Diorama (Silverchair album)

On Diorama, Silverchair worked with a new producer, David Bottrill, who replaced Nick Launay. Though Launay had produced the band's three previous albums, lead singer Daniel Johns decided he needed someone "who understood where he wanted to go". Johns believed Diorama would be "the kind of record that people were either going to be into or were really going to hate", and needed a producer who would understand the band's new direction. He interviewed several candidates, eventually choosing Bottrill and taking the role of co-producer himself.{{cite web|url=http://mixonline.com/recording/interviews/audio_silverchair/|title=Silverchair's Diorama|work=Mix|date=1 January 2003|author=David John Farinella|access-date=21 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217010922/http://mixonline.com/recording/interviews/audio_silverchair/|archive-date=17 February 2012}}

Johns initially recorded eight songs, only to delete the files thinking they were too similar to tracks on the previous album, Neon Ballroom. Leaving the security and darkness of his earlier work, he restarted from scratch to create something more uplifting.{{cite news|title=Another Point of View|author=Mark Neilsen|work=Drum Media|date=23 April 2002}} Diorama represented a radical change in Silverchair's musical structure; the heavy grunge influence on their prior work was replaced by string and horn ensembles and highly complex song structures. Johns felt more comfortable in making this radical change rather than a minor one, finding it helped him to regain his passion for music, which had diminished during the grunge days. Johns wrote much of the album at a baby grand piano; he had previously taught himself the instrument and composed songs on it for the first time with Diorama. This change in songwriting technique had a significant effect on the sound of the album; Johns commented on the difference in how his vocals resonated with piano as compared to guitar. He worked with others in developing the album; Van Dyke Parks (Beach Boys, U2) collaborated on orchestral arrangements, and the pair spent much of their recording time attempting to describe the music in metaphorical terms, with Johns describing Parks' orchestral swells as "tidal waves" and violins as "a flock of birds". The pair described the collaborative experience as "mind-blowing". A DVD titled Across the Night: The Creation of Diorama was released in 2002, featuring interviews with Johns and Parks.

Several songs on Diorama were inspired by Johns' then-girlfriend Natalie Imbruglia, but he cautioned against possible misinterpretations of the songs, stating: "Everyone will think that any lyric that's about someone in a positive light will be about her" and noting that there were other people he cared for about whom he wrote the songs. Johns denied rumours that he had written songs intending Imbruglia to sing them.

Silverchair intended to tour supporting Diorama following its release, but plans were postponed when Johns developed reactive arthritis, causing his joints to swell and making guitar playing and singing too painful.{{cite web|url=http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/SHED-5EXHVQ |title=Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, with Steve Leibmann, Channel Nine, 'Today' |publisher=Australian Medical Association |date=6 May 2002 |access-date=7 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812030243/http://ama.com.au/node/420 |archive-date=12 August 2011}}{{cite news|title=Guitarist takes life as it comes|work=Music Writer|author=Patrick Donovan|date=17 October 2002}} After performing "The Greatest View" at the 2002 ARIA Awards, Johns said that he wanted "to perform [Diorama{{'}}s] 11 songs at least once in front of an audience" before laying the album to rest.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/20/1034561389193.html |title=Silver lining |work=The Sun-Herald|author=David Anderson |date=21 October 2002|access-date=10 May 2008}} He travelled to California to receive treatments for his arthritis, including daily physiotherapy.

{{Listen|filename=Silverchair-TheGreatestView-15s.ogg|title="The Greatest View"|description="The Greatest View" contained heavier guitars than many other Silverchair songs,{{cite news|title=Coming of Age |work=Guitar Player|date=August 2002}} and reflected Johns' experience of the media "watching over" him.|format=Ogg}}

{{Listen|filename=Silverchair-LuvYourLive-25s.ogg|title="Luv Your Life"|description="Luv Your Life", dedicated by Johns to "all my ladies", was written on piano and featured an orchestral arrangement by Van Dyke Parks.|format=Ogg}}

Following a 31 March 2002 release on record label Eleven, Diorama reached number one on the ARIA Albums Chart on 14 April, making it Silverchair's fourth chart-topping album.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=4155&cat=a |title=Silverchair – Diorama|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=31 March 2008}} It went on to be certified triple-platinum by ARIA,{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2002.htm |title=ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums |publisher=ARIA |access-date=31 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613020750/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2002.htm |archive-date=13 June 2007}} indicating sales in excess of 210,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations.htm |title=Accreditations |publisher=ARIA |access-date=11 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721044303/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations.htm |archive-date=21 July 2011}} The album peaked at number seven in New Zealand, thirteen in Austria, forty in Switzerland, and 116 in France. Diorama reached number ninety-one on the U.S. Billboard 200.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r596205/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} |title=Diorama > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=31 March 2008}}

The first single, "The Greatest View", was released in advance of the album on 28 January 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/silverchair-to-issue-the-greatest-view-on-january-28th/|title=Silverchair to Issue "The Greatest View" on January 28th|website=Blabbermouth|date=6 January 2002|access-date=14 March 2025}} It reached number three in Australia, where it was also certified gold,{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2002.htm |title=ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles |publisher=ARIA |access-date=3 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611190357/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2002.htm |archive-date=11 June 2011}} and number four in New Zealand and Canada.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Silverchair&titel=The+Greatest+View&cat=s |title=Silverchair – The Greatest View|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=31 March 2008}} It charted at number thirty-six on Billboard{{'}}s Hot Modern Rock Tracks in 2007 when re-released alongside the band's next album, Young Modern.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p144747/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} |title=Silverchair > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=31 March 2008}} Johns wrote "The Greatest View" as a response to the media "always watching [him] in different ways". It was not intended to be aggressive but rather a straightforward commentary on the media frenzy that had surrounded the band for many years.{{cite news|title=Silverchair – Luving life at last |work=Rock Sound|author=Jennifer Weir}}

On 13 May 2002, "Without You" was released as the second single.{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue637.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 13th May 2002|publisher=ARIA|page=24|date=13 May 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080222222433/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020515-0000/www.aria.com.au/Issue637.pdf|archive-date=23 February 2008|access-date=14 March 2025}} It peaked at number eight in Australia but dropped to number twenty-nine the following week, spending only five weeks on the chart.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=234328&cat=s |title=Silverchair – Without You|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=31 March 2008}} The song was first announced by Silverchair bass guitarist Chris Joannou in November 1999, when he told fans the band had "a very small cache of recorded material stored away", including "Without You".{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434061/19991214/silverchair.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010506142944/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1434061/19991214/silverchair.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 May 2001 |title=Silverchair Plays Last Gig Before Its 2000 Time-Out|publisher=MTV News|author=Sorelle Saidman|date=14 December 1999|access-date=12 April 2008}} "Without You" was followed by "Luv Your Life", which peaked at number twenty in Australia after its 20 September release.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=287548&cat=s |title=Silverchair – Luv Your Life|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=31 March 2008}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.chairpage.com/app/webroot/_news/archive/2002/aug08.htm|title=Chairpage News Archive|website=Chairpage.com|access-date=14 March 2025}} The inspiration for the song came to Johns during a therapy session, based on the idea that "there were people in the world who needed treatment but couldn't afford therapy." Johns composed most of the song's lyrics while listening to a therapist.{{cite news|title=Daniel Johns' debt to Natalie |work=The Daily Telegraph|author=Kathy McCabe}} In a performance at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire, Johns jokingly said "Luv Your Life" was dedicated "to all my ladies".{{cite news|title=Silver Side Up|work=Kerrang!|date=21 June 2003}}

The final single, "Across the Night", was released on 31 March 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue684.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 31st March 2003|publisher=ARIA|page=28|date=31 March 2003|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20030406140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20030407-0000/Issue684.pdf|archive-date=6 April 2003|access-date=14 March 2025}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The song, which Johns wrote over nine hours on a sleepless night, peaked at number twenty-four on its three weeks on the Australian chart.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=287561&cat=s |title=Silverchair – Across The Night|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=31 March 2008}} The arrangement by Parks features twin keyboards and a full orchestra.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/silverchair/articles/story/5935373/silverchair_see_past_tomorrow|title=Silverchair See Past Tomorrow|magazine=Rolling Stone|author=David Fricke|date=20 May 2003|access-date=11 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726014743/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/silverchair/articles/story/5935373/silverchair_see_past_tomorrow|archive-date=26 July 2008}} The band's much-delayed tour in support of Diorama took its name from "Across the Night".{{cite news|title=Silverchair Live! – Rock Sound |work=Rock Sound|author=Robyn Doreian }}

{{Infobox album

| name = The Diorama Box

| type = box

| artist = Silverchair

| cover = DioramaBox.jpg

| alt =

| released = 1 December 2002

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Post-grunge, alternative rock, baroque pop, art rock

| length = 1:21:34

| label = Eleven

| producer = David Bottrill, Daniel Johns

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

On 1 December 2002, a limited-edition CD box set was released as The Diorama Box, consisting of the first three singles from the album as well as an exclusive single, "After All These Years".

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Torreano |first=Bradley |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r596205 |title=Diorama – Silverchair |publisher=AllMusic |date=30 July 2002 |access-date=15 August 2011}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/diorama/critic-reviews |title=Critic Reviews for Diorama at Metacritic |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=15 August 2011}}

| rev3 = Mojo

| rev3score = {{rating|3.5|5}}

| rev4 = NME

| rev4score = 3/10{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/artistKeyname/6626 |title=NME Album Reviews – Silverchair : Diorama |work=NME |date=9 August 2002 |access-date=15 August 2011}}

| rev5 = PopMatters

| rev5score = (very favourable){{cite web|last=Chabe |first=Matthew |url=https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/silverchair-diorama2 |title=Silverchair: Diorama < PopMatters |website=PopMatters |access-date=15 August 2011}}

| rev6 = Q

| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|author=Mark Kemp |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/diorama-20020716 |title=Diorama by Silverchair | Music Reviews |website=Rollingstone.com |date=16 July 2002 |access-date=15 August 2011}}

| rev8 = Sputnik

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/7986/Silverchair-Diorama/|title =Silverchair – Diorama|website=sputnikmusic.com|access-date=28 January 2019}}

}}

Diorama received a score of 71 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic, based on nine reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/silverchair/diorama?q=Silverchair|title=Silverchair: Diorama (2002)|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=16 March 2008|archive-date=10 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410022605/http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/silverchair/diorama?q=Silverchair|url-status=dead}} Australian radio station Triple J listeners voted the album number one on their Top 10 Albums of 2002, while Triple J staff Rosie Beaton and Gaby Brown placed it third and fifth respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/2004/best_albums/2002.htm|title=Best Albums of 2002|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|work=Triple J|access-date=22 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312101814/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/2004/best_albums/2002.htm|archive-date=12 March 2008|url-status=dead}}

Music magazine Rolling Stone gave Diorama four and a half stars in Australia and three out of five stars in the US. Reviewer Mark Kemp praised Silverchair's development, saying that the band had developed a strong, independent musical ability, in contrast to their heavily influenced debut album, Frogstomp. Kemp spoke highly of the "heavy orchestration, unpredictable melodic shifts and a whimsical pop sensibility", also noting Parks' arrangements gave the music "more breadth and depth". He argued that the album's strength was a product of Johns' confidence, resulting in high quality on "World Upon Your Shoulders", "Tuna in the Brine", and "After All These Years". However, "Without You" saw Silverchair slip into "old habits", according to Kemp, and contained an "MTV-approved hook".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/silverchair/albums/album/201588/review/5944466/diorama |title=Silverchair: Diorama|magazine=Rolling Stone|author=Mark Kemp|date=8 August 2002|access-date=16 March 2008|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217034356/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/silverchair/albums/album/201588/review/5944466/diorama |archive-date=17 December 2007}}

Bradley Torreano, of review website AllMusic, gave Diorama four stars, labelling it an AMG Album Pick. He began by noting that Silverchair's improvement from the Frogstomp era was impressive, and that Diorama saw the band "finally growing into their own skin". Bottrill's production was praised, and the result likened to Big Country and U2, while Johns showcased "his rich voice and shockingly catchy tunes with a gusto missing from their earlier albums". Torreano's criticism was reserved for two songs on the album; he described the apparent Goo Goo Dolls influences on "Without You" as "an unwelcome twist", and felt that on "One Way Mule", the band reverted "back to their grunge sound".{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r596205|pure_url=yes}} |title=Diorama > Overview|publisher=Allmusic|author=Bradley Torreano|access-date=16 March 2008}}

James Jam, of music magazine NME, was critical of Diorama, calling it "over-produced Aussie rock". Jam compared Silverchair to Bryan Adams in their attempt to "venture boldly into exciting new musical landscapes". "Tuna in the Brine" was "grossly pretentious and overblown", while he saw the album as a whole as inoffensive, especially in comparison to the band's past post-grunge. According to Jam, the band were not trying to make a mature musical statement with the album but rather "impress their parents".{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/silverchair/6626 |title=Over-produced Aussie rock|work=NME|author=James Jam|date=9 August 2002|access-date=8 April 2008}}

Nikki Tranter of pop music website PopMatters called the album mature, praising everything from the cover art to the "finely crafted pop melodies". Tranter praised Diorama for standing out in the "very similar" Australian music scene. The majority of songs on the album were rated highly; she thought "The Greatest View" was a stand-out with "orchestral twangs", and "After All These Years" had "sweeping horns, introspective lyrics and soft, haunting vocals".{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/silverchair-diorama.shtml |title=Silverchair: Diorama|website=PopMatters|author=Nikki Tranter|date=6 September 2002|access-date=16 March 2008}}

Rob O'Connor of Yahoo!'s music website gave Diorama a positive review, agreeing that the band had matured greatly since their early high-school releases. The pop songs on the album, "Luv Your Life" and "Too Much of Not Enough", were said to "glide", and O'Connor praised Johns for "whisper[ing] his lyrics with grace and subtlety" where in the past he would "shout in angst", drawing comparisons to Elliott Smith. His main critique of the album was that it still contained some "obligatory 'grunge' efforts"; he felt eliminating those would allow the band to reach its full potential.{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/read/story/12036986 |title=Diorama |author=Rob O'Connor |website=Yahoo! Music |date=8 June 2002 |access-date=7 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605012055/http://music.yahoo.com/read/story/12036986 |archive-date=5 June 2008 }} In April 2007 the album was described on SBS-TV's Great Australian Albums.{{cite web | url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/great-australian-albums-series-1-2007/25783 | title=Great Australian Albums series 1 (2007) – The Screen Guide |work=Screen Australia | access-date=11 November 2022 }}

Diorama charted highest in Australia; it spent 50 weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart, including a week at number one. This popularity was not matched in other countries; it spent ten weeks or less on all other charts, although it reached number seven in New Zealand.

{{Track listing

| total_length = 57:13

| all_writing = Daniel Johns

| title1 = Across the Night

| length1 = 5:38

| title2 = The Greatest View

| length2 = 4:05

| title3 = Without You

| length3 = 5:18

| title4 = World Upon Your Shoulders

| length4 = 4:37

| title5 = One Way Mule

| length5 = 4:15

| title6 = Tuna in the Brine

| length6 = 5:40

| title7 = Too Much of Not Enough

| length7 = 4:42

| title8 = Luv Your Life

| length8 = 4:29

| title9 = The Lever

| length9 = 4:22

| title10 = My Favourite Thing

| length10 = 4:14

| title11 = After All These Years / Outro (hidden track)

| length11 = 9:53

| title12 =

| length12 =

| title13 =

| length13 =

| title14 =

| length14 =

| title15 =

| length15 =

| title16 =

| length16 =

| title17 =

| length17 =

| title18 =

| length18 =

| title19 =

| length19 =

| title20 =

| length20 =

}}

• A limited edition of the album comes with a short film titled "The Making of Diorama".
• The Australian limited edition has a cardboard cover, and a gift promo card included inside.
• The vinyl version of the album was issued only as a promo, and is limited to 500 copies worldwide.
• There is a limited edition cassette of the album.

• Daniel Johns – vocals, guitars, piano (tracks 2, 9, 11), harpsichord (track 1), orchestral arrangements (tracks 2, 4, 5, 9, 10)
• Ben Gillies – drums, percussion
• Chris Joannou – bass guitar

Additional personnel

• David Bottrill – production
• Anton Hagop – engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Van Dyke Parks – orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 6, 8)
• Larry Muhoberac – orchestral arrangements (tracks 2, 4, 10, 11)
• Rob Woolf – Hammond organ (tracks 3, 9, 10)
• Michel Rose – pedal steel (track 7)
• Paul Mac – piano (tracks 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)
• Jim Moginie – keyboards (tracks 2, 5), piano (track 5)

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=3|type=album|relyear=2002|certyear=2002|access-date=5 April 2015}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

{{Portal|Music|Australia}}

• Silverchair discography

{{reflist}}

{{Silverchair}}

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Category:2002 albums

Category:Albums produced by David Bottrill

Category:Albums recorded in a home studio

Category:ARIA Award–winning albums

Category:Atlantic Records albums

Category:Eleven: A Music Company albums

Category:Silverchair albums