How Silverchair Reinvented Themselves With Each Studio Album

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How Silverchair Reinvented Themselves With Each Studio Album

Music Editor
On Feb 21, 2012

You don't hear their name tossed around very often in the U.S., but die-hard fans will tell you that Australian rock trio Silverchair—over the course of 12 years and five studio albums—underwent one of the most drastic and astounding creative evolutions this side of Radiohead or The Beatles. No, seriously. Within a few short years, frontman Daniel Johns went from being a teenage Kurt Cobain disciple to a studied, accomplished composer of sprawling, orchestral rock epics unlike anything else in alternative music. (Frequent collaborator Van Dyke Parks once called Daniel the greatest genius he'd worked with since Brian Wilson—now that's some serious praise!)

For the uninitiated, here's a blow-by-blow look back at all five Silverchair records and the creative leaps and bounds made by Johns, bassist Chris Joannou and drummer Ben Gillies over the course of their career:

Frogstomp (1995)

Initially calling themselves the Innocent Criminals, high school friends Daniel, Chris and Ben won a nationwide Australian demo competition for their debut single "Tomorrow". By 1995, the song was a worldwide rock hit and their debut album Frogstomp was making serious waves in the post-Nirvana grunge scene... all while the band members were still completing high school! Though it's fairly unremarkable compared with their later work, Frogstomp is still a raw, unnerving listen—Daniel's lyrics and vocals especially show range and power beyond his years.

"Israel's Son"

"Tomorrow"

Freak Show (1997)

On their sophomore effort, Silverchair expanded their heavy-hitting hard rock style with more experimental elements: the shimmering clean guitar tones on "Abuse Me", the acoustic balladry and string arrangements on "Cemetery" and "Petrol & Chlorine", and even the Middle Eastern-tinged riffs of "The Door". Lyrically, Daniel was mining more of the same withdrawn, self-loathing themes presented on Frogstomp, but with more flair and perspective. Less of a smash hit in the U.S. than their debut, Freak Show was nevertheless a notable creative leap forward from their rough, thrashing beginnings.

"Abuse Me"

"Cemetery"

Neon Ballroom (1999)

Inspired aesthetically by Daniel's battles with depression and anorexia, Neon Ballroom was a massive stylistic departure from the band's then-trademark sound. Opening cut "Emotion Sickness" is an expansive, operatic call to arms, outfitted by a full orchestra and the prodigious piano work of guest David Helfgott. Everything about the band's approach to songwriting and recording had changed, from the double-meaning lyrics of "love" song "Ana's Song (Open Fire)" to the baroque string augmentations on "Black Tangled Heart" and aggro-funk bass riff of "Steam Will Rise". The drastic stylistic evolution between Frogstomp and Neon Ballroom was staggering, to say the least, but it was nothing compared to the explosive creatively than ran rampart all over its follow-up...

"Emotion Sickness"

"Miss You Love"

Diorama (2002)

Inspired by his new take on life after overcoming the aforementioned personal struggles, Daniel began writing exclusively on piano for the first time, crafting a bright-eyed, optimistic set of songs that would go on to become Diorama. Drenched in orchestral arrangements, lavish harmonies, and populated with unusual song structures and unexpected sonic detours, the album is a bona fide masterwork—each song is a dense produced, massively ambitious pop gem. A huge hit in Australia, Diorama has gone criminally unnoticed here in the States. Do yourself a tremendous favor and listen to it from beginning to glorious end... I promise you won't be disappointed.

"Across The Night"

"Tuna In The Brine"

Young Modern (2007)

Something of a retread from Diorama's symphonic bombast, Young Modern is an equally impressive foray into progressive pop, augmented by unusual harmonies, arrangements, and instrumentation (once again aided by the indispensable Van Dyke Parks) and, unsurprisingly, some of the band's most memorable hooks and melodies to date. The three-part epic "Those Thieving Birds/Strange Behavior" is a personal favorite, but the soaring "Straight Lines", the grandiloquent "If You Keep Losing Sleep, and the guitar punch of "Young Modern Station" and "Mind Reader" make Young Modern as thrilling a listen as its intimidating predecessor.

"Straight Lines"