Episode 26: Tom Lanyon – Ceres
Ceres. Credit: Supplied
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Fans of the Melbourne music scene were this year excited to hear about the return of Ceres. For those playing along at home, it’s a pretty exciting prospect to have them back in our lives, especially given that they effectively disappeared at the end of 2019, leaving fans to wonder what the future held.
After making their debut with I Don't Want To Be Anywhere But Here in 2014, Ceres followed it up in 2016 with Drag It Down On You, and again making magic happen with 2019’s We Are A Team. Blending emo, indie rock, and alternative vibes with honest, emotional songwriting, it’s easy to see why Ceres curated such a dedicated fanbase. As I like to say; no one just likes Ceres. They either love them, or they’ve never heard of them.
This year, however, Ceres returned with new music. Singles like ‘Want/Need’ and ‘Humming’ soon gave way to news of their first album in five years, Magic Mountain (1996—2022).
I’ll be honest, as someone who loved what Ceres had been doing, I was apprehensive that the anticipation created by such a long wait would see the album ruined by high expectations. The truth, however, is that it’s one of the best albums you’re going to hear this year. Equally heartfelt and powerful, it’s a look inside the heart and mind of vocalist and guitarist Tom Lanyon as he reckons with personal tragedy, long-held trauma, and the thread of love and nostalgia that ties it all together.
This week, Tom Lanyon was my guest on the podcast, and I couldn’t be happier. We hit it off right away and it became one of the loosest and most honest chats I’ve had on this podcast to date. Though I do explain it a little further into the episode, Tom and I had a chat off-mic where we discussed our love of Jebediah, inspired by fondness for my early episode with the band’s frontman, Kevin Mitchell.
Anyway, Ceres are getting ready to release Magic Mountain (1996—2022) next week, so I strongly urge you to check out the record once it’s out, but in the meantime, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
Tom Lanyon’s Trusty Chords
Tom’s One Influential Artist
Jebediah
Tom’s Three Impactful Albums
Holly Throsby – Under The Town (2006)
Blink-182 – Dude Ranch (1997)
Sigur Rós – Takk... (2005)
Tom’s Five Trusty Songs
Los Campesinos! – 'The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future' (2009)
American Football – 'Never Meant' (1999)
Dashboard Confessional – 'Screaming Infidelities' (2001)
Armlock – 'Guardian' (2024)
Alex G – 'Gretel' (2019)
