no real chorus to speak of, but it still sounds great throughout the entire song, what with its Disney-styled (no insult, but a compliment) orchestral arrangements, great vocals, and sweeping, epic feel. This is simply a masterpiece. Another favorite. 10/10.
7.)"Too Much of Not Enough"- This is a pretty good song, if a little mundane and unable to follow-up a great song like "Tuna in the Brine," but that shouldn't discourage listening to it. I really like the edgy chorus and the bridge. 8/10.
8.)"Luv Your Life"- This is a feel-good, soft song that's full of emotion. Really good song to calm down to, with its soothing vocals and guitars, and also very fitting horn arrangements. 7/10.
9.)"The Lever"- This one resemble "One Way Mule" in that it has a grunge sound to it that is reminiscent of their older stuff. Has an interesting, and kinda creepy, intro. Pretty good stuff. 8/10.
10.)"My Favourite Thing"- Has a pretty guitar and string arrangement, with cool drumrolls here and there. This one begins the end of the album. Very, very good, with a great passionate ending. 9/10.
11.)"After All These Years"- This one is a perfect closer to the album that shows Johns on piano instead of guitar. The vocals fit in very nicely and is great for anyone to listen to. 9/10.
As you can see, I think greatly of this album and wish other artists today were on par with this stuff. Any fan of music should check it out. You won't forget it.
Free Music Review: Speechless...
Hit: 5 Stars
I have always enjoyed Silverchair.Ever since the irresistable Tomorrow, I've waited eagerly for each release. Frogstomp was simple but catchy; Freakshow showed good progress while still maintaining that hard edge, and Neon Ballroom took them in a new direction, showcasing their creative and emotional development with excellent music such as Ana's Song, Miss You Love, and Black Tangled Heart.
So I was excited about their first studio album in three years.
I read reviews in Rolling Stone and various other credible magazines... they used words such as classic, incredible, and unmissable. The days until its release couldn't move fast enough.
I finally got it in my hands and listened...
The first two songs that would be singles were everything I had wanted: The Greatest View, with its mix of rock tunes and sweet Daniel Johns vocals, roared from the speakers, while Without You, full of booming drums and an infectious chorus, had the equal hook of anything they had previously done... but there was something missing. After two or three listens, I was wondering which direction the boys from Newcastle had gone... the other songs lacked catchy beginnings, and were full of strange choruses...
Around the time, I had some personal issues, and the album fell aside, along with everything else...
A couple of months later I picked it up again after my brother, a keen music critic, could only shake his head and laugh as he called it genius.
Had I missed something? Had I been listening to the same album? Had I even given it a fair chance?
So I played it... and played it... and played it... I gave it the chance I should have given it months before, when I had been looking for a short, quick fix...
And what I found was a revelation.
Diorama means a world within a world... and I soon discovered what an appropriate name this was for the album.
I found things within this world within a world of music, not only songs, and emotions within myself, but I found myself immersed in the emotions from Daniel Johns too. Suddenly everything seemed clear, and I wondered how anybody could feel despair when there were such things in the world that made you close your eyes and grit your teeth with pleasure... I heard it all; followed the blissful pianos, the growling guitars, and the orchestral magic carpet; lost myself in Daniel Johns' soothing, melodic voice... this was what music was supposed to be.
How could I have missed it? Imagine I had forgotten the album and never had the chance to find such a place, this world within a world, this incredible recording of wonders?
I almost did... but in the end I was saved. Thankfully I gave up a little bit of time, and what I got in return was worth a whole lot more...
So if you've come this far, please, time is cheap, and what you'll get in return from this album you won't get spending your time any other way...
Free Music Review: The light in my darkest hour is FEAR...
Hit: 5 Stars
America is crying.
We're crying because American music has been reduced to Breaking Benjamin and Brittany Spears. We're crying because originality is all but dead, save about 20 or so bands worthy of recognition. There is very precious little truly great music coming out of America these days, and we are too fat and lazy to search out something else, something wonderful, to remind of how much of a beautiful thing music used to be. Cue: Silverchair.
Back when Nirvana was conquering the world, the boys from Silverchair were teenagers with big dreams of their own musical aspirations. Although first attempts "Frogstomp" and "Freak Show" were enjoyable rock records, Silverchair's music was a bit of a Nirvana/Pearl Jam knock-off (but a very good knock-off given their age). But then something happened . . . something phenomenal. My guess is that the spirit of John Lennon descended from the musical perfection of outer heavenly realms onto Silverchair vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Daniel Johns, and learned him of the beauty of what music once had been. With this revelatory knowledge, the band tried it out on "Neon Ballroom", and now exploits it shamelessly on "Diorama".
In short, everything on this disc is magical. It all seems like some sort of lost legendary Rogers and Hammerstein musical starring the Osmonds. The opening track `Across the Night' certainly gives this impression, full of brilliant orchestration and melodies that could belong to the Beatles. Violins flare and trumpets blare with complete easiness next to the loud guitars and bass and drums that are all pounding away as well. The same could be said for `Tuna In the Brine', which is somehow the most beautiful thing I've heard in years, mostly due to Danny's vocals, which are superb throughout. From the gorgeous Beatle-esque poppieness of `Luv Your Life', to flashes of Cobain on a heavy-hitting `One Way Mule', Danny gives the vocal performance of his career on these tracks, showing his remarkable capabilities as a vocalist as well as a songwriter.
Literally every track on "Diorama" achieves some amazing artistic thingy that makes every single last note distinct, special, and is worth a couple million spins in your player. Some may not be attracted to it because of it's obvious pop-laden melodies, but, I mean, "Diorama" isn't just an awesome pop album. It is honestly a very rare artistic achievement, displaying extreme originality and musical understanding. It is one of the most enjoyable albums I have ever laid ears on, and reaches the same type of immortal status (in my eyes, at least) as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by the Beatles or "Tommy" by the Who.
Lets see Breaking Benjamin do THAT. 5 stars.
Free Music Review: One of the greatest rock albums ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
I know that sounds like a bold statement, but if you listen to a LOT of different types of rock music, and don't just limit yourself to one or two genres like a lot of misfortunates do, then you realize that nowadays there isn't a lot of truly original sounding music being produced.
Silverchair started off as being a good teenage grunge band. Three guys from Australia who owed a lot to the "Seattle Sound" but still came off as distinguishable. Their first two albums were good, hard rock albums full of angst and grunge but with melody and intelligence.
Their third album, "Neon Ballroom" found them out of high school and with more time to really work on the music. It showed. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Johns had started working in classical orchestrations to compliment their still-evolving heavy rock songs, as well as writing intensely personal lyrics.
This direction has continued with "Diorama", and the result is the most truly original rock album to come along since MTV came and nearly ruined it for everybody 20 years ago. It is evident that Silverchair is not at all concerned with how much of this album is in the Top 40, and they are a better band for it.
There are several songs which feature an orchestra playing with the band, but not in a showy or pompous manner. The overall effect of this material simply could not be acheived with just guitars and drums. Daniel Johns' vocal abilities have matured immeasurably as has the quality of his songwriting, both lyrically and compositionally. There are songs on this album that will get any true music lover misty-eyed ("The Greatest View" and "Darkest Hour" for example).
Which is not to say that Silverchair have wimped-out. The band that brought you "Israel's Son" could never stray too far from their angst-ridden roots, and the proof is here on tracks like "Lever" and the wall-shaking "One Way Mule", my personal favorite on this album.
Obviously this material leaps and bounds from the garage days of "Frogstomp", but it is just so damn good. It's hard to believe that the commercialization of the music industry has rendered the average listener oblivious to creativity like this, but its true. You'll probably never hear any of this on a radio, and you're almost guaranteed never to see it on MTV (gee, darn, bummer).
If you still yearn for something new in rock and roll, something totally unlike anything else out there, something that can take you to new levels without just pushing the envelope of loud or weird but pushing the envelope of versatility, you MUST hear this album.
If not, more's the pity.