Anxious - 'Don’t Move'
One of pop-punk’s best and busiest bands are back to releasing home runs with their new track ‘Don’t Move’.
Hot off the heels of relentless global touring and their strongest album to date, they have returned with another sucker punch of rich and perfectly structured power chords, light and bouncy riffs and a rhythm section that thrashes away with pinpoint accuracy. This song fits the mould of their recent album ’Bambi’ while standing alone in its melancholic messaging and gut-wrenching changeups. The dynamic switches between their usual fast, loud and vivacious sound drops to an acoustic and sullen portion, really allowing the song to breathe effortlessly and making the return of those hard-hitting riffs feel even more impactful than previously. This song feels set for all formats; its presence is evident in the recording and can be quietly sobbed to; however, the live format for this song is bound to tear the roof off, pull the sorrow from the crowd and directly onto the stage, and then immediately tear the already missing roof off of the venue a second time. This dynamism makes the track an easy song to throw on repeat over and over again. It’s these switch-ups that make the track’s 4-minute run time seem short-lived yet cinematic, something that Anxious have perfected in recent years.
Being one of the busiest bands in the space has clearly paid off in abundance, as every section, every chord change, every glance of the hi-hat feels structurally significant and watertight. Having seen this band flow from strength to strength, it is great to see that their songs still remain deeply personal as they amp up their writing proficiency and impact with every release. This track feels like the story of a young love lost in the rubble, and despite an attempted reconstruction, it was ill-fated and destined to fall apart. You can feel the grappling with acceptance of this situation throughout all parts of the song, but the repetition of the line ‘Tell me that I know that it’s not, it’s not true’ hits harder each and every time it’s hurled into the microphone. These themes are common in many of Anxious’s tracks, but the delivery of every element of this song makes it a true standout heartbreaker and leaves me only wanting more and more.
Anxious’s brilliance lies within both their work ethic and deep emotional connection to their songs, so here’s to hoping that Grady Allen gets his heart broken a few more times, with a resolution of course, so that we can all collectively release our own burdens in crowded and sweaty rooms the next time they decide to cross the pond. Anxious embark on a US tour with a host of strong talent in the form of Hotline TNT, Rocket, and Cryogeyser and fronted by the headline band and scene legends Citizen. As their catalogue continues to build and they continue to tour the tread off of their tyres, make sure you catch them whenever they’re nearby, as they are easily one of the only absolute must-watch bands around right now.
Words by Josh Pook
