The album title’s a lie. Everything Movements has to give is good.
After its show-stopping debut LP, Feel Something, post-hardcore group Movements has somehow found a way to outdo its own perfection with its latest release, No Good Left To Give, a well-produced and well-written deep dive into what it means to exist.
The California-based quartet formed in 2015 and quickly released an EP, Outgrown Things, the next year. At the end of 2017, Movements released Feel Something, which catapulted it to emo stardom. Fans consider Feel Something an unmatched showpiece, but with No Good Left To Give, Movements is showing the sky’s the limit with its brilliance.
No Good Left To Give breathes life into the emo genre, validating mental health awareness and discussing pertinent issues of loss and love while switching between fiery guitars, ethereal vibes and frontman Pat Miranda screaming his pain away. The vibes of “Skin to Skin'' are wavy, and the endearing lyrics are to die for. “Living Apology” may sound mellow, but its eloquent discussion of impostor syndrome and feeling out of place is anything but. The way Miranda talks about the girl he loves but will never be with in “Seneca'' is enthralling but depressing. With basically no flaws, the album is one of the best 2020 has given us.
Here are the best five tracks from No Good Left To Give:
5. “Moonlight Lines”
“Moonlight Lines” showcases that classic Movements bass riff from Austin Cressey that just feels like home. While at a low point, Miranda spends the night with someone he just needed to get his mind off things and pass the time. During a verse of spoken word, Miranda tries to explain himself and his loneliness: “I needed your warmth in the night, your composition against mine (a body to warm my bed) / Pretending that love didn’t die, my emptiness felt so alive.”
4. “Santiago Peak”
“Santiago Peak,” named after a mountain in California near where Movements hails from, depicts the bittersweet feeling of missing home. Ira George’s sweet, relaxing guitar riff represents the good memories while Miranda’s subtle aggression represents the regrets of wasting the good times while he had them. Though Movements is thriving and Miranda’s never home anymore, California will always be a part of him: “Forever the home in my heart / And when I feel a little too far / I’ll come back and restart living in my memory when I fall apart.”
3. “Tunnel Vision”
Never will you feel safer than when Miranda validates any and all feelings you’ve ever experienced on “Tunnel Vision.” As drummer Spencer York hammers the pain home beneath Miranda’s painstakingly dark lyrics and screams, the guitars swirl into their own rightfully angry world. Miranda admits “there’s nights that I wish I’d die,” and he’s ready to do whatever it takes to rid himself of the pain: “Send my illness into the trenches, desperate to end this / Tunnel vision, suffer my own submission.”
2. “Love Took The Last Of It”
If any lyrics on this album are going to leave a hole in your heart, they’ll most likely be from “Love Took The Last Of It.” Similar in theme to “Moonlight Lines,” the track is Miranda’s recognition that his girlfriend was his distraction from his demons, and he’s taking all the blame for their broken relationship. Before Miranda’s vocals in the outro literally makes listeners ascend, he explains himself bluntly, which is sometimes what someone needs to start the healing process: “And it was never really right, your hand in mine / But at the time, it’s what I needed for a stable mind … Your heart was always bleeding, but I wasn’t meant to keep it.”
1. “In My Blood”
It’s impossible to describe the ethereal vibe of “In My Blood” to a T — because it’s inexplicably addicting and calming. The guitars, drums and bass, all matched with Miranda’s soothing vocals, are quite honestly the most comfort America has seen in months. The lyrics, though, are heart-wrenching because Miranda can’t stop thinking about a past love, and he’s finally revealing to her that she’ll always be a part of him: “The only thing I’ve ever loved is left to gather dust / I wish you knew I keep you in my blood.” The track is too good for this world, and it’s the best on No Good Left To Give.
Rating: 5/5
