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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Silverchair: Not Just a Rock Band Anymore, September 13, 2002
Thrasher/metalhead/moshpit punk that I am, I was wary of Silverchair's fourth album after hearing on their official website that the hard-chargers from Oz weren't 'just a rock band' anymore. But considering Silverchair's basic assets (a versatile, ultra-roughouse bass and drums team and a splendidly expressive lead singer), I had faith that my favorite Aussie superband wouldn't let me down. I'm used to Silverchair putting out near-perfect albums where I love every track - I can't say that is true of their latest. There are a couple of overdone tracks on Diorama where songwriter Daniel Johns sounds like he's begging music critics to finally take him seriously. But overall, my faith in Silverchair is confirmed. At the heart of Diorama are a handful of stone-cold musical knockouts. Breath-taking, beautiful music from a still young prodigy who aspires to greatness. The best songs are 'Without You', 'World Upon Your Shoulders', 'My Favourite Thing' and 'After All These Years'. (Another superb track from the Australian import, 'Asylum', is not on the U.S version.) Listening to past, more furious Silverchair records, you might think Daniel Johns was a hopelessly distressed young man. On Diorama, we find out that the singer uses music to amplify his emotions. When Johns is mad, he is really mad. And when he is feeling good, his exhilaration can just sweep you away. This is a great album to listen to at the ocean, surrounded by white waves crashing over rocks. Or even better, standing on a long, fog-banked fishing pier. Take it from a rebellious, cynical moshpit thrasherpunk like me, if sometimes you are just feeling a little too cynical, rebellious and all-around bummed out, this album can really improve your mood.Which isn't to say that Silverchair can't still pull out the sledgehammer with the best of them. Flanked by his rough-and-tumble bandmates Chris Joannou and Ben Gillies, Johns shows on 'One Way Mule' he can take on that Korn guy for scary metal monster honors any night. Funny, though, I can't imagine Korn or Bizkit or Helmet breaking into a sacred, luminous ballad like 'After All These Years'. Early in their career, some critics accused Silverchair of imitating Nirvana. More than ever, I'm convinced that was a load (and a cheap shot), for one basic reason. Silverchair do not hold their fans in contempt the way Kurt Cobain did. No band could make music like Diorama unless they loved and cared about the people they are making music for.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly Well Done, June 13, 2007
Quick overview of the album:
Intricate orchestration, fantastic chord progressions, an apparently new style of songwriting/composition, with intricate melodies and harmonies, and the angelic vocals of Daniel Johns, come together with pristine mixing and production, culminating in a totally cohesive, outside the box journey through possibilities in music. Diorama is easy enough on today's ears that any layman should enjoy it thoroughly, yet complex enough to tickle the finely tuned senses of any musician. To call it progressive would be inappropriate only as there are already connotations attached to the word. (The album is not progressive compared to, say, Dream Theater's "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory.") Daniel Johns, singer, guitar player, and songwriter, has described the album as "escapist," adding that he wanted to take the listener out of his/her world and into the colorful realms you will find in this album.
Johns' lyrics, generally simple and straightforward earlier in his career, have come to the point of poetry and intriguing riddles.
Tracks to hit:
"Across the Night", "Tuna in the Brine", and "After All These Years" are the most intricate and wonderful, followed by "My Favourite Thing" and "Luv Your Life."
Track reviews:
1. Across the Night
A sweeping two-part epic, in which Johns sings of his coming to peace/falling in love with the world which for so long seemed only to haunt and hurt him. Beginning with a nice harpsichord and vocal intro, the orchestra comes in with a bang and away we go, escaping into a "world within a world" (Johns' definition of diorama). In the glorious second part of the song, Johns perhaps expresses his feelings about being in a serious relationship.
2. The Greatest View
The first single of the album, melodic and relatively simple, a pleasant rock ballad.
3. Without You
Rock with poetic imagery, written in three, or six. The Chorus is a straight up rock waltz. A cool song, noteworthy on its own, though in this album, it may be considered a sort of lull, although its bridge is particularly nice.
4. World Upon Your Shoulders
A climbing, sympathetic, and encouraging piece, urging the listener to do what [one] can when one can bring one's self to do it, only put much more nicely. Ye of waning spirit, find an understanding soul reaching through these words! Perhaps this song shows us how Daniel climbed out of his bleak world view into a broader, more loving and accepting state of being.
5. One Way Mule
Dirty, Sexy, Gravel-voiced, Heavy, Slow, Sweaty. Hot. Good work. (Swoon)
6. Tuna in the Brine
Wonderfully, intricately, articulately orchestrated, this aquamarine epic dares to explore the dark, briny depths of addiction, deception, and fear. Sunlight trickles in through the surface from time to time, but we are definitely underwater here. This wonderful piece turns the listener around so many times with unexpected, disorienting, sophistocated changes that both chill and delight, putting shivers to the bone and goosebumps upon the flesh, that, pummelled by the crashing waves, we find ourselves near ocean floor, amongst the kelp, floating upright, captivated by bubbles rising, so deep that it may be difficult to tell which way is up; mercifully, Johns, Gillies, Joannou, Mac, and Parks guide us back through the murky, benthic depths to the sunlit surface; the build toward the climax a gulp of fresh air, but in the end, we are not off the hook...Johns leaves us with a haunted warning, and we are left floating...
7. Too Much Of Not Enough
A brief guitar intro soothes the unease and washes the palate clean of saltwater. A pleasant, yet burdened beginning builds to a chorus that is one of the hardest on the album. Lyrics also suggest that addictive behaviour was an inspiration for the song. Ends hauntingly.
8. Luv Your Life
One of the (Australian) radio favorites of the album, beautiful, charming. ('Doot Doot's even!) Lots of beauty between vocal harmonies and orchestra. More insightful than ever, words take us deeper into ourselves, with Johns lighting the way, teaching what he has learned, sharing his perspective. Uplifting, bordering on sappy at times, but if you let it be, this song is really nice. Parks' tasteful composition fills out the sound perfectly. Interlude is simply gorgeous. Tears form as though by command...
9. Lever
Hardest song on the album, and, oddly, the most like S&M orchestrally. Go figure. Gravel-voiced, hard rockin, a throwback to the angry days, perhaps; shows that Silverchair can still paint blacks, reds, and dark purples...when they want to.
10. My Favorite Thing
Way down from 'Lever', we are treated to a midnight lover's lullabye. Soft woodwinds and strings provide beautiful shading for this delicate, resolute, and passionate carress. Symphony, accoustic guitar, winds, strings, piano, and snare support and intertwine while Johns' precise, exceptional vocals complete the kiss. A beautiful, heartfelt song.
11. After All These Years
Piano and vocal, then orchestra. This is probably the most touching song on the whole album. Gentle, reflective, and reassuring, this gorgeous piece feels like it could have been written hundreds of years ago. In this arrangement, Daniel is both soloist and choir of angels. This is also by far the longest track on the album, but most of it is silence...bonus, a curious piano exploration awaits the patient (or those who fast forward), and takes us out of this 'world within a world.'
I can actually say that this album changed my life. huh.
afterthoughts:
Actually, my silverchair fanhood is a strange affair. my little brother bought frogstomp in 95 (6?), and i listened to it a fair amount then. i remember hearing quite a bit of 'abuse me' on the radio a little later, but i pretty much fell off the boat. i remember looking at freakshow at the record store, wanting it, but eventually not buying it. i have since listened to freakshow(2nd) and neon ballroom(3rd), and they are both good albums, showing the progress and growth of the musicians. "Cemetary" off freakshow and "Emotion Sickness" off ballroom seem to me forshadowing for diorama.
At the time I first heard this album, i thought Johns was the composer of all the orchestral parts, and was so thoroughly impressed that i was convinced he would be remembered for centuries as one of the great composers of our time.... which still may be true, but i was very seriously disappointed when i found out about Van Dyke Parks, who did the orchestration.
i had wanted to believe that Johns was truly the mastermind, but i suppose, in a way, he still was, for finding the right people to come together to bring out most completely his vision, even the parts that were relatively obscure/veiled to him.
To this day, the album has had an incredible effect on me as an artist. Certainly, it is some of the best modern music I've heard in my lifetime.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant, July 13, 2005
From start to finish this is an uplifting album that totally rocks. I really appreciate bands who are open and don't put walls around themselves as far as - experimenting with different tunings (Daniel does some crazy ones), instruments, vocal styles or techniques. This is musical excellence. Also, buy the live DVD- it's another must have.
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album Diorama 
