Are Movements good? Like, actually good; not just ‘they’ve been around for a while, so sure’ good? Their albums don’t offer much support—Feel Something is strong; No Good Left To Give barely exists; and whatever scant memories of RUCKUS! remain aren’t stellar. And yet, you’ll often see Movements’ name inserted among the current emo generation’s leading class, as if the reverberations of Daylily are just that strong almost a decade later.
In other words, it’s been a strangely patient process to get to Happier Now, with more faith awarded to Movements than you might otherwise expect to see. They easily could’ve been dropped by now, or slunk away into something resembling obscurity. And although Happier Now doesn’t have the magnitude of a second Feel Something, it’s not some mere blip on the radar, either. It’s definitely Movements’ best album since their debut, and the strongest buttress since for their surprisingly resilient reputation.
Listening to it, it’s not hard to see why. After how underpowered RUCKUS! could feel, having Movements go back to a well of emo tension is ultimately for the best. It’s what they do best, after all, illustrated from the jump with Pulse and how much of it is wound around Austin Cressey’s bass. As a whole, Happier Now reverts back to Movements’ darker best, the sort of thing that results in the slither of Everything Is Fine or the greyed-out churn of the title track. In a similar vein, they get a little more dishevelled and unkempt on Flowerbed with its scruffier guitars and firm bass chop, redone on Ill At Ease alongside an album-best performance from drummer Spencer York.
At the same time, there is—for lack of a better term—a safety about Happier Now that keeps it from really catching fire. For the spoken-of intent about combining their older and newer sounds, this is clearly Movements getting back to equilibrium, and you definitely feel it. This is Movements looking for the firmest possible footing, where any implication of blending eras appears great exaggerated. Other than some hollow synth chimes way deep in Fragile Hands, this is a no-nonsense emo formula not looking to deviate. Lyrically, too, Happier Now rings most a collation of nebulous emo things and feelings, saved from outright atrophy by Patrick Miranda’s delivery.
Miranda is actually a good representation for how Happier Now ends up as a mite more than the sum of its parts. He’s far from the most unique vocalist, even among emo—especially among emo, in fact—but being so naturally emotive is his key strength. Notable is a bruised, tentative voice that covers over half of the album, in itself a way to avoid sounding oversold or disingenuous. The opposite is true, too; rarely is there a scream or yell to break this dejected facade. Happier Now is altogether more real for it. Less specific lyrics aren’t being juiced up to present as earth-shattering blows; there’s pain and ache there, relayed in suitable, unembellished, believable ways. Thus, when a line like “What’s the point in getting better when the game is rigged?” comes along, panted and bedraggled, it’s way more impactful.
That’s not precisely new for Movements, though the refresh and retooling on Happier Now gives it more to work with. Coming directly after the underwhelming RUCKUS! only makes it more apparent. Even the likes of Dissolve Me and Everyone I’ve Ever Been, with their meatier, shout-along hooks of ostensible pop-rock cuts, seem a lot more at home. The only genuine dud is Back In My Ways—loose, free-hanging, sluggish, and completely unsatisfying as a presumed crescendo. Otherwise, Movements have re-solidified into a really workable state for themselves.
And considering how, for a good chunk of their career thus far, they looked to become part of the emo furniture at best, that’s worth appreciating. Here, you’ve got a succinct return to form, not necessarily rocking the boat but bringing Movements back to what they do best. Again, they’ve not sounded as sure of their own strengths since Feel Something; even if they aren’t moving past that benchmark, they’ve never been closer to it than with Happier Now.
Maybe Movements are good, after all, then. It just took a while to realise that themselves.
For fans of: Citizen, Arm’s Length, Microwave
‘Happier Now’ by Movements is released on 4th September on Fearless Records.
Words by Luke Nuttall
