Silverchair Album: “Neon Ballroom”

This CD's incredible. Seriously. I mean, if you're considering buying it you should. I hadn't really thought about Silverchair for a while but one day my friend randomly mentioned them and for some reason the name stuck in my head and I ended up buying the album. This was about a month ago and I haven't stopped listening to the album since I got it. Its so real, Daniel Johns really put all his emotion into this album. It shows musically and lyrically. Theres a love ballad (miss you love), a fast punky song (Satin Sheets), a hard rock song about animal rights (Spawn Again), a song about his battle with anorexia (Anas Song), theres litterally everything. Its a really diverse album. I no longer just think of silverchair as the Australian "Tomorrow" band, I think of them as one of the best bands out there. Silverchairs music is often kind of angry but its not like some of the stuff out there thats just angry for the sake of being angry, they actually put reason into their music. Trust me, don't pass up this album. You won't regret buying it.

words fail me. Wait, I've thought of some...gorgeous, evocative,varied,symbolic, deep...I love this album. I heard Anthem for the Year 2000 on a radio station by some accident, as I was not really a fan of ANY current music atthe time. I talked myself into buying the album for this ONE SONG...and have not regretted it once. i now own every CD they have put out, plus those of various similar artists(Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam,Radiohead, etc.) Wait. why am I even writing this review? Everything i want to say about this album has already been said numerous times by numerous people. This is not music, this is Art.

Man, these guys were inspired when they did this album. You have to believe, I have cried listening to songs like ¨Emotion sickness¨ or ¨Steam will rise¨ It's emotive, passionate and touching. The sleeve art is also interesant, with a different art and motive for each song.

I bought this album about a week before it's release (don't ask me how), being a big fan of silverchair. This is very different from their previous two albums, (but then Freakshow was quite different to Frogstomp so there ya go), and I know some fans were quite dissapointed with it. However, those people are quite narrow minded, as this album showcases some of their best work to date.

There are huge orchestral tracks such as the excellent opener Emotion Sickness which is a superb example of controlled power and Black Tangled Heart with its massive noise breaks; the heavier more traditional 'chair style songs such as Anthem For The Year 2000, Spawn Again, Dearest Helpless and Do You Feel The Same; a fast punk song (Satin Sheets) in a similar style to Lie To Me; and bunch of exquisite ballads such as Ana's Song (Open Fire), Point Of View and Miss You Love, and even a more funky, atmospheric closer, Steam Will Rise.

Silverchair have confounded their critics now to produce three great, differing albums, Frogstomp with its' fantastic raw and energetic rock feel, Freakshow with its' grungier influences, and now Neon Ballroom, with its' complex melodies and great variation in style.

Buy it, and listen with an open mind.

Neon Ballroom is the first Silverchair cd that I have bought. What I absolutely LOVE are the two songs Ana's Song (Open Fire) and Miss You Love. They are beautifully raw and perfectly express the purity and beauty of emotional expression without pretense or repression as a result of the fear of vulnerability. Daniel Johns seems to have been through a lot - so have I - and I am loving his softer sounds. It seems to me that when you get down to how it really feels, the sound is soft. However, the majority of Neon Ballroom is rock and it is tastefully put together... They are good songs and I recommend that you listen to the whole cd. I would like to see more albums from Silverchair and hope to see more songs like Ana's Song (Open Fire) and Miss You Love. This album satisfies those who want the softer, purer, deeper, and more introspective (in my opinion) sounds and those who want to hear the rock that Silverchair has done in the past... In short, IT'S AWESOME!