Neon Ballroom

When the youthful Silverchair first appeared in the landscape-changing wake of NEVERMIND, they were solidly in the Cobain-inspired grunge mold, coming off as young disciples worshipping at the Nirvana altar with little of their own to bring to the Seattle Sound party. In '99, with Cobain long gone and grunge a distant memory, NEON BALLROOM appeared to be a bridge between Silverchair's copycat beginnings and a more adventurous future. While the heavy riffs, raspy vocals and Cobainish melodies of yesteryear are still in evidence here, the sound is greatly expanded. From a string section to delicate acoustic passages and even an appearance by classical pianist David Helfgott (of Shine fame), Silverchair works overtime to broaden their sonic horizons.