I think I may have missed something…
I was discussing Ceremony with a good friend of mine last week. His summation of the band was so spot on that I felt it deserved a mention in this here review. He stated: “there are probably thirty dudes in every city that think they’re the best thing to happen to modern music, but everyone else stands there and looks awkward and confused”. Now, I didn’t end up seeing Ceremony on their recent Australian tour, but after repeated listens to Still, Nothing Moves You, I just do not understand what the fuss is all about.
There’s no doubting the band’s passion and enthusiasm for what they’re doing, as vocalist Ross Farrar delivers some real gems on the lyrical front, while the remainder of his outfit certainly know how to belt out a tune or two… however musical competency is not the issue at hand. For all the hype this four-piece has garnered over the last couple of years I guess I was expecting a little more. If any of this sounds disrespectful in any way then I apologize, as I applaud any band that can carve out a cult fan base the way that Ceremony have, unfortunately, there’s little for the rest of us to grab on to.
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The raw production style that has been used on Still, Nothing Moves You certainly compliments the band’s rough and tumble take on punk rock, which is certainly refreshing when you consider how many groups have sucked the life out of their recordings courtesy of a reliance on digital technology. Tracks like “The Difference Between Looking And Seeing” and “Vagrant” are short, sharp bursts of white noise which certainly get their aggressive point across, while the more drawn out numbers, such as “A Blight On Mental Health” show that Ceremony are more than a one trick pony.
I don’t think a track-by-track analysis of this record is necessary, so I’ll just leave you with this. If you’re eighties-sounding hardcore bands and raw, lo-fi recordings then you’ll probably enjoy this disc. If not, there are a slew of other new Bridge Nine releases out there for you to check out.