Music Review: Tiny Moving Parts, Pleasant Living

By Melissa Bratcher

When I was a youngster, I had Gordon Gano and John Lydon’s voices to express my angst and loathing. I’m sure my parents haaaaaated hearing their adenoidal tones blaring from my room. Times haven’t changed, and there are still frontmen with hateable voices.

Tiny Moving Parts’ Dylan Mattheisen is a fantastic guitarist. He pulls textures and richness from his guitar in ways that truly boggle. As a lead singer, though, his voice made me want to put my fist through a wall. Perhaps that was what he was going for. In that case, well done.

The thing is that Tiny Moving Parts, musically, are remarkable. Drummer Billy Chevalier is gifted, and I found myself listening for his fills. The rhythm section he sets up with brother Matt Chevalier is excellent. But. The lead singer, oh the lead singer . . . it’s just painful.

The summery “Fourth Of July” is epic in a small way, boasting the line “I’m growing, but I’m not growing up.” That could be the mission statement for Pleasant Living. “Always Focused” is melodic and starts promisingly with a smart guitar part, then devolves with Mattheisen’s talk/yelling vocals. The cleverly titled “I Hope Things Go The Way I Hope” is loaded with echoey guitar and anchored by Billy Chevalier’s tight drumming. “Entrances & Exits” is musically captivating, urgently building, then just dies abruptly. It’s a disappointing ending.

Tiny Moving Parts capture the hopeful, wanting yearning of being fifteen(ish) on the lyrically interesting “Spring Fever.” “The Better Days” also yearns, but this time with cello, and musically it is engaging. Sans vocals, they’re really good. The closing track, “Van Beers,” works to become a live show sing along, with horns and endearing lyrics.

Pleasant Living is full of great musicianship and intricate guitar lines. In that respect, Tiny Moving Parts is a brilliant band. And to be sure, I’m not their target audience, so if I were, say, a 16-year-old emo girl, I’d probably love Dylan Mattheisen’s voice. But I’m not. And I don’t.

Now please kindly get off of my lawn.

Pleasant Living was released on September 9 through Triple Crown Records.

Tour Dates:
09/19 – Denver, CO @ Riot Fest
09/23 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar #
09/24 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop #
09/27 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)
09/28 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)
10/17 – Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar +
10/18 – Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck +
10/19 – Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room +
10/20 – New York, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall +
10/22 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott +
10/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church +
10/24 – Washington, DC @ DC9 +
10/25 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings +
10/26 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern +
10/27 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade +
10/29 – Tampa, FL @ Pre-Fest 2
10/31 – Gainesville, FL @ The Fest 13
11/03 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs +
11/04 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk +
11/05 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey +
11/07 – Tucson, AZ @ Gary’s Place +
11/08 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock Live +
11/09 – Camarillo, CA @ Rock City Studios +
11/10 – Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction +
11/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ EchoPlex +
11/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill +
11/14 – Portland, OR @ Slabtown +
11/15 – Seattle, WA @ Vera Project +
11/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court +

# w/ The Menzingers
+ w/ Dads