REVIEW: Ceres – ‘I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here’

June 11th, 2014

Brenton Harris

Artist: Ceres
Album: I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here
Genre: Alt Rock, Emo
Label: Hobbledehoy Records

Emerging from somewhere among the hidden laneways, hipster cafes and Gothic architecture of Melbourne, alternative rock quartet Ceres have ridden their finely crafted tales of inner city life from the status of little known but revered local favourites all the way to the main stage of the renowned Soundwave festival and a position of prominence in the Australian independent scene.

Fittingly for a band named after the Roman goddess of agriculture, this growth has been of an organic nature, achieved not by a barrage of social media hype or viral marketing, but instead by the more virtuous path of gradually enchanting audiences with their emotionally charged live show in small bars and clubs across the country.

Uncool, unknown and unabashed, Ceres are a band that let the quality of their songwriting and the genuine emotional responses that those songs elicit do the talking for them, and after repeated listens of their stellar debut full-length I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here it’s not hard to see why.

A remarkably accomplished and assured record that bleeds emotion and sincerity across each of its 10 tracks, while somehow maintaining an underlying current of positivity, I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here is an exemplary example of emo-tinged alternative rock that engages the listener from the opening chords of washed out opener “Jam Song” and keeps you entranced through to the last desperate refrains of “Bless The Thief.” What happens in between is nothing short of beautiful, as Ceres take you on an intimate journey through the minutiae of modern life.

With the heavily Australian accented vocals and insightful lyricism of Tom Lanyon playing narrator and the warm analogue production (provided by Tom Larkin of Shihad fame) providing the perfect soundscape, songs like “Middle Names,” “I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick” and “Barkly Garden Break Up Park” present as poignant vignettes of a life not just survived, but lived. As Lanyon cries “I never lied to you, I just bent the truth a little bit” on the heartbroken tale “I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick,” it’s hard not to find yourself longing for a redo on some of those ‘sliding doors’ moments in your life, those moments when one or two different words could have taken away the painful reality that eventuated.

This ability to evoke nostalgia and bring memories screaming back to life is a rare gift that Ceres have learned to deploy with aplomb; however it is the band’s ability to deliver those moments of introspection in unashamedly uplifting melodies that differentiates them from countless other bands trying their hand at this well-worn genre of music of late.

Perhaps nowhere is this ability on display more than on the instantly memorable “Syllables,” an energetic, pop-infused tune that dresses a profoundly sad realisation (“I know that it’s not love”) in a joyous melody that’ll have you involuntarily toe tapping and singing along the moment it hits. The result of this juxtaposition is akin to the experience of downing a double shot of one of Melbourne’s world renowned espressos. It makes you feel amazing for a brief period of time, but then the inevitable crash hits and you realise the joy was only a fleeting moment in a life grounded in a more humble reality.

Featuring some restrained but stellar axe-work from guitarist Rhys Vleugel and a suitably accomplished–and at times rather inventive–performance from the rhythm section of bassist Grant Young and drummer Frank Morda I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here sees Ceres display a level of maturity instrumentally that is not commonly found on debut records; a fact which allows Lanyon’s passionate vocals the space they need to make their full impact.

An addictive combination of quality songwriting, warm production and unequivocal emotional intensity that comes packaged in some truly beautiful artwork, I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here is one of the best debut records I have heard in years and should provide the fertile ground upon which Ceres can plant the seeds for further growth, from much loved local favourites to the international acclaim they’re more than deserving of.

SCORE: 9/10
Review written by Brenton Harris — follow him on Twitter

<a href="http://hobbledehoy.bandcamp.com/album/i-dont-want-to-be-anywhere-but-here">I Don't Want To Be Anywhere But Here by Ceres</a>

I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here is out now in Australia via Hobbledhehoy Records. The album can be streamed and purchased via Bandcamp.