“To be reborn, not born again…”
March 3, 2008
Silverchair - If You Keep Losing Sleep
2007 saw the return of Australian giants Silverchair from a five-year hiatus, packing a brand new disc, Young Modern, and many brand new attitudes.
Continuing (thought not repetitively) in the tradition of 2002’s Diorama, this new album is eccentric and overwhelmingly well-constructed. It displays to me a kind of creativity and ingenuity not seen since the Beatles; it’s melodies thoughtful, lyrics cryptically playful, and overall tone cheerful, this is a surprising effort from Australia’s favourite sons.
Not that the past few years have been easy… following the last album, frontman Daniel Johns was struck down by a terrible case of reactive arthritis, essentially ending all plans the band had to tour in support of the album. The band announced an indefinite hiatus, taken by most publications worldwide to indicate the end of Silverchair.
Side projects followed, lives ensued, and then along came WaveAid, a concert created to drum up relief for the victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami off of the coast of Indonesia. The band, reunited onstage for the first time in nearly three years, once again were driven by the shared musical chemistry, and began to discuss creating music together again.
Though a long time coming, the result is Young Modern. Daniel Johns once again stepped up and co-produced the album, leading mates Chris Joannou (bass) and Ben Gillies (drums) into the studio to capture the magic they so consistently create. The album once again features a collaboration with acclaimed artist Van Dyke Parks, who arranged a few songs on the record, namely “If You Keep Losing Sleep”, “Those Thieving Birds/Strange Behaviour”, and “All Across The World”, travelling with Johns to Prague to record with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ordinarily here I would apply the Rule of 20%, but in this case I can’t think of any few songs I would cut. All I can really do is beseech you to look into this, listen to this record and hear for yourself why Silverchair are the most successful and most acclaimed Australian act in history.
Silverchair - Reflections Of A Sound
I would like to know more about the reactive arthritis part of the story. My daughter has it after a trip to Egypt and we are searching for answers. If you can help we would appreciate it.
That Reflections Of a Sound video is pretty ace.
Actually… it’s very ace.
I wish I could spot a mustache like that :{