Tiny Moving Parts – ‘Celebrate’ Review

Posted: by Sean Gonzalez

A glimmering ring of hope surrounds Tiny Moving Parts right now, as they are striding into the world on their third full length’s coat tails. In six years, the band went from a rather stripped sound to a full embrace of chunky guitars and explosive crashes. A furious amount of raw talent was always in the repertoire of their sound, but Celebrate takes all of the talent and polishes the edges — letting their honest approach seep out 10 of the best songs of their career. From the guitar tones to the vocal styles to the amount of guests helping the songs be memorable, Minnesota’s trio have plenty to be commemorated for with their latest release.

Every song on Celebrate finds every instrument clashing to be the most important part to the melody. Dylan Mattheisen’s vocals are urgent cries of despair and relief; trying to find some form of hope to hold onto. Mattheisen’s guitars match the delivery with their scratchy distortion that possesses a ‘twinkly’ aura (alluding to the void of hope being sought after). Brothers Billy and Matthew Chevalier slam into the tone and pace of Mattheisen with their own ambitious offerings. It’s subtle enough that the layers of bright chords mesh with their heavier counterparts. Opener “Good Enough” showcases immediately how EVERY single piece that goes into a part has its own weight to bear; allowing the listener the opportunity to interact with the band’s entire sound. You can pat your thighs to the drum beat, bellow along with the bass, shout the lyrics or doodle along with the guitars. It’s rare to find bands that are driven by themselves, not relying on one member to carry extra weight. 

The entire album is bred on these three stellar musicians dynamically intertwining. Their music rises to impeccable heights when they are spewing out the struggle of their inner monologues but know how to reflect on their stumbles all at the same time. I first took notice to how brilliant the band utilized this technique in their writing while watching the video for “Headache.” That one gripping, introspective melody that plays while the hands are letting go brings the full band back in. That moment is the key climax of the song. It’s like holding on to your fears and letting them go with Tiny Moving Parts chronicling how you overcame your inner demons. Sure, one could argue that the video was directed beautifully, but the band offer these quiet moments for listeners to latch onto before rattling your thoughts. (Kyle Thrash directed that, and we had the chance of talking to him last month).

Not only does the music create this contrast, but the lyrics are matched to songs incredibly. “Happy Birthday” is sharp, lashing out the exact way one should celebrate their birthday — and thus their mistakes — with an upbeat drive and compelling rally cries to live life to the fullest. A solemn mood is introduced before they ask you to move (“Birdhouse”) and just fucking celebrate. “Minnesota” is a challenging tune with flying guitar leads wrapping around the rhythm section. It’s one of the more reflective pieces from Tiny Moving Parts, finding a disconnect between their fast paced life and their worries. Stepping outside the box of music that is Celebrate, life is moving just as fast for us all, and the group capture the moments with such bitter accuracy.

“Common Cold” is an album highlight. A tune that spits out lyrics that lasso anxiety into a perfect audible experience. The syncopation of the entire songs depicts the shortness of breath that comes with panic attacks. While being named after the common cold, it’s something that people rarely get over. It’s a narrative of feelings that match the crushing weight of one’s lungs with each beat of the drum, each desperate cry for help and the steady pace of waiting for things to get better. This mood is matched with “Breathe Deep,” a pounding song about trying to quell the worst of yourself.  

Match the intelligent soundscapes of capturing feelings with intricate workings of ambitious deliveries and one gets close to how sensational Celebrate is. The midwest trio has worked out their edges, glazing their music with emotionally compelling lyrics and clever songwriting. Screamo has never been this luscious or contagious. Congratulations to Tiny Moving Parts. 

Score: 9.3/10

listen to the whole record here!