Ladies and gentlemen, I need to discuss your new favourite band, Melbourne four-piece Ceres, and more importantly, their new album I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here that’s coming out this week. How a fresh and completely unknown band from Melbourne sprung from the starting blocks and managed to muster a debut so crisp, inspired and consistent (all killer, no filler) is slightly gobsmacking. Ceres embrace the music world’s revived appetite for ‘90s alt rock and instead of following the fuzzed out grungy shoe-gaze angle, grab the genre’s most endearing pop elements by the balls and head off confidently in their own direction.
All of these songs belong on the soundtrack to your favourite, B-grade rom coms of the ‘90s. They belong on the mixtape you keep in a shoebox under your bed, and permanently jammed in a rusted out boom box. Ultimately, they belong on some of the country’s biggest stages, and with any luck, they’ll absolutely get there in years to come. I would also like to recommend the debut self-titled album from a smashing young Toronto four-piece called Pup. Their new one is out next week via Side One Dummy and I just caught them at SXSW alongside OFF! and Black Lips. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.
A really devastating statement came out of the Palace camp this week. Effective Saturday May 31, one of Melbourne’s biggest and most iconic live music venues will be closing its doors. The team behind the venue announced that they are “extremely proud to have created a world class and much sought after venue over the past seven years and to have been a part of its 150-year history.” The live music venue will be replaced with an apartment and hotel development. Melbourne is significantly poorer for this disgraceful development, and the consequences of abolishing such culturally significant establishments will reach far further than the music scene.
In news that has really shocked many Australian music fans to the core, Gwar vocalist Dave Brockie was found dead in his home last week. Personally, I’d met the machine himself in the form of Oderus Urungus during Soundwave Festival and he totally astounded everyone who was fortunate enough to find themselves in path. The band’s manager didn’t shed any light on his passing last week, instead divulging “His body was found by his band mate at his home. A full autopsy will be performed. He was 50 years old.” RIP to a fine performer.
Story Of The Year are returning to our shores to celebrate the ten year anniversary of their Page Avenue album, which was hugely popular in its day. They’re going to perform the album in full when they arrive, along with a selection of other hits. The band – who admittedly have an awesome live show – will hit Melbs on Sunday June 29 at 170 Russell thanks to Soundwave touring. Tickets go on sale this Friday.
Speaking of excellent live bands, High On Fire are coming. This July they’ll play shows right across the country, including a gig at The Hi-Fi on Saturday July 19. These guys, fronted by their fearless leader Matt Pike, will fill the venue pretty comfortably so get in early for this one.
Quality Melbourne band Feed Her To The Sharks have made a very interesting decision to join the Victory Records family. “Victory is already home to many of our idols, and to say we are a part of this is truly an honour” they posted.
The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon will guest on the new Every Time I Die album, due for release later this year. The jury’s out on just how his croony smooth vocals will fit into a raging ETID composition. In a recent tweet, hinting at his involvement he hashtagged #heartcore.
