Silverchair
Young Modern
1/5

Who It’s For: Fans of the odd-pop variety.
Sounds Like: An uninteresting Sgt. Peppers.


It seems the grunge band we knew circa Neon Ballroom has vanished. Silverchair's long anticipated Young Modern has come off as a complete surprise to longtime fans of the Aussie band. At times sounding like a bloated Sgt. Pepper's takeoff, at others sounding like a failed Freddie
Mercury orchestration, Silverchair has pushed the boundaries of their music to a tired version of symphonic electronic pop. Add eclectic into the mix and you have a bunch of very, very confused fans.

Founded on jumpy keyboards and fluttering pizzicato strings, the album goes from song to song without sounding much different from the other. “Young Modern Station” tries to be eclectic, but ends up sounding unfocused and scattered. Equally disappointing is the Keane sound-alike “Reflections Of A Sound,” which probably showcases the happiest- and cheesiest- chorus on the record. The biggest surprise is “The Man Who Knew Too Much” which is probably the most rock and rolling song the band will ever do again.

What happened to Silverchair? Australia's little dolls? Those who ushered in the millennium with their own anthem? Long gone, I'd say. And seemingly gone a little crazy in the process.


Track Listing:

1. Young Modern Station
2. Straight Lines
3. If You Keep Losing Sleep
4. Reflections Of A Sound
5. Those Thieving Birds (Part 1) Strange Behaviour (Part 2) Those Thieving Birds
6. The Man The Knew Too Much
7. Waiting All Day
8. Mind Reader
9. Low
10. Insomnia
11. All Across The World

- Alicia Conda  Posted Aug. 25/07