Silverchair's new release proves the boys need to grow up

Reviewed by SCOTT SWINDELLS
Collegian Staff Writer

As teen sensations, Silverchair broke into the mainstream with a heavy sound that was easily identifiable.

But with the March 16 release of its third effort Neon Ballroom, Silverchair has changed the formula.

So do we patiently bear with the band members during their time of growth and experimentation, or do we abandon them?

I say screw 'em -- they were never very good in the first place.

"Emotion Sickness" begins the album with a harsh guitar sound and an overall tone of depression. But about five minutes into the lengthy intro number, the entire song changes. The chord progression and vocal harmonies begin to sound remarkably like Pink Floyd's "Goodbye, Blue Sky."

The next song, "Anthem For the Year 2000," is equally bitter and filled with the post-stardom/post-grunge teen angst of vocalist Daniel Johns. The first two songs sound like old Hole or Nirvana guitar licks -- they're simple and redundant, but smartly propelled by driving drum rhythms. Thankfully, Silverchair does not limit itself to the simplistic, crunching guitar sludge of the first two tracks.

This album is one of experimentation by the Australian trio. The musicians are growing up, and they obviously want their music to reflect this. Think of the changes made on third releases by other modern groups like Pearl Jam (Vitalogy). Any group with a smash-hit debut album and a similar-sounding but less popular follow up is going to look for a way to prove it's not limited to the one sound that brought it fame -- or any one sound, for that matter.

As a result, Silverchair sounds an awful lot like Rage Against the Machine on "Spawn Again" or Ben Folds Five on "Miss You Love," and sometimes the group even dabbles in Radiohead, Nirvana and Pink Floyd.

What's lost in the melange is a sense of cohesiveness. Silverchair is a band with an identity crisis. It's probably best to wait until the band members finish growing, and then think about picking up their next effort.