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Silverchair

Diorama  Hear it Now

RS: 3of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2003

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The fifteen-year-old mall rats who recorded Silverchair's mid-Nineties debut, Frogstomp, got plenty of flak from folks who couldn't get beyond the band's preoccupation with Pearl Jam, Nirvana and, later, Radiohead. But behind the loud-soft dynamics of the music and frontman Daniel Johns' warbled, Eddie Vedder vocals, the songs sounded earnest if not all that original. Silverchair may have copied their heroes, but they seemed sincere about their passion for the music. Diorama, Silverchair's fourth studio album, is a different story. Now in their early twenties, Johns and company have become genuine artists on their own terms. Heavy orchestration, unpredictable melodic shifts and a whimsical pop sensibility give Diorama the sweeping feel of the work of Brian Wilson or Todd Rundgren. Silverchair even brought in Wilson's eccentric partner in crime, the string arranger Van Dyke Parks, to give the music more breadth and depth.

Johns' much-improved vocals and flair for the theatrical complement his new, more inventive guitar style. Clearly he trusts his own instincts today, and it pays off in complex beauties such as the melancholic, Beach Boys-ish "World Upon Your Shoulders," the enigmatic "Tuna in the Brine" and the stately closer, "After All These Years." In the latter, Johns seems to question his earlier modus operandi: "Playing like a scared, enthusiastic pawn. . . . All those years I was hurting to feel something more than life." Only when he loses this newfound confidence do Silverchair's old habits slip to the surface, such as in the chorus of "Without You," which relies on a pseudodramatic, MTV-approved hook. But for the most part, Diorama gets better with each listen.

MARK KEMP

(Posted: Jul 16, 2002)

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dstn80 writes:

5of 5 Stars


Silverchair have really grown up and are demanding attention from everybody and letting us know that, the sky is the limit! There are no boundries for just how much you can change. There are so many orchestrations to go with great lyrical and deep songs, that you don't expect from a rock band. This album is about escaping reality for those minutes of play from this cd. This album can either rock you out of your seat, put you to sleep or just make you day dream away from the daily stress. Not many albums out there can do al that! There are some trakcs on here that actually make it seem like your in a theater watching a play. The craziest part is, the quality of this band at this stage is un-heard of. Especially when you realize that they were only about 22 or 23 when they made this. Make sure that you check out there album after this Young Modern, thats album will make your head spin knowing that these are the same boys that made the hit single tommorrow! It's your loss if you don't give this album a try!

Aug 14, 2007 16:45:10

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