Grinspoon New Detention

After two albums of harsh, heavy riffing and Phil Jamieson’s confrontational vocals, Lismore quartet Grinspoon began to mellow out some and reveal their commercial appeal on 2002’s New Detention. That’s clear in the dreamy, melodic chorus of “Anyday Anyhow”, which shows off Jamieson’s approachable falsetto, as well as in the summery pop-punk vibes of “No Reason”. But it’s especially evident with the ballad “Chemical Heart”, which became the biggest hit of the band’s entire career. With lullaby-esque guitar chiming over a distorted beat and later a swathe of strings, it’s a tender tribute written for Jessica Michalik, a 16-year-old student who was crushed to death in the crowd watching Limp Bizkit at Sydney’s Big Day Out in 2001. Confirming the album’s stark contrasts, Jamieson lurches directly from that song into the full-bodied screams of “Make It Happen”. Similarly, the Motörhead-worthy barroom burner “1000 Miles” is a world away from the closing “Hate”, an acoustic-based, string-laden ballad striking further into pop crossover territory while still seething with lyrical discontent. All four of the album’s singles appeared in Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown—with “Chemical Heart” at No.2—and Grinspoon continued to court wider audiences with 2004’s Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills.