The Love That Moves
Visual Meaning
The idea for the visual of “The Love That Moves” happened, like it usually does for me, in several different phases. When all taken into account, they seem to have little, if any at all, logical connection between every single one of them, but, somehow, looking back at it all now, it makes perfect sense as a whole for me. So here are a few fragments of the organic and creative journey beneath “The Love That Moves”.
I’ve been often asked if it was getting more and more challenging to find inspiration for new projects, which is a very good question considering the fact that before embarking on that new “solo” adventure, I had developed and redefined every aspect of my previous band, Your Favorite Enemies, for the 12 years it kept on growing. I guess the answer resides in the way I perceive art and creation, which is not in a branding, commercial, or pecuniary perspective, but with a soulful and genuine purpose. Otherwise, as beautiful and well-made as it might be, it’s nothing more but an object designed to be sold. It’s absolutely not judgmental towards anyone monetizing their dreams in order to keep them alive, and I am not looking with disdain at those having for sole ambition to amass riches. No. For me, it’s about discerning deeper layers of “meaning” for each and every one of those projects. The reward is not how many units of this and that I may have “moved” or not — that has nothing to do with my world. It always reverberates around the same unique question: “Have I truly dug deep enough to discover what I didn’t know I was looking for in the first place?” Finding is easy, at least it is for me. It’s what I call the large and easy path of self-gratification. Discovering is something else. It’s a scary and unraveled path to engage yourself on and it involves a world of frustration, anger, resentment, doubt, and much more of the same antagonizing sentiments along the way. My friends and collaborators don’t particularly like my digging moments. They say that I become an obsessed and consumed character, which is probably the nicest way they have found to refer to my unbearable and insufferable attitude…! They are most probably right… I supposed I can drive people insane on a regular basis when I chase the invisible. I can barely stand myself either…!
Therefore, if the visual identity of “The Pain That Bonds” came to me more naturally while I was walking on the mountain with MacKaye one morning, “The Love That Moves” was entirely something else, to such an extent that I had to reevaluate the essence by which I look at “love” itself. I’ve been raped as a kid, and since then, I have despised being touched and I set clear emotional boundaries between me and anyone able to move me inside. I tend to distance myself whenever I feel like getting too attached to someone who may have pure and genuine affection for me, even though I’m an extremely loyal person. A friend recently told me that I have an avoidance anxiety or intimacy avoidance. Yes, I have that type of therapist friend as well…! It wasn’t too surprising of a comment, to be honest, but it nonetheless led me to explore what was the notion of “love” for me. I remembered an old picture of me and my father when I was a child, who he was as a person… I thought about my mother, who always had my back and offered me her indefectible support over the years — I could write a book filled with anecdotes involving school authorities, cops, love interests, pastor’s ass kicked, and so on. She’s the toughest individual I’ve met in my life. My mom, of all people! I also thought about friendship and what it means to me, the connection I have with my two dogs, and the profound affection for what others may consider fans but whom I consider family. I mused about my vision of art, my fear of failure, of being a disappointment or a letdown through my insecurities… It seems a world away from having to design the visual identity for a musical project… But for me, it’s not.
I’ve been often asked if it was getting more and more challenging to find inspiration for new projects, which is a very good question considering the fact that before embarking on that new “solo” adventure, I had developed and redefined every aspect of my previous band, Your Favorite Enemies, for the 12 years it kept on growing. I guess the answer resides in the way I perceive art and creation, which is not in a branding, commercial, or pecuniary perspective, but with a soulful and genuine purpose. Otherwise, as beautiful and well-made as it might be, it’s nothing more but an object designed to be sold. It’s absolutely not judgmental towards anyone monetizing their dreams in order to keep them alive, and I am not looking with disdain at those having for sole ambition to amass riches. No. For me, it’s about discerning deeper layers of “meaning” for each and every one of those projects. The reward is not how many units of this and that I may have “moved” or not — that has nothing to do with my world. It always reverberates around the same unique question: “Have I truly dug deep enough to discover what I didn’t know I was looking for in the first place?” Finding is easy, at least it is for me. It’s what I call the large and easy path of self-gratification. Discovering is something else. It’s a scary and unraveled path to engage yourself on and it involves a world of frustration, anger, resentment, doubt, and much more of the same antagonizing sentiments along the way. My friends and collaborators don’t particularly like my digging moments. They say that I become an obsessed and consumed character, which is probably the nicest way they have found to refer to my unbearable and insufferable attitude…! They are most probably right… I supposed I can drive people insane on a regular basis when I chase the invisible. I can barely stand myself either…!
Therefore, if the visual identity of “The Pain That Bonds” came to me more naturally while I was walking on the mountain with MacKaye one morning, “The Love That Moves” was entirely something else, to such an extent that I had to reevaluate the essence by which I look at “love” itself. I’ve been raped as a kid, and since then, I have despised being touched and I set clear emotional boundaries between me and anyone able to move me inside. I tend to distance myself whenever I feel like getting too attached to someone who may have pure and genuine affection for me, even though I’m an extremely loyal person. A friend recently told me that I have an avoidance anxiety or intimacy avoidance. Yes, I have that type of therapist friend as well…! It wasn’t too surprising of a comment, to be honest, but it nonetheless led me to explore what was the notion of “love” for me. I remembered an old picture of me and my father when I was a child, who he was as a person… I thought about my mother, who always had my back and offered me her indefectible support over the years — I could write a book filled with anecdotes involving school authorities, cops, love interests, pastor’s ass kicked, and so on. She’s the toughest individual I’ve met in my life. My mom, of all people! I also thought about friendship and what it means to me, the connection I have with my two dogs, and the profound affection for what others may consider fans but whom I consider family. I mused about my vision of art, my fear of failure, of being a disappointment or a letdown through my insecurities… It seems a world away from having to design the visual identity for a musical project… But for me, it’s not.
As you may know, ever since I moved to Virginia with MacKaye and Leonard, I developed a real passion for the whole ecosystem in which my home is located. If I always had a sensitive heart towards animals and an active involvement regarding the respect of the environment, living here opened my eyes to the incredibly inspiring notion of what I call the overlooked wonders surrounding me. My growing passion for the birds living on the mountain is the epitome of this new curiosity and inquisitiveness I’ve developed over the years. I’m a big city boy, no doubt about it, which makes it even funnier for my friends when I’m in awe by the view of bright cardinals, a group of bambis, or a family of foxes. I find it comforting to admire other living forms interacting with each other. I’m somehow learning a lot about life and about myself as well. It’s therapeutic for me to be part of something so much more grandiose than the usual music business mundanities I have always hated in the first place anyway. The peace, the harmony, the balance. If I’ve been called “The Holy Psych Priest” or “The Crazy Noise Preacher” by reporters reviewing my live shows, I’m referred to as the “Mountain Monk” by some of my loved ones! Let’s just say it changes from the other passionate nicknames I had in the past…! So much for cultivating zenitude… It suits me well, though, and keeps my spirit away from the inner bleakness I’ve been battling with for most of my existence. It’s an unfaltering source of personal reflections and musing perspectives.
The initial spark for the visual identity of “The Love That Moves” is the product of such introspection following the observation of an opened bird cage I have in my home studio, a simple structure hanging over our heads, without any particular features standing out for others to even notice it’s actually there, even it’s clearly out of place. It’s a meaningful symbol for me since I purposely put it there to remind me just how self-imprisoned I’ve been in the past, both personally and creatively, no matter if the cage door had been opened the whole time for me to embrace any form of freedom… It’s simple, almost childlike, but that was the very first element that kind of unlocked the symbolism that would eventually reveal the deepest signification of what the song may have evolved into. It was something indeed pretty simple of an object, but still, it bears a universe of metaphors and allegories for everyone to find their own realm of intimate sensations through the evocative imagery of that ordinary yet profoundly emblematic object. From bondage, enslavement, servitude, subjection, surrendering, up to liberty, emancipation, a leap of faith, enfranchisement, unfettering, or unyoking, there are more interpretations than I can dare and try to enumerate here. Again, it’s all about discovering wonders through the essence of what is seen as ordinary.
I talked about the cage — or should I say confided about what it meant to me — with my long-time co-creator Stephanie. She is one of those very few friends who aren’t sick and tired of hearing me discuss birds… God bless her compassionate heart…! Her reaction to my fervid — and endless — evocation of its numerous metaphoric impressions was “Like a jasmine flower; it represents love and it opens up at night!” YES! Exactly! That’s exactly what I’m telling you! Only, it took me about an hour to expose my point of view. I obviously don’t have the gift of summarization, that’s for sure. Nevertheless, her instinctive reaction was completely aligned with the whole idea behind it; a universal object provoking a personal response that now represented something highly intimate to that person, redefining whatever object had essentially triggered that feeling. And once it’s been felt, the sole view of that so-called inanimate object turns it not only into something consequential but gives it life, leading to its ability to evolve as we are. That’s the key that initiates the emergence of the different sparks of colors that will eventually offer subtle layers, shades, and tints as we keep on digging… And that’s exactly what happened.
Colors are extremely purposeful and paramount to any of the projects I have the privilege to be immersed in. It all goes back to my childhood I suppose, where I was explaining the significance of the colors I used when asked what my drawing meant. Yes, I have several issues… That’s why the biggest challenge resides in the design’s coloration. They generally come pretty quickly after I find the emotional foundation of the creative process. If Ben (The Long Shadows’s lead guitarist and my writing partner) has the unbelievable capacity to translate my explanatory nonsense when it comes to music, Stephanie has the equal ability to decipher the feeling-based description associated with the colors I’m looking for. She calls that process “the esoteric explorations”…! We elected to go with one featured element at the time, as their significations would guide us through, and not the other way around:
I talked about the cage — or should I say confided about what it meant to me — with my long-time co-creator Stephanie. She is one of those very few friends who aren’t sick and tired of hearing me discuss birds… God bless her compassionate heart…! Her reaction to my fervid — and endless — evocation of its numerous metaphoric impressions was “Like a jasmine flower; it represents love and it opens up at night!” YES! Exactly! That’s exactly what I’m telling you! Only, it took me about an hour to expose my point of view. I obviously don’t have the gift of summarization, that’s for sure. Nevertheless, her instinctive reaction was completely aligned with the whole idea behind it; a universal object provoking a personal response that now represented something highly intimate to that person, redefining whatever object had essentially triggered that feeling. And once it’s been felt, the sole view of that so-called inanimate object turns it not only into something consequential but gives it life, leading to its ability to evolve as we are. That’s the key that initiates the emergence of the different sparks of colors that will eventually offer subtle layers, shades, and tints as we keep on digging… And that’s exactly what happened.
Colors are extremely purposeful and paramount to any of the projects I have the privilege to be immersed in. It all goes back to my childhood I suppose, where I was explaining the significance of the colors I used when asked what my drawing meant. Yes, I have several issues… That’s why the biggest challenge resides in the design’s coloration. They generally come pretty quickly after I find the emotional foundation of the creative process. If Ben (The Long Shadows’s lead guitarist and my writing partner) has the unbelievable capacity to translate my explanatory nonsense when it comes to music, Stephanie has the equal ability to decipher the feeling-based description associated with the colors I’m looking for. She calls that process “the esoteric explorations”…! We elected to go with one featured element at the time, as their significations would guide us through, and not the other way around:
I saw a certain shade of “orange” for the A-Side background:
as it conveys optimism, confidence, warmth
as it conveys optimism, confidence, warmth
When it came to the beat-up cage, it had to be broken black:
as it represents mystery, hidden vulnerabilities, fear, and loss
as it represents mystery, hidden vulnerabilities, fear, and loss
The jasmine flowers had to be cream with a spark of orange:
as it reveals calm, serenity, and reliability
The branches were a few layering tones of forest green:
as it is associated with balance, hope, harmony, safety.
I wanted the B-Side background to be a mix of orange and cream to give the lyrics a peaceful place to lie down.
The last elements, that almost didn’t make it to the final visual instalment, were the hummingbirds, the spatuletail hummingbird, to be exact. Like pretty much everything I am involved in creatively, it all came to me from interacting with you my dear friends. I was thinking about someone precious to my heart who told me she had come to a point where there wasn’t any other option but to ask for divorce from her long-time partner. There was a magnificent degree of humanity in the way she opened up about it, a tremendous measure of dignity and empathy in her perspectives, while resilience and determination had to have the better tole of any doubtful nostalgia and upcoming uncertainties. It was truly moving, and I felt incredibly humbled to be invited into such a vulnerable space. I never ask questions or details when someone shares their heart and soul with me; it’s a fragile treasure I receive with the utmost care. I hold it as the unique present it is for me. I will take a moment apart afterward, to pray for my friend and to meditate about whatever suffering they must be to going through. On that particular occasion, it brought the image of that unique hummingbird to mind, an endangered species that can only be found in Peru. Its nature had a real impact on me when I first found out about that specific hummingbird a few years ago, and that day, it became associated with the emotions that precious friend was going through… That’s the reason behind the different colors and states of the birds in the visual.
The last elements, that almost didn’t make it to the final visual instalment, were the hummingbirds, the spatuletail hummingbird, to be exact. Like pretty much everything I am involved in creatively, it all came to me from interacting with you my dear friends. I was thinking about someone precious to my heart who told me she had come to a point where there wasn’t any other option but to ask for divorce from her long-time partner. There was a magnificent degree of humanity in the way she opened up about it, a tremendous measure of dignity and empathy in her perspectives, while resilience and determination had to have the better tole of any doubtful nostalgia and upcoming uncertainties. It was truly moving, and I felt incredibly humbled to be invited into such a vulnerable space. I never ask questions or details when someone shares their heart and soul with me; it’s a fragile treasure I receive with the utmost care. I hold it as the unique present it is for me. I will take a moment apart afterward, to pray for my friend and to meditate about whatever suffering they must be to going through. On that particular occasion, it brought the image of that unique hummingbird to mind, an endangered species that can only be found in Peru. Its nature had a real impact on me when I first found out about that specific hummingbird a few years ago, and that day, it became associated with the emotions that precious friend was going through… That’s the reason behind the different colors and states of the birds in the visual.
The black ones with cream details on the branches:
It reflects the moment after leaving the cage. They still wear the cage’s black tone, but there’s a surprising calm that can suddenly be perceived through the cream sparks. After all the energy they had to expand to get out of the cage, they are regaining their strength to figure out their next move.
It reflects the moment after leaving the cage. They still wear the cage’s black tone, but there’s a surprising calm that can suddenly be perceived through the cream sparks. After all the energy they had to expand to get out of the cage, they are regaining their strength to figure out their next move.
The small distant ones, dark teal colored, flying:
This is the transition. Your leap of faith slowly washes off the back color you had become after living in that cage for so long. You are still small, because of how you are still feeling without the environment of the cage, but also because you are being born again, ready to fly, and willing to grow with every new move of your wings.
This is the transition. Your leap of faith slowly washes off the back color you had become after living in that cage for so long. You are still small, because of how you are still feeling without the environment of the cage, but also because you are being born again, ready to fly, and willing to grow with every new move of your wings.
The bright teal one with the cream color on his tail that is flying in the foreground:
It’s the full incarnation of a newfound freedom. It’s assuming one’s true self while flying without restraints. The cream color on the tail is serenity acting as a rudder. You can almost feel as if the hummingbird is smiling in its motion somehow. The emancipation is complete, and it will keep on evolving at the same pace they allow themselves to discover more faces of their nature through the unfolding journey.
As for the lyrics I chose to display on the back of the vinyl, they are the reflections of that new blooming state of heart and soul. They mirror the incubation of that newborn hummingbird, both sides of a unique entity, the continuity of self. They had to be forest green because they carry a significant self-transition, so I wanted them to be displayed in a color that represents possibilities…
If it sounds like a complex process, where everything is thought of and every aspect is calculated, it could not be as far from the truth. Inspiration, and its instinctive motions, is incarnated in singular shapes and forms, allowing one to introspect their own life, and to have close ones reflect on them. To see a flash of color, to hear a distant sound, to have a musing impression, certain sensations, a friend gracefully opening up… Ongoing life occurs where life is invited to stream its transformative essence within you. That’s why honest art, like love, is born and carried away freely, vibrating differently from one beating heart to another. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it meaningful? Is it soulless? That part ain’t mine to define, just like what a song becomes and represents once it’s been set free from my restrictive insecurities. My only wish, always, is to either look or listen and to know that I’ve been as deep as I possibly could to discover what I sincerely believe I needed to uncover in my life. I have the firm assurance that it had to be communed with all of you my dear brothers, sisters, friends, and loved ones. So it’s up to you to rewrite that whole explanation (and its potential nonsense) through the personal filters of your own intimate emotions. Don’t hesitate to share it all with me if you feel like it, it’s always a privilege for me to grow through your discoveries…
Much love,
Alex
