Neon Ballroom - Silverchair

...the second review.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

The band history
Singer/guitarist Daniel Johns
Bass Chris Joannou
drummer Ben Gillies
This album was released 1999, the average age of the band would have been 19/20 years old. It was seen by the press as a huge leap in creativity, ‘Fusing heavy rock with orchestral flourishes and synthetic touches with powerfully emotional lyrics’ ...
...in the lyrics.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

CD casing
The CD cover shows a couple dancing and the words ‘Silverchair’ and Neon Ballroom’ in illuminated Neon signs, the back only contains a track list. Inside is a booklet containing lyrics, credits, thank yous, an address concerning animal liberation and some disturbing but clever images.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>
more

I’ve given two back now, this is the third Silverchair CD I’m about to review and sensibly it’s the third CD they released. My lad now has the first two safely under lock and key in his room, as they’re already on the site. At this rate I should have all 4 done by the end of the week, the question is, ‘will I give them all back’?

Concept (as in previous ops)
Well, seen as only 4 albums have been produced I thought I would do the lot, one after another, in order of release and map the progress of the band as I see it. This might be interesting or it might be a big mistake on my part, who knows, who cares, it gives me a chance to listen and learn about a new band for the past couple of weeks. So on with the second review.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

The band history
Singer/guitarist Daniel Johns
Bass Chris Joannou
drummer Ben Gillies
This album was released 1999, the average age of the band would have been 19/20 years old. It was seen by the press as a huge leap in creativity, ‘Fusing heavy rock with orchestral flourishes and synthetic touches with powerfully emotional lyrics’ (quoted from the Silverchair web site). It also marked the end of the 3 album deal with Sony (who released a ‘best of’ CD which I won’t be reviewing on here) who’s contract they didn’t renew. This period saw Daniel Johns, songwriter, go through many personal problems, which you can see expressed in the lyrics.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

CD casing
The CD cover shows a couple dancing and the words ‘Silverchair’ and Neon Ballroom’ in illuminated Neon signs, the back only contains a track list. Inside is a booklet containing lyrics, credits, thank yous, an address concerning animal liberation and some disturbing but clever images.
<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

Emotion sickness
Striking string intro, very dramatic, very urgent sound. Discordant piano (which is played by the amazing David Helfgott), reminds me of Aladdin Sane (Bowie) and there is an element of soundtrack to it. The track is fairly intense but then drops away to nothing during the play out. It’s not a typical rock track with riffs and drum patterns holding it down throughout, it’s far more sophisticated than that. It’s also quite a long track, traveling from mood to mood but never sounds disjointed or lost.

‘Distorted eyes when everything is clearly dying
Burn my knees
E-motion sickness
Addict with no heroine’
About depending on pills to control depression

Anthem for the year 2000
This is probably one of the best known Silverchair tracks, sardonic, bitter lyrics, scorning vocals. This is a simple track, typical rock song in many ways but not commercial in anyway. Slow tempo, simple drums, inverted guitar riffs in the verse and straight forward riff driven choruses. It’s good, but doesn’t shine as brightly as the first

‘Never knew we were living in a world
With a mind that could be so sure
Never knew we were living in a world
With a mind that could be so small’
About the way politicians lie and personal paranoia

Ana's song (open fire)
A rock ballad and an early favorite of mine from the first listen. There is nothing to recommend this song as overly original actually, it’s fairly standard but it feels good and is delivered so well. A simple acoustic guitar carries it all. I am sold on John’s voice now; he has the quality of believability which most vocalists lack.

‘Please die Ana
For as long as you're here we're not
You make the sound of laughter
and sharpened nails seem softer’
About Daniels struggle with Anorexia

Spawn again
Well what do you know, I didn’t like this track at all when I was listening to the album last week, in fact I wrote, ‘Over heavy, screaming never worked for me… Repetitive riff, gets boring, over done drumming, this is the consulate ‘angry number’, I suppose I’m just too old to still be in touch with my teenage angst’, Well newsflash, I’m into this now, I still think the middle section runs aground a bit, but I’m a lot happier with it, it was obviously a grower and needed time to put down some roots.

‘Bring on the ape farm
Demolish the monkeys
Drink up, drink up
Look down on junkies’
About how we use and abuse animals

Miss you love
Another lovely ballad, I’m always a bit partial to 6/8 time and this rides between heartfelt blues and waltz all the way through. It starts off with a lovely piano line and travels from there, dynamics vary along the way but the star is Daniel Johns’ vocals. Small touches like lines picked out here and there for harmony. The choruses are heavier but they suit it so well and are matched perfectly by a change in his singing style. It has hair standing quality.

‘Make room for the prey
'Cause I'm coming in
With what I wanna say but
It's gonna hurt
And I love the pain’
About an inability to form lasting relationships

Dearest helpless
This begins with a powerful guitar riff, which drops away revealing a creepy, uneasy verse featuring many syncopated stops. The riffs returns in the chorus where everything kicks up a couple of notches power wise. More harmony treats in store and a middle eight towards the end which I love, you can hear a flute in the background, it’s quite abstract and moving. The more I hear this track the more I see the distance Silverchair have come from the first CD

‘Intent's not as bad as the action
The fear in your eyes
I don't mean it to hurt
But every time I hate you
I think of you first’
About loneliness and paranoia

Do you feel the same
Slow rock track, a walker if that makes sense, lots of attitude. The chorus on this is great, harmonies are present and the use of a bridge into the chorus is probably my favorite part of the track. The middle 8 section is a simple, eloquent guitar solo, nothing flashy, just right.

Hold yourself 'cause no-one will
I'll be there to take the spill
Cleanse your soul, change the tide
And ride the wave back here to me
About fear in relationships of giving too much

Black tangled heart
Piano intro, 6/8 track, part two of ‘Miss you love’ I think. Nice string section in the background throughout the track. It’s a lovely gentle and thoughtful track, nice vocally with a powerful chorus. Well, gentle for the most part, there is the appearance of a powerful riff towards the end, which takes us to the play out. The lovely middle 8 section which is definitely worth a mention, so I did.

‘Maybe your luck has changed
Settle down
Maybe I'm just deranged
And on the rebound’
About self destruction, in this case in love

Point of view
Starts off very mellow sounding with just guitar and vocal, it’s a lovely start which is also mirrored at the end. It then heads into a wonderful chorus which lifts the song like any good hook should. The band stay around after that, this is a slow rock number, well crafted and delivered with style with an especially enjoyable middle 8 vocal section. Great vocal yet again.

‘Accusation, does yes mean no?
Or have you changed your mind?
Kill the nation before it grows’
About confusion and the struggle for truth I think

Satin sheets
Fast and furious rock bordering on metal. Heavy riff driven sound, tight music strong vocal, almost shouted. Not my favorite track, but not one I’d skip as then I’d miss the half-time middle 8 which is a great relief from the intensity of the rest of the number and really makes it all work. Some crazy sounds in the background on the play out. Did I mention tight, sorry I meant bloody tight.

‘Wears a Saturn bracelet
Lined with cocaine coins’
About selfishness cause by addiction

Paint pastel princess
This sounds great to me. It starts with an acoustic guitar, then a double bar stretched drum rhythm, which almost falls into a waltz and fools you, but not quite. There are the thoughtful vocals of Mr Johns and lovely swooning chorus. The second verse sees the appearance of strings. The urgency and interplay of the bridge into middle 8 section is quite unexpected but very welcome. The song falls away to nothing near the end, a fake end I might add, with a nice return and repeat of the middle 8 and a chorus see us all the way home. Like I said, this sounds great to me.

‘She tastes the candy
Sugarless, cancerous
Crave cocaine cop shows’
About self doubt I think

Steam will rise
A slow and thoughtful number, the vocals are almost whispered throughout. The verse leads beautifully into the chorus, which is intimate by nature. When I first heard this I felt the use of ‘battleship drums’ (Highly effected drum which sounds like a dozen guys playing in unison, very 80’s) was inappropriate, but it works well. The track ends almost fading out, which is a first for Silverchair I think. This isn’t a typical final track; you really do expect another one to begin but no, ‘lets leave them wanting more’ is definitely the thought here, which they did

Pretend I'm dead
Abuse myself
Confuse myself
I won't be led
About self esteem, or the control of it

<Silverchair> Neon Ballroom</Silverchair>

Conclusion
OK we’re at the end and apart from the Aladdin Sane piano (which more a style of playing than an influence from another artist) the track have original band quality stamped all over them, I think this is what they were looking for in the first two albums.

I’m sure this would have been a shock to all the Silverchair fans out there, the sound has altered so much on just about all of the tracks, a more mature style has surfaced. It certainly threw me; I was expecting something not quite so removed from the second, just more confident and expressive, instead I’ve had a completely unexpected musical experience, and you can’t ask for better than that really can you.

To sum up, I think this is a marvelous album, the best so far, but I don’t think with out the previous two you would have arrived like this. It has a quality which is rare in much modern music, longevity, this will last and continue to grow. Oh, by the way, he’s not getting this one back…. Yet.

Links
To the official web site
http://www.chairpage.com/flash.htm
To hear Real player audio clips please go here
http://www.chairpage.com/media/audio/neonballroom.htm
Amazon £6.66
 

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