1 - Music

Music Review: Movements' Feel Something

Feel Something is the debut album by Movements, a rock band from Orange County, California. Released on October 20, 2017, the album tackles complex themes such as mental illness, failure, recovery, and love, offering a raw glimpse at life's emotional struggles. Its powerful melodies and heartfelt lyrics have resonated with listeners, proving that music about nuanced topics can be popular in today's media landscape. The album peaked at #21 on the US Alternative Albums Chart and #191 on the Billboard 200.

Feel Something primarily centers on lead singer Patrick Miranda's struggles with depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The title reflects the longing to feel something--any emotion--rather than numbness. It also expresses the band's desire for its music to have emotional value, which it succeeds at with many listeners, including myself.

"So, yeah, it's very much like the desire to feel something other than nothing. To feel something other than just being numb. But, it's also like a statement to others, like, "Feel something!" whatever it is. If our music makes you angry, or if it makes you feel sad, or if it makes you feel happy, or if it makes you feel indifferent. Whatever it might be, all we care about is that it makes you feel something. That it has some sort of emotional value. That's all we care about."

- Patrick Miranda, lead singer of Movements

 

Tracklist

Potential Album Art

Album Back

(Songs in pink are links to videos)

Full Circle

Third Degree

Colorblind

Daylily

Deadly Dull

Fever Dream

Suffer Through

Deep Red

Under the Gun

Submerge

The Grey

The most popular song from the album, which thrust Movements into the spotlight, is "Daylily." In a 2017 interview with EARMILK, Miranda shared that the song was written for his current girlfriend who struggled with mental illness and an eating disorder. She called her good days "pink cloud days," which inspired the song's chorus. 

"I think it's time you had a pink cloud summer
'Cause you've gone too long without a smile
I think it's time you found another reason to stay for a while
You should stay for a while"

The song's music video has a well-deserved 7.8 million views.

While each track holds its own, one that particularly stands out for its cleverness and authenticity is "Suffer Through." The lyrics explore Miranda's struggles with mental health. He uses a crumbling home as a metaphor for his body that must live with depression and OCD, realizing that the only way he can move forward is to "suffer through" and face his demons. 

"My knees are the foundation

My skin's the crumbling walls

And the fire in between is my blood

And it's cold and weak and small

And I've been waiting for the day that the structure finally gives

And the home I've known forever decays and I lose my grip"

This song highlights Miranda's desire to change his ways and accomplish great things. The haunting outro verse perfectly encapsulates his hopelessness and the realization that his worst enemy is no one but himself.

"This worrying will be the death of me

Obsessive tendencies won't let me sleep

But I can't run away like I do with everything

It's crippling, but my demon is me

My demon is me

My demon is me"

Many songs on Feel Something, such as "Full Circle" and "Suffer Through," pair raspy, loud choruses with softer spoken-word sections, creating beautiful contrasts that demonstrate Movements' versatility and highlight Miranda's narrative skills.

Another hard-hitter from the album is "Deadly Dull," a song created to bring awareness to Alzheimer's Disease. It follows a man who has Alzheimer's and his life after the passing of his spouse. The man's mind is not as sharp as it once was, and he regularly asks his grandson if they can "see G-ma down the street," not realizing that his wife is no longer alive. The song was inspired by Miranda's current girlfriend whose grandfather struggled with Alzheimer's. 

"When his wife died, he was distraught, screaming, and crying. Twenty minutes later, he didn't know she died. He kept asking to see her. I wanted to tell that story."

- Patrick Miranda

The song serves as a chilling tribute to those impacted by Alzheimer's. In 2018, Movements partnered with the Alzheimer's Foundation to produce a music video for the song, following the man's journey and further illustrating the effects of Alzheimer's on individuals and the people surrounding them.

Feel Something is an incredible record, and the band has continued to evolve and improve since its release. Listen to the full album on Spotify or your favorite streaming platform.