When all the commotion surrounding the arrival of this band, made up entirely of schoolkids, and their ‘discovery’ by the JJJ radio network in their competition, I must admit to some ambivalence. I was happy to see a ‘school’ band make it in such a unique way, but as their style wasn’t quite what my scene was, I used it as my excuse not to follow. In reality, I guess because they were so hyped by the media, I shied away from them, not wanting to be seen as ‘one of the crowd’.
Looking back now, and listening to this album again after some years, I can fully appreciate just how good it is, and how mature it was for their age. It’s not hard to write a song (in theory) but to write one that people will like, and will grab their attention, is a bloody good trick. This album gels together so well, with each song slotting into place perfectly.
Led by the three major singles from the album, “Israel’s Son”, “Tomorrow” and “Pure Massacre”, this is an album that mixed the influences of the band members into a ground-swelling popular movement, especially in Australia. Blending the grunge and alternative scenes, along with a hint of Metallica and Megadeth, Silverchair hit the big time in a big way. Frogstomp still stands as a triumphant entry to the world music scene.
Rating: One of the best Australian albums of the past two decades. 3.5/5
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