Silverchair

Frogstomp
$9.99
I was 12 when this album came out, and in a phase that included the likes of Nirvana, Bush, STP and Metallica. (Angy pre-teen stage!) So clearly, as you can see, I identified with hard-rocking bands. These guys certainly fit the bill for me at the time! I still get a real kick out of this album, mainly for sentimental purposes, as it brings me back to my summer camp days and that particular time in my life. Overall, very impressive debut from a bunch of teenagers. Sure its immature, but so was I! So if you're a teenager with a distaste for overly pretentious shiny poppy manufactured garbage, try this album... it is NONE of those things. Just don't expect anything monumental, either.

Frogstomp
$7.99
I was 12 when this album came out, and in a phase that included the likes of Nirvana, Bush, STP and Metallica. (Angy pre-teen stage!) So clearly, as you can see, I identified with hard-rocking bands. These guys certainly fit the bill for me at the time! I still get a real kick out of this album, mainly for sentimental purposes, as it brings me back to my summer camp days and that particular time in my life. Overall, very impressive debut from a bunch of teenagers. Sure its immature, but so was I! So if you're a teenager with a distaste for overly pretentious shiny poppy manufactured garbage, try this album... it is NONE of those things. Just don't expect anything monumental, either.

Diorama
$13.96
amazing album, really fantastic. unique, stylish, and daniel johns not only has an astonishing story, but a sexy voice. as great as this album is and the amount of time i spent listening to it when it came out, however, i hate to say that i can seldom listen to an entire song from the album anymore all the way through. i'm not sure if it's because these are songs that wear and tear over time, or if i just listened to it so much when i first got it. no matter, i still will put in my top 5 best albums ever.

Neon Ballroom
$11.98
Building on some of the experiments of 'Freak Show' (such as 'Cemetery' and 'Petrol and Chlorine'), silverchair's third album finds them adopting a more mature and textured sound. While their ambitions would not be fully realsied until 'Diorama', 'Neon Ballroom' is certainly a step in the right direction. The direct attack of their previous albums has been toned down in favour of a more reflective approach, and Daniel Johns reveals himself to be a surprisingly talented songwriter, and even more surprisingly a good singer.

The heavy, grungy rock of their first two albums is only apparent on three tracks 'Anthem For The Year 2000', 'Spawn' and 'Satin Sheets'. Elsewhere, the band try many new things. 'Emotion Sickness' is an awesome opener, driven by an intense string section and the nervous, jittery piano of David Helfgott. 'Miss You Love' and the closer 'Steam Will Rise' are genuine ballads. Other tracks such as 'Ana's Song' and 'Paint Pastel Princess' combine softer, string-driven elements with heavier rock sections. The instrumentation and production are greatly expanded, with keyboards, piano, strings, and even a harp employed on different songs.

At the same time, it's clear that this is still the work of a grunge band. The usual themes of depression, isolation and uncertainty are spread very thickly. Daniel Johns was battling anorexia among other things, and reportedly lived as a virtual recluse while writing these songs. The result is a very downbeat and somber album, which can be a difficult listen at times. The full expansion of their lyrics beyond these themes, and incorporation of melody, would have to wait for another few years.

Die-hard fans of the band's heavier sound might be a little disappointed, but the more mature sound here is a welcome development. 'Neon Ballroom' doesn't quite have the scope or ambition of the boundary-pushing 'Diorama' and 'Young Modern', but it certainly makes movements in that direction, making the album a key transition between early and late career silverchair.