The Proper Things and the existential garden punk ruminations / melancholy punches of "Movement of My Blood"

 

"Chance encounter, years later / Look how I’ve changed / A faded eye, stupid smile / Cracks on my face..."

The existential garden punk ruminations / melancholy punches of "Movement of My Blood", by Corner Brook, Newfoundland post punk / pop rock outfit The Proper Things, sinks deeper into your skin and eventually your muscle the more you listen, maybe even causing a deep ache. Not sure if it is the sort of R.E.M. fragility or songwriter / vocalists Mark Hoyles, gritty howl pushing out searing vocal melodies that have real emotional gravitas that, if you are in the right space to receive the bloodletting, can cause faint goosebumps to rise on your skin. Or maybe it is the sparse orchestrations of sound, the intimacy of it all, or probably all of it coming down hard.

The seeds of this song excerpted / bracketed from LINER NOTES:

[“Movement of My Blood,” from Newfoundland’s genre-bending alt-rockers The Proper Things’ upcoming album Colder Than Before, explores the idea of change versus inertia. Mark Hoyles was inspired by an encounter where he observes, “I ran into someone I knew and couldn’t stop thinking about how much I had changed—while they had stayed the same.” Pondering this idea of personal transformation, Mark penned “Movement of my Blood” which offers a pause from the driving beat that features strongly throughout the album, giving space for reflection. There’s an undercurrent of loss, but also a resignation that going backwards is not an option.]

AND

[Colder Than Before, is an album about the fight for forward motion, even when everything feels stuck. This album explores the emotional terrain that must be navigated when the days get heavier, routines get tighter, and change starts to feel like a faraway dream. It’s an album born out of emotional and creative tension — a portrait of transformation in motion, painted with sarcasm, heartache, and glimpses of quiet hope.]

I can tell that this song is hitting me in the right way because I have already, naturally began playing along on guitar and singing it too. I love personal lyrics that are not derivative but make you want to imagine more in between the lines and these are those kinds of lyrics. 

"Chance encounter, years later.

Look how I’ve changed.
A faded eye, stupid smile,
Cracks on my face.
My wrinkled skin, is pale and thin,
And all tinted grey.
Oh, no. See you’re just waking up.
Oh, no. You’re just waking up

Then you hit me, fast and easy,
With those words like butter.
And every sound, I swallow down.
Just sink like water.
I dive into the flood of it.
Yeah, you pull me under.
Oh, no. I’m buried in mud again.
Oh, no. I’m buried in mud again.

Kinda lied to believe it.
Why'd you drag me in?
I was kinda blind to begin with,
I feel your breathing, alright
Kinda lied to believe it.
Why'd you drag me in?
I was kinda blind to begin with,
But I see you.

Nothing from your drunken breath,
You hit me harder.
Your timing is like a wave of heat,
And now all that matters
As if I could forget you,
Like some drying flower.
Oh, no. It’s the movement of my blood.
Oh, no. It’s the movement of my blood.
Oh, no. It’s the movement of my blood.
Oh, no."

I am appreciating Hoyles songwriting because it feels rooted in classic modes but maybe shaped by folk, chamber pop, emo punk, indie rock so like what I like to call hybridic indie rock. I mean "Movement of My Blood" feels rooted in late 80's artistic conversations anyway. A pivotal era, time of indie music. A time when songs were just that instead of commodities or social media content. 

More important LINER NOTES (excerpted / bracketed):

[Formed in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, The Proper Things have steadily carved a name for themselves in the province’s thriving music scene. Since their debut, they’ve garnered critical acclaim, a loyal fanbase, and multiple MusicNL nominations. Their self-titled debut album earned nods for Alternative Artist of the Year and Fan Choice Artist of the Year in 2020. The follow-up, On the Plus Side (2022), expanded their musical vocabulary and brought another wave of accolades — including a return nomination for Alternative Artist of the Year.]

[A cornerstone of the band’s creative voice, Mark Hoyles has been performing for over two decades and was recently honoured with a 2024 Arts and Letters Award for songwriting. His lyrics on Colder Than Before are as self-aware as they are self-deprecating — a perfect lens for the record’s emotional landscape. Rick Waterman (Bass) and Craig Caines (drums) are foundational figures in Newfoundland’s West Coast scene with over 25 years playing in the local music community. Waterman brings rhythmic intuition and grounded experience to the band’s sonic backbone while Caines’ precise, expressive drumming provides both punch and nuance. Rounding it out is Mark Smallwood whose synth textures add depth, atmosphere, and the occasional surreal flourish that lifts the songs into new emotional territory. Together, The Proper Things are more than the sum of their parts. They are a band shaped by years of artistic collaboration, shared influences, and the constant tug-of-war between ambition and reality — themes that echo through every corner of Colder Than Before.]

- Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6TStGSglfU4isUlKukwPhe

https://www.instagram.com/the.properthings/

https://www.facebook.com/theproperthings

https://theproperthings.bandcamp.com/


The Proper Things are a high-energy post-punk pop-rock band from Corner Brook, NL, blending catchy melodies with an alt-rock backbone. Their dynamic sound — described as raw, danceable, and edgy — has earned them multiple MusicNL nominations, including Alternative Artist of the Year. With a powerful live presence and a deep commitment to authentic songwriting, The Proper Things channel decades of experience into music that sticks with listeners long after the show ends. Their latest release, Colder Than Before, captures the band’s evolution and stands as a bold statement of creativity from Newfoundland’s west coast.

The Proper Things, stalwart band, Newfoundland, Corner Brook, indie rock, alt rock, pop rock, post punk, garden rock, indie folk, emo, emotional gravitas, songwriter Mark Hoyles, intimate songwriting, "Movement of My Blood",