I think I must be drunk, because this can't be true.

I think I must be drunk, because this can't be true.

Okay, I'm not drunk, but I'm having a hard time explaining what I'm hearing without some sort of mind-altering excuse. Remember Silverchair? You might have known them better as the poor man's Nirvana (even poorer than Bush, if you can believe that*) who sort of faded away in the late '90s, never to be heard from again ... right?

Well, I get the impression that while they faded from our own radar Stateside, they maintained a certain level of popularity back in Australia -- and, it seems, New Zealand -- so that would explain why they have a new album coming out over there but not here.

And it's pretty good.

I know, I know, that's hard to believe, and I think it's probably just better to let you hear a track or two (and hopefully see that I haven't lost my marbles) and come to your own conclusion.

I'll say this, though, if I hadn't told you this was Silverchair, you would never have guessed it ...

MP3: Silverchair "If You Keep Losing Sleep"
MP3: Silverchair "Straight Lines"

*Full disclosure: I have a soft spot for Bush, but I still think they weren't very good. It doesn't stop me from enjoying their songs from time to time, though.