Review Summary: To fellow Australians and the rest of the world; this album begs for your attention...
Finding an album that is worthy of your attention, is like meeting someone attractive, late one night in a crowded bar. Most nights you would stumble around, maybe talk to a few new people but at the end of the night, go home with the safety of friends. But every once in a while you might meet someone different who peaks your interest and you can envision a future with. This is how I treat my music, searching endlessly for that new special album, but if I can’t I’m more than satisfied laying in bed listening to all my favourites. The latest album that I think suits the metaphors above is the debut full length album I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here by local Melbourne rockers Ceres.
After Ceres debut EP Luck made some waves in the indie pop punk scene, the recently released full length builds off all that momentum and adds something extra. I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here opens with the track ‘Jam Song’, which does a great job at establishing the album as a whole. The opener is a slab of warm intimate feeling guitar strums that build up a huge powerful raw expression of emotion. The upbeat drumming and guitar melodies shine over the top of minimal hazy vocals that don’t need to be clear to be appreciated. The short frantic pace of this opener rollicks through the next few tracks and perfectly paints what Ceres are trying to capture with their fresh blend of post-punk /emo pop rock. ‘Middle Names’ wastes little time before a blistering pace is set by the drums and the soft vocals are layered over melodic guitars and heartfelt instrumentals.
‘I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick’ is one of the catchier moments on the album and the chorus “I never lie to you, I just bend the truth a little bit.” begs to be screamed by a huge moshing crowd. The album really begins to hit its stride here, with the lyrics are relatable and the music bends and creates a perfect atmosphere for the lead singer Tom Lanyons vocals to shine, whilst never being at the forefront of the music. ‘Try To Keep You’ follows a similar formula where drums swirl around the listeners ears and atmospheric vocal overlays provide some truly satisfying musical moments. The album finishes with a folk inspired guitar before the song ‘Bless The Thief’ allows a slower way to wind down things and again shows off Lanyons thick Aussie accent whilst dispelling some hometown memories.
This is an important release when it comes to the Australian music scene, and has been the first thing to really turn my head since discovering bands like The Smith Street Band and The Bennies. The only thing that feels out of place on this release is the song ‘Three Times’. Although it is one of the best cuts from the album and is a six and half minute epic, I feel should have ended the album. But in the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn’t matter. I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here feels strangely familiar, encompassed in a sense of nostalgia and yet remains completely fresh at the same time. To fellow Australians and the rest of the world; this album begs for your attention, so make sure to offer it a ride home before it leaves the party with someone else.
