It always feels like a “pink cloud summer” when Movements is turned on and the pain starts to wash away. The post-hardcore quartet has only been together for half a decade, but it’s created an EP and two LPs that outshine nearly everything released in any genre during the time.
Whether it’s frontman Pat Miranda channeling both his and your pain into every lyric, Ira George making heavy magic with the guitar, Austin Cressey rattling your brain with the bass, or Spencer York softening the blows of life with his drumming, Movements has created an irreproachable group that builds a form of solace for those who need it most.
Yes, those listening to Movements typically need the relatable lyrics alongside the screaming that reminds us someone shares our pain and we’re not alone. Movements is so good at its job it’s one of the only bands in the world that doesn’t have a subpar song, which means ranking its entire discography is a gutsy move, but it must be done.
Here is a definitive ranking of every Movements song:
32. “Protection” (Demo)
It physically hurts to rank “Protection” this low because it’s still everything. As the first track Miranda wrote and the one that earned Movements attention, “Protection” discusses his conflicting thoughts on his mental health and how much safer he feels reflecting rather than confronting the outside world.
31. “Worst Wishes” (Outgrown Things)
Let the guitar tear your heart apart as Miranda finds himself not being able to get away from his former lover. Everywhere he goes and everything he sees — from “worn-out clothes” to the “ache in my bones” — she’s there to remind him of how good it used to be. It simply hurts.
30. “Suffer Through” (Feel Something)
Though “on the surface, no one will notice,” Miranda is struggling to overcome his demons, and he feels immensely lost. By the end, he figures out he can conquer anything he tackles head-on because his biggest enemy is himself. The outro feels dreamy, but it’s lyrically heartbreaking.
29. “Buried” (Demo)
A rare demo, “Buried” delineates to a T what it’s like to attempt to move on after losing the love of your life. Former guitarist Brett Chiodo gives it his all and adds a bit of a sting to every word. Miranda’s screams here hurt like no other, too.
28. “Scripted” (Demo)
Miranda takes the time in “Scripted” to reflect and self-loathe (just as he does with much of Movements’ remaining discography, but the lyrics especially hurt here). The guitar reverberates as Miranda pleads he needs to “prove to myself I’ve got more to offer than this self-doubt.” What a mood.
27. “Don’t Give Up Your Ghost” (No Good Left To Give)
The first single from No Good Left To Give was a little off-putting at first since it departs so heavily from the band’s previous sound — which is actually why it was released first — but it gets better with each listen. The entire song is mellow, with the bass and subtle piano making the biggest impacts, but Miranda’s message of doing everything you can to persevere and beat the odds hits like a truck.
26. “Hatchet” (Outgrown Things)
Diehard Movements fans are definitely upset this is ranked so low, but honestly, if every track could be ranked No. 1, they would be. Miranda offers some solid advice as he realizes by the end that dwelling on the past gets you nowhere: you can regret, but don’t let what you can’t change consume you.
25. “Kept” (Outgrown Things)
As York hammers the throbbing drums into your soul, Miranda puts all his self-deprecating thoughts to paper (“I hate myself / I am a wreck”). He’s crying out for something, anything to give him support so he can find the strength to overcome his overbearing thoughts. Isn’t that we all need sometimes?
24. “Seneca” (No Good Left To Give)
Prepare to be simultaneously enthralled and saddened as Miranda beautifully talks about watching the girl he loves move on. The pounding bass in the beginning doesn’t prepare you for the emotional journey you’re about to experience.
23. “Under the Gun” (Feel Something)
Miranda feels immense pressure trying to end his relationship, but he knows it must be done. As the heaviest track from Feel Something, “Under the Gun” shows how toxic relationships should end: with honesty and what both people in the situation need to hear. Miranda’s screams paired alongside that roaring guitar are unmatched.
22. “Third Degree” (Feel Something)
“Third Degree” is the exact opposite of “Under the Gun,” as Miranda has recognized he’s in a toxic relationship, but he'll do everything he can to make her stay. The guitar will echo in your mind for days as Miranda reveals he almost needs her to damage him so that when she leaves, he can have something to write about. Ouch.
21. “12 Weeks” (No Good Left To Give)
With some of the most sonically positive vibes Movements has ever produced, “12 Weeks” shows the inner workings of Miranda’s mind as he decides whether or not his significant other would be better off without him. Though the track is lyrically melancholy, there’s something so inexplicably warm about its structure.
20. “Garden Eyes” (No Good Left To Give)
Now, Miranda’s become so good at recognizing toxicity within relationships that he’s noticed it coming from the partner of someone he loves. Even though his friend may feel on top of the world with their partner, Miranda promises, alongside a thought-provoking guitar, “nothing in this life was meant to be,” and better is coming.
19. “Living Apology” (No Good Left To Give)
All throughout No Good Left To Give, Miranda’s tone is noticeably calmer, and “Living Apology,” besides the faint screams in the bridge, exemplifies that. Miranda confronts his own impostor syndrome and feeling out of place with some brain-racking lyrics that are backed by an eerie guitar.
18. “Vacant Home” (Outgrown Things)
Grab some tissues before starting this one. After his mother’s death, Miranda has noticed a void within his house and himself. Though he feels utterly broken, he can hear his mom telling him to press on despite the hardships, and he’s trying to do that to practically no avail.
17. “Skin To Skin” (No Good Left To Give)
In “Skin To Skin,” nothing matters to Miranda except the moment he and his significant other are in right now. With twinkling guitars, bass that’ll make you astroproject and drums that are to die for, all paired with Miranda’s smooth vocals, it’s easily the catchiest track on the band’s latest album.
16. “Deep Red” (Feel Something)
The bass in this track. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Miranda feels as though he’s truly in love for the first time, and he would be content if time stopped and it were just him and her forever. The bridge is too dreamy.
15. “No Good Left To Give” (No Good Left To Give)
It’s only 95 seconds, and if it were any longer, it probably would’ve made the top 10 of this ranking. Miranda feels there’s no point anymore after the love of his life left him, and he’s somehow taken that desolate feeling and paired it with ethereal production to create an unbelievably calm environment. We are not worthy.
14. “Moonlight Lines” (No Good Left To Give)
Miranda and his verses of spoken word are an irreplaceable duo. When he reached a low point with his mental health, he had a one-night stand with someone, and he’s now trying to explain to her with the brutal honesty she needs that it meant nothing to him. That bass riff from Cressey feels unexplainably home-y.
13. “Fever Dream” (Feel Something)
One of the saddest songs in history, “Fever Dream” outlines how it feels to reach an all-time low. Guided by a dismal acoustic guitar, the track is one of Miranda’s most lyrically somber — and that says a lot for an emo band like Movements. Just take the time to think about these lyrics: “Losing friends as fast I’ve been losing sleep / It’s overcast, and I’m always 6 feet deep inside my mind / So this is goodbye.”
12. “Full Circle” (Feel Something)
Miranda can’t seem to get over the hump, no matter how hard he tries. The instrumentation is calm in the verses as Miranda breaks down his thoughts, but it becomes just as angry as him in the chorus when he knows he’ll continue feeling this terribly for days to come. He knows, however, “without a struggle, there can’t be progress.”
11. “Losing Fight” (Outgrown Things)
Just when you thought “Fever Dream” was sad, “Losing Fight” enters the chat. Miranda assesses his own sadness until he comes to terms with it, and as he finally proclaims “I’m a f------ mess,” the instrumentation crescendos into a brilliantly heavy state of being. The screams that end both the track and the EP will break your heart.
10. “Tunnel Vision” (No Good Left To Give)
Imagine casually starting a track with “Long gone from a long-term sentence / There’s nights that I wish I’d die.” The roaring guitars heighten Miranda’s blatant pain as he screams about how he would do anything to rid himself of his pain. Relatable.
9. “In My Blood” (No Good Left To Give)
This is far and away this most ethereal album opener of 2020. Miranda’s vocals have never been so soothing as he finally reveals to a past love that he’s never gotten over her — and he probably never will. That opening guitar is otherworldly, but if we’re being really honest, every part of the song is.
8. “The Grey” (Feel Something)
Even by the end of Feel Something, nothing’s different: there’s still plenty of lingering helplessness for Miranda. The track concludes the album with a verse of spoken word, saying he’s come to terms with his depression and all he can do is hope it’ll get better — something to which a lot of people can relate. That guitar will find its way into your mind for days to come.
7. “Colorblind” (Feel Something)
The acoustic version is superior, but the lyrics are what make it stand out. Miranda has realized too late that his significant other was everything he needed, and he blew it. While he was dealing with mental health issues, he didn’t spend enough time checking up on her and didn’t notice “you were gold, but I’m colorblind.” Regardless of which version you listen to, you will ascend.
6. “Santiago Peak” (No Good Left To Give)
The bittersweet feeling of missing home is expending Movements. 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. California, where the band hails from, will always be a part of Miranda. The harmonies in the pre-chorus are everything you didn’t know you needed.
5. “Nineteen” (Outgrown Things)
“Nineteen” is Miranda’s heart-wrenching open letter to his father. His dad wants to set his entire out life for him, and it seems as if all he does is disappoint him, but he wants his dad to know: “I am not you / I’m barely me.” The bridge of eloquent spoken word next to the painstakingly good guitar is breathtaking.
4. “Deadly Dull” (Feel Something)
Miranda is watching his grandparent’s mind deteriorate, and it’s killing him — especially because he might carry the same gene and might experience it himself someday. The storytelling is meticulous and nothing short of brilliant, and the guitar is like quick jab after quick jab.
3. “Submerge” (Feel Something)
Sonically, there’s no way to describe “Submerge” other than the feeling of falling and knowing there’s no end in sight. Miranda can’t find a way to get his head above the water. He knows “an elegy is all I’ll ever be,” and he’s almost ready to let go completely. This is undoubtedly the most underrated track in the band’s entire discography.
2. “Love Took The Last Of It” (No Good Left To Give)
Even though it’ll hurt to admit, Miranda is finally ready to tell his girlfriend she was simply his distraction from his demons — because it’s what she needs to hear to start moving on. The guitars pair with Miranda’s vocals almost too well. The outro, which listeners are given a sneak peek of in “No Good Left To Give,” is, contradictory to the album title, too good for this world.
1. “Daylily” (Feel Something)
One of the greatest songs of this generation, “Daylily” is Miranda’s love letter to his girlfriend. He watches her endure pain constantly, and his only wish is that she can experience a “pink cloud summer” — Movements’ coined term that, instead of having good days sporadically, she finds herself happy for months on end. It’s one of the sweetest, most comforting tracks ever made, and we can only hope someone ever loves us half as much.
