If you like growly grunge vocals as well as falsetto, angry guitars as well as beautiful piano, and happy danceable beats as well as emotional orchestral masterpieces, then you’re a good candidate to be a Silverchair fan.
If you ask any random person if they like Silverchair, they most likely will either not have heard of them, or will give you a bland response such as “They sing Tomorrow, right?” But deep in the underbelly of the rock music scene are fans still heavily devoted to the band despite them breaking up over a decade ago. Just find any of their YouTube videos and you’ll see a slew of comments offering lavish praise and begging the band to get back together. I never knew they had such a strong following. Then again, I’m in the US, where their popularity was sadly short-lived.
Their debut album, Frogstomp, gained them instant fame worldwide and handed them a spot opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, most people forgot about them after that, which is a shame. They went on to write some of the best music I’ve ever heard. And being on this Earth since 1972, I’ve heard a lot!
To Australia, their home country, they were the best thing to happen in music in decades. But to the rest of the world, unfortunately, they appeared to be Nirvana wannabes. When they first came on the scene, they were compared to almost every grunge/alt rock band out there. Sure, Frogstomp was grungy, but the band’s influences came from good old fashioned hard rock; Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin to name a few. They never set out to copy anyone, and as their career progressed, they proved that statement as if their lives depended on it.
My unpopular opinion; I personally believe Silverchair is a superior band to any of the grunge bands they were being compared to. After all, these were boys still in school barely old enough to drive. Maybe many people didn’t know how old the members really were. Behind singer Daniel Johns’ pretty babyface was a mature-sounding singing voice that, by itself, could have fooled anyone as to his age.
Silverchair songs offer something for everyone whether you’re into grunge, metal, pop, ballads, experimental, or even just plain old rock. This, to me, is one of the main criteria for a band to be labeled as my favorite. Not only did their music span both ends of the spectrum, Johns’ voice checked all the boxes from metal to falsetto and everything in between, merging perfectly with any style of music he wanted to express himself through. Everything about the man and the band was anything but boring.
Something the band was particularly good at was taking musical elements that were polar opposites and arranging them in complimentary layers while taking us on a rollercoaster of varying moods. “Emotion Sickness” and “Tuna in the Brine” are perfect examples of their best work, masterpieces from another realm. You would never know this was the same trio of teenagers who came screaming out of nowhere seven years prior.
The other two band members, Ben Gillies on drums and Chris Joannou on bass, were close friends of Daniel Johns. Gillies, who co-wrote the first two albums with Johns, is a powerhouse of a drummer. That’s another thing I love about rock music; if the drums aren’t loud and proud, why bother?
Johns is often called a musical genius by most of his fans and musical colleagues. He was the driving force behind Silverchair, constantly writing new music and broadening his horizons, carrying the band along with him.
To say he was their main songwriter is an understatement; Neon Ballroom and Diorama (which many fans agree was their best work) were like a musical diary of his life, blowing the doors open to the Daniel Johns house of pain. Where Frogstomp was not personal at all, those two albums were about his personal battles with anxiety, anorexia, and reactive arthritis, the latter of which forced them to cancel tours and promotional interviews, further descending the band into obscurity.
Obscurity is no place for a band that has won more ARIA’s than any other musical artist (that’s the Australian version of a Grammy). Another amazing feat is the fact that all of their albums debuted at number one in Australia, yet those same albums barely made a peep in other countries (although Frogstomp at least cracked the top 10 in the US).
Silverchair only released five albums over a twelve-year period, but in those twelve years, they evolved more than most musical artists do in their entire career. Johns even went on to be involved in multiple other projects which dived even further into genres not covered by Silverchair, still putting out music to this day.
When revisiting Silverchair’s music, it’s best to go in order to take yourself along on the ride of the band’s musical and personal evolution. Each album is a crucial stepping stone that links the past with the future, increasing in it’s complexity musically and lyrically. And when you reach the end, the only thing you want to do is go back to the beginning to enjoy the journey all over again.
Let’s begin…Silverchair Music 101!
It would be best to hop on Spotify or YouTube and listen to every song, every album; but while you’re here, here’s a quick visual musical tour so you can get the essence of each album.
Frogstomp- 1995
Tomorrow- Even though this isn’t my favorite, I had to include it since it was the song that started their career.
Israel’s Son- This is their best song on their debut album, in my opinion, and the 2nd most played song after Tomorrow.
Freak Show- 1997
Nobody Came- Their 2nd album, Freak Show, was like taking Frogstomp down a notch and adding in a little maturity. This is my favorite song on the album, but also check out the song Freak which was a #1 single.
Neon Ballroom- 1999
Emotion Sickness- Their third album Neon Ballroom took the band’s evolution even further, showcasing Johns’ improving songwriting skills and his battle with depression, anxiety, and anorexia. As they say, pain always equals great music. Emotion Sickness was the highlight of this album.
I had to throw a bonus in here because Ana’s Song has always been my favorite Silverchair song, plus it’s about Johns’ battle with anorexia specifically so it’s pretty damn important.
Honorable Mentions; Miss You Love is a beautiful “love” song (anti-love, actually, but just as beautiful) and Black Tangled Heart is moody and emotional, perfect for any goths/emo fans in the audience.
Diorama- 2002
The Greatest View- This is their best album, I think. Many people refer to this album as their magnum opus. It’s hard to pick a best song so I’m gonna have to give you two again! The Greatest View is extremely catchy, melodic, and powerful.
Another bonus video from this album; many fans (including myself) consider Tuna in the Brine as much of a masterpiece as Emotion Sickness. I’ll admit though, it did take me a few listens to really appreciate it. I think many of the best songs grow on you, and when they do, you’ll wonder why you didn’t love them right away.
Honorable Mentions: One Way Mule is a powerful heavy song for those who prefer the grunge style, while Across the Night is another theatrical journey for those that prefer the melodic pop sound.
Young Modern- 2007
If You Keep Losing Sleep- Their last album, Young Modern, was even more evolved than Diorama. If any of these albums could make you dance, it’d be this one. This song in particular made me giggle at first, but now it’s probably my favorite. This album lost many Silverchair fans, and I understand why, but I happen to love danceable pop music too, so it works for me. And Johns’ vocal style mostly sticks to the higher notes for this album, marking another difference between this and their past albums.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey through Silverchair’s story and music; as their song says, it’s “too much of not enough” (another great song, I might add!) But that’s what the best artists do; they leave us wanting more. After all, it’s better to burn out than fade away.
Rhythm Harmony Melody 