Tiny Moving Parts has always been a vehicle for catharsis, and that’s nothing new on breathe (2019). The fifth full-length by the Benson, Minnesota, trio sees vocalist/guitarist Dylan Mattheisen and his cousins, brothers Matt (bass) and Billy (drums) Chevalier, tackle issues such as mental health, anxiety, and mortality while also expanding their sound.
Recorded with longtime collaborator Greg Lindholm and established pop producer John Fields (Jimmy Eat World, Goo Goo Dolls, All Time Low), breathe is a valuable reminder that we’re all in this together, channelled through the band’s trademark blend of math-rock, pop-punk, and emo, albeit with a few new musical tricks (including some electronic flourishes and a banjo).
More than just a collection of songs, breathe serves as an important emotional crutch. It’s the friend we all need at our darkest times. It’s the sound of a band coming to terms with their own mortality, their own anxieties, their own self-doubts. And it’s a reminder that, as long as there are songs sung back as if our lives depend on them, we are never alone.
