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SPF Editor-In-Chief Janet Adamana
Associate Editor Ally Sigurdson Promotions Director Steff Shields
Contributors & Photography Credits Ally Sigurdson Carlie Kiggans Special Thanks Talia Miller Carmen Cirignano Tom Ryan Daniel Bogan Matt Weber Eddie Deal Callum Cramp Carlie Kiggans Shelby Hoggard
In loving memory of April Ebbers. A soul taken way too soon, you left a lasting mark. We only wish you could be here. You’ll forever live in our hearts.
Sound, Phrase & Fury is a Canadian music magazine out to help promote musicians not usually covered in mainstream media. All music, photos and articles used are for the sole purpose of spreading the knowledge of these artists and their music. We always encourage readers to support every act through purchasing releases, merchandise and attending live shows.
nov/dec 2014 Just Happy To Be A Contender Note from the Editor
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Flatland Folk Young Statues takes us through The Flatlands Are Your Friend
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Men on The Mend Trophy Eyes and their debut album Mend, Move On
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Live for The Chase Industry profile on filmmaker, Carlie Kiggans
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Six Strings of Saving Grace Shelby Hoggard and her acoustic guitar
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Year In Review Our favourite releases from 2014
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Sound-Phrase-Fury.com info@sound-phrase-fury.com @soundphrasefury facebook.com/soundphrasefury
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Editor’s Note
just happy to be a contender This is it - the end of our second year at Sound, Phrase & Fury. As I sit and look back at the year that we’ve had, it all still feels so surreal. The people we’ve met, the music we’ve heard and the opportunities we’ve had have been completely unreal. From our amazing team of contributors growing every month, to our magazine launch party and the release of the Get Lost In Sound Compilation, 2014 was our biggest year yet! We can never thank you enough for all the continued support. It is what fuels us on the countless days where we run on empty. No words can describe how grateful we are to be able to live in a city full of so much talent. Our projects this year have allowed us to partner with so many incredible bands and professionals, and we cannot thank them enough for giving us the unforgettable opportunity. Here at SPF, the gears are always spinning, our plans are always getting bigger and better, and we are beyond excited to embark on year number three. Every day we are more and more amped that we can continue to help promote the phenomenal work of those around us. You are the reason we exist. So keep writing, keep singing, and keep us inspired.
Staring up at the sky
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Janet Adamana Editor-In-Chief
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q&A
Young Statues brings Philadelphia’s finest to the front, with their latest release, The Flatlands Are Your Friend. Fuelled by the gloom of the modern world and it’s ever-changing moments and inspired by some of the biggest musical icons, the indie-rock quartet, deliver a record that hits painfully close to home. We spoke with frontman, Carmen Cirignano, about his song-writing process and the band’s new darker direction.
words BY janet adamana
JA: You guys debuted in 2011, and have since been steadily amassing a huge following. So tell me, how have the past few years been for Young Statues? CC: It’s been great. We are all really passionate about making records and performing, and since the band started we’ve been able to do that a lot. The fact that there are people who enjoy it and support it means everything to us. JA: Who are your biggest influences in life and in your music? CC: In life it has to have been my grandmother. While she was alive she completely shaped my outlook on life and the type of person I wanted to be. She had amazing taste in music too so some of the stuff she showed me - Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, and George Harrison - influenced me and they still do today. As a singer/ songwriter first, my biggest musical influences
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are Neil Young and Ryan Adams. I’m amazed by how endlessly inspired they both seem to be and they’ve made the records that tend to have resonated the most with me throughout my life. JA: Let’s talk about your new album, The Flatlands Are Your Friend. Stylistically, this record has a bit more of an indie-folk feel to it than your previous work. What influenced the style and lyrical content of this record? CC: I never want to make the same record twice, or a record that is too similar to anything we’ve done previously, so that was definitely in the back of my mind. I also knew I wanted the record to be cohesive and have all the songs fit together. Once I got going in a certain direction I was conscious to follow it. As far as the specific style, I just went with what felt best to me as I was writing and demoing the songs.
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flatland folk JA: What was it like working with Andy LeMaster? CC: Andy is amazing. One of the most, if not the most talented person I’ve ever worked with. He was so focused and really just maximized our time together. He effortlessly, helped make the sounds I heard in my head come to life. JA: You’re based in Philadelphia, which is known for having a rich and vibrant music scene. What’s it like being a musician in the midst of all that, especially when you were first starting out? CC: I grew up in Philadelphia and my grandfather owned a diner in South Philly so I’ve been around the city for as long as I can remember. The music scene is good and so many talented bands and
artists come from here. It was inspiring just to be around so many great musicians. It becomes a sort of challenge among everyone to push each other and make the best work you can, so it was a benefit to us for sure. JA: What’s next for Young Statues? CC: We’re going to keep writing songs and playing live, just being a passionate band. Doing however much we can do for as long as people want us around is the plan!
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Like Young Statues at Facebook.com/YoungStatues. Grab a copy of The Flatlands Are Your Friend at RunForCoverRecords.Bandcamp.com
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D A E R U O Y N CA ? E T I R W AND & ABSOLUTELY LOVE NEW MUSIC?
THEN DO WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING, AND WRITE FOR US! HIT UP SOUND-PHRASE-FURY.COM FOR MORE INFO.
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words BY janet adamana photos courtesy of The Virtue Agency 10 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • NOV/DEC 2014
q&a
It seems like just yesterday Trophy Eyes were sitting in their practice space, pulling their pain and pumping it into a small repertoire of aggressive pop-punk songs. After the Perth-based quintet released their debut EP, Everything Goes Away, everything quickly changed. From signing to Hopeless Records, to embarking on their first international tour, Trophy Eyes have definitely seen the last of their dark and dreary days. Drummer, Callum Cramp, takes us through their life-changing year, and their debut album, Mend, Move On.
men
on the
mend NOV/DEC 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 11
q&A
JA: It has been a crazy year for you guys. The last time we spoke, you had just released your debut EP, and just a few months later, you signed to Hopeless Records, toured all around Australia and booked your first international tour... so how has this past year been for you guys? CC: The last 12 months have been insane. It’s cool to look back and see how quickly things have moved for us and the checkboxes that we’ve already got to tick as a band. I’m excited for the next 12. JA: Your debut album, Mend, Move On gets its international release on November 4th. Your last EP, Everything Goes Away, centered on some pretty heavy subject matter, so what can people expect from this new record?
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CC: I’d like to believe that the album isn’t too different to our EP. The only difference would come from the fact that we had a few different influences while writing the album. Personally, I got to watch a lot of great drummers from bands we played with in the last 10 or so months and that helped shape the way I wrote and recorded the drums. However, for the band as a whole, we’re still pretty much the same as when we wrote our earlier stuff. The band has always been just five guys that listen to punk and hardcore and everything in-between that write what we feel like. I might be able to say they can expect a more mature sound but I could be wrong on that as well (laughs). I guess people will just have to decide for themselves.
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JA: What was the whole recording process like? Who did you work with? CC: Recording this album was almost too easy. We worked with our good friend Shane Edwards who did our EP. He nailed our sound last time and we knew we had to go with him again. The only catch was that he was now based in Thailand at a resort/ studio called Karma Sound. We spent 3 weeks riding scooters, drinking beers and doing some tracking when we could fit it in. It was the most laid back 21 days of our lives and at the end of it all we had a record that we’re all super proud of.
JA: What’s the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015 look for you guys? CC: We release Mend, Move On at the start of November and then tour it around Australia for the rest of the month. At the end of December we all get to do the most punk rock thing ever and quit our jobs and take the band on full time. That will see us head to the UK for our first international tour. From then onwards we have things in the works for plenty more touring.
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Like Trophy Eyes at Facebook.com/TrophyEyesMusic. Grab Mend, Move On on Nov.4th through iTunes or TrophyEyes.MerchNow.com.
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live for the chase Many believe that the life of an artist is simply a life that is lively, wild and free. Yet the truth is the life of an artist is a life full of debt, of judgement, and often full of sadness and shame. Yet there’s something in the moment you hit that illuminated stage, something that burns you and takes you to a place where all that exists is an undeniable high. It’s the thrill of the chase, and the hope of a dream come true. There is nothing in this world so euphoric. But when the lights go out and the people go home, and all you have to your name is the cold fading glimmer of fame, is it really worth the continuous pain? Ohio-based filmmaker, Carlie Kiggans, digs for the answers in her new documentary, Dead End Dreams. In 2014, the 22-year-old followed pop-punk band, Don’t Call It A Comeback, as they toured the United States. The film documents the budding artists and the struggles they faced, from dwindling bank accounts to their parents’ disappointing stares. Carlie Kiggans takes us through her own artistic struggles and the conclusions she’s come to when it comes to “The Chase.”
words BY janet adamana photos by carlie kiggans 14 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • NOV/DEC 2014
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industry JA: How did you get into filmmaking? CK: I have always been into film. Once I got to high school I went into a TV production class. We always did music videos and that was my favourite because music was what I turned to. Every year there was a festival where you could show your work. I did these music videos where I would pick one word and everything in the video would define that word. I did a video about depression. I showed it at these festivals and I won the grand prize, which was thousands of scholarship money. Eventually, I moved and went to the New York Film Academy of Los Angeles. JA: Tell me about Dead End Dreams. How did the whole project come about? CK: [After school] I came back with a bit of an ego, because I knew that I needed to be tough as nails since I’m a girl, and because the film industry is really competitive. When I left Ohio, there wasn’t much of a film scene, and when I came back I realized, there still wasn’t. I went through a period of ‘I don’t know what I’m doing.’ While I was trying to figure things out, I went out to a lot of shows. That’s where I met Don’t Call it A Comeback. I talked to Cody Almond [frontman], and I told him I was a filmmaker. He told me he was in a band and what they were about. A bit later I told them I would be interested in doing something whether it would be a music video or doing their pictures. We decided that doing a documentary would be a really good way to push their careers further and kick mine back up. JA: You’re exploring the idea of whether dreams are worth chasing or not…what inspired you to take on that topic? CK: Cody has always had insecurities about the band and he was worried that kids wouldn’t hear his message and the whole struggle centered on getting a 9 to 5 and being miserable like everybody else or doing something that makes you happy. Cody and AJ [Patiag] (guitarist) were always struggling with that. Our point was to show everybody the beginning of a band, or the begin-
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ning of something. When bands make it and they tell these stories of eating ramen noodles for a week and living in their van, we didn’t just want to tell that story, we wanted to show it. JA: What’s your take on the age-old question? CK: I don’t know if we know that yet. Within ourselves we’ll figure it out, but [the film] is really all
You just want to be your art with the w makes you happy th that be your job?
industry about the struggle, and how difficult it is to be an artist. You just want to be free and share your art with the world. If that makes you happy then why shouldn’t that be your job? But in order to make that your job, you have to have another job. It’s a bunch of questions that a lot of us still haven’t answered.
JA: Did you meet anyone who tried to make it, gave up and got a ‘real job’? CK: We ran into a few people who were in bands and tried, gave it up and not necessarily failed at it but just focused their efforts on something else. They all say the same thing, ‘when I was a kid, it was hard and it’s still going to be hard but if you don’t give up you’ll get there.’ And I guess that’s what everyone is clinging to.
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e free and share world. If that hen why shouldn’t
Stay up-to-date with the Dead End Dreams Documentary at Facebook.com/DeadEndDreamsFilm NOV/DEC 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & & Fury Fury 17
LOCAL LOVE
six strings of saving
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LOCAL LOVE
At the age of 17, the vibrant Shelby Hoggard is one of the youngest acoustic artists making her way across the Winnipeg stage. With a handful of shows already under her belt, this young musician is making a name for herself and has no intentions of slowing down. She has welcomed the nickname “pop punk Taylor Swift” and isn’t afraid to belt out her heated lyrics to anyone who will listen. We sat down with the passionate artist to discuss music, letting go and growing up.
photos and words BY ally sigurdson AS: How did you get into music and playing shows? SH: I have been going to shows for a while, and I had always loved being a part of music. One of my really good friends, Nic Dyson really helped me get my musical career started. We would always hang out and jam. One day he decided that I should start writing my own material, which turned out better than I could have ever imagined. Nic has always been there to help me, whether it was giving me a lyric when I was stuck, or giving me the push I needed when I doubted myself. I owe him a lot for that.
grace
AS: For part of your musical career you performed with a drummer, which is a little different than most acoustic artists in the city. Tell me about the pros, and if any, the cons of working with another artist? SH: It was nice because I was given the freedom to do whatever I wanted to do. Eric Janczyszyn [drummer] was fantastic to work with. He really understood that this was my project and he let me take control of everything. No one else was using a drummer with their acoustic set, so I thought that was a pretty interesting change.
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profile LOCAL LOVE
When You go through an expe heart is broken, it’s a powe When you finally come out the other side, you want to find a way
To properly let go of every bit of Anger or sadness
you’ve been carrying
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LOCAL LOVE
rience & your
rful feeling. AS: Take me through the writing process, and what you usually end up writing/singing about? SH: Most of my songs are the typical, “white girl” break-up song. When you go through an experience and your heart is broken, it’s a powerful feeling. When you finally come out the other side, you want to find a way to properly let go of every bit of anger or sadness you’ve been carrying with you. That’s usually where an angry break up song comes along. AS: You’re kind of like a pop punk Taylor Swift. SH: (Laughs) Yeah, something like that. AS: Tell me about your greatest accomplishment. SH: I’m very lucky to have two. The first was when I played at The Park Theatre for Nic Dyson’s album release. I’ve never played at such a big venue before, and it was for my best friend’s big accomplishment. I also played by myself. It was terrifying, but very exciting. The second would have to be when we crammed 130 people into the Purple Room for the Ethan Williams Memorial Show, which was super important to all of Ethan’s
friends and his family. All the proceeds went to his family, and it really brought everyone together. AS: Tell me about Ethan Williams, his impact on you and the song you wrote for him. SH: At the end of July, my friend Ethan took his own life. It was a really big shock to me and a big deal to many. Ethan was such an amazing person and he left a positive effect on a lot of people’s lives. He used to always bug me about coming to my shows and showing his support so, when he passed away I felt that writing a song in his name was one of the best ways to honour him and his life. AS: What’s the next step for you? SH: I plan to write a full-length in the next year, it’s just been taking some time, considering all the changes that have been going on in my life. It’s my senior year and I really want to take in all of those experiences with my friends. I’ll continue playing as many shows as I possibly can. I’ll keep giving my full support to other artists in Winnipeg, because I love music, and everyone involved with it.
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Stay up-to-date with Shelby at Facebook.com/ShelbyHoggardMusic. Check out her tunes at ShelbyHoggard.Bandcamp.com NOV/DEC 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 21
year in review 22 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • NOV/DEC 2014
2014 came with a ton of amazing releases. We recap some of our absolute favourite records, ones that kept our iPods and turntables in overdrive all year.
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in review
triggers Self-Titled
Review by Cole Vincent From SPF 2.2 Mar/Apr 2014
Triggerswpg.Bandcamp.com Triggers, hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, repre-
sent a pop-punk quartet whose roster possesses a level of musical experience, musicianship and diversity most bands could only hope for. With a history that stems back to the mid 2000’s, some of Triggers’ members have been involved in their local scene for close to ten years now. When the word came out that Braeden Wilks (vocals/guitar) and Andrew Free (bass) had been writing and waiting to release a new project, I was all ears. With the addition of their long time cohorts Kyle Monkman (guitar) and Joel Leonhardt (drums), their wolf pack was complete and recording of their selftitled debut began.
punk influences are prevalent throughout, as fast shredding guitar riffs and straight forward punk beats take the rein. Wilks confesses in the chorus that “These six strings keep me honest” and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe his delivery – unabashedly honest. Triggers doesn’t waste its time with gimmicky bells and whistles and this only adds to the band’s immediate appeal.
These guys don’t hide behind post production because they don’t need to – creativity, sheer technical skill and relatable lyrics speak for themselves. Fourth track, “Gaining Ground,” drives these points home. Wilks, the primary lyricist, is heard pushing his vocals to the limit as he shares a story of struggles and the subsequent growth and understandEP opener, “Upward, Onwards,” makes its presence ing that come with them; you can tell this song is known hard and fast with a rhythmic guitar chug cathartic for Wilks, who belts out a gleeful ‘Woo’ reminiscent of From First To Last’s “One Armed when all is said and done. Boxer Vs The Guillotine.” The band’s similarity to the poster boys of mid-2000 screamo definitely The track exudes a mature feel, one where the heart ends there with the rest of the song feeling like The is definitely worn on the sleeve. This is particularly Wonder Years colliding with Four Year Strong evident in Wilks’ line “The biggest of hearts are the (yes, Wilks even sports a beard). Their heavy 90’s hardest to mend.” Overall this song is a breath of
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In Review
fresh air as it manages to stay upbeat and encouraging; it’s a burst of positive energy and, with a fantastic arrangement, the song manages to steer clear of any dull moments.
a pleasant surprise. This track manages to catch the listener off guard in all the right ways, making it far too easy to hit the replay button.
Triggers made the right choice in showcasing these The drums in the second verse drop off into a tom two songs prior to their release as they each dembased rhythm which leaves space for an immedi- onstrate a different style, while still maintaining a ate and crushing group chant of ‘Are you pleased?’ signature sound. Wilks, who stands well over six feet tall, would be a powerful enough presence, but having the whole “Onwards and Upwards” is more technical and band join in? Well played guys. This section sets a heavy, whereas “Gaining Ground” exhibits their precedent for the rest of the song, one that is up- ability to write a catchy, well arranged song. The held quite flawlessly. rest of the EP is a nice blend of these two approaches and never strays far from their punk roots. The bridge introduces a change of pace, with a rhythmically catchy guitar riff that fades into an I’d say this is a pop punk band that everyone should open canvas, one that Wilks leisurely paints with check out, for the simple fact that they cover the final chorus. As the listener is quickly lulled into enough ground to appeal to a wide audience. Hats a false sense of calm, another group vocal brings off to each member, who have managed to meld the noise like a smack in the face. While this pro- their varying influences into a well defined, coheduction technique can easily be overused and pre- sive unit. dictable, these guys pick their spots well, keeping it
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in review
Ego Ella May
Breathing Underwater Review by Dinorah Prevost From SPF 2.3 May/June 2014
EgoEllaMay.Bandcamp.com
Britain’s next greatest soul export, Ego Ella May,
has worked her way back into the ears of the public with the release of her second EP, Breathing Underwater.
Breathing Underwater sees a departure from the split influence of R&B and future soul that dominated her first release, The Tree, and a move toward the sole influence of the latter. Its sound greatly expands on past experimental songs, particularly “Frank” and “Pay My Bills” from The Tree. As a result, BU is an even more trippy record than its predecessor. Ella May once again provides an intro “Tea (Intro)”, in which she gives her “statement of intent,” saying “I may not be everybody’s cup of tea/But my aim is clear/I want to get into your system, make you say ooh ah ah ooh ooh ah.”
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Predictably, she adds to her massive catalog of love songs with lead single, “Underwater”, and “Head”. The former is one of only two R&B tracks on the EP while the latter features some remarkable guitar work. Ella May also takes on some serious and socially conscious subjects. Lyrically, “Come On,” is strikingly similar to “Pay My Bills” from The Tree. “Fire” is a slight variation of both, taking a more personal stance. On “Last Time I Checked,” she notably bashes the contradictory behaviors of whether it’s acceptable or offensive to use the words “nigga” and “bitch,” depending on race or gender. Nature (Outro), R&B track two, serves as the album closer. For fans of The Tree, the complete overhaul of her debut sound will definitely make this release an “iffy” one. However, her attempt should be applauded.
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In Review
front porch
step Aware
Review by Kristen Fisher From SPF 2.1 Jan/Feb 2014
PureNoise.Bandcamp.com
Front
Porch Step is fronted by Jake Mcelfresh, sic today, without it coming across as some overly who, with his guitar and staggeringly rough, har- riddled pop contraption. monious voice, captures you into standing still and As a solo artist, Mcelfresh has no problem bringing watching him perform. enough sound. What comes across in Mcelfresh’s Highly private conversations come to light; at least music is that he doesn’t shy away from lyrics that that’s what you’ll be thinking once you listen to might cause a scene or make someone turn their his debut album, Aware. The song “Private Fears head in embarrassment. He lays it all out on the and Public Places,” has the intimate approach of a table and then some. slightly teary-eyed, exposed moment. If you haven’t listened to Front Porch Step, I recomHave you ever listened to a song, and you swore mend plugging in some headphones and listening you had just peeked behind the curtain of a scene to Aware all the way through. This is a solid record unraveling between a couple? This conveyed emo- that deserves a non-skip compliment. tion, is simply one of the hardest to bridge in mu-
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in review
naysa
Losing Weight
Review by Dagmawit Dejene From SPF 2.5 Sept/Oct 2014
Naysa.Bandcamp.com
Winnipeg’s NAYSA, have done it again. The self-
proclaimed “gloomy pop rock” four-piece drop their new EP, Losing Weight on October 2nd. Having just released their debut EP, Troubled Heart, back in March, it is clear that Dave Todd (Guitar and Vocals), Sean Leslie (Guitar), Grant Danyluk (Bass Guitar), and Graham Duval (Drums) have been working non-stop to release new music. The five-track album opens with “How I’m Feeling Lately,” a song reminiscent of 90’s punk rock, with lyrics that remind us what it’s like to be young and trying to figure yourself out. The track starts with a regular rock feel then surprises listeners with an unexpected and catchy bass-centered intro. The full band come in at the first verse, complete with a carefully crafted guitar riff, proving these guys know what they’re doing. “I Don’t Know What To Do” slows things down with a groovy but haunt-
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ing guitar melody perfectly paired with melancholy lyrics. The chorus can almost be mistaken for being cheerful, with Todd’s sunny “Do’s”, making for an interesting contrast to the song’s overall message. The EP picks up again with “Leaving Town” - a witty track about finding yourself. Leslie surprises everyone with an intricate yet face-melting guitar solo right before the final chorus; by far the best part of the entire song. “I Need You,” gives us more of the signature NAYSA sound with a catchy chorus that can get anyone pumped. However, it’s the final track, “Losing Weight”, that everyone should watch out for. The lyrics alone are beautifully written, illustrating the hopelessness that we all feel from time to time. On top of that, the musicality of the song is one of the best I’ve heard from NAYSA so far.
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In Review
ceres
I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here Review by Janet Adamana From SPF 2.5 Sept/Oct 2014
Hobbledehoy.Bandcamp.com
Hope, darkness, delight and despair;
Melbourne quartet, Ceres, bottle the bittersweet symphony of youth with their latest release, I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here. Melding 90’s alt-pop elements with the anthemic melodies and moving poetry reminiscent of the old days of emo, Ceres hit you right in the heart while serving up a side of memorable edge. The ten-track album opens with “Jam Song” - a little ditty that sounds just as you might expect. Emitting the raw feel of impromptu basement jam sessions, vocalist Tom Lanyon lays it all out with his confessions of confusion wailing lyrics like, ‘I know that I’ve got to get out of here/I just don’t know what I want anymore.’ Rhys Vleugel (guitar), Grant Young (bass), and Frank Morda (drums) join Lanyon to round out their organic sound. The boys soon kick things up a notch with fun and fast tracks, “Middle
Names” and continue to carry the pop-infused melodies through to “Half a Metre.” Although, “I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick,” brings a softer, day-at-the-beach feel to the record, Ceres doesn’t stray too far from the melancholy. Outlining the struggles of growing up and failed attempts at cheering up, Lanyon and his mates use upbeat riffs in both “I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick,” and “Syllables” to almost fool you into thinking they’ve turned things around with a much more positive outlook. Stand out track, “Try To Keep You Here” is full of fables of fading love blanketed over power pop melodies, light and fun enough to be played and enjoyed at even the most fun college parties. Album closer, “Bless The Thief” starts off as a sweet, sorrowful ballad then breaks into a series of catchy pop-inspired bliss. Complete with subtle gang vocals that soften things up, the album closes with a Taking Back Sunday meets The Dangerous Summer feel, combined with the Ceres signature sounds of longing.
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