Thursday, 18 December 2014

My Top 50 Albums of 2014




  1. Ceres – I Don’t Want To Be Anywhere But Here 
  2. Fucked Up – Glass Boys
  3. The Smith Street Band – Throw Me In The River
  4. Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else
  5. La Dispute – Rooms of the House
  6. The Black Keys – Turn Blue
  7. Beck – Morning Phase
  8. Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues
  9. DZ Deathrays – Black Rat
  10. Liars - Mess
  11. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Oddments
  12. TV On The Radio – Seeds
  13. Jack White – Lazaretto
  14.  Luca Brasi – By A Thread
  15. Chet Faker – Built On Glass
  16. Cheap Girls – Famous Graves
  17. Karen O – Crush Songs
  18.  Alt-J - This Is All Yours
  19.  Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
  20. Rancid - Honor Is All We Know
  21. ScotDrakula – ScotDrakula
  22. Solids - Blame Confusion
  23. Mac DeMarco – Salad Days
  24. Manchester Orchestra – COPE
  25. Architects - Lost Forever // Lost Together
  26. Ball Park Music – Puddinghead
  27.  Flying Lotus - You're Dead!
  28. Holy Wave – Relax
  29. Somos - Temple Of Plenty
  30. Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron
  31.  Harmony – Carpetbombing
  32. Postblue - I Hope They're Praying For Me
  33. The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream
  34. YG - My Krazy Life
  35. You Blew It! – Keep Doing What You’re Doing
  36. Wu-Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow
  37. Cheatahs – Cheatahs
  38. Cold War Kids - Hold My Home
  39. Shihad – FVEY
  40. Yellow Ostrich – Cosmos
  41. Restorations – LP3
  42. Saskwatch – Nose Dive
  43. Dune Rats – Dune Rats
  44. Mozes And The Firstborn - Mozes And The Firstborn
  45. SPORT – Bon Voyage
  46. The Roots - ...and Then You Shoot Your Cousin
  47. OFF! - Wasted Years
  48. Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness
  49. The Menzingers – Rented World
  50.  Frankie Cosmos – Zentropy



Thursday, 11 December 2014

My Top 50 Tracks of 2014


  1. Ceres - I Feel Fine, I Feel Sick
  2. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues
  3. The Smith Street Band - I Don't Wanna Die Anymore
  4. Fucked Up - Glass Boys
  5. Beck - Morning
  6. Drunk Mums- NANGANATOR
  7. Jack White - Temporary Ground
  8. Karen O - Day Go By
  9. DZ Deathrays - Black Rat
  10. Cheap Girls - Knock Me Over
  11. The Smith Street Band - Surrender
  12. Cloud Nothings - Now Hear In
  13. La Dispute - HUDSONVILLE MI 1956
  14. Courtney Barnett - Pickles From The Jar
  15. DZ Deathrays - Northern Lights
  16. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Vegemite
  17. Luca Brasi - K.D.R
  18. Ceres - Syllables
  19. Manchester Orchestra - The Ocean
  20. Postblue - Ugly
  21. Jack White - High Ball Stepper
  22. Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part of Me
  23. DMA's - Delete
  24. Twerps - Heavy Hands
  25. Al Parkinson - Like This
  26. Somos - Dead Wrong
  27. Dumb Punts - CHILLER
  28. The Black Keys - Weight Of Love
  29. Liars - Mess On a Mission
  30. Against Me! - Black Me Out
  31. Solids - Traces
  32. TV On The Radio - Happy Idiot
  33. The Sugarcanes - Lucifer
  34. Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap
  35. The War On Drugs - An Ocean in Between the Waves
  36. The Smith Street Band - Throw Me in the River
  37. Drunk Mums - Plastic
  38. Passenger - 27
  39. Ceres - Middle Names
  40. Run The Jewels - Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck) Feat. Zach De La Rocha
  41. ScotDrakula - Break Me Up
  42. Saskwatch - Give Me a Reason
  43. Wu-Tang Clan - Ruckus In B Minor
  44. Ball Park Music - She Only Loves Me When I'm There
  45. The Black Keys - Turn Blue
  46. Braves - Seapunk
  47. Georgia Maq - Footscray Station
  48. Dick Diver - Lonely Life
  49. YG - BPT
  50. The Harpoons - Unforgettable

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

CERES

I'm extremely stoked to present to you Never Miss A Beat's second ever interview! This time Rhys from Ceres come through for us. 



Hi Rhys, 

Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for Never Miss A Beat.

It’s been a massive year for Ceres kicking it off with Soundwave, how was it to play at one of Australia’s biggest festivals?

It was insane! Such a fun experience. It was by far the biggest stage we had played on at the time. We played first for the day, so we had ALOT of free time afterwards to relish in the perks of the all access pass!

Your debut album ‘I Don't Want To Be Anywhere But Here' is definitely one of the best records I’ve heard this year, what’s next for Ceres?

Thanks a lot man, appreciate the support! We’ve got a heap going on for the rest of this year. We are about to head out on the road with Violent Soho, stopping at basically every town in Australia! As for new music, stay tuned, there may be a little something popping up soonish.

I saw you guys kill it at The Rev a couple months ago with Poison City Weekender, how does it feel to be apart of the Poison City family?

Technically we are the weird ugly cousin, as our hearts lie with Hobbledehoy Records, but it feels great! We kind of fell into that group of bands and we couldn’t be happier. We have played countless shows with all those guys and they are all good friends. The label definitely has a really loyal, rad bunch of fans and they’ve all been really kind to us.

The Rev’s a great venue; can you pick a favourite Melbourne venue to play at?

Other than the Rev, I’d have to say the Grace Darling basement. We play a Christmas show there every year with our good friend Marc Baker and it’s just an epic sweaty mess. Tiny room, low ceiling and and 150 of our closest friends! We’ll do it again this year, stay tuned!

The Melbourne punk scene is really thriving at the moment, can you recommend any bands for us to check out?

Ah man, you are definitely asking the wrong guy about this! I’m usually the last guy to hear about new bands. We played in Launceston a few weeks ago for ‘Till The Wheels Fall Off’ and my mind was blown by OUTRIGHT, they were incredible and had a very positive message to put out there too. Another one would be HAVE/HOLD, we play with those guys a fair bit and they are writing some really good songs. Total legends as well.

You must be stoked to head on tour with Say Anything, what band would you most love to open for?

The Say Anything tour was a dream come true for us, their lineup was basically a 2000’s emo supergroup! I’d say the band we’d love to open for most would be a tie between Brand New and Jimmy Eat World, all of us in the band are huge fans of both those bands.

I missed out on the ‘Baker Tee’ any chance of bringing them back? Would love to get my hands on one. Any other merch in the works?

That was my favourite too. We tend to do 50 or so of each design, and when they sell out we bring out a new one. We are pretty luck with the amount of creative friends we have! I’d say that design is done, but we would definitely do another design with Steve Baker if he’ll have us. His art is pretty amazing!

Finally, Never Miss A Beat loves a guilty pleasure, have you got any to share?

Individually, too many to list, but as a band? As un rock and roll as it is, when we are playing interstate, the first thing we do out of the airport is find some water to swim in, cleanses the soul you know? We are all pretty into sampling the local city’s worst beers as well. Apparently no one drinks West End’s in Adelaide? I don’t feel guilty about either of these things though!


Really appreciate your time, 

Thanks


Mark

Friday, 21 March 2014

2014 Albums



Here's a list of albums I've given a listen to in 2014, each album I've chucked a rating out of 10. 

  • Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues (US, Punk Rock) 8/10
  • Alt-J - This is All Yours (UK, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness (US, Alternative Folk) 7/10
  • Architects - Lost Forever // Lost Together (UK, Metalcore) 8/10
  • Ball Park Music  - Puddinghead (AUS, Indie Pop) 6/10
  • Band of Skulls - Himalayan (UK, Indie Rock) 5/10 
  • Bass Drum of Death - Rip This (US, Garage Rock) 6/10
  • Beck - Morning Phase (US, Alternative) 7/10
  • The Black Keys - Turn Blue (US, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • Black Lips - Underneath the Rainbow (US, Garage Rock) 6/10
  • Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow (UK, Indie Rock) 5/10
  • Bonjah - Beautiful Wild (AUS, Indie Rock) 7/10
  • Braves - Seapunk EP (AUS, Lo-Fi) 7/10
  • Breaks Co-Op - Sounds Familiar (NZ, Electronica) 4/10
  • Broken Bells - After The Disco (US, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Broods - Broods EP (NZ, Indie Pop) 6/10
  • Carsick Cars - 3 (CHN, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Catalysts - Borrowed Time EP (CAN, Melodic Hardcore) 5/10
  • Ceres - I Don't Want To Be Anywhere Else But Here (AUS, Punk) 9/10
  • CHAMPS - Down Like Gold (UK, Alternative) 6/10
  • Charlie Freak - Are You Think? EP (NZ, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Cheap Girls - Famous Graves (US, Punk Rock) 8/10
  • Cheatahs - Cheatahs (UK, Rock) 7/10
  • Chet Faker - Built on Glass (AUS, Electronic) 8/10
  • Clap Clap Riot - Nobody/Everybody (NZ, Indie Rock) 5/10
  • Clipping - Clipping (US, Experimental Hip-Hop) 5/10
  • Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else (US, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • Comeback Kid - Die Knowing (CAN, Hardcore) 6/10
  • Delay Trees - Readymade (FIN, Indie) 6/10
  • The Dirty Nil - SMITE EP (US, Punk Rock) 7/10  
  • The Doppelgangaz - Peace Kehd (US, Hip-Hop) 5/10
  • DZ Deathrays - Black Rat (AUS, Thrash Rock)  8/10
  • Fanfarlo - Let's Go Extinct  (UK, Indie) 6/10
  • Flying Lotus - You're Dead! (US, Electronic) 7/10
  • Foster the People - Supermodel (US, Indie Pop) 3/10
  • Frankie Cosmos - Zentropy (US, Indie) 7/10
  • Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Pinata (US, Hip-Hop) 6/10
  • Fucked Up - Glass Boys (CAN, Hardcore Punk) 8/10
  • Future Islands - Singles (US, Synthpop) 6/10
  • Gnarwolves - Chronicles of Gnarnia (UK, Melodic Hardcore) 7/10
  • Grass is Green - Vacation Vinny (US, Alternative Rock) 7/10
  • Guided By Voices -  Motivational Jumpsuit (US, Indie Rock) 7/10
  • Guilty SImpson - The Simpson Tapes EP (US, Hip-Hop) 7/10 
  • The Harpoons - Falling For You (AUS, RnB/Pop) 7/10
  • The High Wire - Found in Honey (CAN, Indie) 6/10
  • Holy Wave - Relax (US, Psychedelic Rock) 8/10
  • I Killed The Prom Queen - Beloved (AUS, Metalcore) 4/10
  • Jack Carty - esk (AUS, Folk) 5/10
  • The Jezabels - The Brink (AUS, Indie Rock) 5/10
  • Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War (UK, Indie Rock) 4/10
  • Karen O - Crush Songs (USA, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • Khushi - Phantoms EP (UK, Indie) 6/10
  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Oddments (AUS, Garage Rock) 8/10
  • King Tuff - Black Moon Spell (US, Garage Rock) 6/10
  • Kingswood - Microscopic Wars (AUS, Rock) 6/10
  • Krill - Steve Hears Pile in Maiden and Bursts into Tears EP (US, Indie Rock) 7/10
  • La Dispute - Rooms of the House (US, Post-Hardcore) 9/10
  • The Lawrence Arms - Metropole (US, Punk Rock) 6/10
  • Le1f - Hey Ep (US, Hip-Hop) 4/10
  • Liam Finn - The Nihilist (NZ, Indie Rock)  6/10
  • Liars - Mess (US, Experimental Rock) 8/10
  • Luca Brasi - By A Thread (AUS, Punk Rock) 8/10
  • Mac DeMarco - Salad Days (CAN, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Manchester Orchestra - COPE (US, Indie Rock) 7/10
  • Mapei - Hey Hey (US/SWE, Indie) 4/10
  • Maximo Park - Too Much Information (UK, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Mayfield - Let It Be Known EP - (CAN, Metalcore) 5/10
  • Minus the Bear - Lost Loves (UK, Indie Rock) 5/10
  • Me First & the Gimmie Gimmies - Are We Men? We Are Diva 7/10
  • Memphis May Fire - Unconditional (US, Metalcore) 4/10
  • The Men - Tomorrow's Hits (US, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • The Menzingers - Rented World (US, Punk Rock) 7/10
  • Micah P. Hinson - And the Nothing (US, Country) 7/10
  • MO - No Mythologies To Follow - (DA, Electro-Pop) 6/10
  • Modern Baseball - You're Going To Miss It All (US, Pop Punk) 6/10
  • Moose Blood - I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time (UK, Emo) 7/10
  • Mozes and the Firstborn - Mozes and the Firstborn (NED, Garage Rock) 7/10
  • Mustard Plug - Can't Contain It (US, Ska-Punk) 5/10
  • Neil Finn - Dizzy Heights (NZ, Rock) 5/10
  • New Found Glory - Resurrection (US, Pop Punk) 6/10
  • OFF! - Wasted Years (US, Hardcore Punk) 7/10
  • Owl - Two (US, Indie) 5/10
  • Papercuts - Life Among the Savages (US, Indie Pop) 6/10
  • Pixies - Indie Cindy (US, Alternative Rock) 5/10
  • Postblue - I Hope They're Praying For Me (AUS, Grunge) 7/10
  • Real Estate - Atlast (US, Lo-Fi) 6/10
  • Rick Ross - Mastermind (US, Hip-Hop) 6/10
  • Royal Blood - Royal Blood (UK, Rock) 7/10
  • Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron (US, Hip-Hop) 8/10
  • Sean Kirkwood - Tales for the Barman EP (NZ, Folk Rock) 7/10
  • Set the Score - Two Steps Forward EP (US, Pop Punk) 7/10
  • Shihad - FVEY (NZ, Rock) 7/10
  • SKATERS - Manhattan (US, Rock) 5/10
  • Somos - Temple of Plenty (US, Punk Rock) 7/10
  • Solids - Blame Confusion (CAN, Alternative Rock) 8/10
  • SPORT - Bon Voyage (FRA, Indie Punk) 8/10
  • St. Vincent - St.Vincent (US, Indie Pop) 6/10
  • Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Wig Out at Jagbags (US, Indie Rock) 7/10
  • Sun Kill Moon - Benji (US, Indie Folk) 5/10
  • Temples - Sun Structures (UK, Psychedelic Rock) 7/10
  • Three Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything (CAN, Experimental Rock) 4/10
  • Tokyo Police Club - Forcefield (CAN, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • Total Slacker - Slip Away (US, Garage Rock) 7/10
  • Vance Joy - Dream Your Life Away (AUS, Indie Folk) 7/10
  • The War on Drugs - Lost in a Dream (US, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • Warm Soda - Young Reckless Hearts (US, Power Pop) 7/10
  • Warpaint - Warpaint (US, Indie Rock) 6/10
  • We Are Catchers - We Are Catchers (UK, Indie) 5/10
  • We Are the in Crowd - Weird Kids (US, Pop Punk) 4/10
  • Wild Beasts - Present Tense (UK, Indie Rock) 5/10
  • Wolfmother - New Crown (AUS, Rock) 3/10
  • Yellow Ostrich - Cosmos (US, Indie Rock) 8/10
  • You Blew It! - Keep Doing What You're Doing (US, Punk Rock) 8/10
  • Young Fathers - Dead (UK, Alternative Hip-Hop) 6/10 
  • Young the Giant - Mind Over Matter (US, Indie Rock) 4/10