On July 29th, 2022 The Movement will drop their 8th studio album, Always With Me, which also happens to be their first self-produced record since their 2004 debut, On Your Feet.
Always With Me will include 15 brand new songs with a handful of guest appearances that include Slightly Stoopid, Clinton Fearon, HIRIE, Iration and a new name being talked about with Soom T. The album was recorded at White Star Sound which is described as being in the backwoods of Virginia and is the same studio where they recorded Ways of the World and Golden. And with their 10th studio album comes the official addition of longtime collaborator & former John Browns Body member Matt Goodwin who organically found his way into the band after being a touring member & studio mainstay since 2016’s Golden.
When discussing the new record & decision to self-produce, front-man Josh Swain tells The Pier: “Everything we do seems to just happen organically. We weren’t against having a producer, and didn’t necessarily feel strongly about doing it on our own. It just kinda happened that way. Luckily, Goodie is as good of a choice as anyone I know, he just happens to be in the band. And it’s also really lucky that we share a very similar vision. Since we had the know-how and the vision, it just made sense to see where we could take it. We talked with a few producer/ engineers about doing the next record and shopped a few different studios, but as time went on, things just started happening on their own. Songs were taking shape regardless. We had been tracking demos at hotels and at our own houses, and a lot of the building blocks were just there. So when we finally did go to White Star, there wasn’t much of a need to track as a live band. We developed ideas, and added parts, overdubbed, and changed things around, and just laughed and made the music we wanted to make.”
Turns out the band started with about 22 demos before settling on 15 tracks that made the final cut of the album. When asking Josh if there are any songs on the record that carry more sentimental weight over the others, he replied: “‘Afraid’ and ‘Elephant’ are about self discovery, about those voices in your head–What are they saying, what is saying it, and who or what are they talking to? And what part does our ego play in response? Those are questions to ask in meditation, and that is where some answers may be found. ‘U Don’t Know Me’ is a sentimental song on a different level. In the same vein as ‘Remember,’ it’s a song about getting through the tough times and coming to the light.”
Watch: The Movement – “No Worry”
As for the album title itself, Josh continues, explaining: “‘Always With Me’ is really just vibing off the notion that separateness is an illusion. That all is one. Whatever our concept of reality is, it’s probably not wholly accurate. But it seems like there is something that is always with me, or rather that we are always a part of it. We call it God, nature, truth, the Great Spirit of the Universe… but to the extent that we feel separated from it, or from things like loved ones who have passed on, is to the extent that we feel suffering.”
In closing, Joshua tells The Pier that he hopes this album helps people feel what they’re feeling: “I hope it provides insight and relief. I hope people can dance to it and scream with it and sing it loud in the shower, and cry when a certain song hits them and laugh when another one comes on. I want people to headbang and mosh and then slow dance and propose to their girlfriend within the span of a few tunes. I want someone to remember all their pain and then completely forget it. I want you to be pissed off and grateful at the same time and then be neither. I want you to get everything out of it that you want. But really we don’t expect anything. We just hope something in there means something to someone.”
Always With Me with be with us all on July 29th via the bands own R4RE Records. Additional links below.
The Movement – Always With Me Tracklist:
1.) Always With Me
2.) Afraid
3.) Beg Borrow
4.) Sounds of Summer (with Slightly Stoopid)
5.) Elephant
6.) No Worry
7.) Worth Fighting For
8.) Chainz
9.) Jungle
10.) Mountain (with Clinton Fearon)
11.) Actor (with HIRIE)
12.) High Roller
13.) On And On (with Iration)
14.) Love To Burn (with Soom T)
15.) U Don’t Know Me
Related Links:
@TheMovementVibe
The Movement Website
Article By: Mike Patti
Photo By: Joser Cavada
Listen: The Movement – “On & On” (ft. Iration)