As a band that doesn’t seem to slow down, it should come as no surprise to see that Minnesota sweethearts Tiny Moving Parts are gearing up to release their seventh studio album. Forget the fact that their sixth, Swell, only came out in 2018, the band have been gracious enough to unveil breathe, to be released 13th September.
To celebrate the album announcement along with their signing to Hopeless Records, the power-trio have also rolled out their brand-new single “Medicine”, and what better time for it than flu-season. Inspired by glitter-soaked guitar and unadulterated math-rock goodness, “Medicine” is sombre in nature, yet there’s a feel-good silver lining that seems to define the song.
Tiny Moving Parts, the self-proclaimed ’emo revival family band’, are brothers William Chevalier (drums), Matthew Chevalier (bass, vocals), and their cousin Dylan Mattheisen (vocals, guitar).
Beginning innocently through smooth and hopeful melody, there’s a distinct gentleness to the beginning of “Medicine”. Alongside this, there’s a calmness within the sadness that borders through Mattheisen’s vocals that feels almost like a recognition and acceptance of the melancholy that defines the song.
Yet the song’s chorus throws calmness out the window, and it’s Mattheisen’s defiance that is illuminated throughout. From the outset of the song’s chorus, it continues to build from a flickering flame into a roaring fire of emotion. The opening line of the chorus “I’ll try again” is the first vocal outburst in the song, yet it’s only the beginning of what’s to come.
Everything that fans have come to know and love about Tiny Moving Parts is there, yet “Medicine” seems to lean more into both math-rock than ever before. The twinkly guitar that goes hand in hand with Tiny Moving Parts is as ever present as always, while crashing cymbals and pounding drums flow relentlessly alongside stringent bass.
According to Mattheisen, “”Medicine” is about everything around you falling apart. When people come and go in a lifetime, I try to focus on the happiness and guidance they’ve provided me instead of the sadness of them leaving.” It’s this optimism in the face of bleakness that has always attracted me to Tiny Moving Parts, and I don’t think I speak alone in saying that. While there’s nothing wrong with music that revels in misery, the hopefulness that gleams through the glittery guitar of this band is truly special.
“I need to forget who I am”
Alongside the single and album pre-orders, the band also rolled out a music video for “Medicine”. Depicting a scene in hospital where everything from drumsticks to guitars and flowers are ripped from Mattheisen’s abdomen, the inference could perhaps be that music is the medicine that he so desperately needs. Excusing the pun, it’s a lot to stomach but there’s an undeniable disturbed beauty within it.
“Medicine” is all around a fantastic song, and as a first taste of what’s to come with their upcoming album breathe, I couldn’t be more excited. It’s bleak yet encouraged, turning misfortune into strength and one contagiously catchy emo hit. It’s also important to note that alongside the album, the band announced that every pre-order includes a donation to a non-profit organisation that will change monthly until the album’s release. By pre-ordering now, your donation would be supporting the work of UN Women. If the song wasn’t feel good enough, it all seems just a little bit sweeter now.
If, instead of accidentally adding Chemical X when creating the Powerpuff Girls, Professor Utonium added a whole heap of twinkly guitars, they probably would’ve turned out something like Tiny Moving Parts. I don’t know about you, but I for one welcome our sparkly shredding overlords and can’t wait to see what comes next.
Watch “Medicine” via YouTube below, and pre-order breathe here: http://smarturl.it/TMPbreathe
