Silverchair - Young Modern: Album Review
Silverchair, Young Modern (Atlantic, 2007)
The new album by Australian post-Nirvana kiddie rock legends Silverchair - their first in five years - won't be out until July here in the US, but it comes out next week in Australia. I hope it doesn't get widely bootlegged or anything.
If you want, you can stream the entire thing at their MySpace:
YOUNG MODERN STATION
What, like Zoo Station? Anyhoo, this lacks much of a hook, but I can appreciate the sheer musicianship of it.
STRAIGHT LINES
The lead single I posted about a while ago. It's still kinda soft for my liking, but what are you gonna do?
IF YOU KEEP LOSING SLEEP
Not unlike "Across the Night" from Diorama except that it seems to make up for what it lacks in decent hooks with utter wackiness.
REFLECTIONS OF A SOUND
A relatively straigthforward ballad, but, hey, it works.
THOSE THIEVING BIRDS (PART 1)/STRANGE BEHAVIOUR/THOSE THIEVING BIRDS (PART 2)
An epic in three parts, on some ol' side two of Abbey Road ish.
THAT MAN THAT KNEW TOO MUCH
A mid tempo, piano-based number in the vein of something Billy Joel might have attempted 30 years ago. But noiser.
WAITING ALL DAY
If Coldplay did this, it would be the most Coldplay-ish thing Coldplay has done since like 2002.
MIND READER
And what's this supposed to be? Silverchair's take on southern rock? Hold on loosely!
LOW
What would an '07-era rock album be without an homage to Springsteen? This one's actually kinda cool though.
INSOMNIA
A vaguely punk-ish number about, you guessed it, not being able to sleep.
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD
Another Diorama-esque ballad that doesn't really come off, especially the part with the choir.
COMMENTS: As it turns out, this new Silverchair is kind of a disappointment. For the first half of it, it sounds like they're going for some of those big ballads like they did on Diorama, but, for the most part the hooks just aren't there. The second half, where it sounds like they're trying on a lot of new sounds, is more of a mixed bag. It's obvious they've got the chops to try any number of things, which is not to say that they definitely should.
BEST TRACKS: "Young Modern Station" "Reflections of a Sound" "Low"
BONUS VIDEO: "Straight Lines"
